Lab Radar...How Much Faith?

[MikeT49]

I ran the LRadar against the Magnetospeed and they were 5 fps different with the MS being ~5 fps faster consistently.....

I got similar results except the MS was ~5 fps slower than the LR.

 

[B23]

The Labradar seems to create a love hate relationship with its users. They either love them, or hate them, with little in between. Over on long range only, one LR user got so frustrated with his unit he blew the damn thing up with tannerite, even posted pictures so it wasn't a BS story.

 

[59FLH]

My experience is similar to Big_Daddy's. Once I got the Lab Radar I sold my Oehler 35P. While I don't put much stock in argument from authority, a whole bunch of my fellow LR BR shooters use a Lab Radar. Realize there is a learning curve with using the Lab Radar, but once you have that sorted out it's very reliable.

Now as to wether a radar unit is more or less accurate than an optical unit, I am not sure. I suspect the accuracy of most all the chronographs is great. I think the big issue is getting them to read in bad lighting conditions. The Lab Radar doesn't have that issue. You just have to figure out where to place the unit.

For example, for a 6 BRA, the unit needs to be close to be muzzle. For a braked rifle, about a foot back and a foot to the side. Once you know that it's very consistent.

Between you and Big Daddy I can assume the velocity's recorded are accurate. I will have a chance to shoot it against a PVM-21 and a pair of Ohler 57's but not for a while. The bullets were flying faster than I expected and with no sign of dangerous pressure it caused some doubt.

 

[243Mendoza]

probably the best way to measure the accuracy of a chrono is to use a slow motion camera to capture a bullet against a grid background.

 

[TZaun]

Are you running off the AAs or whatever they use (I don't remember now)?

I keep a portable battery bank in the case I carry the LR in, and run the unit off that (and run my phone powered off the same bank.) I haven't tested it, but I suspect the setup would run all week without running short of power.

I've powered it both ways.

 

[INTJ]

I am confident in mine. But I wouldn't put it a foot to the side and a foot back with a brake on. It would put it right in the blast path.

I have ran mine this way quite a bit with both rear angled port and radial port brakes, and that is what it took to get consistent triggering.

 

[chkunz]

probably the best way to measure the accuracy of a chrono is to use a slow motion camera to capture a bullet against a grid background.

That is a great idea! I have seen some neat stuff like this from "Smarter Every Day" that he does with a high speed digital camera. There would have to be an estimate of the accuracy of the high speed digital camera being used (frames per second) and an estimate of the tolerance on judging the position of the bullet relative to the grid lines, etc.. This type of camera is very expensive but the concept of calibrating a chronograph with a high speed digital camera is a great idea.

 

[Boomer51]

Or truth the velocity with your ballistic calculator after shooting at different distances. My labradar is within a couple fps of an Ohler 35. Sometimes one or the other had the higher velocity. A couple feet per second difference at 3,000 fps is the same number. Less than my ES.

 

[riflewoman]

My experience is similar to Big_Daddy's. Once I got the Lab Radar I sold my Oehler 35P. While I don't put much stock in argument from authority, a whole bunch of my fellow LR BR shooters use a Lab Radar. Realize there is a learning curve with using the Lab Radar, but once you have that sorted out it's very reliable.

Now as to wether a radar unit is more or less accurate than an optical unit, I am not sure. I suspect the accuracy of most all the chronographs is great. I think the big issue is getting them to read in bad lighting conditions. The Lab Radar doesn't have that issue. You just have to figure out where to place the unit.

For example, for a 6 BRA, the unit needs to be close to be muzzle. For a braked rifle, about a foot back and a foot to the side. Once you know that it's very consistent.

the accuracy and reliability of a Radar based unit is a magnitude better than an optical unit.

 

[savageshooter86]

Just ordered the JKL trigger. Will see how it does

 

[6MT]

I have great confidence in the LabRadar unit. Yes, don't use the AAA internal batteries to power the unit, that is a given. Placement is important from braked and non-braked barrels. And yes, sometimes someone shooting close by will trigger the unit.

That being said, my results from the unit show very good consistency. For example, the following screen shot is from doing an evaluation of .44mag loads in a lever gun. Not a typical "target" rifle. But I only wanted to see just how consistent my hand loads were. Here's a 30 shot string recorded.

I get similar results with my precision target loads. And I only used the data to check consistency, differing temperature situations, and a data point for my Kestrel.

 

[Rick300]

the accuracy and reliability of a Radar based unit is a magnitude better than an optical unit.

Hmm, I haven't had a missed shot in the last 1,000 or so rounds through my 1980's Oehler 33. Definitely can't say that about any Lab Radar's I've been around. AND, it reads within single digits of the LR. Although I like the form factor, I'm waiting for version 2.0 or another company to come out with something that actually works like it is supposed to.

 

[powderbrake]

I have great confidence in my Labradar. Like cchkunz said in post #7, you cannot calibrate or evaluate the accuracy of a Labradar (or other chrono) by comparing it's results to another chrono.

I keep my muzzle about 1" ahead of the unit, and about 2 to 3" to the side, and it seldom misses a shot.

Labradar reports a velocity to 1 part in 3900 fps. That is 0.025% !!!! Your powder charge, bullet weight, and case capacity variations are HUGE compared to that, so if you are seeing numbers that are different from your magnetospeed or other type of chrono, forget about it.

Concentrate on working on your consistency of loading, and remember to take temperature, humidity and barometric pressure readings, since they also have a large effect on the velocity. ​

 

[savageshooter86]

So with the JKL trigger, does the labradar itself have to be up by muzzle or can it be back by action to get good readings? And
Do you still have to pay close attention to distance off to the side of the rifle via the setting(6”,12”18” off) to get good readings?

 

[F Class John]

I just put it close to my gun-ish but you still have to make sure it’s aimed correctly at your target still.

 

[littlebuddybr]

I have ran mine this way quite a bit with both rear angled port and radial port brakes, and that is what it took to get consistent triggering.

That is good to hear. I haven't had any issues triggering. (Unless I forgot to set the distance).
I sure am afraid of the blast hitting the unit. Esp my 338L with the brake.

 

[mensajd]

Get some decent eneloop rechargeable batteries or equivalent. The internal batteries work fine for usual range sessions. A high capacity USB power bank is a nice-to-have accessory but isn't required.

Oh and I have high confidence in my labradar results. They match well with my empirically determined drop charts.

Have to love the new tech - ballistic calculators, doppler radars, laser rangefinders, etc. in consumer level products. When I was a kid I had to settle for a crude Rangematic coincidence rangefinder for varmint hunting.