?'s on a Chronograph

[kbstenberg]

I am getting my first Chronograph for Christmas. As most first timers I am scared of putting a hole in it. I have an idea, an wanted to run it up the flag pole here.
I was going to mount the chronny to a flat piece of steel. I have an extra piece of 3/8 inch stock that will be 1" to 2" wider and longer than the Chronograph. To that piece of steel I will have welded either a piece of Angle iron or a piece of flat stock that is angled so that it deflects any bullets shot to low.
I have taken some pictures of paper to show how everything would be oriented. The first couple of pictures just show how the Chronograph sits on the base metal. The other pictures show how a flat deflection shield would be welded. The last picture would be how a piece of angle iron would be welded to the base piece. The height of the deflecter shields will be higher than the chronograph box.
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[slim1836]

Gun ranges may not allow this as the bullet or boolit may deflect outside of the confined zone.

Just my 2 cents.

Slim

[oldgeezershooter]

If you're worried about shooting it, you need to practice your marksmanship.
Not being smart A$$ but you have a pretty big opening to shoot through.

[tacklebury]

I shot about 40 through one without sights or scope on. Just used the edge of the scope mount to line-up. I don't think anything you can or want to lug around will be strong enough to deflect most bullets. ;) Check with your insurance agent if you are really worried. My buddy took out a policy on his new laptop for about 6 bucks a month for a replacement policy. They will insure about anything if you want to pay. ;)

[kbstenberg]

Sorry some more information.
I shoot at home. I will only (for now) be shooting cast bullets, and I very seldom go near max. loads.

[454PB]

You worry too much.

I've owned 4 chronographs over the years, and have fired thousands of shots over them.....I've never damaged one.

Yes, I do have to clean boolit lube off them occasionally, and one of them got dinged by a gas check, but never a direct hit.

With skyscreens, the boolit (or bullet) can be several inches above the sensors and still work. The bigger the boolit, the higher it can be. As a test, I've fired .45 caliber boolits 6" over the screens and they read just fine.

One thing that will mess up readings is having the screens too close. I set mine at LEAST 10 feet from the muzzle, and when shooting my magnum rifles, even further.

I use a camera tripod to support the screens, and all the metal you want to add would make it very top heavy.

[303Guy]

New out the box? Mmmm .... Just for giggles and laughs, would you mind trying to put it all back into the box after setting it up? I took mine out and cannot for the love of money get it all back inside the same box!

[kbstenberg]

OK guy's. It sounds like I shouldn't have any trouble. Hey Oldgeezershooter just to make sure will you come over an give me some lessons. LOL
If'n anyone has any tips on chronograph, barrel, target alignment please give me a shout.
On my range my trajectory is at a slight downward angle. I take it for granted the angle I shoot at is the same as what I set the chrony at.
Also I am shooting from south to north. Any problems there? Is it better to set the chrony in the shade of a tree in the summer to lesson the amount of sun on the sensors?
Hey 303 guy. No problem getting it all back in the closed position.

[btroj]

I don't have any protection for mine. The worse that hold the sun shades have been hit twice. I hit one with the very first shots ever fired over it. Hit it with a round from my K-hornet 10" Contender barrel. Other hit was done by my daughter.

I have fired 1000s of rounds over it. I spend time to make sure the target, rest, and chrono are lined up properly. Take your time setting things up and you would be fine. I have fired a large number of rounds over it offhand also. If it is only 15 feet or so downrange it really is pretty hard to hit unless you really mess up.

[fishnbob]

OK guy's. It sounds like I shouldn't have any trouble. Hey Oldgeezershooter just to make sure will you come over an give me some lessons. LOL
If'n anyone has any tips on chronograph, barrel, target alignment please give me a shout.
On my range my trajectory is at a slight downward angle. I take it for granted the angle I shoot at is the same as what I set the chrony at.
Also I am shooting from south to north. Any problems there? Is it better to set the chrony in the shade of a tree in the summer to lesson the amount of sun on the sensors?
Hey 303 guy. No problem getting it all back in the closed position.

My backyard range is slightly downhill also so I set the tripod to the same angle to keep the round crossing the chrony timers at the same level. I don't think they recommend setting it under a tree due to the movement of leaves in a breeze may scramble your results. I set the tripod at 12' and buried PVC pipe where the feet of the tripod enter the ground, filled them with sand and poured concrete around the pipes to keep them in place. Now when I time loads, I set the premarked legs in the pipes, raise them up to the premarked lines on the legs and voila' I am lined up with my bench to the targets and at the right elevation to shoot through the chrony. And it doesn't take a lot of time. You can also put red tape on the upright rods where you can see with your scope and accounting for the line of bore vs the line of sight insure that you are shootin' over the chrony. If you swage boolits, watch out for old primers coming out of the swaged boolit and possibly hitting the face of the unit. This has happened to someone here, so I read. Enjoy it, take time to eyeball down the side of the barrel and if you shift the sand bags, recheck and it will be fine. It is actually harder to do than you think and I guess remember, if anything can go wrong, it will. I also heard that Chrony is real good about repairing, reasonably and they don't laugh at you!;)

[Simonpie]

New out the box? Mmmm .... Just for giggles and laughs, would you mind trying to put it all back into the box after setting it up? I took mine out and cannot for the love of money get it all back inside the same box!

Ain't that the truth. Worse than a map. They got their money's worth out of that packaging engineer.

[Mk42gunner]

The only thing I have to add is make sur the tripod is steady. Nothing like firing a shot and watching the chronograph fall sideways at the samne time.

I was shooting in the desert in Nevada at the time and a sudden gust of wind came up.

Robert

[fishnbob]

I also used some bamboo skewers in place of the metal rods that came with the unit, cause I figured sooner or later, I would hit one of them and the bamboo would shear easier. But so far, so good, knock on wood, I haven't hit anything yet and it's been a coupla years.

[geargnasher]

It's been covered, but I'll reiterate from my own experience: Get a good camera tripod with a rack-and-pinion height adjustment rod, and position the chrony so your shot will pass parallel across the top. If you shoot downhill, angle it downhill to match. Your biggest worry won't be from shooting the face, but from shooting the skyscreen rods. If you hit the steel rods it can damage the sensor housings where the rods go in, so replace the metal rods with small wooden dowels, or similar weak item that will shatter if hit. The Chrony needs light, but it doesn't have to be direct. If there are moving clouds or overhead three limbs it can confuse the sensors, so just use the screens. I'd forget about armoring it, just pay attention and be careful who you let shoot over the chrony. If you DO manage to shoot it, Chrony has a very good repair policy and you can get it fixed for a lot less than a new one.

Gear

[Jim]

.....one of them got dinged by a gas check,.....

You mean like this? :groner:

That's the plastic guard over the rear sensor. BARELY missed the sensor!
http://floydpics.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/p10100026-e1324923208180.jpg