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What is currently the best chonograph on the market? I don't need one that prints or does any fancy stuff. | ||
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Cheap, but good: Shooting Chrony, Prochrono. These aren't perfect, but the ones I've compared with my Magnetospeed and LabRadar have been close enough to be useful. Lab Radar is probably the best right now. Magnetospeed is a close second, but has to be attached to the muzzle (normally). Oehler 35 is great as well, but I'm not sure it is as good as a Lab Radar these days. Jeremy | |||
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I bought a Lab Radar in the fall before snow fell. Now it's spring and I'll begin shooting with it this weekend. From what little I used it in September, it is amazing. Cal _______________________________ Cal Pappas, Willow, Alaska www.CalPappas.com www.CalPappas.blogspot.com 1994 Zimbabwe 1997 Zimbabwe 1998 Zimbabwe 1999 Zimbabwe 1999 Namibia, Botswana, Zambia--vacation 2000 Australia 2002 South Africa 2003 South Africa 2003 Zimbabwe 2005 South Africa 2005 Zimbabwe 2006 Tanzania 2006 Zimbabwe--vacation 2007 Zimbabwe--vacation 2008 Zimbabwe 2012 Australia 2013 South Africa 2013 Zimbabwe 2013 Australia 2016 Zimbabwe 2017 Zimbabwe 2018 South Africa 2018 Zimbabwe--vacation 2019 South Africa 2019 Botswana 2019 Zimbabwe vacation 2021 South Africa 2021 South Africa (2nd hunt a month later) ______________________________ | |||
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Not sure about the best?? I acquired Oheler 35 I believe about 40 years ago and it works as good as the day I acquired it. I think it is built to last. EZ | |||
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I have never owned an Oehler but have owned a few Shooting Chronys (junk), Magneto Speed (pain in the ass to use and never sure it doesn't affect the POI). LabRadar is by far the best...don't even think about buying anything else. It is so easy to use I use it during my long range practice sessions in the desert; just got back a few hours ago in fact. | |||
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Agree with Cal, recently purchased a Lab Radar, superb and no fuss setup. | |||
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I have an Ohler35 and it is awesome but takes a bit of setup. The setup involved makes it so I don't use it but once a year maybe. The lab radar is awesome and setsup in seconds so I use it a lot. Buy the lab radar unless you want my Ohler I would sell  Matthew | |||
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Lab Radars are $600. But definitely the most idiot proof. Of course, anyone who shoots double rifles can afford that. I still use my old Chrony. Not perfect and hard to use in bright sunlight, but it does give velocities. But don't get hung up on mere velocity; for a double rifle it matters just as much how the bullets get to that velocity. As discussed in a thread close to this one. Faster or slower powders affect the muzzle flip and jump, even at the same velocity. Which is what makes double rifles shoot. Not just velocity in and of itself. | |||
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I have a LabRadar and and with it on a camera tripod you can shoot the rifle offhand without worrying about hitting the screens. This is really handy when developing loads. | |||
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The LabRadar doesn't work with black powder loads. My Oehler P35 does. For smokeless, LabRadar is fabulous. Curl | |||
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The LabRadar doesn't work with shot loads from a shotgun either. I used my Chrony F1 a lot when reloading and patterning a few shotguns. I have observed a couple of LabRadars giving unwanted errors after being triggered by shots from rifles on neighboring benches. Specially so if the nearby rifles have muzzle breaks or short barrels. Could be just a case of changing the sensitivity settings but one experienced user was getting somewhat agitated when his LabRadar was being triggered by a nearby shooter using a short barreled Beluga 308 Win. Not every shot triggered the LR but enough to get him pissed off. The range was busy so he couldn't just change his bench and target until everyone had finished doing what they were doing and stopped for a break. My Chrony F1 has been in use for approximately 40 years, never had a problem, and readings reference nicely when using ammo with known velocity e.g. 22 subsonic or say Superformance 7mm-08 at 2950fps (24" barrel), reads 2900fps in my 22" barreled Marlin. | |||
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Nothing beats the Oehler ! | |||
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I acquired a use LabRadar, from a friend who needed some money, a couple months ago and have use it every Saturday since. (I've replaced the 6 batteries almost every week because of me "arm time" setting at 90 seconds but that's okay with me since I don't want it rushing my setup and trigger-press) It works, works every time, it's super easy to set up and take down. It's like magic by comparison to my other experiences. I've use and still have the Chrony masturbate and it's pretty dang good except on my range in the winter when sunlight shine low across it. I have to add a step and prop a board up to shield the sun's rays. Still pretty dang good for under $150. Never seen or shot over an Oehler so I cannot compare. Have used and seen used the Magneto Speed and it does/can change POI and group size on some rifles so I don't want one. It all depends on what a guy wants to use it for. Zeke | |||
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Unless this is a use of the word of which I was not previously aware, I’m guessing you have an autocorrect typo in the third paragraph. If not, then I’ve definitely learned something new today. ____________________________________________ "Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life." Terry Pratchett. | |||
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Ha Ha Hah......Chrony had to have had true comedians in their marketing department: “Chrony Master-Beta” ———— MasterBeta————- get it? I’ve had one for years and it works fine except for aformentioned low sun angle in Winter. (Well, it didn’t like being shot by a buddy in Albuquerque......Chrony replaced it no questions asked) - Mike | |||
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That definitely explains his autocorrect. I thought he mistyped,”as a backup.”  ____________________________________________ "Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life." Terry Pratchett. | |||
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Don't get me wrong, I like the operation of the LabRadar and the ease of setting up, just observed a few shortcomings under some circumstances when on a range with other shooters close by. Obviously those with their own shooting area or range wouldn't know any different and have no problem with triggering interference from other shooters. I don't so much now but in previous times I did a lot of velocity work on shotgun loads and the Chrony work very well, never hit the sight screens. From what I read a LabRadar will read slug velocity but not do shot loads. Likewise supposedly does not do round ball but will do other projectiles from BP guns. At the price of a Chrony could just have one for shotgun if needed and LabRadar for everything else. | |||
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I can report first-hand that it won't work with conical, flat based bullets fired from black powder cartridge rifles: .450 BPE, .500 BPE, .577 BPE, 10 bore Paradox, etc. I wish it would. Curl | |||
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You need to use a remote rechargeable battery pack connected to the mini usb port on the front of the unit with a cable. I recharge my battery pack about every third trip to the range and I chronograph almost every centerfire shot I fire now that I have it. | |||
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Played with my Lab Radar in the snow today. I use the rechargeable pack. It will last through any shooting session and then some but I don't know how long as I recharge after each use. I will soon shoot bpe and smokeless ammo the my older rifles and round balls in by bore rifles, both black and smokeless, and also try smaller calibers such as 22 and pistols. When done (after the snow is gone) I will write a compete report. cal _______________________________ Cal Pappas, Willow, Alaska www.CalPappas.com www.CalPappas.blogspot.com 1994 Zimbabwe 1997 Zimbabwe 1998 Zimbabwe 1999 Zimbabwe 1999 Namibia, Botswana, Zambia--vacation 2000 Australia 2002 South Africa 2003 South Africa 2003 Zimbabwe 2005 South Africa 2005 Zimbabwe 2006 Tanzania 2006 Zimbabwe--vacation 2007 Zimbabwe--vacation 2008 Zimbabwe 2012 Australia 2013 South Africa 2013 Zimbabwe 2013 Australia 2016 Zimbabwe 2017 Zimbabwe 2018 South Africa 2018 Zimbabwe--vacation 2019 South Africa 2019 Botswana 2019 Zimbabwe vacation 2021 South Africa 2021 South Africa (2nd hunt a month later) ______________________________ | |||
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I have a Caldwell Ballistics Premium Chronograph Kit It hooks up to my iPad and an App from Caldwell. You can enter a lot of bullet and conditions into the app and it records all the shots that the chronograph records. You can save them and look at the analyzed information. The only thing better than this would be a WIFI/Blue tooth model! Rusty We Band of Brothers! DRSS, NRA & SCI Life Member "I am rejoiced at my fate. Do not be uneasy about me, for I am with my friends." ----- David Crockett in his last letter (to his children), January 9th, 1836 "I will never forsake Texas and her cause. I am her son." ----- Jose Antonio Navarro, from Mexican Prison in 1841 "for I have sworn upon the altar of god eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man." Thomas Jefferson Declaration of Arbroath April 6, 1320-“. . .It is not for glory, nor riches, nor honours that we are fighting, but for freedom - for that alone, which no honest man gives up but with life itself.” | |||
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If you are picking up other shots from near by benches with the Labradar, set the trigger sensitivity to 2. Mike Never under estimate the internet community's ability to reply to your post with their personal rant about their tangentially related, single occurrence issue.  What I have learned on AR, since 2001: 1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken. 2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps. 3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges. 4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down. 5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine. 6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle. 7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions. 8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA. 9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not. 10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact. 11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores. 12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence. 13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances. | |||
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Rusty, My Pressure Trace II does use Bluetooth com. Works well. NRA Life Benefactor Member, DRSS, DWWC, Whittington Center,Android Reloading Ballistics App at http://www.xplat.net/ | |||
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Thank you for the information. Rusty We Band of Brothers! DRSS, NRA & SCI Life Member "I am rejoiced at my fate. Do not be uneasy about me, for I am with my friends." ----- David Crockett in his last letter (to his children), January 9th, 1836 "I will never forsake Texas and her cause. I am her son." ----- Jose Antonio Navarro, from Mexican Prison in 1841 "for I have sworn upon the altar of god eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man." Thomas Jefferson Declaration of Arbroath April 6, 1320-“. . .It is not for glory, nor riches, nor honours that we are fighting, but for freedom - for that alone, which no honest man gives up but with life itself.” | |||
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I like the Oehler, but the one I always grab is my prochrony, It cost me a $129. back when, as I recall, and its a little more now, but I have tested it with the Oehler many times and they are close as can be in every case..I can afford to drop it or run over it, whatever.. Ray Atkinson Atkinson Hunting Adventures 10 Ward Lane, Filer, Idaho, 83328 208-731-4120 rayatkinsonhunting@gmail.com | |||
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