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LABRADAR PROS AND CONS

Bill Norris

Bill Norris

Back in the Day
Gold $$ Contributor
Just ordered mine and was wondering what the pros and cons are from experience with it.
 
One big con is that the squarish shape makes it hard to find a good case that isn't oversized. They really should have made it rectangular.
 
Pros:
Allows you to chronograph every shot, without causing any issues with barrel harmonics.
Very easy to deploy & run multiple rifles over it.
Within ~1-3 FPS of my Magneto Speed every time I've measured against it.
Allows you to extrapolate BC of bullets, because it tracks most out 50-100 yards.

Cons:
Interface is clunky, non-intuitive, and slow to respond.
Internal AA battery life is horrible; everyone is using USB battery packs with them.
Will require some ramp time to use... nobody is powering a LR on out of the box and using it seamlessly without an instruction manual.
Can trigger off other rifles at crowded ranges.
Will require some experience before you can get it to "work like it should" all the time.
Aiming the unit can be a PITA in some circumstances.
You gotta take care of them; I've read reports of them being fragile, and I had to send mine back because it got knocked out of calibration.

For a lot of people it's the best chronograph on the market (myself included), but it's going to take some time & effort on your end to learn how to use it, and how to deploy it correctly.

Once you get that down, they're freaking amazing.

Edit: You'll also want these accessories.
A carrying case of some kind, either from LR themselves or a Pelican etc.
A base plate, either from Lab Radar or someone like Arko machining.
An external USB battery (this is a requirement, these things don't run for very long off internal batteries).
Recoil/Inertia trigger - Triggers off recoil of the rifle vs. sound...invaluable if you're shooting on public ranges.
 
Last edited:
garandman said:
@MikeMcCasland ... you just convinced me to stick with my MagnetoSpeed.

:)
Click to expand...

I could never go back to a Magnetospeed. Shooting over a LR is like having 'logging enabled' on your rifle 24/7.

No having to re-shoot rounds just to get speeds, no working up loads that look good on paper just to find out they're way too slow, or the SDs are too high to work for your purpose etc.

Seriously they're awesome, they just aren't intuitive.
 
MikeMcCasland said:
I could never go back to a Magnetospeed. Shooting over a LR is like having 'logging enabled' on your rifle 24/7.

No having to re-shoot rounds just to get speeds, no working up loads that look good on paper just to find out they're way too slow, or the SDs are too high to work for your purpose etc.

Seriously they're awesome, they just aren't intuitive.
Click to expand...


Curious... How does LR give you SDs on loads without working them up / shooting them ?

Of 2-300 rounds fired, Ive had maybe 5 didnt register, and those cuz I set the MS up wrong.

I got enuf stuff to do without spending hours learning the LR :) :)

I reload to shoot I don't shoot to reload. :) And I check velocities to get trajectories not as an end unto itself. :) I like intuitive tech / gear.
 
Last edited:
MikeMcCasland said:
Pros:
Allows you to chronograph every shot, without causing any issues with barrel harmonics.
Very easy to deploy & run multiple rifles over it.
Within ~1-3 FPS of my Magneto Speed every time I've measured against it.
Allows you to extrapolate BC of bullets, because it tracks most out 50-100 yards.

Cons:
Interface is clunky, non-intuitive, and slow to respond.
Internal AA battery life is horrible; everyone is using USB battery packs with them.
Will require some ramp time to use... nobody is powering a LR on out of the box and using it seamlessly without an instruction manual.
Can trigger off other rifles at crowded ranges.
Will require some experience before you can get it to "work like it should" all the time.
Aiming the unit can be a PITA in some circumstances.
You gotta take care of them; I've read reports of them being fragile, and I had to send mine back because it got knocked out of calibration.

For a lot of people it's the best chronograph on the market (myself included), but it's going to take some time & effort on your end to learn how to use it, and how to deploy it correctly.

Once you get that down, they're freaking amazing.

Edit: You'll also want these accessories.
A carrying case of some kind, either from LR themselves or a Pelican etc.
A base plate, either from Lab Radar or someone like Arko machining.
An external USB battery (this is a requirement, these things don't run for very long off internal batteries).
Recoil/Inertia trigger - Triggers off recoil of the rifle vs. sound...invaluable if you're shooting on public ranges.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the honest review. Seems to make an Oheler even more valuable.
 
I did not like the interface using the buttons on the unit itself. However, once you go to Bluetooth, it is extremely easy to use and not "clunky" at all.

BTW...I retired, but still own, an Oheler 35P. It just sits in its case now since the arrival of the LabRadar.
 
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