I haven't shot mine yet, although I knocked it down once with the muzzle blast from a 7mm Mag. Besides my reloading stuff, it's an item I couldn't do without!!
Posts: 504 | Location: New Hampshire | Registered: 09 December 2001
I put a 416 Rigby round thru the top of both sensors on my CED. Fortunately the computer part sits back on my table and except for not holding the screens as well, the sensors continued to work.
------------------ RC
Posts: 1147 | Location: Ohio USA | Registered: 21 April 2001
It used to be that the best results occurred the closer one could scoot the bullets across the eyes of the cells. That, happily, was a long time ago. Now, I aim well-above the cells and get fine results.
Um, Oehler does indeed rebuild their Skyscreens at reasonable cost. They appear to have some experience in doing so....
I have marked the diffuser supports of my Pact with red electrical tape @ 3" and 5" above the sky screens. This is the recommended distance above the sky screens. When I set up a target behind the chrono, I verify that the target is about mid-way between these marks @ the low power setting of a variable scope. Hopefully this will prove you wrong DB Bill.
Posts: 2440 | Location: Northern New York, WAY NORTH | Registered: 04 March 2001
There's no inevitability that you'll shoot your screens if you set 'em up right first. Two neat tricks apparently aren't as obvious to everybody as they ought to be. (The second has to do with muzzle blast's effects on your data.)
1. Shoot first, then set-up your chronograph.The bullet travels quite a distance while it's still a good bit below the line of sight, from the muzzle to sometimes a surprising distance where it crosses the line of sight. Forget or ignore this, try to skin the bullet close over the screens, and you're going to hit one or both. Scopes with high mounts required by big tubes or big objective bells sit pretty high -- a tad over 2.15 inches on my new varmint rifle. Any bullet zipping out of that muzzle is still two inches or so below the line of sight at typical chronograph-screen distance. So the smart thing for me to do is to establish the line of FLIGHT relative to the line of SIGHT, add some clearance margin, and THEN set-up my screens. Determine first where your trajectory is, at screen distance from the muzzle. THEN set-up your screens accordingly, and you'll vastly reduce the odds of accidentally shooting a screen.
2. Place a blast baffle between your muzzle and your first screen, to deflect and block the muzzle blast -- especially if your muzzle velocity is below about 1,200 ft/sec. At subsonic velocities, the blast can trigger the first screen before the [slower] bullet gets there. Make a baffle simply by cutting a hole or vertical slit (just big enough to aim through and shoot through) in a large square of heavy plywood, and prop that baffle about halfway between your muzzle and your screen. Your data will suddenly become more reliable.Bullets at comfortably supersonic velocities trigger the screens before the blast gets there. But heavy blasts from big cartridges can move your screens around, change their spacing, or knock 'em over -- so the blast baffle is a good idea with a big supersonic magnum too.
We have hit more screens at 3 meters than at 93 meters. I think one is more careful when the screens are way downrange. As long as you find most of the pieces, quickset epoxy will get them up and running in no time. I am so glad I sprung for Oehlers - in the long run screens are cheaper than replacing the whole machine.
Two points: Watch out for sabots when shooting through screens. Once had a sabot from a 20 ga. hit the sensor housing when shooting 6" above the sensor at 10 feet. That was enough to break the plastic housing's feet where the screws attach it to the mounting beam.
Also, NEVER let strangers shoot through your screens at the range. I saw this happen to a guy once and learned from HIS mistake. "Oops, sorry" was all he got!
I started this post when I read the one about the guy and his kid and the blasted chrony.....I'm in the 2nd category and I hope I go a long, long time...hopefully the comments made here can help others delay their fate indefinitely. Good luck and good shooting.
Posts: 4360 | Location: Sunny Southern California | Registered: 22 May 2002
I haven't put a bullet through one yet (knock on wood) but as the previous poster said "never lend your chronograph out". I've had one come back with shot up screens twice now. you think I would learn. Oh well. - Dan
Posts: 5284 | Location: Alberta | Registered: 05 October 2001
The first time I used my chrono I was testing some .45 Super ammo. When they called it super, they weren't kidding. With the first shot I nailed one of the wires that hold the skyscreens in place. Knocked the whole mess over, tripod and all. I learned from that episode and haven't blasted the chrono since then. Don't shoot that load much either.
Nailed my bench side screen once with a 7x57 taped up the hole and continued the string.
Dito on lending out the machine, did it one time won't do it again, blew one screen to shrads and put a bullet hole in the other. Even if I am with a friend it is use at your own risk, you hit it you bought it.
I do have spares so a fatal shot won't kill an outing.
I shot my skyscreens once and I have seen a chronograph get shot. They die just like actors in a movie. The bullet hits and they fall backwards with their eyes closed.
Well Bill I'm on number 3 in 12 years the good thing is I keep moving up to a better one each time I make a kill on one I have a Pact pc2 now one more step to go and I will be at the top
HEY' I buy the cheapest "Chrony",I won't say how many.One trick I did,was to buy cotton swabs,the long ones I use them as rods.If you hit them,it's no big deal,and it won't harm the Chrony.I also put magic marker on the rods,and make sure I don't ever aim below that mark.Since I have been doing that,I haven't purchased a Chrony in almost a year. 1geejay www.shooting-hunting.com
quote:Originally posted by MontanaMarine: When I set up, I always pull the bolt out and look through the bore, left of the barrel, right of the barrel to be sure. So far I haven't hit it. MM
I do the same thing........but still manage to hit the rods?????
DB Bill, Yes, it is possible to shoot up your chronograph . My first Chrony went when I was shooting a long string from my CZ 550 mag in .416 Rigby. I had just gotten a bunch of 410gr Woodleigh Weldcores and was working up loads. I had fired about 30 rounds off hand and was a little shaky. Well....... I fired a round dead thru the little Chrony. It was an older model that had the paper windows and one had to shoot thru the little hole. My NEW one now has the metal rods in a big "V" and I can shoot anywhere in this area with good results. Dr. Howell is right. I have nicked my new one while chronographing my .22/6mm. It has a large dia scope and it gives an illusion thru the scope that the bullet will clear. Follow his instructions and keep your bullet out of the chronograph. Thanks for the fun topic.
The nice thing about the .416 Rigby, at least with the 400 gr Hornady RN, is that when one destroys a Chrony with it, the bullet is not significantly deflected, so the fifty-cent bullet and quarter's-worth of powder haven't really been wasted.
Posts: 2272 | Location: PDR of Massachusetts | Registered: 23 January 2001
I've had a Chrony for 2 years and never hit it, yet. I find that if I set the scope to it's lowest power, I can see the rods which makes positioning much easier. I shoot everything from my arrows to my 338 through it.
------------------ Shane Marquardt
Posts: 179 | Location: Wisconsin | Registered: 02 October 2001
As Ken Howell discribes 1): line of sight and line of flight are two different things.
After learning this the hard way, I now push a rod in the bore to which I attached one of these cheap laser pointers: setting up the chronograph is very easy and safe using the laser beam.
I hope I'll not forget the rod in the bore one day.
Posts: 367 | Location: former western part of Berlin, Germany | Registered: 25 August 2001
Waitaminit, you be VERY sure to take that rod out. We lost a bench rest shooter last season due to a cleaning rod left in the barrel. Be careful! Dutch.
Posts: 4564 | Location: Idaho Falls, ID, USA | Registered: 21 September 2000
Dutch, when I attach the laser to the barrel, I may have legal problems in this country. I will add a 5" cardboard disk to the rod which blocks the sight and, in case, reminds me that I have forgotten something.
Posts: 367 | Location: former western part of Berlin, Germany | Registered: 25 August 2001
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