Closest unintential chronograph kill

[olafhardt]

A while back I related that I had unwittedly killed my chronograph. After revueing the replies, I determined I was the closest to my Chrony when I killed it. So I declared myself the winner. I wanted to be sure I would not hit the cronograph with the not sighted in 3" S&W model 37 so I set the chrony 3 feet in front of me, aimed at the center space and let fly. Evidentally the new gun shot way low. The chrony went flying. To enter this contest you must NOT have shot the chronograph intentionally. First prize is 10,000 lube groves and an all expense paid trip to Uranus. I decide the winner, make all the rules etc but I do welcome input from others.

[trails4u]

I'm not sure you can lose this bet!! :bigsmyl2:

[Mk42gunner]

Ah but just what kind of lube grooves are in the prize? Are they good ones from a trusted lube groove dealer, or are they faulty ones that can cause fliers?

Just asking for the sake of clarification.....

Robert

[BNE]

I am sorry to say I can not enter this contest....yet. I have read enough stories of chronographs being destroyed by bullets or gas checks that I had a friend weld an iron ramp that I place in front of the machine when I shoot. I haven't hit the ramp yet.

I sure could use those lube grooves.....

[wmitty]

I have an Oehler model 12 which I am embarrassed to take to a public range. People would injure themselves laughing when they saw how it operates. I always placed the skyscreens away and low when using it. Fired a couple of .22 rimfire rounds over the screens to see if they were "seeing " the boolets. Haven't shot it yet and got it back in '80.

[44man]

I don't trust your loob grooves! They shoot low.

[mozeppa]

i gave up loob grooves for lent.

[imashooter2]

Why in the world would anyone shoot over their $100+ investment with a gun that wasn't sighted in? :veryconfu

[AbitNutz]

This just one of the reasons I'm on the waiting list to buy a LabRadar unit. To shoot it I'd have to be aiming at the shooting bench next to me. There are other, better reasons but that's a pretty good one.

[dale2242]

I`m with imashooter2.
I can`t even imagine shooting over a chrony with an unsighted gun....dale

[OS OK]

I just 'nicked' the rear edge of mine once…oh, that 'sinking feeling' you get when the chrony tries to do a backflip…ain't natural!
So…I had to come up with a way that this 'highly intelligent'…'obviously jesting'... human wouldn't try that 'dumb stunt 'again...

164248
She has survived my marksmanship for several decades now…but now that I've made comment on this…I'll likely 'plug' her next time out!

[Dimner]

... To enter this contest you must NOT have shot the chronograph intentionally. ...

I think the better question may be: why on earth would anyone intentionally shoot their chronograph? ?[emoji1]

[vrh]

Shoot high boys !! Them chronys are riding high now a days.

[44man]

Why buy a machine that is all out front?

[OS OK]

Why buy a machine that is all out front?

That's the way they made them decades ago…it's a cheep technology now…won't be long before you can get an iPhone app. that chronys the rounds right from your pocket and then just 'holler' at you the results.
Heck…won't be long before the iPhone will just watch you and tell you what do regardless of what the activity!...:bigsmyl2:

[Mk42gunner]

I just 'nicked' the rear edge of mine once…oh, that 'sinking feeling' you get when the chrony tries to do a backflip…ain't natural!
So…I had to come up with a way that this 'highly intelligent'…'obviously jesting'... human wouldn't try that 'dumb stunt 'again...

164248
She has survived my marksmanship for several decades now…but now that I've made comment on this…I'll likely 'plug' her next time out!

Shortly after I bought my first chronograph, (the same one as yours, without the huge sail area) I watched it fly backwards as the trigger was breaking. I missed it somehow, but I learned a good lesson at no cost.

I started weighting the tripod if there was even a hint of a breeze, which was pretty common in the desert around Fallon, NV. I still tie it down even if the winds aren't usually quite as brisk here in Missouri.

Robert

[dudel]

Haven't done it yet (knock wood); but mine has a minimum of electronics in the danger zone (CED M2). Screens are huge and inexpensive. I'd rather not shoot close to the guts of the chronograph.

Good point in weighting down the tripod. They do tend to catch the wind pretty well.

[OS OK]

Yeah that sail will make it tippy and I have to weight the tripod occasionally but the 'sight picture' it gives, like shooting into a tunnel, makes it 'almost impossible' to send a round through too low and near the unit. Have many loading pards that come over to test their work-ups…that gives me the jitters but they are all good for their mistakes…I suppose that nothing is 'fool proof' and I'll be posting pictures of a new chrony one day!
The other thing is that the tunnel helps the chrony to read every round and I get less 'err' readings from inconsistent sunlight levels and angles, especially on cloudy days with sunlight changes.

Where are the posts about the 'shot up chronys', are people too proud to post/admit their little accidents?

[Mica_Hiebert]

Back in school we used to drive around the back country and shoot prairie dogs usually from the window of the truck and a buddy decided we would take his mom's new blazer out instead of my truck since the air conditioning was nice... well he lined up on a whistle pig with his 10/22 out the drivers side window and plewy! Shattered mirror and plastic every where! Apparantly scoped rifles line of sight is slightly higher than the muzzle that is point blank against the drivers side mirror... sadly this is more common than one would think as the same thing happened to an older gentle man I worked with here a few years back.

[Tackleberry41]

Have not shot the chrony, the sticks have been hit several times. I did it once, the rest by other people. Don't know what one guy was even thinking. I am a lefty so had it set up for me, he fired from the other side of the bench so never would have lined up anyways. Had his scope dialed up to 20x, the bullet clipped the housing, destroyed the sticks on one side. So he was way low. Never offered to pay for anything after doing it. So now nobody shoots over it but me, I always make sure everything is lined up.

[Schrag4]

The closest I came was when I first started casting, and had loaded some fairly oversized boolits - I knew very little at that point and didn't even have a sizing die yet. The first shot or two was OK but the rest came out of the gun curving off in random directions (the rifling was caked with lead). I say I was close to shooting the chrono because I had intended to chrono the ammo, but decided against it when I put one down into the plastic table I had the target set on, a full 8 inches below the target. I was resting the gun and taking my time, so I was sure it was the ammo and not me. I shot some more at a much closer target, and it was like a shotgun pattern looks at 10+ yards, with some going in sideways - pretty incredible how far they can curve off in such a short distance.

I will echo what others have said, and say that I accuracy test before I run anything over a chrono. I'm always aiming at a bullseye on a target set in the middle of the chronograph target zone. If a new load exhibits very poor accuracy, or if my point of aim isn't what I expected, I will not shoot them over (or into) my chronograph until the issue has been addressed. That one I figured out on my own before learning the hard way.

[Schrag4]

...Never offered to pay for anything after doing it. So now nobody shoots over it but me, I always make sure everything is lined up.

I'm only ever shooting outdoors with people I know. None have used my chrony yet, but I've told them they're welcome to, and if they break it, they've bought it.

[therealhitman]

First prize is 10,000 lube groves and an all expense paid trip to Uranus.

I will abstain as I am trying to stay as far from Uranus as possible Olaf.

[OS OK]

I will abstain as I am trying to stay as far from Uranus as possible Olaf.

:bigsmyl2:…:shock:…!

[Mytmousemalibu]

I managed to just nick one of the wire sun shade rods of my Pro Chrono digital with my 9mm XD from about 5ft away. My heart sank as the chrono rocked as the shot rang out! Thinking, "you idiot! good job, you joined the club today!" as I refocused of the machine expecting to see a smoking hole in it but to my amazement, I just nicked the rod by its chiny chin chin! I have a lexan protective shield for mine to guard it from powder blast and perhaps an errant gas check to which the sunshade rods fit tight through it into the body, it didn't even crack the thing when it bent the rod on impact. Very lucky to have escaped further damage!

[KYCaster]

Any prize for highest number of chronographs shot?

Inquiring minds with poor trigger control want to know!

Jerry

[Bigslug]

Where are the posts about the 'shot up chronys', are people too proud to post/admit their little accidents?

Funny you should mention. . .

I don't remember the exact details of how/where the Oehler took a round, but my Dad called Oehler up to order the replacement parts and allowed as how he had shot his chronograph and needed spares.

The woman on the other end of the phone paused with a lengthy stunned silence after which she called out to the rest of the office staff "HEY! I've got a guy on the phone that actually said he shot HIS OWN CHRONOGRAPH!!!" Apparently, this woman, who has been with the company for at least one decade and possibly more, had NEVER had anyone own up to this. It was always "my son/my nephew/my hunting buddy/a guy at the range who wanted DOPE on his loads", but NEVER the owner of the chronograph.

So don't count on massive numbers of self-immolating posts. . .

[wurgerburger]

I would win the "toughest Chrony"-competition. I have shot my chrono body 3 times. The plastic lenses etc are destroyed, but the thing still works.

[rnelson11]

I use mine a lot and have shot several. As a matter of fact I have a spare body on the shelf. The last time I shot one was with a 50Beo and yes the barrel is 3" lower than the scope. Still haven't found all of the parts.

[varmint243]

I winged one of my pact sunshade legs with a 44 on my last outing
The roll of tape I use for pasting targets came in handy

[Texantothecore]

I've had a Chrony for several months but haven't tried it out due to some issues with trigger control. I'm slowly but surely getting the trigger control correct and will take it for a spin in the next month or so and try to not shoot it. Lol.

[Black Beard]

I have shot up a couple of these in the past when they were misalligned with the barrel:

http://www.chronoscopes.com/

They don't work with normal firearms, only airguns.

Replaced them with a normal chronograph that is still intact.

[OS OK]

Bigslug...Sounds like your Dad didn't have it in him...to lie!

[rockrat]

Mine were at 15 feet. Closer and the muzzle blast would knock them over. One with a gas check that came off and the second was a used Chrony that you had to get close to the crony to get a reading (why it was so cheap), and just got a little too close. 850grs of boolit did a real good job. Only drawback is there was a witness( who still won't let me forget!!).

Is there a prize for the biggest , heaviest boolit????

[Spector]

I have a Pro Chrono I and shot twice and a friend shot once. It's been sent back for rebuild twice and needs to go back now. I purchased a 2nd Pro Chrono recently so I can just rotate them on rebuild trips if necessary. I had already put two skid marks on top before the screen broke the first time. So it has actually been hit 5 times.

My friend asked if he could shoot over it and told him yes, but it costs half the retail price to get them rebuilt and that if he hit it he would have to pay to have it rebuilt. He was using a single shot pistol in 45 Colt and unbeknownst to me he loaded a 410 shotgun shell. The wad broke the screen. Now I use a clear shield on it that should stop wads and errant gas checks............Mike

[Big Boomer]

Never owned a chronograph but my old college bud/fellow shooter had a nice Chrony. He had a .454 Casull and we loaded up some boolits from the Lyman made 454629 boolit mould. Don't remember the gas check type (Lyman or Hornady) but on one of the stiff loads the Chrony suddenly ceased to function. A closer inspection revealed the gas check had entered the face or screen of the Chrony and buggered the works. He sent it back and they either repaired it or replaced it free of charge IIRC. Big Boomer

[brtelec]

If I am shooting an unfamiliar firearm over my chrono I tape a piece of white paper to the rear rods and use a laser boresighter to see where the point of aim is in relation to the center of the opening. Of course this became unnecessary for everything but semi auto pistols after I bought a Magneto Speed.

[Smoke4320]

i gave up loob grooves for lent.

Dryer Lent ?

[Schrag4]

If I am shooting an unfamiliar firearm over my chrono I tape a piece of white paper to the rear rods and use a laser boresighter to see where the point of aim is in relation to the center of the opening. Of course this became unnecessary for everything but semi auto pistols after I bought a Magneto Speed.

I saw a video about the Magneto Speed just the other day, looks like a huge step forward in technology. I believe they have an adapter for pistol rails, now. If I ever have to buy another chronograph, that one looks really appealing to me, for the sole reason that you can use it at any shooting range - no need to set anything up downrange.

[olafhardt]

Well, I did not expecy this many replies. I am officially assigning the name "Uranus prize" to the award. I will also consider other adventures that were so obviously stoopid that you can't help being kinda proud of them. Please make some effort to tell some of the truth and don't use stories straight from Uranus.

[Cowboy_Dan]

I'll bite on this. I was shooting my Tokarev over my Chrony just because I was curious. Shot at the same height over it that I would shoot my Mosin. Only ever clipped a sky screen that way. Pulled the trigger and a 90 gr. semi wadcutter went through the display and front sensor, through the hinge and through the rear sensor, and finally through the x ring. Previous shots had been just a little high and I was adjusting. Chrony was at about 1 1/2 steps or about 5 feet. When I got home, I noticed the instructions specify to shoot HIGHER above the unit with pistols than rifles.[smilie=b:

[Victor N TN]

If you shot ANYTHING with the name Chrony on it... You did it and yourself a favor. I HAD 3 of them. I gave 2 away and trashed the other. If I had thought, I would have melted it down and see if it would make an accurate paper weight.

[Shiloh]

Pictures.
We need pictures.

Shiloh

[OS OK]

If you shot ANYTHING with the name Chrony on it... You did it and yourself a favor. I HAD 3 of them. I gave 2 away and trashed the other. If I had thought, I would have melted it down and see if it would make an accurate paper weight.

"You are not 'prejudice' in any way are you? All caps might make your point more clear."

[dudel]

accurate paper weight.

ROTFLMAO! I know people who wouldn't render down to that!

[rsrocket1]

A while back I related that I had unwittedly killed my chronograph. After revueing the replies, I determined I was the closest to my Chrony when I killed it. So I declared myself the winner. I wanted to be sure I would not hit the cronograph with the not sighted in 3" S&W model 37 so I set the chrony 3 feet in front of me, aimed at the center space and let fly. Evidentally the new gun shot way low. The chrony went flying.

What, you didn't even line up the bore with the gap between the sticks? Then you test a gun you've never shot before? And you killed your chrony at 3 feet?

You win.

Did you ever shoot someone with a bow and arrow and claim "I didn't know it was loaded"?

[Walstr]

Last Summer I was recording results of 70+ rnds of .45-70, looking for an accurate load to proceed with at 100+yds. When 46gr of IMR3031 showed promise, I finished the day with a chrono shot. The 6x scope on my Marlin Guide was 2-3" above the barrel.

Shot it clean through. End of report.

[Victor N TN]

"You are not 'prejudice' in any way are you? All caps might make your point more clear."

Yeah, I guess I am. But after 2 years monkeying with loads and trying another of the same... I guess I almost went bonkers. A friend suggested I use his Pact for a while. I cannot express the difference between the 2. If Chrony were the last brand made, I still wouldn't use 1. I handloaded for close to 30 years without a chronograph. I did just fine. But with better available, I'll use it.

Good luck.

[Victor N TN]

ROTFLMAO! I know people who wouldn't render down to that!

Unfortunately, you are correct.

[OS OK]

Yeah, I guess I am. But after 2 years monkeying with loads and trying another of the same... I guess I almost went bonkers. A friend suggested I use his Pact for a while. I cannot express the difference between the 2. If Chrony were the last brand made, I still wouldn't use 1. I handloaded for close to 30 years without a chronograph. I did just fine. But with better available, I'll use it.

Good luck.

Believe me I get it…Mine has frustrated me since I bought it in the early 80's…it was all I could afford then and I have learned to use it, kinda like working with some of Lee's products. Now with the hood I built and the fact that I fire a .22 across it to be sure it is paying attention…I don't get too frustrated any more…sometimes it takes 6 shots to get a 5 shot workup…so…I put up with that.

OS OK

[Victor N TN]

I'm glad you figured a way to make it work for you. I was even weighing each powder charge and still getting wildly erratic numbers. 3 digit differences.

[OS OK]

I've seen that on mine before I built that tunnel on top to regulate the light better along with giving myself a better safety margin so I wouldn't plug my chrony with an errant round. A couple of months back I tested on a new chrony that connects to an iPhone just to see if my numbers were correct…that verified my 'old chrony' was correct right down to extreme variation…I'm pleased enough until it dies somehow and then I'll search for a new and improved model.

[fingers284]

I`m with imashooter2.
I can`t even imagine shooting over a chrony with an unsighted gun....dale

LOL, I regularly shoot over my chrony with un-sited guns...and cannons...but I have built a steel 1/2" thick shield that sits on a separated stand in front of the chrony .

The most extreme I have ever done over the chrony was 3 shots with a 1/2 scale cannon...smooth bore & no sites but I got 3 good readings (1375 fps) at 15 yrds (needs that distance because of the muzzle smoke, fire & brimstone) without hitting the machine. The projectile was a 1 lb., 1.6" dia iron crusher ball so that might be the "biggest projectile to not hit a chrony".

[fatelk]

I'll own up to shooting one. The first time I cracked the screen with an errant shotgun wad, got a replacement screen from Chrony.

The second time was with a 30-06, right through the middle. I can't even use the excuse of a high scope. I simply had a moment of stupid and aimed too low. I did send the carcass to Chrony to get a new one for half price, though when I got looking around I realized that with return shipping and half of full retail, I didn't save much.

The third and last time wasn't me. I let a friend shoot his .17 mag rimfire over it, with the warning to make sure to aim high. Somehow he didn't and it now has a nice little .17" hole through the housing. He profusely apologized and tried to pay for it, but since it still works fine I just laughed it off and said that that little hole would just be a reminder to me every time I use it to be careful where I aim!


If you shot ANYTHING with the name Chrony on it... You did it and yourself a favor

I've heard people cuss Chrony before, but mine has always worked fine for me, must have got a good one.

[Victor N TN]

I've heard people cuss Chrony before, but mine has always worked fine for me, must have got a good one.

If you have one that actually works right and puts up good numbers, I'm happy for you. I hope it continues to work well for you.

[fatelk]

I would like to test it beside a better quality chronograph some day just to see how it stacks up. I've never had any reason to not trust it, but I guess I really don't know how accurate it actually is. Now I'm curious.

[Tar Heel]

Several years ago while shooting the 454 Casull with 45 Colt loads, I had a squib load that went 'pop' instead of the normal and expected bang. Apparently a primer was either defective or ruined. There was unburned powder in the barrel but fortunately the bullet was not lodged in the bore. I then noticed the Chrony had been moved out of alignment and closer inspection revealed a 'hit' along the lower front edge of the unit. Searching for a little while allowed me to actually find the bullet laying on the grass a few feet away from the Chrony. Here is that bullet.

164610

[olafhardt]

My Chrony still sorta works even with a 38 special dent in it. By shooting from only 3 feet aming in a sharp downward angle the damage was confined to the back plate.

[Hick]

I read the advice "Shoot high" and had to laugh. I tend to shoot high for fear of shooting the chrony-- and I've shot off three sunshades already. Did you know you can make great sunshades by cutting them from white plastic storage container lids?

[dudel]

Apparently enough of the Chrony's get shot up (or at). They offer a trade in program that accepts non working Chrony's (even not their own)

http://shootingchrony.com/products_TTIYC.htm

[CastingFool]

I think the better question may be: why on earth would anyone intentionally shoot their chronograph? ?[emoji1]

NO bag limit, maybe?

[OS OK]

Apparently enough of the Chrony's get shot up (or at). They offer a trade in program that accepts non working Chrony's (even not their own)

http://shootingchrony.com/products_TTIYC.htm

Thanks for that dudel…A friend of mine will be thrilled to hear this!