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what kind of chronograph are you all using?

whitenup11

Private
Full Member
Minuteman
Jul 30, 2013
75
0
middle america
Looking at getting the prochrono digital chronograph. its listed on amazon for 93 dollars. Is this good quality? do you get what you pay for? thanks
 
I have a Prochrono Plus from the around 98 to 2000. Works great. If I had to I'd replace it with the new digital without hesitation. I'd get the USB kit also, but you may not care to.
 
they all feel cheap

I have a prochrono the front screen graphic falls out sometimes. only problem I had was last week. blue sky and 10 degrees. was giving me 445fps out of my 300wm. not sure if it was the cold or sky that gave it troubles... have had it 3-4 years now
 
Buy what you think you can afford. Before you let these guys talk you into a 35P, look at Magneto speed, less money and a lot less bulk setting up.
I've got a cheap ass Shooting Chrony, it reads within 10fps of a 35P, RCBS's unit, and a CED M2 Millenium, they are all within 10fps of each other.
 
Looking at getting the prochrono digital chronograph. its listed on amazon for 93 dollars. Is this good quality? do you get what you pay for? thanks

I have the Pro and it is pretty good. The only thing I hate is the cold weather hinders its performance. Cold weather and it won't function. I bought a magneto speed v2 and Holy Cow! its like a thermocell vs bugspray. Just strap it on and shoot. No light to worry about and you just plop the sd card in your laptop and record atmospheric conditions. I put my readings into my ballistic computer and had first round hits at 1,000 yards with 2 rifles.
 
I'll chime in with a thumbs up for the 35P.

One of the smarter investments I made, hard to believe it was 18 years ago! They haven't changed a bit. You can't dick with all that interface on your laptop without another program, but it is simple reliable and accurate, and their customer service is second to none.

Some people are on their third and forth machines, or have sent one back several times. So, you could do worse. BB
 
Another one for Oehler 35P.

May take more work to set up, but what many ballistics labs use.
 
The magneto is so much nicer in my opinion. It's compact and sets up so easily. You won't have nearly as much shit to setup as with the 35p. Both give very similar results, so why haul all that bulky crap with you. Plus the magneto isn't sensitive to light, wind, etc
 
The only thing I don't like about my Magneto V2 is that I can't use it on my gas guns or lever guns. It requires a single tube to clamp to. So the Oehler gets used for those guns, but set up is a PITA compared to the V2.
 
I love the 35p, but on public ranges where they won't let you touch a rifle during a cold range, even to get the chrono/rifle/target aligned, its quite a PITA to get it setup right on the first go.

The side-by-side testing of the magnetospeed vs the 35p seem to indicate the magnetospeed is very close to the 35p's readings.

The ease of setup, and the accurate enough for my use means the magnetospeed is getting a lot more use these days.
 
The setup is a valid argument...I guess? But, I belong to a private range and we accommodate members. I have not used the magnetospeed but have read a few concerns about hanging stuff on a barrel. If getting an indication of your speed is sufficient, either one (of several) should suffice. It may be a Ford/Chevy question? BB
 
I use a PACT and have had no problems with it, over the last 6 years. It just looked sturdier than some of the others. When I bought it it cost around $200., sorry don't remember which model it is.
 
The only thing I don't like about my Magneto V2 is that I can't use it on my gas guns or lever guns. It requires a single tube to clamp to. So the Oehler gets used for those guns, but set up is a PITA compared to the V2.

That's not my experience. Perhaps a little creativity but it will work just fine.

Now an S&W 500 Revolver, that came close to being a bad idea.
 
The magneto is so much nicer in my opinion. It's compact and sets up so easily. You won't have nearly as much shit to setup as with the 35p. Both give very similar results, so why haul all that bulky crap with you. Plus the magneto isn't sensitive to light, wind, etc

^^^^ What he said!
I just bought a magnetospeed V1, and it's fantastic! It fits my bbl nicely (0.915"@ muzzle) and hasn't given me a single error in the 50 rounds I've fired over so far. These guys are right about the 35P being the gold standard. Our military & OEM's use Owhler equipment to test ammunition. However, you must ask yourself how good is a chronograph if the shear amount of shit and time it takes to set up dissuades you from wanting to use it. If you're going to use it for rifles, I don't think you can go wrong with the Magnetospeed. all optical chronos get quirky under different/bad light conditions, but not the magneto. You could shoot indoors if you wanted...
 
I think a few are unduly worried about set up of the sky screens with a 35P. Really, this is NOT a big deal. So, if you are on the fence, a couple minutes to align your screens shouldn't be the deciding factor. After all, all the optical chronographs need to be aligned so that you don't put a hole in it. But, with the Oehler, with an errant shot, you just replace a screen, not the whole enchilada. I'm told, they cost $50? BB
 
I have used my 35P for years with great results. If I was doing it over, I would look for something easier to set up. But, easier may not always be better.

Allie