My wife got me one for Christmas. This is the first chronograph I have ever owned. Is it simple to use? What about the software that comes with it? Any tips?

Sniper,

I have a Shooting Chrony and am pleased with it, but you have to keep things in perspective. I don't know the difference between your "Gamma" version and mine, but mine cost me about $80. I use it to compare loads when I am testing loads for a new rifle or bullet. It gives me another dimension besides group size to compare as far as velocity goes between the different loads.

Best advice I can give is to take it out to the range, set it up, and start playing with it. Use suitable "practice" rounds for this exercise, (no sense shooting the good stuff yet). What I learned was to set it as far away from the bench as your cord will allow. Under 8 feet and muzzle blast can skew the velocity listings. Mine seems to like a few warm up rounds before it settles into giving more consistent/reliable readings.

And figure about 1 out of 7 will obviously be false readings. I'd also be real careful using the readings that you get as an accurate claim as to what the velocity of your loads are, (mine runs a bit high).

I don't have the version that has software. I use a pad of paper, write the numbers down, then later use a calculator to come up with some basic figures.

For the money I'm pleased. Again, it will give you something to compare load x with load y.

The guys that are really into this will tell you to go buy the good equipment in the first place. But for me, I use it about four times a year. I had reloaded for over 25 years and never had one. Now, if I have two loads that group the same it tells me which one has better velocity in doing so.

I have a Shooting Chrony "Beta". This is the version that has the readout/display section separate from the sensors. I use it five or six times a year. Good piece of equipment. Already hit one of the wires and knocked the sensor and tripod over(.45 Super max load). No damage, unit works great.
I was very surprised how much my data differed from some of the manuals out there.

When testing, I usually shoot a 100yrd 3-5 shot group. If the load is accurate, then I clock it. Usually, if the speeds are reasonably close together, accuracy will be good also.
The chronograph isn't just for clocking speeds, wild fluctuations in velocites can mean something is wrong with the load or the way it was assembled.

The most important use for a chronograph is to tell the guys at the range that you can get 3200fps out of your lowly non-magnum .270, then pull out the chronograph and prove it!

Good Luck
ZM

Sniper,

I also have the "Beta" model Crony, I've had mine for almost three years now and it's functioned for me without problems of any sort. It seems a reasonably accurate piece of equipment, but after reading Matt Norman's post regarding muzzle blast affecting the readings I think some testing of my machine will be the next order business at the range.

The thing I dislike about the Chrony's is that it's got 50 or so functions that are to be preformed with only three buttons. What I'm getting at is that if you don't use a function regularly and don't remember the push button sequence, you had better have the instruction manual handy or you�re out of luck brother! Further, it seems as though the thing has 1500 "error" codes (maybe ten or so really) that again if you've not got the instruction sheet handy, well you get the picture. The long and short of it is, make several copies of the manual and always keep one with your Crony.

I do however like the optional printer that's offered, I picked one up about a year ago, it's a great little add on tool, makes keeping track of an afternoon at the range very easy. What I've taken up doing is to attach the printout of shots fired to the target, make a note about weather conditions, date, rifle used, load data, and so on. Then put it all in a three ring binder for future reference. I find this record keeping method to be very easy to search back through for a particular bullet/cartridge/powder/primer combo that worked well for a particular rifle.

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Abe

If everyone thought like me, I'd be a damn fool to think any differently!

How do you know what your wife got you for X-mas? Were you peeking?;D