Chronographs
- Thread starter Fritts679
- Start date
Lot's of opinions on which chrono to buy. I bought a Shooting Chrony Gamma Master many years ago and continue to use it. You can find it https://www.midwayusa.com/product/3...ter-chronograph-with-ballistic-chrony-printer here.
I really like it and it has performed very well for me. I find I don't use the printer as much any more, so you could save a lot of $$ getting a model without the printer. I like the feature of having the display setting on my bench with me. Very easy to ignore a shot or clear a string. I did make some changes to mine to suit my use.
Mine rarely misses a shot and when it does it means I don't have sun on the diffusers yet in the early morning. But I added a sun shade to mine. When the sun is low in the sky I found the "glint" could cancel the bullet shadow. Since I did that, it just works. I will include a picture of what I added.
I don't know how much you know about setting us a chrono and using it. I could share a lot of what I learned from others. But that isn't what you asked.
[URL=http://s860.photobucket.com/user/jepp2/media/P1010244_zps0c1d9259.jpg.html]
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I really like it and it has performed very well for me. I find I don't use the printer as much any more, so you could save a lot of $$ getting a model without the printer. I like the feature of having the display setting on my bench with me. Very easy to ignore a shot or clear a string. I did make some changes to mine to suit my use.
Mine rarely misses a shot and when it does it means I don't have sun on the diffusers yet in the early morning. But I added a sun shade to mine. When the sun is low in the sky I found the "glint" could cancel the bullet shadow. Since I did that, it just works. I will include a picture of what I added.
I don't know how much you know about setting us a chrono and using it. I could share a lot of what I learned from others. But that isn't what you asked.
[URL=http://s860.photobucket.com/user/jepp2/media/P1010244_zps0c1d9259.jpg.html]
[/URL]CED M2 is right at the price range you are looking at. Side by side comparisons with a LabRadar were very close.
It depends on what you want to do with it. There are a number of good reviews of of chronographs and you can get a lot of discussion from this forum by using the search function.
There are three technologies available today: optical, magnetic induction and radar.
For magnetic induction you have the MagnetoSpeed. It's very convenient for most rifles but does not work well with slide action pistols, air guns and some other situations.
Radar is LabRadar but it's three times your price range.
There are a number of optical units and it all depends on what you're looking to use it for. I have a CED M2, which is a good all-around unit for both rifle and pistol. Some optical units are really only useful for pistol.
Here's one review that focuses a lot on the LabRadar: https://www.shootingsoftware.com/doppler.htm
There are many other reviews, Google is your friend.
There are three technologies available today: optical, magnetic induction and radar.
For magnetic induction you have the MagnetoSpeed. It's very convenient for most rifles but does not work well with slide action pistols, air guns and some other situations.
Radar is LabRadar but it's three times your price range.
There are a number of optical units and it all depends on what you're looking to use it for. I have a CED M2, which is a good all-around unit for both rifle and pistol. Some optical units are really only useful for pistol.
Here's one review that focuses a lot on the LabRadar: https://www.shootingsoftware.com/doppler.htm
There are many other reviews, Google is your friend.
Joe R
Gold $$ Contributor
I sold my Oehler 35P to a friend of mine for $300 after I got my Labradar. Place an ad in the classified section for one and keep bumping it to the top (ttt) each day and you'll find one within a couple of weeks. I would stay away from the MagnetoSpeed, with the Oehler you'll get both the velocity and the point of impact. With the MS you only get one or the other.
Joe
In your price range I would recommend the Magnetospeed Sporter which sells for $180. Will be the most accurate in the price category, only downside is that it does affect point of impact when attached. This forces you to do load development and velocity data gathering separately. Personally I work up a load using the results on target, then get my velocity number at the end.
The link is for a chapter from "Modern Advancements in Long Range Shooting". If you are after solid information, this seems to give it. It is actual test results and evaluations from a noted authority, rather than just opinion by owners of the various models. Good luck in your search.
http://appliedballisticsllc.com/Articles/ChronographChapter.pdf
http://appliedballisticsllc.com/Articles/ChronographChapter.pdf
A lot of shooters are "dumping" their chronographs because they are buying Lab Radar. Watch the adds. Most shooters do not wear them out.
I, personally, had two less expensive brands and ultimately bought an Oehler 35. It never misses a shot.
My brother uses a MagnetoSpeed and has similar comments regarding differing shot impact. He also mentioned that the SD readings are not accurate when he compared readings with another chronograph. Apparently the SD numbers are artificially lower with the Magneto.
I spent some time with a Labradar recently and decided that for my use (load development only) I would stick with the Oehler. I found the Labradar finicky with set-up and that it did miss shots. I do not miss the down range readings as I have ballistic calculator's that are accurate enough for come-ups to 1000 yds..
My brother uses a MagnetoSpeed and has similar comments regarding differing shot impact. He also mentioned that the SD readings are not accurate when he compared readings with another chronograph. Apparently the SD numbers are artificially lower with the Magneto.
I spent some time with a Labradar recently and decided that for my use (load development only) I would stick with the Oehler. I found the Labradar finicky with set-up and that it did miss shots. I do not miss the down range readings as I have ballistic calculator's that are accurate enough for come-ups to 1000 yds..
I've always loved my Magnetospeed V3,while the POI is off from shooting without it,so is the POI change when I use one of my suppressors. It's just the nature of the beast,you're changing the harmonics and weight of the barrel.
It's pretty simple to adjust the turrets on my scopes to adjust my POI after I find a load to use with each of my rifles.
It's pretty simple to adjust the turrets on my scopes to adjust my POI after I find a load to use with each of my rifles.
R.Morehouse
Gold $$ Contributor
I have the CED M2 and i seems to work good. I have not done a side by side with it so test exact FPS but i am sure it is real close using the info for come-ups at the range. For load development is does its data based off 5 shot groups for SD-ES-AVE ect. and i do trust that info to be accurate. I see a Lab Radar in my future but for a few hundred bucks the CED has been a good value.
I don't think this is true... I've cross checked data from my MS against crunching the numbers manually in Excel and they match up. MS just rounds to the nearest whole digit.
I used a friends MS and shot over my Caldwell c-graph at the same time and the average fps spread was only 3fps. Unfortunately for you it only costs $80 shipped. But I think you can kick up the price to $125 if you buy the whole set up incl. stand.
Magneto speed is handy but at the cost of extra ammo. I would never trust load workup with this thing attached. I like mine but am not trying to get fancy data other than fps for a given load. I cannot get it to stay on the end of the barrel for more than a few shots. Once again, no big deal for me as I just shoot a few. I will eventually go to a LabRadar.
Joe R
Gold $$ Contributor
[QUOTE="watercam, post: 36860658, member: 857266"Apparently the SD numbers are artificially lower with the Magneto.s..[/QUOTE]
I know this was not the case when I tested my old Oehler 35 against a Magneto speed at my range. See my notes from that day. However, I'm now using a Lab radar and I consider the money well spent. If my Lab Radar broke today I would buy another tomorrow.
Kindest regards,
Joe
I know this was not the case when I tested my old Oehler 35 against a Magneto speed at my range. See my notes from that day. However, I'm now using a Lab radar and I consider the money well spent. If my Lab Radar broke today I would buy another tomorrow.
Kindest regards,
Joe
Joe R
Gold $$ Contributor
Steve,
I too have a 260AI and I normally run mine between 2950-3000 fps. However, we have different chambers and that changes everything, so be careful.
Joe
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6MMsteve
Gold $$ Contributor
found max with 4350 at 44.6 grains I could get more but I will just wait for some grouping, my fireform loads 260rem 140 nos vel at 2886 2887 2901 2903 44grs 4831sc I just got on the wagon of working up loads have along way to go but it's fun, I go to my 1st Shooters Anon meeting next week, lol
6MMsteve
Gold $$ Contributor
The Gamma Master isn't to bad I just threw some loads together with different bullets didn't weigh charges just set the wt loaded and went and shot just to get the feel of the new toy. got a laser coming to align muzzle to Chrono, right now bore sighting with chrono about 18 ft from muzzle level level with bore, target, chrono
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