Chronys

[Beekeeper]

OK I need a little advice from you all!
I don't have one!
I am only a casual shooter!
I do not under any circumstance shoot match!

Have watched others use their chronys and they seem to live or die by what it says.
Not sure if I want to spend a full day shooting across one to just see if I can get 2 or 3 more FPS out of my boolits.

So if you have one and will give me some advice either pro or con on them ( as far as my shooting is concerned) I would appreciate it.

Thanks in advance!


beekeeper

[Maven]

"Have watched others use their chronys and they seem to live or die by what it says.
Not sure if I want to spend a full day shooting across one to just see if I can get 2 or 3 more FPS out of my boolits. So if you have one and will give me some advice either pro or con on them ( as far as my shooting is concerned) I would appreciate it." ...Beekeeper

Beekeeper, I've owned a Shooting Chrony F-1 for at least 15 yrs. and haven't yet spent an enitre day shooting over it. Rather, I shoot no more than 20, sometimes 25 shots to gather the data that I'm seeking, but your query is an excellent one and deserves a serious reply. First the cons of owning one: They are an added expense, even if it's a Shooting Chrony brand. It's also another piece of equipment to drag to the range and they take a bit of time to set up (no more than 10 mins., but it doesn't set itself up). Moreover, they are sensitive to the sun's position, or at least my F-1 is: It won't read if the sun is directly overhead. A stable camera tripod with a tilting head (so you can tilt the unit away from the sun) is necessary, which is an additional expense and piece of equipment to lug around. Then too, there's a chance that the device will be destroyed or at least heavily damaged by an errant shot. I did that once. (Don't ask!)

However, a chronograph is invaluable for working up loads in general and tailoring a load for a specific gun or circumstance, e.g., not wanting to exceed a given velocity with cast bullets. In addition, I can't conceive of using milsurp and/or noncanister propellants without chronographing them to determine their performance. This is especially true if you use one of the more exotic milsurp powders, such as IMR 5010 or the really bizarre IMR 7383. They're also useful for measuring lot-to-lot variation in conventional, as well as noncanister powders or whether a given load has changed over time. Btw, if you use blackpowder or one of the BP substitutes, you can chronograph its performance too.

Are they a "must have" item? Not really, but if you're curious about your reloads (mean velocities, standard deviations, extreme spreads), the information they provide (the pros) more than outweighs the cons.

[Beekeeper]

Thanks Maven,
I will hold off for a while yet before buying one.
Have a friend that offers his all the time so will give it a try ( hopefully not shoot it).
Thanks again for the reply and excellent info.


beekeeper

[flounderman]

I used one working up loads and wrote the loads down. flood got it and I replaced it. I don't remember if I have used the new one and I have had it for years. I will be using it with some different rifles. It will show you what you are getting from your loads. I had a 300 winchester that was getting 308 velocities when I checked it. powder was too slow. I loaded for a lot of years without one. if you have a loading book and follow the listed loads, you probably don't need one. wildcat chamberings, and unknown loading data, it don't hurt to have one. it will usually shave a couple of hundred feet a second off somebodys estimate of what their hot loads are doing. you can see what seating bullets into the rifling as opposed to giving them some clearance will do, see how much varience there is between the group. it's an interesting tool.

[DrCaveman]

Ok, how about some more recommendations of makes/models? The shooting chrony f1 seems to be the most modestly priced one I can find, but maybe there is one cheaper? Or, perhaps one that is a little more expensive but more user-friendly and functional?

I am in the same boat as the OP but do not have access to one that I can borrow. My ears perked when I read 'unknown loading data' in a previous post. I find myself wading through these waters a lot, and so far my sensibilities have kept me safe. But it would be nice to know the speed and energy of the rounds being fired.

Thank you beekeeper for starting the thread, and can you keep us posted on the value you find in using your friend's chrony?

[Reg]

I have had a F-1 for many years. I do not drag it out every time I shoot sometimes it might even sit for six months or more. Where it is handy is in working up loads, trying to find the least FPS variation and such. There seems to be a lot of correlation with working out variances and overall accuracy and at least it will prove or disprove efficiency. It's also in conjunction with a nomograph be used to determine foot lbs. of energy.
I have tried not to dwell on every figure that came up on the screen but since using a cronograph I have learned much more about my loads than I ever could have without it.
If you really want to get serious about this reloading business, I would recommend a cronograph highly and the little Crony will work with the best of them.
Do keep in mind that your line of sight is higher than your line of bore. Please don't ask me why !!!!!!!!!!!

:Fire::Fire::Fire:

[kbstenberg]

I have just recently started using an F1 and was scared to death that the first time I would use it that I would put a bullet into it. But even with a little use setup is quick an easy.

[DrCaveman]

Well I think we can all figure out ways to not shoot the contraption by accident, but some loads may indeed take a little getting used to. I guess the question lies at: will this chronograph withstand typical learning curve shooting at a distance which renders it reliable?

I guess I am asking: is there another chronograph which has a wider window of catastrophe, that comes in at a comparable price point?

[Angus]

I just got an old unused F1 from an old timer at the range and have had some really unsettling insight into powder companies giving completely unrealistic numbers. I have put a couple hundred over it already and to the best of my knowledge come nowhere near putting one through the LCD. Just put your sights sufficiently high to make sure your boolit doesn't come close to disaster, that's all. On an overcast day there seems to be plenty of wiggle room.

[btroj]

I use one from time to time. Sometimes itis out of curiosity to see how fast a load really is rather than taking a WAG.
I use mine for load development. I like to see if the velocities are consistant. I also like to see of the extra powder is worth the extra cost and pressure.
I also use it at times to test different load techniques. Things like adding a filler to a known load. In my 45-70 I can reduce the charge 2 gr or so and keep the same velocity if a filler is added. I wouldn't know that without the Chrony.

Is it something I can't live without? Nope. I do feel it gives me a better handle on what my loads are really doing. It is a useful tool in load development but mandatory.

[Curlymaple42]

WAG... I like that! :-)

Sent from my AT100 using Tapatalk

[halfslow]

I have owned and used one since the mid 1980's. I think it was a Chron-tech.
Recently got an F1 to replace it.

I use it for everything: reloads, muzzleloaders, air-guns and rimfires.
It only takes a few readings to tell you the uniformity and velocity of anything.
Then, a few minutes with a ballistic program and you get sight settings for any range you want to know.

I have compared the velocities of .22 LR as well as the .22 mag out of several pistols vs rifles.
It will tell the truth about various air-guns and different pellets.
I remember being appalled at the low velocity of a 1851 Colt Navy with round ball.
The list goes on and on.

As others have stated, it is not a necessity for everyone, but a very useful tool for some.

[Shooter6br]

L
I have Pact Model 1 for15 years.Simple and effective

[Rattlesnake Charlie]

I have the F-1 Master. I use it several times a year, but shoot 3 out of 4 weekends all year. It is a useful tool when looking for consistency or answers to why a load/gun isn't shooting well. It has squelched some bragging handloaders, which was worth the price of the purchase in itself. A friend shot my original F1, and paid for the new one. I put a 10mm round through the plastic surrounding the rear sensor when a horse fly bit me on the neck. The thing still works. I believe you will get your money's worth out of it.

[Junior1942]

I shot my first Chrony twice with glancing blows. The third time was the charm. A wheelweight alloy, 220 gr Lyman #323471 @ 1600 fps will go end-to-end through a Chrony. However, the Chrony company will give you credit for the destroyed unit if you send it back. My first chronograph (cost was $200) was so long ago the readout gave the time of flight between sensors. I had to use a hand-held calculator to figure the bullet's velocity.

You better have a good understanding with a buddy who wants to run a round or two over your Chrony. My understanding is simple: You shoot the Chrony it's yours. You give me $100 toward the cost of a new one. No deal = no round over the Chrony.

I seldom use mine except for a round or three to check the velocity of a new load. For just that one reason, it's an indispensable tool.

[376Steyr]

Another happy Pact Model 1 user here. Yep, I've shot the sensors, which was an annoyance, not a disaster. Spare sensors are cheap enough that I can keep a few on hand, just in case. Warning! Using a chrono can be a disillusioning experience when comparing "published" velocities to what you are actually getting. I was shocked to find my favorite .38 Special loads were going some 150 fps slower than the manual said they were supposed to. Fortunately, the paper targets and small game I shoot with it can't tell the difference.

[AkMike]

Wallenba has a thread going with this unit featured.

http://www.magnetospeed.com/products/magnetospeed-v1-ballistic-chronograph

I did some surfing to find out more about it and so far it looks very interesting.

No more shot out Chronys! [smilie=w:

[Lloyd Smale]

I had two chronys and fought for years with no readings and readings that were off. We checked the second one against my buddys ohler and it read 200 fps faster. I sent it in for calibration which cost about half what buying a new one would and it did the same thing. I about sure they charged me and did nothing. I finally gave up on it and bought a pact and its worked a 100 percent better. If i had to do it again id probably just buck up and buy a ohler.

[Rattlesnake Charlie]

I had two chronys and fought for years with no readings and readings that were off. We checked the second one against my buddys ohler and it read 200 fps faster. I sent it in for calibration which cost about half what buying a new one would and it did the same thing. I about sure they charged me and did nothing. I finally gave up on it and bought a pact and its worked a 100 percent better. If i had to do it again id probably just buck up and buy a ohler.

I usually fire a couple of control loads to see if the Chrony is returning reasonable values. I use a .22 LR out of either a handgun or rifle. My Chrony has always been close to what I expect.

[Casper29]

I have a R C B S crony it is a must if you take your loads serious you know everytime you repeat your loads what you can expect for each weapon.

[mold maker]

Sooner or later, you, or a friend, will shoot it. I've had a Pact for many years, but if I had it to do over I'd get one with remote electronics. The screens are easier/cheaper to replace than the whole unit.

[fecmech]

I have had Oehler's since the early 70's when they used metal foil screens for stop and start and a rotary dial to get the clock time. I was a Beta tester for sky screens when they first came out. Oehler has always been a top shelf product and my Model 35 has been trouble free since I purchased it back in the 90's. I think of them like Leupold scopes, the pain of the initial purchase is soon forgotten.

[QuickRick]

I purchased a CED M2 chronograph from Midway last year. It was on sale for $180 so the twenty bucks I saved off the regular price paid for the shipping with a few bucks to spare. It has proven to be the best shooting related product I have purchased in many years. Quick and easy to set up and works flawlessly. Very few error readings, 2 or 3 in over 500 rounds fired so less than 1%. Velocity readings are spot on when comparing previously chronoed loads. I am still using the same 9V battery I started with so power consumption seems to be minimal. The unit also has a spare battery compartment which I think is a nice touch. Check out user reviews from various sites on the net and they are overwhelmingly positive. They influenced my purchase. I was also impressed by this chrono being used at many of the speed shooting handgun events to determine power factor of the competitors loads. Good luck with whatever you choose but in the "Bang for the buck" department I feel the CED M2 is very tough to beat....