Fellas:
I am shooting with my Lab Radar several times per week and it's an amazing contraption. A couple of points to discuss and questions if you have one.

1. If you have one and use it I would appreciate your options; both positive and negative.

2. Most of my readings are more consistant that with other chronographs I've used in the past.

3. Most of my reading seem to be faster than with other chronographs I've used in the past (Chrony, PACT).

4. Registering a velocity with a apherical ball is impossible.

5. However I can get ball reading when the flat spot for the sprue cutoff is at the base. Still I miss 10-20% of my shots.

6. Black powder was very difficult to register so I did two things. First I put an aluminum shield, 12x14 inches between the rifle and the Lab Radar. Secondly I set the reading for 25 yards rather than closer to the muzzle. This works and picks up 90+% of my shots.

7. Flat base bullets are best and my LR easily picks up .22 long rifle to my largest double rifle, a 4-bore of .970" diameter.

I'd love you hear what you have to say. Are your readings more accurate and consistant with the LR. Your experience with black powder. Your experience with spherical balls. Positive comments and negative experiences welcome. What would you do different to improve on the LR or its use.

Thanks for your input, gents.
Cal

I have had one for a few years.

I think its really quite good. I am not using all its capabilities, as I really don't care what the BC is from my loads, etc. especially since it doesn't go past 100 yards really.

I do like the fact that you can set it up without having to screw around with putting skyscreens downrange.

I suspect that the reason you are getting higher readings is that it starts tracking essentially at the muzzle, as opposed to 1-20 feet downrange.

As to your issues with a ball, I suspect that without a flat space to get a radar return on, its not getting a good read on a sphere.

My biggest gripe with it is that the battery pack they sold with it will not power it up to transmit, and using AA batteries, it runs out of juice after less than an hour. I know they are selling a new battery pack that is "better" but since they refused to even talk with me, much less refund the old one, I am a little leery of spending the dough on that.

I would also like it if they would find a way to allow you to use it to check shotshell velocity.

I would also like ability to read higher velocities than it currently is capable.

quote:

Originally posted by cal pappas:
Fellas:
I am shooting with my Lab Radar several times per week and it's an amazing contraption. A couple of points to discuss and questions if you have one.

...

3. Most of my reading seem to be faster than with other chronographs I've used in the past (Chrony, PACT).

...

I am a competitive USPSA shooter in the "Limited" division shooting what is called "Major" with a power factor of 165+ (power factor is velocity * weight of the bullet divided by 1000). Labradar measured 168 PF. The chrono guy using the old style chrono measured 164.9. Which bumped me to shooting "Minor" PF (it is scored differently) costing me 5 places overall and out of contention of placing 2nd in a major match.

After that I ran tests with friends that had chronos and it always was a tad faster by 10-15fps or so. I now shoot for 172 PF to be safe

Other than that I love it. Much, much easier to set up, you don't have to worry about shooting it or worry about the weather.

quote:

I am a competitive USPSA shooter in the "Limited" division shooting what is called "Major" with a power factor of 165+ (power factor is velocity * weight of the bullet divided by 1000). Labradar measured 168 PF. The chrono guy using the old style chrono measured 164.9. Which bumped me to shooting "Minor" PF (it is scored differently) costing me 5 places overall and out of contention of placing 2nd in a major match.

One of the many reasons I don't shoot in USPSA match's any more.

What started out as something "practical" really turned into something that isn't.

But then we could have a long discussion on that.

I have Labradar for almost 4 years. It is a must for calibers (big blast or flash) such as 500 S&W Magnum, .460 Rowland, .585 Hubel Express etc. Works great for me.

CON: Doesn't measure shotgun loads (slugs are ok).

I still use Chrony for air rifles, rimfires etc., especially indoors.

Jiri

my biggest complaint would be that the weight is wrong on just the unit, but the base plate fixes that -

bar none, this is the easiest to use

I use my LabRadar at least once per week for the past year+.

I really like it and it will trigger with a suppressor with addition of the microphone.
Never have used it with a front-stuffer so I have nothing to add.

Aftermarket power packs work just fine and eliminates the need for all the AA batteries. It'll run about 4 hours every Saturday morning and only use about 17% of the pack's power.

Great unit and super easy to use. I too don't use all the features but I'm still learning.

Zeke

I also like the LabRadar. With it set up on a tripod I can fire my double rifles offhand without worrying about hitting a a screen.

Initially I had a problem getting the unit properly "aimed". This was cured with a section of drinking straw set in the "sights" to be more precise in the aiming of the unit. I just installed a Ebay 3d printer produced peep and post sight but have not had a chance to get to the range yet

I love mine; normally I set up for my long range shooting sessions and log the velocity of every shot.

I am glad I am not the guy who invented the MagnetoSpeed; I have one of those and haven't used it since I got a LabRadar.

I love mine. It matches my Oehler 35p within a couple feet per second (accounting for distance down range).

Funny story on power factor...shot the USPSA open nationals last year. Chronoed ammo at 170 power factor as home. Got to the match and was the last guy who made major at 165.001 (you can look it up). Thought the labradar was off, tested against 3 other chronos. Turns out that where I live at 4000ft versus where the match was at 500ft is about 4.5 power factor. Live and learn

Cal: When you say you had trouble with BP, is that only shooting balls and not with flat base bullets (TC Maxi-Balls)?

Black or smokeless round balls won't pick up.
However...
Black powder with conicals does pick up now that I have installed an aluminum shield between the muzzle and the LR.
I can now pick up round balls, smokeless or black, with the flat sprue plate cut at the base.
Will be shooting the 4-bore in a few days and all should be fine.
Cal

Fellas:
This is my Lab Radar setup. The right side (left when shooting) is a wood shelf for the LR. The 1x2s on the edges are set so the LR will snughly fit in and when in place it will be aligned with the target. This way very little adjustment needs to be done. The 1x2s are 1/2 inch above the LR's base so it won't be accidently knocked off the shelf.

The aluminum plate is to guard against muzzle blast. Sometimes the blast can actually shake the LR and it won't register. Also the smoke from the muzzle blast marrs the orange finish on the LR. You can see the black powder residue on the plate from shooting my 8-bore double Walter Locke.

All in all this works for me. I built the 12x20 "shooting shed" with lights and a wood stove so I can shoot in comfort in the winter. I just slide the window a few inches open, shoot at my backstop which is 50 yards away, and close the window while I rest and the barrels cool. The heat stays in. Secondly I now shoot in the summer from the shed, too. You see, with a mosquito coil burning I can shoot in warm weather without the absolute hell that mosquitos cause in Alaska's warm weather. Again, I open the window to shoot, close it when resting, and no damn bugs to annoy me.

Having power, the Beatles or Dylan makes shooting even more enjoyable! All that remains to be done is I'm looking for a poster of Janet Reno in a thong to hang on the wall!

Life does not get any better.
Cal

Thanks for information, Cal. I spoke with someone (s) {don't remember who(s)} at USSA about buying a speedmeter. The LR looked pretty good, but some folks had issues with them, operator error? We didn't want something that could be shot! The idea died out. Seemed like most of the folks that really wanted to know their speed already had their own.

Given your results, maybe the conversation will start again.

I have now clocked maybe 1k rounds with my Labradar and have learned a bit. Most of these have been from handguns. When I started I occasionally had trouble getting the unit to trigger with light handgun loads. I found that the muzzle needs to be even with the face of the unit and vertically it needs to be as close to mid-height as possible. One side of my case is actually scorched from too much revolver work. The blast shield looks like a good idea. I have not tried to chronograph any round balls but I know it will not work with shot from a shotgun.
If I am having trouble triggering I just switch to the dopller mode, which usually works. For power I use a 10000mah usb battery pack.
C.G.B.

I've had the same Chrony for around 40 years now with not a spot of bother and have used it for arrows, lot of shotgun trials, air rifles, handguns and a range of rifle cartridges with cast and jacketed bullets so you could say I'm very biased.

I have seen the Lab Radars being used at the range I attend and I am impressed by the quick and easy setup. I notice one shooter who does a lot of competitive target shooting, national and some international, has gone back to his elaborate looking sky screen type chronograph (long rail on two tripods with screens quite a distance apart). He and others have had problems with the LR with false readings triggered by other shots from close by benches. Maybe peculiar to our range where benches are under cover of a tin roof likely very reflective to sound. I haven't heard any really praising them, they seem to have a few problems. The standard chrony still seems to be popular and not just because of price as many users I see have expensive rigs and glass and could well afford the more expensive LR. The jury is still out for me.