After 40 years.....a chronograph!

[3006guns]

My wife presented me with a gift certificate for my birthday yesterday, so I sauntered down to our local sporting goods shop. The owner had just left for a trade show, so there goes my chance to order some rifle brass. I was about to leave when a box on the shelf screamed at me.......a nice new Chrony well within the limit of my certificate. I've meant to buy one for years, but somehow another "need" always popped up, so five minutes later it went home with me. I spent the afternoon studying the instructions, etc. and can't wait to get it out for a trial. Somehow I have a feeling that a lot of my favorite loads have a suprise in store for me! At any rate, load developement will no longer be a guessing game.

Welcome to the 21st century!!!!

[thenaaks]

welcome indeed....just 10 years late :)

i've been thinking about getting one myself...all the horror stories of people shooting theirs scares me!

[Cherokee]

You will see some surprises and really enjoy using the chron. Just be careful and you wil not shoot it.

[wistlepig1]

Warning I have been at the range on several time when the defussers have been hit by bullits. I would hate to read that post on your NEW Chrono. Warning:holysheep:bigsmyl2:

[Murphy]

3006guns,

Nice move on picking up the Chrony. I recall when Chrony was fresh on the market years ago and couldn't wait. Finally, a chronograph within reach of us average Joe's.

I think I chronographed pretty much everything I had that would shoot a projectile. It was indeed an eye opening experience.

One in particular experience that really got my attention was the first time my shooting/hunting buddy shot our S&W .44 magnums for comparision. Both guns were S&W 6" .44 magnums. Same load, same everything. His .44 was shooting an average of slightly 100 fps more than mine.

The thing I have also enjoyed, was being able to know exactly what my loads velocities are. Along with that knowledge, and Sierra's ballistic program I could now chart my long guns and know what they should be doing way 'out yonder'.

Enjoy!

Murphy

[Beerd]

Murphy,
Did your old Chrony come with the cardboard screens with the cut-out donut hole to shoot through? I finally traded mine in this spring for new one that has a few more bells & whistles.

I like mine, very educational.
..

[3006guns]

I'm considering a protective 1/2" steel plate, angled at 45 deg. and covering the front. A mirror on the back side would reflect to a 45 deg. angled mirror below, forming a periscope, so the readout is still seen from the bench. That way, a wayward bullet will deflect without damaging anything.

But first I want to try it out!

[AZ-Stew]

ALWAYS shoot from a sandbag (or other steady) rest. Don't shoot hand-held, either rifle or pistol.

When you get your firearm positioned on the rest (front and rear for a rifle), look along the top of the barrel to be sure you're shooting between the diffuser supports, then get you eye down to the level of the barrel and look along the side of the barrel to be sure you're shooting a few inches above the sensors (the sky screens) (see: http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showpost.php?p=800406&postcount=83). This will ensure that you won't shoot your Chrony. I can't afford to shoot mine, so I follow this procedure religiously. I haven't shot mine in over ten years of use, and don't expect to in the future.

Don't let anyone else shoot over your Chrony. Offer to shoot their firearm for them.

Have fun with your new "bullet speedometer".

Regards,

Stew

[Buckshot]

.............I got a Pact in '91 and having a chronograph will sure open your eyes! Years back my uncle wanted me to take his new Winchester M70 7mm mag to the range when I went and sight it in for him. Since I normally did load experimenting stuff I had the chrono along, and did the sighting in shooting through the chrono. It was Winchester factory ammo and IIRC was 170 something grain slugs. I realized right then that if you owned a 7mm magnum you'd be better off shooting a 30-'06 if you had to shoot factory ammo :-). If you needed the 7mm mag to do it's stuff you had to reload for it. This was before most of the factory special effort ammo had come out. I think Speer's Nitrex hadn't been out long (do they still make that?).

..................Buckshot

[pdawg_shooter]

I got my Pact in 72 and used it on everything I shot for a couple of months. Then I put it away and havent used it for anything except when changing powder lots. Guess knowing my load was only doing 1400 instead of the expected 1425 just didnt matter much. Went back to loading for accuracy instead. I did use it on one paper patch load just to prove a point a few years ago.

[Wayne Smith]

I remember getting mine for Christmas several years ago and the boys and I shooting spitwads through straws and with rubber bands through it in the living room. If I remember right we got upwards of 15 fps!

[cheese1566]

ALWAYS shoot from a sandbag (or other steady) rest. Don't shoot hand-held, either rifle or pistol.

When you get your firearm positioned on the rest (front and rear for a rifle), look along the top of the barrel to be sure you're shooting between the diffuser supports, then get you eye down to the level of the barrel and look along the side of the barrel to be sure you're shooting a few inches above the sensors (the sky screens) (see: http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showpost.php?p=800406&postcount=83). This will ensure that you won't shoot your Chrony. I can't afford to shoot mine, so I follow this procedure religiously. I haven't shot mine in over ten years of use, and don't expect to in the future.

Don't let anyone else shoot over your Chrony. Offer to shoot their firearm for them.

Have fun with your new "bullet speedometer".

Regards,

Stew

Exactly and well said!

I have had mine for 15 years with no problems...except for being too close to the bench once...the muzzle blast blew off the front screen decal. My bad. But a quick call to Chrony got me a new one. Now scrap Lexan covers mine.

Take your time and be careful in set up and she will take care of you!

Good tool!

[Rocky Raab]

One more hint: Paint or apply a strip of bright orange tape to the edge of the near diffuser. When you are shooting, make SURE you see a blurry orange line in the top of your scope.

Coming up on 25 years with my Oehler, and haven't shot a sensor yet, although I have had bullets disintegrate at the muzzle and pieces hit them. Put a repairable hole through one that missed everything inside!

[oldracer]

Well how about that, I got a chronograph a few weeks ago for my birthday too. I had been wanting one mainly as I am a "gadget" person and that is a pretty neat gadget for sure. I used mine the first time at the pistol range and tried some wadcutters, 357 mag loads, 22LR revolvers, my Sig 226 40S&W and the Sig with the 22LR conversion on it. By the time I was done nearly everyone had been leaning over my shoulder to see what was happening. I was surprised at how fast and close together the Federal Bulk pack (550 round) 22LR bullets were and at times I would get 10 shots within 1 or 2 feet per second of each other. They are way cool as my daughter sez.

[Buckshot]

..........If you guys haven't tried this yet, give it a whirl. Take your 22RF and fire 10 over the chrono. We're wanting nothing more then FPS and the SD really. Now fire 10 more rounds, but this time blow through the barrel before each shot. Which group is faster? :-)

...............Buckshot

[shotman]

watch loads with gas checks dont move it too far away . have had 2 checks cut the screen supports

[Ed Barrett]

..........If you guys haven't tried this yet, give it a whirl. Take your 22RF and fire 10 over the chrono. We're wanting nothing more then FPS and the SD really. Now fire 10 more rounds, but this time blow through the barrel before each shot. Which group is faster? :-)

...............Buckshot

I always wondered why Gabby Hayes did that in the old cowboy movies. <G>

[Ed Barrett]

I made up some loads with surplus IMR 5010 a few years ago and they dimpled the front of my Chrony with impressions of the sticks of powder. Didn't hurt anything but looked bad to me finally sold it and got a better model with no dimples.

[montana_charlie]

3006,
You said you got a Chrony, but you didn't name the model.
If that is the basic F-1 unit, there is a cheap trick for getting it to tell you more information than what you are led to expect.

On the left side of the display is a small jack. Goto Radio Shack and get a phono plug small enough to fit.
Connect two wires to the plug and put a switch on the other end.

After you finish shooting a string, start closing the switch. Each time you do, new information is displayed.
CM

[3006guns]

Thanks Charlie......it is an F1 and that's a good trick. I'll do it.

[Rocky Raab]

And yet another tip.

If your sky shades are held with metal rods, put those rods in a safe place and get a package of bamboo cooking skewers. The first time you clip one (and it won't take long) you'll be a happy man.

[3006guns]

Another excellent tip! Thanks Rocky.

Can't wait to explain to my wife why her bamboo sticks were sacrificed...........

[excavman]

You can also cut up a gallon milk jug to make difussers and punch holes to go over the sticks. Don't set up too close or you'll burn little 'hot powder' holes in the plastic display cover. Good luck and fun shooting.

Larry

[45nut]

And yet another tip.

If your sky shades are held with metal rods, put those rods in a safe place and get a package of bamboo cooking skewers. The first time you clip one (and it won't take long) you'll be a happy man.

I have been using bright green weedeater line.. just take about a 18-20" length and make a loop instead of two sticks. The bright green really helps make sure you are IN the loop and if hit,, pops out without damaging the chrony like a hit to the metal rods will if they take a hit.

[AZ-Stew]

I have been using bright green weedeater line.. just take about a 18-20" length and make a loop instead of two sticks. The bright green really helps make sure you are IN the loop and if hit,, pops out without damaging the chrony like a hit to the metal rods will if they take a hit.

Ingenius!! Combine with excavman's suggestion and you have a never-ending supply of exceptionally cheap diffusers (wish folks would stop calling them sky screens) and supports. I'll have to try them.

Regards,

Stew