I am in the market for a new chronograph. My PACT is probably about 20 years old and just not working well anymore. I have not heard anything good about the current PACTs or their service. Can anyone recommend a currently-made chronograph that they are happy with? Thanks.

Chrony. Cheap, reliable and accurate. I have owned two of them; the first one of which ate a .44 mag bullet. Not fired by me.

quote:

Chrony. Cheap, reliable and accurate

Oehler. Works for me.

The electronics of all of them are pretty much the same, with most of them using a 1MM hertz "clock". I read someone's ad recently which touted a "faster" clock, but the screen spacing (and accuracy of the screen spacing) is really more important than the speed of the clock for velocities under 4,000 fps.

The biggest difference in chronographs is in the acuity of the detector screens. In this regard, Oehler has always had the best, with the "bargain" chronographs being much more persnickity about dropping shots. I'm sure that some of the current crop are now about as good as Oehler, but since the Oehler's are available again in a limited run, you might be sorry not to get one while you can.

The Oehler also offers wide latitude in screen spacing, being adjustable for anywhere from one-foot to five feet, IIRC. A four-foot screen spacing gives you four times the accuracy resolution of a one-foot screen spacing. It also reduces the potential error from inaccurate spacing by the same amount. When you use an Oehler and four-foot screen spacing you know exactly what your loads are doing, not about what your loads are doing.

quote:

Originally posted by ramrod340:

quote:

Chrony. Cheap, reliable and accurate

Same here,,for what I use it for it's perfect!!

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:
Chrony. Cheap, reliable and accurate.

Yup, had mine for 15 years, still works great.

quote:

Originally posted by ramrod340:

quote:

Chrony. Cheap, reliable and accurate

Have had three different Chronies. Sad stories on each. My Oehler has served me well for eight years. Chronies are easier to set up is a myth.
One man's findings. roger

Competition Electronics ProChrono Digital Chronograph

I am not sure how accurate they are...but I have had one of these for years and it has never failed to give a reading.

My data always compares favorably to others with Oehlers. That said...always wanted an Oehler.

Anybody else have one of theses prochronos?

Hard to beat the CHRONY and it's brothers. Very cost effective and an outstanding repair/upgrade option if an 'Uh Oh" happens.

Chrony here too. The only one Ive ever had or needed.

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:
Chrony. Cheap, reliable and accurate. I have owned two of them; the first one of which ate a .44 mag bullet. Not fired by me.

There are two types of people who own chronographs those who have had them shot and those who well.

I have used a crony for years works well lucky for me its wound as not fatal.

get a magnetospeed and you will not ever want to set up a chrony again

At FOUR times the cost of a chrony for something I only use once a year? No thanks. And it attaches to the barrel, which for double rifles, definitely won't work.

I have a Pro Chrono Digital. Works reliable and comes at a reasonable price.

quote:

Originally posted by Reloader270:
I have a Pro Chrono Digital. Works reliable and comes at a reasonable price.

I have one of these and it's been working fine for me.

I've had an Oehler for 30 years. Never failed me. Never wanted anything else.

I had a Pro Chrono that got shot by a 300 Ultra Mag at 10 feet. Wasn't pretty. It was my buddy's first time shooting through a chrony and I didn't give him good instructions.

I replaced it with a RCBS one for $100 that is now around $140. It works but I don't used it all that much and if I were interested in checking everything I would probably opt for a more expensive/better one.

It does take some time to set up with the long cords but does the job that I want.

ledvm+1

Love my Procrono - never skipped a beat in probably 15 years. Huge opening to shoot through (I've killed a Crony or two)

A +1 for the Oehler. Had mine for about six months now but only used it a couple of times so far. Still, the data produced was an eye-opener and for me it's an investment and a most worthwhile one.

I also have an inexpensive Chrony. Bought it at Cabellas in '98 for $69.95. Still works great, I guess. Only thing I need to bring is a pad of paper and pencil, and maybe an assistant to act as scribe.

I use mine only for load development and to occasionally settle debates about barrel length. That means I can go for a while without breaking it out.

quote:

Originally posted by Dale:
I am in the market for a new chronograph. My PACT is probably about 20 years old and just not working well anymore. I have not heard anything good about the current PACTs or their service. Can anyone recommend a currently-made chronograph that they are happy with? Thanks.

Why not send it back to PACT? I would call them and see what they would charge to check it out/rehab it.
Bill

Shooting Chrony - Gama model. I shot the first one with a 243 20 years ago! Upgraded to the Gama model.

They certainly do not like bright sunlight & the screens that come with the unit are useless. So you need to make a simple large shade over the unit.

quote:

Originally posted by Nakihunter:
Shooting Chrony - Gama model. I shot the first one with a 243 20 years ago! Upgraded to the Gama model.

They certainly do not like bright sunlight & the screens that come with the unit are useless. So you need to make a simple large shade over the unit.

That's the rub with the cheap chronographs -- dropped shots due to the screens failing to detect them. They are okay for very informal or occasional work, but when you are working up loads and testing simultaneously for velocity and accuracy the dropped shots cost you ammunition (and frustration). If you plan to seriously work up loads for a number of rifles, then a more expensive chronograph with better detectors will pay the difference in price by saving on ammunition, not to mention time. The better machine also gives you more leeway in the hours in which you can utilized it since it will work in both brighter an dimmer light conditions.

This isn't to knock any of the very economical machines available as there is certainly a place for them. It's just to say that you should buy a chronograph which matches your seriousness (and volume of use).

I've used th same Oehler for over 20 years. Using a 5' spaceing does make transportation a pain sometimes, set-up is not simple, but, it is accurate, never misses a shot, and I like it. I can even set the first screen as close as 3' and still not have problems.

Doug

I used two models of Chrony for three years, the last a "Gamma". They were OK but broken diffusers and bright sunshine make them a pain if you use them as much as I do. I then got an Oehler 35-P and thought I had gone to heaven. I keep mine set up on the rod all the time, it fits in the box that way. I then just screw it into the tripod, put on the diffusers and start shooting. I can always trust my speeds regardless of conditions. Shooters that are real serious about speeds should consider an Oehler. Good shooting.

I bought a Chrony when they first came out. When they discovered that you didn't need to spend several hundred dollars (1980 dollars) to find out how fast your bullet was going. It has served me well. Perhaps I'm not a "serious" shooter (hell, I don't even know what a serious shooter is) but the number of "dropped" shots I've had over the years certainly wouldn't pay for the difference in price between a Chrony and a Oehler. But I don't get the satisfaction of bragging about how mine cost more.

I've been shooting over a Pro Chrono Plus for 20+ years. It did get a break fora few years but works well. I think I've put two batteries in it so far.

If it ever needs replaced I'd get the new one pictured above with a USB interface, especially with the new tablets.

We have been the Oehler for many years, and it works great in our indoor shooting range.

But, we started using the Steinert Systems chronograph lately, and really like it.

I did check it against the Oehler, and the differences in readout was in the single digit range.

It is very easy to set up.

Sonic chronograph

quote:

Originally posted by Bill Cooley:

quote:

Originally posted by Dale:
I am in the market for a new chronograph. My PACT is probably about 20 years old and just not working well anymore. I have not heard anything good about the current PACTs or their service. Can anyone recommend a currently-made chronograph that they are happy with? Thanks.

Why not send it back to PACT? I would call them and see what they would charge to check it out/rehab it.
Bill

I inquired about that and PACT told me that the Model 1 that I bought in 1984 is no longer supported for parts or service.


BTW I'm still shooting over the original sky screens on at least a dozen range trips a year and haven't nicked it yet.

I have an old model 1 Pact chronograph that I have used since I bought it new in ???? the early 1980's? I replaced the battery when it failed with a 6 volt lantern battery with an external plug. It worked fine in the cloudy weather in the Seattle area but since I moved to the sun belt I can't get it to read more than 10% of the shots. I need to get some sky filters for it or make one that covers the whole sky screen area. I just don't know what to make them out of.

I have a CED Millenium and like it a lot.

Purely apart from my preference, there's a comprehensive list of things everyone who uses a chronograph should know, be it CED or other, at CED's website (scroll down).

My Oehler has worked hard over the last couple of decades I have had it. The printer has been repaired a couple of times because it stopped working. The skyscreens have been hit several times because I use the chrono to check BC at 100m and 200m but I could always find enough pieces to repair them with some filling in with epoxy and so on, but time came to replace it.

At half the price of an Oehler, I got one of these and now we are the South African supplier for them. I cannot believe how easy this technology makes speed readings. BC measurement can now be done at 500m when needed.

http://www.gsgroup.co.za/steinert.html

chrony -- with remote

I've owned two Chronys and a Pact. I started getting 100 fps variations in my velocities so I called PACT and they told me where I live in Alaska the angle of the sun in the summer can create a problem for the sensors.

I bought a CED millennium and continued to get erroneous readings varying by 100fps but not consistently so based on my geographic location after seeing one in action at my local gun range and spending quite a bit of time discussing it's performance with the owner and internet searching for comparisons I bought a magnetospeed. Velocity variation problem solved. It isn't perfect but for my situation it's been consistent so far.

35P and a 43. I went to Ken Oehler's school in Austin about twenty years ago.

You guys have, just have to go to the Sonic website and read the Norwegian translated to English. "Distributors of Disruptive shooting products for shooters and hunters..."

Std model is $495 at Triad in the Kansas City metro area.

quote:

Originally posted by ledvm:


Competition Electronics ProChrono Digital Chronograph

I am not sure how accurate they are...but I have had one of these for years and it has never failed to give a reading.

My data always compares favorably to others with Oehlers. That said...always wanted an Oehler.

Anybody else have one of theses prochronos?

I have one. Works great. I'll buy another one when the eventuality comes that it gets shot.

I have a chrony, CED, Oehler, and the magnetospeed.

I only use the magnetospeed now, set up time is 1 minute.

Granted, might be a bit harder to setup for a double barrel, but probably doable. Would need to think about it a bit.

ok, thought about it and realized that on the magentospeed, the sensor doesn't need to be below the barrel, it can be off to the side, or on top or at an angle. So for the double barrel case, just go off to the side and postion it. You can only do one barrel at a time, so now it would take 2 minutes to setup in that case. For a drilling, 3 minutes.

Magnetospeed will apparently build a unit with a different mount,now. Saw a pic of one mounted to an extra front rest instead of the gun. That notion intrigues me a bit. I have an Oehler 35P, works well, but, it is a pain to setup. About the only shots it doesn't read too well, involve muzzle blast.
There again ,too, I can buy three new skyscreens and diffusers for less than the custom mount Magnetospeed.

had a chrony got inconsistant results. Bought a CED Millenium, could not be happier.

Turns out with the Chrony it was position of the sun, I needed wider sky screens. With the CED you can get IR readers so do not have to worry where the sun is or isn't.