How to use a chrono

[mattd]

Admittedly, mine is a cheap one, the Shooting Chrony Alpha model. But it’s always been finicky. And it’s taken a few indirect hits, shots hitting the shade post and busting the plastic around the sensor.

But lately I’m getting maybe 30% of the recordings that are believable numbers. Sometimes it reads Err1/2 meaning one of the sensors didn’t read. Sometimes it won’t even react. Sometimes it’s way off (been shooting my 250fps bow, and it will read 75.xx more times then it will read 250). Sometimes it’s a little off (230 instead of 250 w my bow. Maybe that’s accurate, but seems a bit odd for the one arrow I’m shooting to dip that low).

I live in the woods. And I never get open sun. Always thru the tree tops. I’ve tried using it in open holes of light. I’m the shade. With and without the shades.

Am I doing something wrong? Is there an ideal light setting? Or is it time to replace? I’ve looked and there seems to be a chrono shortage at the moment.

[BLAHUT]

I had one doing similar, strange readings, I replaced it with one that hangs on the barrel.

[MarkP]

I believe those are triggered by a contrast and not light itself what color are your arrows? Do have the skyscreens on?

[racepres]

Overcast day...or I don't bother...

[megasupermagnum]

Some are better than others. I've never been impressed with those fold up shooting chronys. The ProChrono DLX is simply outstanding. It isn't impervious to the weather, but it will work sunny, overcast, rain, snow, hot, cold. It isn't finicky at all. I think you will find it a much better unit than what you are currently using.

[racepres]

Some are better than others. I've never been impressed with those fold up shooting chronys. The ProChrono DLX is simply outstanding. It isn't impervious to the weather, but it will work sunny, overcast, rain, snow, hot, cold. It isn't finicky at all. I think you will find it a much better unit than what you are currently using.

Never used one...don't personally know anyone who gots one..
In My part of the rhubarb patch, I am the only one who has a Chronograph...That admits it... Got it years ago ... certainly when the ProChrono was "new"... Only one I know anything about...so....No Expert Here...
I Like Mine!!!

[jmorris]

Take it out on a cloudy day and try it out.

Mine works perfect with no screens if there is not any direct sunlight.

You can also see how to access the features built into the chronograph, you need a male headphone Jack and a momentary push button.



If it sunny, I have to position the chrono where there is no direct sunlight on the sensors. Generally by tilting the sky screens towards the sun to shade the sensors.

I would say there is no reason to bother if it’s not working right on an overcast day.

It needs to have a background that allows the sensors to pick up the shadow the bullet makes blocking the light from above. If you have no light above, everything will be a shadow and it won’t work. I have run at night using incandescent light bulbs (fluorescent bulbs turn on and off with cycles of AC current and won’t work). I rolled up a piece of white cardboard and set a 90degree makita flashlight down beside the chronograph, aimed up, it worked.

[huntinlever]

I always had good luck with the Competition Electronics Pro Chrono. Very confident in the numbers. The Magneto looks like an awesome solution - always waiting for the day I shot my diffuser chrono into oblivion, and the idea of a bayonet-style chrono was really appealing - but for me, I couldn't get the Magneto to work. I tried several things, including adjusting the sensitivity, but I was getting wild velocity swings (i.e., I'd increase the powder charge but the velocity would drop 100+ fps), so couldn't use it. Might very well have been my operator error - I know Blahut and many other people love them.

No chrono now but if I went back to one, I'd be getting the Pro Chrono.

[OS OK]

It's been a long time since I had to deal with that chrony.
I couldn't be sure but I thought it was direct light hitting the sensors.

I made a tunnel that would reflect indirect light inside and that pretty much solved my problems although it was still calling errors at times.

[Bent Ramrod]

I do like OS OK, only I tape a paper target over both diffusers. I usually have some extras with me.

In the early morning, when light comes in from the side, I sometimes still get error messages. Another target taped to the sunny side of the diffuser setup generally cures that condition.

I also look for overcast days, and refer to them as “Chronograph Weather.” I still use the taped-on targets.

Chronys were pretty elementary, but they were also pretty inexpensive. They do seem to give accurate readings, when set up well. I calibrated mine with match .22 ammo, getting the reported factory velocities, and saw another one nearly blasted to smithereens from being too close to a fellow shooter’s .348 muzzle. The cardboard diffusers turned to woodpulp, the Chrony slumped down at an angle as its tripod mount sagged towards collapse, but the number “2724” racked itself up on the screen. Close enough to factory specs.

The Chrony is ideal for the level of interest I have for load velocities. What happens on the target interests me a lot more.

[jsizemore]

If you broke the plastic that holds the sensor then it could be your problem.

When I set up the rifle I aim at my target with the bolt out. I then set the chrony with the metal posts installed about 10' from the muzzle and aim it at the rifle. Mine has a dedicated tripod so setup is fairly quick. I put mine in front and behind an Ohler 33 and velocity was within 10fps. Shot once on a rainy day from inside a garage. Florescent lights wouldn't trigger a reading. Installed a couple incandescent clip on lights over the chrony and life was good. Did the same with a couple flashlights on an overcast day.

[huntinlever]

If you broke the plastic that holds the sensor then it could be your problem.

When I set up the rifle I aim at my target with the bolt out. I then set the chrony with the metal posts installed about 10' from the muzzle and aim it at the rifle. Mine has a dedicated tripod so setup is fairly quick. I put mine in front and behind an Ohler 33 and velocity was within 10fps. Shot once on a rainy day from inside a garage. Florescent lights wouldn't trigger a reading. Installed a couple incandescent clip on lights over the chrony and life was good. Did the same with a couple flashlights on an overcast day.

So essentially you bore-sight your chrony then? Hadn't thought of that, thanks. My recollection is just sighting in on target, setting the rifle locked in place, moving the chrony around until "clear" from the scope's POV, and hoping for the best. Not the best.

[OS OK]

Chrony's are pretty handy gadgets...
That first 'old chrony' pictured above, I bought for tuning fast bows we used in 3D unmarked matches.

I've used them on the 50 yard bench to find out how much velocity different .22lr cartridges lost on the trip to the target...





I've also used them to find out how much velocity is lost when a hollow point cast plows through a milk jug of water...
First find out what the velocity is going into the jugs...in this picture I also find out how many jugs the HP will penetrate & what the recovered HP looks like...



Then find out what the velocity is exiting out of the jugs...
just drape some plastic over the front of the chrony & I laid a strip of glass over the sensor holes, then carefully align the jug...



Then let'er fly...



It went in at 908 FPS ... it exited at 450 FPS.
I know, you say..."Who cares?" ... Well, at the time..."I cared! 50% of the energy is dumped in just 6" of water."

FIRST TIME EVER

[Rapier]

I years ago, blew holes right through my reader blocks and shades and then replaced the "holy" parts. My shade still has a few little light transfer holes. Those that will and those that have. A lesson learned about wind gusts and sun shades. Catch the front edge of the shade, it blows up everything. I just fixed it.

[gloob]

It went in at 908 FPS ... it exited at 450 FPS... 50% of the energy is dumped in just 6" of water.

50% of the momentum was transferred. 75% of the kinetic energy was lost!

[OS OK]

50% of the momentum was transferred. 75% of the kinetic energy was lost!

would you show me how you figured that?

EDIT: nevermind, I see what I did! "DUUUH!"

[bubbadoyle]

I had one doing similar, strange readings, I replaced it with one that hangs on the barrel.

Since I got my Magnetospeed the only thing I use my pact chronograph for is archery equipment.


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[15meter]

First chrongraph I saw was about 1990. It lasted about 10 shots. Worked fine right up to the point the guy who had borrowed it from his buddy(who was at work) decided to try Remington Accelerators through it. Bullet made it through the sky screens, the sabot made it through the chronograph itself as it was doing somersaults down the range.

Who woulda thunk that little bitty piece of plastic could do that much damage?

I need to dig out a chronograph I was given several years after that, Oehlers chrono that had to be one of the earliest on the market. Sensors set @ 10 FEET spread. Everything calculated in base 8. Then refer back to a paper manual to decode your velocity. Fun stuff.

[dtknowles]

I have a shooting chrony and get an error message once is a while. It is my second You have to be extra careful if you using it when shooting a pistol offhand. Best to use with a benchrest. I did not shoot the box just one of the posts that hold the shades but that broke a sensor. I sold the parts and bought a new one. I don't do any of the special things other have posted I just set it out, shoot thru it and read the velocity, only get an error once in a while.

Tim

[jsizemore]

So essentially you bore-sight your chrony then? Hadn't thought of that, thanks. My recollection is just sighting in on target, setting the rifle locked in place, moving the chrony around until "clear" from the scope's POV, and hoping for the best. Not the best.

I saw a guy had setup his rifle/chronograph with this pvc contraption. It just clicked that all I had to do was aim the rifle cuz the bullet had to go that way. Then just boresight the chronograph to the rifle sighting from the target side of the chronograph back to the gun with the rods for the skyscreens as my "sight". Darned if it didn't save a bunch of getting up and down from bench and running back and forth from bench to chrony. Some days it felt like I'd run a marathon (really, half marathon). Real simple, fast, and no extra stuff to remember when I went to the range.