Erratic Chrony Results & Old Primers

[ChristopherO]

4570, whether it is H22, IMR3031 or 2400 I am having spreads of velocity of 150fps, plus. the WLR primers were from a client many years ago who had them a long time. Some have a blue oxidation to the undersides. The other day I had a slight hang fire. Today it took 3 trigger pulls to set one off. Shoot, I was hoping to taylor my loads but will need to make a drive to the big city to pick up some fresh primers, it appears. Might have to stop in to Bass Pro when I am out tomorrow evening.
They will be fine to plink and have fun with but not what is necessary to find the right loading to stick for this rifle with. I knew better but thought I could get away with it.

[ChristopherO]

Double checked, the primers are certainly suspect but the Chrony is in dire need of repair. When 11 grains of W231 out of a 44 magnum revolver shows up from 1237 all the way to 2526 with everything else in between it has to be more than the primers.
Another thing on the list to get repaired.

[Mk42gunner]

Try a new battery in your Chrony before you do anything else, well go ahead and get some newer primers, you can always use them.

I have an ancient Chrony that I bought used and sometimes it just seems to eat batteries, so much so that I started carrying two brand new nine volt batteries in the same case with the Chrony and tripod.

Robert

[ChristopherO]

I can try that but did buy that battery new a few months ago just for the chrony. Won't hurt to try another.
Thanks

[Mk42gunner]

A couple of other tricks I learned the hard way with mine: 1. Make absolutely certain the case is opened all the way, any wiggle room will give wildly variable results. and 2. I always used a few shots from a .22 rifle from the same box of ammo first, to make sure it was seeing the projectile with the current setup.

Good luck,

Robert

[ChristopherO]

Oh, yes, I use the 22 ammo trick, as well. This 4570 is a heavy blasting gun. I may need to move to chrony back further than 12' to receive accurate readings, too.
Thanks

[georgerkahn]

I have both an Oehler 35P and a PACT chrony, and #1 reason I bought the Oehler was to "replace" the PACT which was giving readings as you described. I reckoned it was (FIGURATIVELY :) ) shot, and not worth repairing. Oehler behaved similarly, and an old-timer at range suggested low-sun angle (e.g., late afternoon/early eve) provides "at least one strike against ya'"; and, the distance to screen from muzzle may be too close. I tried an even fifteen feet, and the spread shrunk dramatically! (I, too, was sending 'little Volkswagons" -- 45/70's -- down range)
Good luck! Increasing distance surely helped me... might be the trick (I hope) for you!
geo

[ChristopherO]

Thanks, George. I appreciate what you are saying. The last episode was the end of the day shooting session. May need to try a lunch time trial.
Cheers, Christopher