Sorry, another chronograph question

I'm sorry guys, I know how sometimes these threads get repetitive.

I'm looking to buy new chronograph, it will be used to develop loads for target shooting. So ES and SD numbers are important. I had magnetospeed but didn't like it coz I like to shoot all the shots during load development over chronograph and magnetospeed was affecting rifle tune(big time in my case). I also have shooting chrony but I don't trust it coz it was way off when I tested it against magnetospeed.
So I have narrowed my search down to 3 of the following (35p is out of budget)

CED M2 ~ $300 (cad), gets good reviews, little more setup time, Bryan Litz's test proves it's good unit

CE ProChronograph ~ $160, good reviews, easy to setup, not sure about its accuracy and precision

Caldwell ~ $180 (kit with IR), good reviews, easiest to setup, convenience of data on phone, IR lights included, but no reliable reviews, again not sure about accuracy and precision

Which one would you experts pick and if you can also include why that'll be great.
Big thanks in advance
Av

 

I have a friend who uses the CED-M2 and states that he loves it. I don't know about the others. However, this I do know, DO NOT buy a P.A.C.T. Professional. It is the worst pile of maggot excrement claiming to be a chronograph!

 

Surprisingly the caldwell is the best of all those units. It works very well with good features

 

I've had the prochrono for several years and it works fine. Seems to match my dope for long range shooting. Easy to set up. I'd suggest that for any of the chronos you are looking for that you get a tripod. Doesn't need to be expensive.

I've had consistent numbers with my Prochrono however the construction isn't what I'd call durable. I've not dropped it so that doesn't seem to be a problem but I doubt it would take much punishment.

 

Tell us how you really feel Ben! Lol
I have a ProChrono I bought in the mid 80's and it still going strong! I run a MS V3 now for it's ease of setup.

 

If you have a tripod (or can find a used one at a garage sale) and you don't need the lights for indoor shooting, just buy the basic Caldwell kit. It can be had for around $70. Mine works very well.

 

Get a Tripod for sure. You can get them off Fleabay or Amazon with the quick disconnect shoe thing for faster setup


Very Respectfully

 

My vote is for the CED

 

I will be more than happy to tell you why I feel the way I do. I bought a P.A.C.T. Professional nearly 20 years ago. It was durable, accurate and very well made. It also carried a "Lifetime Warranty"! Well a few years ago, it went south. So I called up P.A.C.T. and spoke with a representative. He told me they could not honor that "Lifetime Warranty" because the computer boards on the inside were no longer made. He did offer a 33.3pct price reduction on a new one. So I accepted. I paid the $$$s and received the new one in the mail. Well, it did not work at all. They sent me a new one, which did work. BUT this is the most flimsy, cost cutting junk pile I ever seen. My "old" one was EXCELLENT! I have had to make "modifications" to it to even keep it working.. Just T-Rust me, you do not want to own one! If the "Lab Radar" ever gets off home plate, I would like to get one!

 

Oehler...

;D

 

Thanks guys.
I do have chepo tripod that I used with chrony. I rarely shoot indoors but having IR setup in a box seems interesting. Caldwell has good features but I'm just concerned about its accuracy coz I have had bad experience with shooting chrony.
MrMajestic have you compared prochrono with MS for accuracy? I'm very interested in that type of comparison.
If I could afford oehler, I wouldn't have hesitated lol!

 

Oehler for me. ;D

 

I think you need to run your analysis again. http://www.magnetospeed.com/ is in a different league. Regards JCS

 

I have used both the Pro Chrono and the Caldwell quite a bit. I did an experiment where I shot through both the Pro Chrono and Caldwell to see if there was an offset between the units. After about 150 pistol rounds and 10 rifle rounds the overall delta comparing the grand mean velocity of all the data, the Caldwell was 1 fps higher than the Pro Chrono. If you reviewed the individual delta's most all are under 10 fps. I attribute the variability on the error associated with trajectory of the bullet through each chrono. It's difficult enough to have consistent setup with one unit let alone two in series.

I did this experiment mainly because I had performed quite a bit of load development using a borrowed Pro Chrono and then purchased the Caldwell. I have to say that the Caldwell just plain works. I got the premium kit but have not used the IR shades yet, haven't needed them. It has only lost one shot to date (~500 rounds). I've used the velocity and bullet ballistics to calculate trajectory (to adjust scope elevation) and have been spot on out to 300 yds in my hunting rigs. I haven't yet finalized a load on my Dasher but plan on trying my hand at 600 yd ranges, we'll see how it holds at longer ranges.

The phone app is OK, it is utilitarian. It's nice not to have to record data manually during strings. I just enter the string info and start recording. Don't have to worry about it, and if I forget to start recording it stores the string data on the main page so I can get it. It definitely needs some tweaks for ease of use but all in all it not that bad.

I'm happy with the purchase and can say that the Caldwell is more reliable than the Pro Chrono. I don't think one is more accurate than the other.

Cheers,
Toby

 

CED M2

 

You are right about magnetospeed, it is one accurate unit but as I mentioned in OP the only thing I didn't like about it is that it changed barrel tune. My 308 benchmark MTU contour barrel shot great with it on, when I took it off the same load was a shotgun pattern, I couldn't go up in charge coz of compression and pressure so I ended up dropping 1.1 grain powder charge to bring it back in tune. After lot of wasted time and components I learned my lesson. I like to shoot all load development shots over chronograph and I can't do that with magnetospeed.

 

I talked to the Caldwell guys a week or so ago and they told me the I phone app has already been updated and the Android version will be updated in a week or so. Check for the new version.

I suggested a dozen improvements, which they assure me are included in the new app. If that's true, it should be much easier to use.

Although the Caldwell is inexpensive, it's one of the newest designs on the market. Anyone who has been following electronics for very many years knows that they get better and cheaper at the same time. The Caldwell has a much faster clock than chronographs designed a few years ago, and that alone will help precision. I'm thrilled with mine and for seventy bucks I don't see why anyone would buy something else. Unless you shoot indoors or at night, you don't need the lights and any cheap photo tripod, especially from a flea market or garage sale, will be much cheaper and better than the one supplied with the deluxe kit.

 

There's a NIB Oehler 35P for sale here. Never been a better chrono. Good luck, Joe

 

I'm in Canada so won't be able to purchase from this site.

 

I picked up a ProChrono here: https://www.redsgear.com/competition-electronics-prochrono-digital-chronograph.html with free shipping and a $10.00 off coupon for signing up for their newsletter.

Picked up a tripod here: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=&sku=512119&gclid=CJPv_PGq4cYCFUeRHwodvD0AiA&is=REG&A=details&Q= with free shipping.

Total at the time for me was $109.00 for both. The ProChrono has gone up $4.00 since my purchase. I have put about 1000 rounds over the ProChrono with very few dropped shots. The ones it did have where very late in the afternoon. I am very happy with both purchases. A chrono really helps when working up a load IMO. I hope this helps.