WTB Chronograph but unsure which I want, so far

[Mr_Sheesh]

They're down under $100 and at that price, HMMMM. RCBS one (if it's good, seems likely) is decently below that price point. So I am looking at that as it'd be nice to KNOW velocities :) You can do without them, of course, so I may wait a decent while first. I suspect I am partly window-shopping :) Could build one and use the palmtops I have to do the math, but at $80ish and with reloading / fire forming to do? Seems a bad choice - Prioritize! :)

[Traffer]

I bought a chronograph last year. I shopped for a very good lesser expensive one. I ended up getting the "Caldwell Ballistic Precision Chronograph" It works great. Never had a single mis-anything. Every attempt at reading the velocity of a bullet has been successful. Even used it in a pretty hard rain and no problems. Mine was on sale for $69.99 at Amazon.

[kens]

I had 2 of the little red 'Chrony" things.
1 of them I busted with a shotgun wad, the other one I left at a range table.
Both worked good until the end.

[Rcmaveric]

I use the Caldwell Chrono as well. I love the app on my phone the lets me log all the shots and store them latter for export into my Excel notes. It has worked great in all light conditions. Only problems I have had is the range, when its packed, it will pick up others people shots or through errors when others shoot. My range has members only sections so I can normally find a secluded or sparse range. If I cant its not hard to clean up the data in excel. Its also relatively inexpensive compared to all the other tools I have bought with an 85 dollar price point from a quick Google. Could have sworn it was cheaper.

[2011redrider]

Don't have any experience with the RCBS model. Had a Caldwell kit before it died feom lead poisoning.
Went with the Competition Electronics Pro Chrono, was 84 bucks on jet.com. Also got the bluetooth module to avoid the cables to a laptop, tablet or cell phone.
Had software issues with the Caldwell and they had to send a cable with adapter to work with my samsung phone.
Have had no issues with the Pro Chrono except the first BT module was defective. Sent it back to them and it was tested and replaced, they even paid for the shipping to get it there. Also when connected to my cell phone app it will speak the velocities so you can hear them while shooting, assuming you have electronic muffs.

[dragon813gt]

Since I bought a LabRadar it goes w/ me every time. The older style stayed at home due to many issues. The main one being setup time at ranges where I didn't have a lot of time to do so. Even at under $100 I wouldn't buy one.

[Mytmousemalibu]

My next will be a Lab Radar. Ive used one a few times and it is without a doubt the way to go!

[JBinMN]

This is the one I have:
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/628006/caldwell-ballistic-precision-chronograph-premium-kit

Works great & the price for what ya get is decent , IMO.

YMV.
G'Luck!
:)

[aspangler]

I bought a Shooting Chrony from Midway about 3 years ago on sale for $50. Works every time. I log all my shots as they go through the Chrony so I don't need the storage. The time it takes to go ahead and log it is time spent letting the barrel cool down. I like mine.

[country gent]

I had a pact professional with sky screens for years it was a nice unit and did a lot. I have used the chronys on occasion and they work. I bought a Lab Radar a couple years ago and like Dragoon 813 it goes with me every range trip. Its easy to set up and or change firearms. Accurate, noting in front of the muzzle to be damaged by stray shots wads or patches. The Mag neto speed also has little to shoot but does attach to the firearm making change over slower. Also an accurate unit.
Its not a question of if you will shot the screens but when it will happen. For most shooters.
I also recommend you buy a brick or 2 of decent 22 standard velocity ammunition and use this and the same rifle everytime to verify the set up starting out. This tells you the unit is reading the same each time. A good single cocker pellet gun with the same pellets works here also.

[Rcmaveric]

I never had a problem quickly setting up my chrono. Never had a complaint from other shooters at the range. Set up is quick normaly.

[Earlwb]

I finally got a Lab Radar Chronograph and it will spoil you rotten. You won't know how you ever did it before using the optical chronographs.

[Traffer]

Lab Radar Chronograph $550. Caldwell Ballistic Precision Chronograph $70.

[dragon813gt]

Lab Radar Chronograph $550. Caldwell Ballistic Precision Chronograph $70.

And the LabRadar is worth every penny. It's that much better. I understand that people don't want to spend that amount of money on a chronograph. But ask someone that has and they will tell you the same thing I am. It's really that good. People will bring up the "buy once, cry once" adage w/ all type of tools. This is no different.

[JBinMN]

I timed my last trip to run a ladder test of 50 rounds & I took my time. From the time I pulled up until; the time I packed up was 1 hour. Setting up the C.B. Chrony was maybe 3-5 minutes of that & takedown even less & I was taking my time lining up the chrony to the target so I did not shoot it, and when putting it away. It kept track of my shots on my phone as well as on the display, so that was good that I did not have to write anything down, & since I had cell signal, I could sent the results to others thru SMS(Text), Email, if desired. Which I did to my own email for posting here later that evening. (The results are shown in a topic about 9mm loads)

For the approx. 120 frogskins shipped, I am satisfied in it right now. And I got the "Kit" with the extras that don't come with just the Chrony alone. The details are in the post I made earlier in the link. Or you can search yourself elsewhere.

Of course, I have not used or looked at the other more expensive +$200.00 models, I did comparison shopping with the ones around $170.00 & below & am happy with what I paid.

Now, I don't know how long it takes to set up the more expensive chronys or how much more they offer than does the one I have, but it takes me about, or maybe a little more time to set up targets( I do not use a "range") & take them down each time when done than it does to set up & take down the chrony.

Not trying to start a argument, just sharing an observation of personal experience about the time it takes to set up & take down the one "I" use. If it matters to anyone...

G'luck!with your decision. Chronographs are VERY useful tools for anyone who reloads & wants to test some of the aspects of the ammo that they are making.( or arrows,etc.) Once you use one, I am of the opinion you will be hooked on them for testing.
:)

[P.S.- I do not rep for Caldwell, or Midway. I am just telling my opinion of a product I bought & like.]

[OS OK]

I'm with you JB regarding the usefulness of a chrony. I started out with a cheap chrony in 1980 just to tune arrows for my 3-D tournament bow...back then there was only one bow that shot into the 300 FPS range and if you wanted to compete in unmarked yardages you needed speed and a flat trajectory.
That chrony is still working but I repalced it with this...Competition Electronics ProChrono Digital Chronograph ( https://www.midwayusa.com/product/852429/competition-electronics-prochrono-digital-chronograph ) and now I don't need a pencil and a calculator to determine anything. It too has accessories you can buy to use the iPhone like yours but I ain't that smart with the cell phone! Ha!

The nice thing about this chrony is that there are no wires between the chrony and the bench to trip over...its easy to operate and that part sold me right away also it provides a space in the battery compartment for a fresh extra battery...plus I caught it on sale for just less than a C-note.
One hangup for public ranges would be that you need to get to the buttons on the unit to change string numbers for the various ladder loads.

[Jeff Michel]

I used a "Chrony" for three years worked flawlessly. I'll probably buy another. They are not bullet proof[smilie=1:

[Rcmaveric]

The Caldwell has worked well for me on arrows and pellets from my pellet gun as well all the way up to full throttle loads. JB is right on. A cheap tripod from Walmart with the levels makes it quick to level it off. The calibrated eye ball gets it with in a few inches. Then its just a matter of left/ right and up/down to center of the target. Done with in a few minutes. I have looked at the lab radars, but with how easy and quickly I can set up the optical Chrono I cant justify it.

[35 shooter]

Good thread...i'm in the market for a new one too. A loose gas check went right through the read out on my f1 chrony.
I only used it occasionally, but now that it's gone i miss it every range trip lol.

[Traffer]

I did not mean to start an argument here between the new type Lab Radar technology and the older type of Chrono's. My point by showing the price differences is that for many people cost is a real consideration. I got my Caldwell Ballistic Precision Chronograph last year and after reading about chrono's in general I expected some hassle and problems with set up and accuracy. I was very pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to set up. I scratched my head the first time thinking, "It can't be this easy, I must have forgotten something here..." So I went over the set up a couple more times. Nope, everything was set right. Super easy. Considering all the junk I take with me to the range, unpacking and setting up the guns etc., setting up the chrono didn't add much time to the process at all. I guess if I were to time myself now, it would take maybe 3 minutes". As far as accuracy, it seems perfect to me. Although I have not compared by chronographing the same shot with two different units, (don't know if that would be possible anyway) I believe that every shot has been shown accurately on the Chrono. And the software is super easy to work with. There are a lot of things on there that I do not understand much less need to document. But it will to the basic show you how fast your bullet goes and file it for you ... on the chrono and to your smart phone if you want. Now I am not trying to sell this brand of chronograph. From what I have read there are several companies who sell comparable units that people have as good of success with. I picked this one because it was on sale for $69.99. You cannot get them for that price at this time (start of deer season). But probably will be able to get them that cheap in the summer during the slow selling months.
For me even $69.99 is an investment. Very tight budget. If I had $550 to spend on a gadget, I would buy a Harbor Freight Mini Lathe. (to put it into perspective) But some folks have the money to get the best and from what I have read the Lab Radar units are the Rolls Royce of the business.
And as far as whether or not to by any chronograph... if you reload ...YOU REALLY WANT A CHRONOGRAPH OF SOME TYPE. It is like taking a blindfold off as far as knowing what your loads are doing.
---Happy Shooting---

[Shopdog]

Old Pact pro here.Have been loading (and building/shooting bows) for so long it only comes out occasionally.Verification when working up a CB load for rifles....sort of like,still batching charged cases,look down each with a maglight.So once a load is settled in on the mechanical side,it's getting groups that were the goal....it's chrono'd.My be backwards,and that's not always how I do it.If there's a hitch anywhere along the process,chrono may come out.

Last couple of rigs saw some pretty impressive ES's.But it was after the fact and the only reason to even check was for load documentation really.More often than not,am loading CB rifle loads to a higher node.Getting there with prescribed acc is the goal,the chrono numbers confirm certain statistical ? as well.
Handguns get "classic" loads that are generally,very well documented.Once you know "wus up" with a particular handgun....is it a fast brrl or slow?.... that generally holds true for most loads.Chronos come in handy when loading hot revolver loads(gave that up years ago) though.

[country gent]

I would recommend having an idea First what do you want from a chronograph, velocity, standard deviation, extreme spread, average velocity, more than one range for each shot. printing abilities...... Some have a ballistics computer built into them giving drop tables and wind drift tables for the actual loads tested. Look at the different units on the internet pages of the manufacturers and venders ( for reviews ). I would recommend Chrony, Pact, Ohler, Invotech/Lab Radar, and magneto Speed. Along with this a search for chronographs may bring up some others with features that differ some. I have used Ohler 33 ( a friends), Pact professional with the ballistic computer, and Lab Radar ( my current unit). A friend has a magneto speed and we have tested Lab Radar and it against each other once firing thru both with each shot.
Another is to ask shooters at the range using one what they like or don't like with the units they have and are using. Ask about set up and light sensitivity ( for those that have sky screens. I made a one piece light shield diffusor for my Pact from 1/8" lexan Lightly sand blasted one side. 5' long 1' wide or so with 4" edges bent down 45* this helped a lot with different sun angles and false readings. Watch the shooters setting up and see what they use for holding the unit and or sky screens and how it works. I used a tri pod but with the above diffusor I had to stake it down with tent stakes so heavy breezes wouldn't blow it around or over. On units that have cables out to the sky screens a means of holding them is handy.

[fabricator21]

The magneto speed is amazing