Lab Radar and boolits

I never have had one problem with the Lab Radar giving me a reading on jacketed loads. Not once. Lead is a completely different matter. It either gives me an error message that it didn't read the projectile or it sits there with a dumb look on it's face. I emailed them and I tried their suggestions. Basically it was move the unit closer to the muzzle and check alignment with target. Duh??? Still the same thing. Every once in a while if it feels like it, it will give me a good reading. Any suggestions or similar experiences?

STEALTH BOOLITS????
Are you talking a chronograph or actual radar?

Lab Radar is the name of a product - and yes it is an actual radar. You can read about it by searching "Lab Radar". I've been thinking about buying one - But this makes me hesitate. Hope others will comment about this apparent flaw - if it is indeed so.

Just a thought, could the cast bullet be shedding it's lube as it is moving down range? Kind of like it trying to read an X Y axis at the same time when it was only designed to read a X axis. I'd try powder coating the same projectile and trying it with out the lube that to see if that changes your results.

I use mine for BPCR rifle cartridges and cast bullets both paper patched and grease grooved. I had issues at first with known bad readings and such. Lab Radar tech cal the gentleman told me to set the unit to the expected velocity range ( I had set it to rifle since that was what I was shooting) Look at the velocity ranges for rifle and pistol and use the one thats appropriate. Also like spotting scopes and sky screens a solid stand is needed. Im using a JIm owens spotting scope stand I had currently for mine. Another big plus is to make a simple tube sight from 3/16 ID tubing to set in the notch for sighting the unit. ANd when pushing buttons be carefull not to jar or move the unit on the stand taking it off target. I occasionaly get an low reading of 200-400 fps but I think its picked up a wad or paper patch maybe the grease cloud instead of the bullet on these. But I normally get good readings and accurate, the lows are the exceptions. Mine is set to read out to 175yds now with 38, 40, and 45 cal cast lead bullets. It does work and works well it the easiest chronograph Ive ever set up or used. I also found that if using a memory card the right one has to be used or it affects performance also. Hope the above helps you out.

"Look at the velocity ranges for rifle and pistol and use the one that's appropriate."


​It will pick-up most anything. Shotguns pose a problem when the wad sheds. Even then, mine has worked well. When I ordered mine from the factory, I asked what common problems had been reported, and using the wrong velocity setting was #1.

I'll try the right velocity for the expected speed. Hope thats the ticket . Thanks

While they list diffrent distances for the normal calibers/dias of bullets I have found with mine that the length of the bullet also comes into how far it picks up a bullet. My 1.3"-1.4" bullets are picked up more reliably and farther than shorter ones are. I can get about 100 yds with 22 cal 50 grn bullets is all with mine. Also with some loads try using the diffrent trigger modes. I get best results with the BP loads with it set to Doppler instead of trigger. Some loads may not generate the required sound level range to trigger the unit.

They used the Labradar at this years idpa nationals. A lot of diff bullets used there, seemed to work fine. I shoot a coated lead, no issues reading mine. They had three units set up for the testing to insure at least one captured, but watching it, all 3 were catching mine.

I've had no issues w/ mine and lead bullets.....once I got it aimed properly.

Depending on the velocity of the bullet, I have had use it in the handgun range, and as the velocity increased I had to switch it to the rifle mode.

As improvements in aiming the Lab-Radar unit this is what I designed and made, go to post #22.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...ovements/page2

Mine works, follow directions.... Set to pistol and set proper offset.

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Originally Posted by country gent

While they list diffrent distances for the normal calibers/dias of bullets I have found with mine that the length of the bullet also comes into how far it picks up a bullet. My 1.3"-1.4" bullets are picked up more reliably and farther than shorter ones are. I can get about 100 yds with 22 cal 50 grn bullets is all with mine. Also with some loads try using the diffrent trigger modes. I get best results with the BP loads with it set to Doppler instead of trigger. Some loads may not generate the required sound level range to trigger the unit.

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The Doppler trigger mode is designed for large slow moving projectiles, like an arrow. It is not nearly as accurate as the trigger mode. If you haven't already, order the airgun trigger (external mic). It works great for subsonic loads, air guns, etc.

When we tested it as best we could. A known load a magnetos speed and ohler 33 sky screen chrono all together. The lab radar was beside the rifle, the magneto was on the muzzle, and the sky screens in front. So each shot was captured by all 3 units. The 3 readings were with in 25 fps of each other. Close enough for me. with all 3 units reading each shot any real inaccuracies forom a individual unit should have showed up right away. One problem I always had with the skyscreens was wads, Paper Patches, powder smoke grease cloud faulting the sky screens out when they passed over thru them with the bullet or just behind it. The Lad radar seems to ignore them and light changes. While new to the civilian market, the navey and military have used radar to measure track artillery and the big naval guns for many years. The lab Radar like any unit has a learning curve to it. I use mine mostly with BPCR rounds ( almost artillery LOL) and have used it very little with hndguns or smokeless rifles and High Velocity rounds.

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Originally Posted by mustanggt

I never have had one problem with the Lab Radar giving me a reading on jacketed loads. Not once. Lead is a completely different matter. It either gives me an error message that it didn't read the projectile or it sits there with a dumb look on it's face. I emailed them and I tried their suggestions. Basically it was move the unit closer to the muzzle and check alignment with target. Duh??? Still the same thing. Every once in a while if it feels like it, it will give me a good reading. Any suggestions or similar experiences?

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I know this old but I had same issue yesterday, glad to know it was not just me.

Yep, it is aggravating to get the dreaded 'no record'.

I've found that the .30cal cast bullets I shoot will work reliably on the 'rifle' setting down to 1800fps. Between 1700-1800 it might work, but, does better on the 'pistol' setting. I've not had trouble with the 'muzzle blast' trigger even in pistols down to 700fps (also cast, .355 to .452 cal).

I have noticed in the 'marginal' range that it might take a while to calculate the results. The screen doesn't change or it goes blank. After what seems like a few min (but is actually less than 60sec) it will finish the calculations and show the shot data.

My Dad bought a Lab Radar several years ago. Took it out several times and after numerous occurrences of it automatically shutting off at inopportune times, reading other people's shots and generally being an unreliable PITA, we went back to using the Oehler 35P we bought back in the '80's.

Couldn't tell you if it was cast or jacketed we were shooting at the time, but we pretty much concluded "life's too short for this thing".

Had my Labradar out yesterday morning. Two 10-shot strings of gas-checked.308 WCF with PC @ 1800-1850 fps. without a hiccup. Did miss one or two intermediate velocities...was set to record velocity at muzzle, 50 yds, 100 yds, 150 yards. I was testing those particular loads in a different rifle from the one used for load development so a I had a good idea of what the numbers should look like.

Bill

I have one of the bayonet type chronos. I had a similar problem with that. I had to increase the sensitivity quite a bit before it would register cast bullets.

I run mine on pistol when shooting cast. Even above 2000 fps. It still reads the higher velocities. It do miss some mid range readings but will still get muzzle and 100 yrds reading, most times. If it shuts down too soon set it to stay on longer between shots. If you use a battery pack then set it to not timeout between shots, that's what I do. Then I can make notes, check target and generally waste time between shots if I want to. I even get reading on my .17 Hornaday Hornet. It is more reliable then my old Pact #1 was and easier to setup too.

I shoot coated lead, no issues over the labradar.