Chronograph. Go cheap or invest heavy?

[TheCoyote]

I have a question for you experts out there-

I need a chronograph about three times a year. I’ve been avoiding buying one because I know that once I do it’ll collect more dust than data.

However I do need one occasionally and I’m wondering; should I buy a cheapo or invest in a expensive one.

If it were optics I’d say get the best you can afford, even if you only use it occasionally. But what do I really need? Are they all equally as accurate?

Is the $100 Caldwell junk? Is the $650 lab radar worth it?

Thank you

 

[DakotaBPNW]

For that much use I’d grab a magnetospeed sporter.

 

[SwiftShot]

I use one way more than that and I went with the Caldwell for like 90 bucks. Unless your really trying to reload and work on standard deviation between shots. Well then the big boys work out better. Any FPS you get on a rifle for long range shooting must be actually verified for correction by shooting that distance. So the chrono just needs to be close. The Caldwell I have is really accurate. I worked up sub sonic loads right up to the speed of sound with it.

 

[Seeknelk]

Definitely worth it to get a magnetospeed! They are very accurate and most importantly consistent across all conditions. The shoot thru type can vary with too much sun, too little sun, etc. I'd love a Labradar but I'm not there yet.

 

[Sccritterkiller]

I have had/used both. I will say I use my labradar a lot more than I did any of the shoot thru models I had. Labradar is easier to setup so I use it more.

 

[jolemons]

Like you, I use one very infrequently, so have a caldwell. It's good enough for my purposes. Nice bonus is I can shoot by bow thru it for setting up sight tapes etc

Sent from my SM-G990U using Tapatalk

 

[ktm450]

I also use a cheap portable Chrony. Got a cheap tripod off of Amazon and a extra set of shade holders. I shoout a lot of handgun so it’s nice to be able to test different things. The chrony is good enough and I do a lot of reloading/load development.

All that said, it’s a pain and I do have to be plan-ful when I am shooting test loads (Weather, how busy is the range, batteries/sutras, etc…)

 

[xsn10s]

I have a Caldwell. I'd say bump up to at least a mid grade chrono. If you are loading for long range precision rifles then get the best chrono you can afford. Or spend a lot of time confirming your loads out to distance. I chose the cheapy one because I'd test out to distance either way and can only afford the cheap one at this time.

 

[rayporter]

some things to consider,

a chrony can be hard to get set up when on a public range with others shooting because you have to go down range to set it up. sun can affect the chrony=learning curve

the magneto speed hangs on your barrel so does not have those potential troubles.
but it is on your barrel and can affect harmonics,

labradar =some find hard to set up but does away with the above troubles but costs a lot more.

it is nice to see muzzle and 100yd velocity


if it is east to set up you will use it a lOT more!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[swavescatter]

My cheap Caldwell died after a year and only like 3 range trips. I'd find a used magnetospeed.

I love my new labradar though - no wasting ammo with POI shifts. Get velocities and groups/zero at the same time.

 

[Bluefish]

I have two, a optical and a labradar. I probably used the optical less than 10 times. Over as many years. Yet I use the LabRadar almost every trip to the range. Easy to set up and use. Although there was a learning curve to get the aiming correct. Remote trigger is a must as well. Avoided that for a while and found it’s much easier with a trigger.

 

[TxLite]

The Caldwell is junk. I had the “premium kit” With the illuminated sensors. Constantly missed shots due to what color the sky was, if it was clowdy, sunny, etc. Set up sucks. Hated mine and sold it. Buy once cry once. The magnetospeed would be a great middle option if you don’t want to spend labradar coin.

 

[Tod osier]

I have a question for you experts out there-

I need a chronograph about three times a year. I’ve been avoiding buying one because I know that once I do it’ll collect more dust than data.

However I do need one occasionally and I’m wondering; should I buy a cheapo or invest in a expensive one.

If it were optics I’d say get the best you can afford, even if you only use it occasionally. But what do I really need? Are they all equally as accurate?

Is the $100 Caldwell junk? Is the $650 lab radar worth it?

Thank you

Have a magnetospeed because the ranges around here wouldn't work well with a shoot through. Were that not an issue, I'd have a shoot through. I can see arguments for cheap and expensive (labradar), and I find myself disliking wasting ammo just to get velocities with magnetospeed. To do it again, I'd go cheap or expensive and skip the middle. My situation is changing and I'll have a home range soon and I'll probably buy a labradar, but haven't completely ruled out the shoot through (they seem fussy and I hate that).

 

[Turkeygetpwnd38]

some things to consider,

a chrony can be hard to get set up when on a public range with others shooting because you have to go down range to set it up. sun can affect the chrony=learning curve

the magneto speed hangs on your barrel so does not have those potential troubles.
but it is on your barrel and can affect harmonics,

labradar =some find hard to set up but does away with the above troubles but costs a lot more.

it is nice to see muzzle and 100yd velocity


if it is east to set up you will use it a lOT more!!!!!!!!!!!

This. I have a shoot through and it’s a pain to set up on public ranges, if they will even let you.
I’m in the same boat, still use my shoot through for archery but still haven’t been able to justify the lab.
Another option is rental, think there are a few sites that do it but even that seems expensive for a day or two.

 

[Wapiti1]

The magnetospeed plus off barrel mount is my preference. Easy to set up and compact. I sold the labradar.

An Andiscan looks promising as a replacement.

Jeremy

 

[Hunter609]

I use my Labradar every range trip, used to have a chrony

 

[Sccritterkiller]

I love my new labradar though - no wasting ammo with POI shifts. Get velocities and groups/zero at the same time.

Bluetooth option makes it nice as well...I also like throwing all my shot strings into excel, just pull the card and download it.

 

[AkMtnRunner]

I just faced the same decision after my nearby range stopped renting chronies out. It was tough but all of the little advantages of the Labradar swang my decision there. Mostly though, I get really annoyed when the chrony misses important rounds during load development. I certainly had a fair share with the range's chronies. I understand there are many cheap chronographs out there that work well, but it's still a crapshoot and relying on questionable tools usually leads to my unhappiness. The Labradar should be arriving today and the remote trigger coming Friday. I would have been happy with the Magnetospeed but I really want to capture velocities and POI on the same rounds.

 

[Sccritterkiller]

I just faced the same decision after my nearby range stopped renting chronies out. It was tough but all of the little advantages of the Labradar swang my decision there. Mostly though, I get really annoyed when the chrony misses important rounds during load development. I certainly had a fair share with the range's chronies. I understand there are many cheap chronographs out there that work well, but it's still a crapshoot and relying on questionable tools usually leads to my unhappiness. The Labradar should be arriving today and the remote trigger coming Friday.

I shoot both surpressed and non supressed rifles/pistols from .22 cal up to 44 mag, even pellets guns never need the remote trigger for my labradar but everybody says you need one...is because of the safety regs of the range prevent getting the labradar set up properly? I don't do shooting ranges wastes too much time.

 

[t_carlson]

Get a Labradar.

Anything with sky screens is a PITA with readjustments every shot or nearly so. I have a Magneto, which is better for shooting on a crowded range, but still messes with POI.

Labradar and be done with it, unless you don't plan on doing much load development.