F1 Chronograph screw up?

[bizzledude]

I bought an F1 Chronograph because it was the cheapest, and all I needed. Last weekend I broke it in on my reloads...or should I say broke it?
It registered 3 shots out of 5 pretty accurately (in comparison to previous more expensive chronographs).
Here's where you know I'm not too bright (to be fair, there was no instructions included and I was unsupervised...).... Those first 5 shots were .223 from a plr 16 about 3 feet away from the chronograph...
A couple of them blew the antennae right off (from the pressure and force rather than impact) so I had to reset them, and proceeded to continue my test... stupidly from the same distance not minding having to reset every couple of shots and making mental notes to grab some super glue next time...
I'd say about shot 3 of the next 5 shot group it stopped working properly...completely...
All of the sudden in group 3, 9mm subsonic ammo is going 3,052 fps, etc., etc...

This form of public self-flagellation is not so much to warn others, or find out that I shouldn't sit in front of the chronograph to use it, but to ask whether these chronographs are any good and maintain longevity when not attacked by their owners...

Anyone have an F1 that they don't abuse to breakage that functions after all the years?
I don't want the best, most accurate chronograph, I just want +/- 50 fps to get ball parks on my handloads...
Thanks!

[BeemerMark]

It needs to be at least 10 feet from the muzzle and muzzle blast.

[dragonrider]

Yup, 3 feet is way to close,

[oso]

I've been abusing mine well over a decade. It has soaked up a few boolits, gas checks, shot and lots of lube but still gives me consistent data. It was an F-1 but easily converted to a home grown Alpha.
Keep your distance (10 ft. min.)
Open it all the way every time.
Watch the light on the eyes (small cardboard shades that don't cover the eyes but limit direct sunshine are useful. As in: How many birds flying directly into the sun have you hit?).
If you tie (no need for glue) the wood replacement dowels down when using the screens watch out for the parachute effect with a high wind taking it all out to an undesignated landing area.
Shoot long enough strings to generated a statistically meaningful average.
If you don't believe the results, shoot some factory loads to compare for consistency -- and then review your reloading technique!
Keep an extra battery in a warm pocket when it's freezing.
Make extra screens from clear plastic gallon jugs and bring lots of extra dowels.
Yeah, they are loads of gun fun forever.

[geargnasher]

I bought a new F1 Master in December, it's back at the factory for the second time right now. It wouldn't read anything subsonic with any believable numbers, and had errors 1,2, and 9 most of the time. I played with light, even pointing it to the ground and standing over it on a ladder shooting straight down. This isn't my first chronograph, and I know how to operate on and what the reasonable expectations are with regard to light. Talkes to tech service three different times, they told me they were having issues with a run of sensors that were "too sensitive" and couldn't find (from my description) anything I was doing wrong. They replaced everything except the case, and I got it back with almost exactly the same issues, except it reads supersonic rifle loads accurately now, rather than 2,000fps too fast as before. It will read pistol stuff, but shows .45 ACP factory loads at 290-314 fps for a 25 shot string. They're supposedly fixing it again, we'll see how it goes next round.

What I'm saying is that they are having a few issues, but if you broke yours they can fix it in-house. I think there is a flat rate for trade-in if yours is a total. Mark is the tech person I have been speaking with, he answers the main phone sometimes himself and is good to deal with.

Gear

[BeemerMark]

I've had two and good results with both. I've accidently shot the screen poles and screens a few times, but hey they're cheap. I had the first one maybe 8 years or so until my friend nailed it dead in the LCD with a 9 mm. I liked it well enough I bought another one.

[onesonek]

As mentioned, you are way to close in your set up. 10' is good as another mentioned, although I set up at 12-15' myself. If shooting a sabot or gas check, I also put a piece of angle iron in front,,,kind of pita for reading the numbers, but better than hitting the main unit. Once, my son accidently shot one of the steel rods and effectively disabling it. After getting it back from the needed sensor replacement, I started using .150" string trimmer line to form a hoop. Picked that tip from 45nut some years back.
If I need a sun screen, I have used paper and or cheescloth stapled or taped to the hoops. The later works better in brezzy conditions. Or,,, I just park the jeep in such away, and lift the rear hatch and use it for an umbrella.

[405]

I've had one for a long time. I believe they are as accurate and as trouble free as any- just fewer bells and whistles and much less expensive!. I like simple. But, like any electronic device, they require a little care and understanding for best results. 15 ft is the standard distance. As others have posted, be cautious about gas checks, wads and other items besides the main bullet or payload. All those 2 sensors do is "read" a bullet shadow as it passes overhead. So they like nice, even and not too bright of a backlight. The unit also needs to be set parallel to bullet flight with the bullet flight over the center of the sensors and about 2-5" above. Avoid direct sunlight hitting the sensor slits. That will cause a lot of error messages. When I shoot in low sun angle conditions I tape a couple of 4x6 cards on the unit or sunscreen stands to shade the slits. Even setting the unit at 15 ft does not guarantee 100% error free operation or absolutely accurate readings. Cast bullet, black powder cartridge and muzzle loader shooting are the most prone to a few inaccurate readings. Those sensors can't tell if that shadow is a hunk of lube, a cloud of black powder residue or dense gas, a stray gas check, a wad, etc. or the actual projectile. Guns that burn a lot of fuel and/or at high pressures will push a blast wave out the muzzle. If the unit is set too close... that can shake and vibrate the whole unit which can damage it or cause errors.

[JIMinPHX]

I used this F-1 Chrony for more than 20 years before I did this to it. I was shooting in low light conditions, so I was trying to shoot just an inch over the top of the sensors for better performance. Unfortunately, I forgot that I was shooting a rifle with a very tall front sight post & I didn't correct for that.

Before this mishap, that chrony filled 3 loose leaf binders with down range data, all of which I trust. I am completely satisfied with the performance of this Chrony.

After I shot it, I sent it back to the factory for a trade it on a new F-1 Master. They actually take shot up chronys in trade on a new one with no questions asked. The Master is the same thing except that it has a remote display screen. I'm going to make a blast guard out of angle iron before I put that one into use. Hopefully, that will help it to last me more than 20 years.

As others have said, your problem was setting it up too close to the muzzle. If you back that thing up another 5 feet, it should work fine.

[GARCIA]

Anyone got an idea as to what I can use rather than the rods/screen poles that originally came with it?

Got one that was shot in half. The other three are abused.

Any info is appreciated.

Tom

[fishnbob]

Go to the local hardware store and buy some dowel rods small enough to fit, cut them to about 11 inches or so and if you need a sunscreen, cut up a milk carton and cut the shades to fit. Cut a cross in the carton strips where the dowels will fit through and bingo.

[Bulltipper]

I made my new sunshades out of 1 gallon ice cream bucket. that plastic has a nice thick consistancy, and it's curled the right way.

[GARCIA]

Outstanding help guys!!!!

Cheap cure to my problem!

Tom

[JIMinPHX]

You can buy replacement rods & screens directly from Chrony. They are not that expensive.

Coat hangers work in a pinch as a replacement for the rods. Tig welding rods work better, if you have a local welding supply place that will sell you just a few rods or just 1 pound.

[GARCIA]

Went to the range today and set it up at 15' or so. Did ok till bright sunlight kept giving me error messages.

Going to try the trick with the cards to shade the sensors. Even with the diffusers on I could not get any readings.

Another excuse to go to the range!!
Tom

[JIMinPHX]

How far above the sensors were you shooting & did the shadow from the sky screens shade the sensors?

[Von Gruff]

I have found that with small 20 cal j-words at high velocity the hardest to get readings for. I have found that I get less error readings by using the difuser screne rods without the extensions si that I am down closer to the sensors. Yakes me a few more walks the ten ft back and forwards to the chrony adjusting things to ensure dead centered allignment so the shot goes over not into the chrony but worth it. I did replace the screnes on a friends unit with the plastic from the bottom of white rain guttering.

Von Gruff.

[GARCIA]

Was shooting a 44 and 45 cal wheelgun over the screens. Sun directly out of the east. I was shooting West to East. Shot first without the diffusers and then with the diffusers. Did not make any differance as all I was getting was error messages.

I gather the sun was playing havoc with the sensors?

I have had this old Delta model for some years and it is in great shape. Just get discouraged with it is all.

Any help would be appreciated.

Tom

[JIMinPHX]

Try shooting centered over the sensors & about 2-3" directly above them, with the sky screens in place. If the Chrony can't see .45 boolits there, then something is probably broken.

[oso]

Tom, try setting up the Chrony at right angles to the sun, and if the sun is low tilt the Chrony so the diffusers are catching the light over the eyes.

[GARCIA]

I think it may be the way the range is set up to shoot. Have to shoot west to east and you are always in direct sunshine.

May try later in the afternoon when there will be shadows from the range roof or earlier in the morning when there is still a little bit of shadows.

Going to try the tricks with the cards and everything else mentioned. Hopefully I can get it to work so I can have some data.

Tom

[Von Gruff]

Another trick is to use a felt tip and blacken the boolit or bullet as this can give a better reading on the screens on a bright day.

Von Gruff.

[GARCIA]

Going to try a couple of differant options and see what works best at this range I am using.

Will post a couple of pictures and see what the board members have to say.

Tom

[376Steyr]

Supposedly one cause of insanely high readings at close range is the supersonic gas cloud from the muzzle blast reaching the screens before the bullet does. Personally, if things are previously working well, I start getting bizarre readings late in the day, as the sun moves towards the side or behind me.

[mustanggt]

I have an F1 also and works well for the money. Just within the last 2 weeks however it quit working. Replaced 5 different batteries and no go. I'd switch the unit on and it showed nothing on the LED readout. Took it to the range last Friday and it magically worked. I hate that. I don't know what caused it to malfunction so it could happen again. On the rods I put orange tape 3" above the eyes and blue 6" above and try to shoot between the two. It's just an aid for me to try and be more consistent and hopefully cut down on erronious readings. It also helps in setting it up relative to the rifle on the rest at the bench.

[Bulletstarter]

I have been shooting and reloading since the 60's but just joined this group. I started with and still have an Oehler 33 with unshot screens that still works. However I bought an F-1 MASTER Chrony for convenience. I was disappointed in the unreliability of it and bought the lighted shades. They worked fine on cloudy days but only God has control of the weather. Most of the days I want to shoot, the sun is out in all its glory. I taught and built all kinds of digital electronics. So I built a number of different screens to no avail. One day I had a DAH moment and found a solution to shoot in all kinds of light conditions. I simply made a frame and turned the whole Chrony unit upside down! The sensor is looking DOWN at the led lights and never misses a reading. If anyone asks, I will upload some pictures. As I get older, I have more time to make things convenient for myself. I put a 12 volt lawn and garden battery in a plastic battery box and mounted 3 switches and 3 cigarette lighter outlets on the side. I bought a 9 v output cigarette lighter plug-in to power my chrony, a regular 12 v to power the led lights, and a third 5 v plug-in to power an old cell phone. When I'm shooting my 20 practical, I mount a cell phone on my scope and another on my spotting scope. No parallax on the rifle and great picture on the spotting scope for my older eyes. I'm 73 and having the most fun ever working up new loads. Just started loading 45 long colt black powder and am having a blast! I really like this forum! Very informative!

[Walkingwolf]

It needs to be at least 10 feet from the muzzle and muzzle blast.

Yup, three feet is too close. The muzzle blast at close range will screw up readings.

[OuchHot!]

I shot my first chrony, an accident but I was pretty frustrated with its finicky nature with lighting. I added lights to my newer chrony and found it to be very reliable even with airgun pellets but only with lighting. Otherwise it was finicky. I have moved on to others (use the lighted chrony for pellet guns only. I saw another person who, like Bulletstarter uses the chrony upside down and puts a tin foil reflector on the ground for the lighting. When I shot my first one it was due to trying to get the bullet directly over a sensor on a bright day.......got too close.

[mold maker]

I haven't tried it yet, but the LED 12 V lights available from china will last forever on batteries and produce lots of light to reflect on sky screens with even light. The intensity is variable with the voltage. Besides that, they're cheap.

[imashooter2]

Hmmmm... why do you suppose they put that instruction sheet in every box?