Chronograph advice Do I need one?

[Rich M]

Chrono is a good idea.

I haveva caldwell. Works okay. They all have plus and minus.

 

[jerm8352]

I knew full well the differences and went with the magnetospeed. I am not gonna be the guy taking up all the time at the range to set up a Caldwell that probably will not give me accurate numbers anyways.

 

[EdP]

I use an older version of the ProChrono. The current version costs $110 https://shop.opticsplanet.com/compe...ICh3VkwiHEAQYAiABEgJEmPD_BwE&image=790d37de1f. The Caldwell is another similar option for $170. Pickettpuncher is absolutely right though, on a public range it can be problematic to use a chronograph that has to be set up down range. The range where I shoot I am the only one on the range 80% of the time and it is no issue. Everyone has to find what works for them. Unfortunately, the options that don't require a shooter to go down range have some serious drawbacks. The industry is working the issue but has yet to provide a really good solution. I believe it will come eventually.

 

[N2TRKYS]

I shoot on a public range all the time. I set mine up when the range goes cold. I’ve never had any difficulties in setting mine up. No one has ever had to wait on me doing so.

 

[Weldor]

It's a real chore so set up a regular chrono on a public range, agreed!

 

[rayporter]

an optical chrono would do most folks ok. most will also want to upgrade after a while, if you shoot much or get serious. other wise if you just verify velocity once in a while it will do you forever.

personally i find the optical i have to be a PIA. it is so easy to sit down and set up the rifle and set a LR beside it.

if you want to speed up setting up the optical get a laser that will replace the bolt and shine it down the barrel to set up the chrono. it works well for short distances and you cant forget to remove it [ which happens often it it goes in the end of the barrel]

 

[Wrench]

At 400 yards for hunting....no need. For paper, there's a need.

 

[Sccritterkiller]

They attach to the barrel of your rifle and change POI and potentially affect group size, Just exactly what I advised against but I guess some people like them. There are better and cheaper options IMO.

They also don't work with a can...well they will work but you will melt the mounting device eventually...

 

[Rich M]

I knew full well the differences and went with the magnetospeed. I am not gonna be the guy taking up all the time at the range to set up a Caldwell that probably will not give me accurate numbers anyways.

If it takes that long to set it up, they don’t know how to use it. With 2 folks it can done in less than 30 seconds. Goes on a full size tripod. The crosshairs get centered on the target thru the little hood thingy and the switch put onto on. Anything beyond that is confusion at work.

You did the right thing and got what you’re confident in, can’t beat that.

 

[Shocker998md]

I love using a chrono to get my SD down to the best I can. Even if it's not for a balistic calculator it makes me feel better that my recipie is consistent. I picked mine up after 5 years a dabbeling and has let me tune some things up by having the data.

 

[hayes202]

I have been looking at getting a chronograph but I’m not sure I really need one or would benefit from one really. Started reloading about 10 years ago and besides lots of pistol reloaded for all my hunting rifles. Basically I just found a load for each one that didn’t show pressure signs but was up close to the book max and left it there for the last ten years. Good enough for hunting out to 400 yards (my limit). Recently I just bought and then won some nicer rifles that happened to be in the same calibers as my previous rifles that I still have. Thought to myself that if they are nicer I should do some upgrading. Bought some Peterson brass and a Hornady head space kit to do a better job of sizing and saving brass. Chronograph was the other thing I was gonna get but stopped to think about whether I would actually benefit from it. Would a Chronograph be useful or helpful for hunting loads out to 400 yards? Especially is this day and age when you are using whatever components you can get instead of trying to find the best would it make much of a difference? Thanks for the insight.

i was debating the same thing. I guess ill be ordering one up.

 

[billydonk]

A chronograph allows you to accurately model the ballistic data for your rifle / load in an app. I find it handy to do that. But I also verify it to the furthest distance possible at our local range which is 500 meters (548 yards).

If you are happy to go shoot targets out to your 400 yard maximum to work out your actual data, you can get by fine without a chronograph.

Agree 100%

 

[Gila]

I don’t shoot enough to justify a labradar. I bought a Pro Chrono DLX which has Bluetooth. The app works well and I can export the data. I use it for load development and it has been very close to actual velocity. Some shooters have compared it to a Labradar side by side with the same rifle and load. The Pro Chrono DLX is about +/- 30 FPS which is certainly good enough for my use. When you sight in and take dope at yardage doesn’t really matter anyway.

 

[Carl Ross]

I find an accurate chronograph can be useful when working up to pressure (and if using a known combination of components ALMOST lets you measure pressure) but accurate is a must for me. I’d rather have nothing than a cheap optical option that I’d never really trust (this would be all opticals besides the Ohler for me).

Magneto sporter is easily the budget option. Sure you can’t shoot for groups and speed at the same time, but at least if you’re doing a spot check you can trust it. You can also build or buy a mount to suspend it, I made one but need to adapt it to a new bayonet.

I also shoot at 1k+ to get velocity at least as often, if you’re squared away with your equipment and shooting you give up very little.

 

[Vern400]

I always confirm point of impact at any range I shoot. Especially on game. You should too.

So with a 308 at 400 yards, loaded near book maximum you should be fine. If you've got a good load that's accurate and doesn't have much velocity extreme spread then roll with it.

The chronograph can help you identify High extreme spread before you spend a bunch of components and barrel life at 300 400 500 yards.
There are loads that group very well at 100 yards that vertically string at longer range. You'll find those if you practice at working range anyway.

There's NO WAY I would develop a load at 100 yards and expect to reliably hit at 400 or 500 based on a BC calculator unless I've correlated it to actual data at some point in time. I may be a little bit weird, but I develop 308 loads at 200 yards because I'll start to see vertical stringing if there's a velocity problem.