Garmin Xero C1 Pro - The One to Rule Them All?

[Krogen]

I am a Magneto Speed V3, Labradar, and Garmin Xero C1 owner.
I love the Garmin, and will most likely put my Labradar and Magneto Speed on the market.

I did experience one issue with the Garmin my last trip to the range. To set the scene, concrete firing line with roof above, no side walls between lanes. Shooting prone, F-TR rifle, .308 Win. Shooting off a mat with my usual match setup, JoyPod-X, SEB rear bag, mat under the JoyPod. Temperature in the mid 50s.
On three different occasions the Garmin rebooted after a shot. On 2 occasions it was after the 1st shot in a 5 shot string, another reboot occurred after the 3rd shot in a string. The only thing I can think of that would cause this behavior is did I have the Garmin too close to the rifle? The unit was placed approximately where the Garmin diagram specifies, but I didn't measure it down to the 0.001.
Any ideas or thoughts on cause? Any other similar experiences?

Yesterday, my Garmin updated it's firmware. The release note was cryptic. Something to the tune of "stability improvements." Perhaps you saw what they were trying to fix. If you don't have the most recent update, it probably wouldn't hurt.

 

[jxb]

I am a Magneto Speed V3, Labradar, and Garmin Xero C1 owner.
I love the Garmin, and will most likely put my Labradar and Magneto Speed on the market.

I did experience one issue with the Garmin my last trip to the range. To set the scene, concrete firing line with roof above, no side walls between lanes. Shooting prone, F-TR rifle, .308 Win. Shooting off a mat with my usual match setup, JoyPod-X, SEB rear bag, mat under the JoyPod. Temperature in the mid 50s.
On three different occasions the Garmin rebooted after a shot. On 2 occasions it was after the 1st shot in a 5 shot string, another reboot occurred after the 3rd shot in a string. The only thing I can think of that would cause this behavior is did I have the Garmin too close to the rifle? The unit was placed approximately where the Garmin diagram specifies, but I didn't measure it down to the 0.001.
Any ideas or thoughts on cause? Any other similar experiences?

That might be an issue with your unit, I'd contact Garmin support and ask or at least post a question on their forum. Resetting once is one thing, but we can't have it happening a lot during a session or it's a costly ornament.

 

[acbrunton55]

Yesterday, my Garmin updated it's firmware. The release note was cryptic. Something to the tune of "stability improvements." Perhaps you saw what they were trying to fix. If you don't have the most recent update, it probably wouldn't hurt.

My unit was running V3.19 at the time. It has been upgraded to V3.20, released on 01/09/2024 "Fixed stability issues". We have a break in the weather this weekend, planning to go out and will give a go.

 

[markm87]

Yesterday, my Garmin updated it's firmware. The release note was cryptic. Something to the tune of "stability improvements." Perhaps you saw what they were trying to fix. If you don't have the most recent update, it probably wouldn't hurt.

You mean these things talk to the mothership???

 

[acbrunton55]

If the Xero C1 is connected to either the Shotview app on your phone, or to Garmin Express on your PC, you will be notified an update is available. You can then proceed to update the unit.

 

[SeabeeKen]

Pulled the pin on one last night. Should arrive Wednesday. I'll hold of testing my 9.3 until it gets here.

 

[Monte F]

Mine decided to ask if I wanted to update halfway into a practice match at 600 yds. So I only got the first ten shots recorded. Not too big of a deal as I still got the numbers I needed, just wish I had turned it on before I went to the range and did the update first. I did the update before the next string though and all worked well.

 

[Rocketvapor]

I powered up, connected to the phone, at home before going to the range.

Then at the range. A little while later it asks if I want to do the update.
Twice. Guess I'll try again with the next update.

Phone updates the ap from the web. I'm @ 3.20.

 

[Richard Jones]

My high dollar custom hard case for the Garmin. Chrono, tripod, cable & instructions in a Dillon box with plenty of room to spare. A bit of foam on top to keep it still while in transit since it was sloshing around in there without it... Already some cases out there pushing $100....... Crazy.

 

[acbrunton55]

Recent range session with the Garmin running FW V3.20 no reboot issues or missed shots

 

[Dimner]

Mine decided to ask if I wanted to update halfway into a practice match at 600 yds. So I only got the first ten shots recorded. Not too big of a deal as I still got the numbers I needed, just wish I had turned it on before I went to the range and did the update first. I did the update before the next string though and all worked well.

That's kinda weird. Did you have a wifi connection at the range? I gotta imagine it can't look for updates without a connections.

If you did have a connection at the range. It might be worthwhile to disconnect the Garmin while at the range.

 

[Monte F]

That's kinda weird. Did you have a wifi connection at the range? I gotta imagine it can't look for updates without a connections.

If you did have a connection at the range. It might be worthwhile to disconnect the Garmin while at the range.

I get 5G service at the range with my phone. So I think it tried when it connected automatically to the shot view app. I was not watching it while firing and missed the update message on the screen until I had finished. I just need to make sure it is updated before I start a string in the future.

 

[SeabeeKen]

Garmin says that it will check for updats via the shotview app. I think its best to have it check for updates before going to the range and update at home.

 

[Rick300]

Mine asked to update while in the middle of a string. I was not connected to the app at the time?

 

[SeabeeKen]

Mine asked to update while in the middle of a string. I was not connected to the app at the time?

It must have link to your phone via bluetooth. Interesting.
Just got mine. As soon as it paired with the phone it was checking and downloading updates. Took a bit since it was the first time. Ill check for updates before going to range

 

[RegionRat]

Just a suggestion, and I don't know one way or the other if this had anything to do with the update request or not... but long ago I learned to shut off all the communication channels on the iPads and open only the ones being used for the day. For example, if the device runs WiFi and Bluetooth, the cell service is shut off.

Most places I hang out are out of cell tower coverage, but every now and then some of the ranges I shoot at will get a new tower and that opens the door.

For the ShotMarker, I must turn on WiFi for it to work, and to annotate the files I need the Bluetooth for the keyboard. For the LabRadar, it was only Bluetooth.

I just got done running the Garmin for several days worth of load development on some new barrels, and I heard the troubles here so I made sure I had everything up to date and cycled before I left home. No issues at all. It has been cold and wet up at the club range so the Garmin gets a good grade for snotty cold weather. We will see how it does come summer.

BTW, 20 cals are sort of a special case to note. Those fast little bullets are often difficult for civilian chronographs and the Garmin has been 100% to date. Compared to other consumer chronographs, the Garmin has done great on small fast bullets.

 

[JimSC]

Good to hear.

All the years I have been bashing the Labradar and saying that if they ever came out with a version 2 then I would buy one. Well seems as if the Garmin has all the features I wanted in LR II so I should have one in my range box by Friday and the ProChrono and Magnetospeed will soon be on the club classifieds

 

[Rocketvapor]

If your phone was on since last Thursday you probably got the upgrade to the AP.
Upgrades happen
You probably won't need WiFi or cell service to get the upgrade notice on your Zero tomorrow.

 

[Krogen]

My last Garmin firmware upgrade first downloaded to the phone. When that was finished, the chronograph asked if I wanted to upgrade. I had the option of saying no. Presumably that would have occurred on the firing line too. With the phone containing the upgrade, the chronograph could have upgraded even without the phone connected to cell or WiFi.

It seem they figured people don't necessarily want a forced upgrade in the middle of shooting. For the folks that think the chronograph upgrades itself without a phone or USB cable, it doesn't. There's no WiFi or cell communication in the device itself. It needs a Bluetooth or USB data connection to get out to the 'net through a connected device - your phone or your computer.

 

[RegionRat]

I am going to point out a bug (really two) and the workaround in the hope that the Garmin folks will fix the issue.

When I ran the first times, it was just playing around to see what the unit could capture. Eventually with my own unit and running a load development session at the range, I stumbled into a problem when I came home. I was faced with a dozen or so strings and way too many shots to want to transcribe by hand.

Bug 1, not being able to export CSV files with the Garmin Laptop app.
When running the current software, you cannot export a CSV file while cable connected to the laptop. This seems strange since you can read the FIT files on the unit, so eventually they should fix the laptop version.

Bug 2, not being able to read all session history but only from the original Shot View device.
When at the range, I run two iPads and sometimes my iPhone too.
This is because I use one for the chronographs and one for the ShotMarker eTarget, but I used to run them interchangeably. Well, for now don't do that till they fix the bugs. Always use the same one.

If you run a session with a particular device, you will only be able to go back and re-open that history with that specific device. Do not switch to other devices if you want to wait till you are home to download CSV files since that requires the original device.

It was frustrating when I could see the history was still on the Xero but could not access it with a different iPad or the laptop. By chance, a customer service rep figured it out and because I was lucky and had all three devices at that moment, we figured it out. Only the original device app will read the files it made, or be able to export the CSV files.

I expect soon enough they will modify the Windows desktop app and the ShotView app to be able to read all of the session history regardless of what device was running at the time.

Overall, it was good to run for the day without having the typical LabRadar connection freeze. I don't mind having to arm and re-arm LabRadar from the iPad since I don't break body position to do it, but when I compare to the Garmin, once they fix the data export issues it is a much easier way to run and only gives up the down range data but gives the benefit of easier more reliable triggering without needing the external microphones or cables.