Velociradar vs. Labradar LX vs. Garmin Xero

[maugh]

Garmin for me. I had the magnetospeed before and only used it at the beginning of load development. I use the Garmin every time I shoot because it is so easy. I've refined all of my loads since having the Garmin.

 

[JGRaider]

Garmin for me. I had the magnetospeed before and only used it at the beginning of load development. I use the Garmin every time I shoot because it is so easy. I've refined all of my loads since having the Garmin.

A big +1 to that.

 

[philcox]

Anyone have a feel for the accuracy of the Xero? I mean when doing load dev do you trust the Xero or a bullets BC more? Then when “correcting” you correct Velocity or BC?

 

[atmat]

Anyone have a feel for the accuracy of the Xero? I mean when doing load dev do you trust the Xero or a bullets BC more? Then when “correcting” you correct Velocity or BC?

True for velocity, but it shouldn’t be off by much assuming your other parameters are accurate.

 

[Timberjack450]

Anyone have a feel for the accuracy of the Xero? I mean when doing load dev do you trust the Xero or a bullets BC more? Then when “correcting” you correct Velocity or BC?

When using hornadys 4dof ballistic calculator for the 178 eldx in my .308, gives me a 5.75moa drop with my xero velocity @350 yards. And the in-field actual is 5.25moa. @500 yards the hornady data is 9.81moa and the in-field actual is 8.75. I just chalked it up to the hornady data being incorrect but it could be the xero as well, I have not compared it to another chronograph.

 

[JGRaider]

When using hornadys 4dof ballistic calculator for the 178 eldx in my .308, gives me a 5.75moa drop with my xero velocity @350 yards. And the in-field actual is 5.25moa. @500 yards the hornady data is 9.81moa and the in-field actual is 8.75. I just chalked it up to the hornady data being incorrect but it could be the xero as well, I have not compared it to another chronograph.

I used my Magnetospeed and Xero at the same time for about 200 rounds over the course of a month. They always read within 5fps of each other. Numerous tests have been run agains the Labradar as well with the same results.

 

[treillw]

I scanned through this thread pretty well. Seems like the Garmin is the most common recommendation from the older posts. Is the Garmin Xero C1 still the product to buy as of today?

Thanks!

 

[atmat]

I scanned through this thread pretty well. Seems like the Garmin is the most common recommendation from the older posts. Is the Garmin Xero C1 still the product to buy as of today?

Thanks!

Yes.

 

[Tahoe1305]

That’s funny. I read this simple response and felt the same….and I’ll openly admit I haven’t even looked at the others…Garmin is that good it isn’t even worth trying for close to same price point.

If they others were half as expensive, then maybe.

 

[Vern400]

The last chronograph I bought was in 1990. It works but it's a pia. My Garmin is scheduled to arrive tomorrow. I have yet to find negative feedback on it relevant to me. Last month when I developed a new load my elevation dope was about 2 inches off at 500 yd. BC from Sierra seems to be close enough for my purposes.
I am very much looking forward to having an Excel spreadsheet with performance tabs for each load.
And I'm looking forward to testing it's performance on shotgun loads. I have a load for my 20 gauge that seems to be a little bit too hot.
If the xero works I can accurately tone them down just a little.

I called Garmin and pinned them down about how much it costs to fix one of these things out of warranty. About a hundred bucks. All I can say is I'm going to give them a chance.

 

[treillw]

The last chronograph I bought was in 1990. It works but it's a pia. My Garmin is scheduled to arrive tomorrow. I have yet to find negative feedback on it relevant to me. Last month when I developed a new load my elevation dope was about 2 inches off at 500 yd. BC from Sierra seems to be close enough for my purposes.
I am very much looking forward to having an Excel spreadsheet with performance tabs for each load.
And I'm looking forward to testing it's performance on shotgun loads. I have a load for my 20 gauge that seems to be a little bit too hot.
If the xero works I can accurately tone them down just a little.

I called Garmin and pinned them down about how much it costs to fix one of these things out of warranty. About a hundred bucks. All I can say is I'm going to give them a chance.

Mine arrives Monday. What's the deal with Excel? I love a good spreadsheet.

 

[Vern400]

Mine arrives Monday. What's the deal with Excel? I love a good spreadsheet.

Using the phone app, you can export the data files from the xero to a file that Excel will open and use. I keep my data for a long time. Like forever. So the important data I print out and stick it in a notebook. Yes I'm an old guy but I can't let an EMP get in the way of reloading.

 

[JF_Idaho]

Did some testing yesterday between the Garmin and Labradar. Long story short the Garmin reads about .3% avg lower than the Labradar. Almost negligible. My labradar read within 1-2 fps of my magnetospeed when I tested those. No longer have the MS. Both setup as close to the same distance from muzzle.







I will probably rid myself of the Labradar now and keep that .3% in mind when truing velocity.

 

[atmat]

Did some testing yesterday between the Garmin and Labradar. Long story short the Garmin reads about .3% avg lower than the Labradar. Almost negligible. My labradar read within 1-2 fps of my magnetospeed when I tested those. No longer have the MS. Both setup as close to the same distance from muzzle.

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I will probably rid myself of the Labradar now and keep that .3% in mind when truing velocity.

There’s nothing to keep in mind. 0.03% is so negligible it won’t show up in data till nearly 1000 yards.

 

[JF_Idaho]

There’s nothing to keep in mind. 0.03% is so negligible it won’t show up in data till nearly 1000 yards.

.30% but yes. Shows up at 600. But far from the variability of std deviation and atmospherics.

The Garmin is so insanely easier to pack, setup and use its a no-brainer.

 

[muddydogs]

A week ago Saturday I was at the range after a couple years break and noticed a couple guys using the Xero, I knew nothing about it until I got home and did a little google and YouTube university. Ordered one that day From Amazon. Unit arrived Tuesday and within 15 minutes I was in the back yard shooting a pellet pistol over it just to see how it works. Friday and Saturday I sighted in my hunting rifles at the range while using the Xero. This thing is great, no real set up, just plop it down next to the rifle, captured every shot, easy to navigate the menu, and easy phone app interface. The average velocities for the 5 rifles shot where all really close to the average velocities I had recorded from previous years shooting over my Shooting Chrony Beta Master.
Only issue I had was the Xero getting hot setting in the sun on the shooting bench, I got the high heat warning once. I just moved the Xero into the shade when I wasn't shooting.
I do have to fiddle around when exporting the CVS file from the Xero to my phone and Google Drive then opening it with the computer to get it in an Excel sheet.

 

[Vern400]

I left the dark ages this week when my Zero arrived. I took out my 22 and my 22 magnum and shot 10 or 12 different kinds of ammunitions, 10 shots each.

It's pretty surprising what kinds of rimfire ammunition are very good and which ones aren't. I got standard deviations from 7 to 24+ Extreme spreads were 3:1 from bad to good. With few exceptions group sizes correlated closely with extreme spread. CCI full size 22LR subsonic had the best SD and ES and a 0.48 group at 50 yards but it was just in the wrong place like 3 in low. I can fix that.

I dropped one l file into my computer and made an Excel macro that aligned all the columns and made a cute little sexy chart for me.

As a test, I did not read the instructions for the Xero. I just went out and fumbled through it once. It's pretty easy.

I know rifle harmonics are still a thing to deal with. But getting a quick extreme spread and SD at several powder charges, and with different primers just got a whole lot easier.

So far, I am very happy with his device. It is on the expensive side for sure but I only cried a little bit.

It's the first time I have EVER shot across a chronograph and not gotten a bad reading or missed a shot.

I'm planning to test it this week with a shotgun to see if it freaks out. I think it will work.