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CHRONO HELP

iFENCEuin

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Apr 6, 2010
171
1
48
North Carolina
anyone have experience with the PACT Professional XP chronograph? I "think" I'm wanting one, but would appreciate any reviews.

Any other recommendations?
 
Re: CHRONO HELP

Bought one because a buddy shot my old Chrony. The PACT did not work well...readings were all ovor the place. Worked better on overcast days w/sky screens removed. I just fought it and wasted a lot of ammo until I finally sold it to an archery shop. They had better luck with it indoors shooting arrows (under shop lighting).

The Pro Chrono is a better unit and does not seem to be bothered by light conditions..readings are pretty much spot on. They are priced very well also.
 
Re: CHRONO HELP

I have had an Oehler 35-P for a while. My uncle has one purchased back in the 80's I believe. Short of the CED millenium it is probably the best one out there. Don't waste your time on any other chronograph.

The Oehler 35-P is reportedly going to be offered this summer on a limited number run. It is cumbersome and a pain in the ass to set up but I NEVER wonder "is something wrong with my chronograph" when I see something I don't like.

hope that helps...

jay
 
Re: CHRONO HELP

I have the PACT pro XP, and have for a few years. I have been an exception I think, it has worked well for me til recently. The biggest thing about the PACT products is that support for them SUCKS. I cannot get them to send me a new manual--I admit I lost mine--but they don't even have a method to e-mail them on their website. I feel like if I did some sort of reset, mine would work good again, but if you read the reviews on the various retailer's sites, like Midway, you'll know to stay away.

If I can't get mine sorted out, I am going to buy a CED. That's the way I would go, based on reviews, and my experience with two other guys at my range that have them.
 
Re: CHRONO HELP

http://www.competitionelectronics.com/pages/Prochrono_Digital.html

That'll be my next chrono. My current one is the Pro Chrono Plus. Still works fine 10 or 12 years old and just changed the battery last fall. Used about once or twice a year.

http://www.competitionelectronics.com/pages/Prochrono_Plus.html

The only PACT equipment I have is the powder scale and dispenser. It works good, I don't have any complaints. Their web site seems to be out of date. Try 1-800 PACT INC (1-800 722 8462).
 
Re: CHRONO HELP

Well, just purchased the ProChrono Digital and will give a report once i've had a chance to get to the range.....


thanks guys.
 
Re: CHRONO HELP

1) I bought a shooting chrony and it only triggered half the time. Then I shot it with a handgun.

2) I bought another shooting chrony and it only triggered half the time. Then I shot it with a handgun.

3) I bought a pro chrono and it always triggered. Then I shot it with a handgun.

4) I bought another pro chrono and it always triggers. I have not shot any handguns over it, only rifles. It has lasted for years and works well.

I place the chrono on photography tri-pod 15 feet from the bench, and between the overhead bullet catchers. I can't see the display that far away, so I keep a small pair of binoculars bench. I write down each velocity and a map of where on the 6 bullseye target and which target.
 
Re: CHRONO HELP

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: jjaycoux</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I have had an Oehler 35-P for a while. My uncle has one purchased back in the 80's I believe. Short of the CED millenium it is probably the best one out there. Don't waste your time on any other chronograph.

The Oehler 35-P is reportedly going to be offered this summer on a limited number run. It is cumbersome and a pain in the ass to set up but I NEVER wonder "is something wrong with my chronograph" when I see something I don't like.

hope that helps...

jay </div></div>

The 35P is available now, a big brown truck dropped one off this PM. Mine a 4 footer no big deal to set up.
 
Re: CHRONO HELP

I have been using a PACT Pro for about 8 years now and love it.

No problems with the unit at all. I highly recommend it.

Now all I have to do is stop shooting the skyscreens.
 
Re: CHRONO HELP

I run the CED M2, and like it a lot. The PACT chrono's are good, when you get one that works. I've seen many have issues. The 35P would be a great chrono. But for $180, the CED M2 is hard to beat.
 
Re: CHRONO HELP

CED M2 has been GTG with no issues, easy to set up, readings are consistent, in the sub 200 dollar range I think it's the best
 
Re: CHRONO HELP

..

Can't say about PACT, but the Chrony Gamma with its printer sitting right by you and the unit some 15 feet away has been excellent. Bought it for $184, seems like a deal.
 
Re: CHRONO HELP

CED M2 replacement parts are easy to get and pretty cheap, compared to a new shot up chrono.

There are only two types of shooters, those who have shot up a chrono, and those who will.....

Jerry
 
Re: CHRONO HELP

I have a new CED M2 and it blows. It worked OK the first time I used it, but now it only registers errors, even at 1400 on a good day. When it does work, I get between 2 to 4 readings per shot, so I don't even get to use all the bells and whistles that come with it.

Before that on I had a Comp Electronics ProChrono, and it was pretty good as long as it had either full sun or full shade. I shot it one evening when it was giving me errors on the edge of dark, but that was more out of frustration of only getting to test loads in the evening after work, and not so much the chrono.

Before the ProChrono I had a Shooting Chrony Beta, and it gave a solid reading 50% of the time, which sucked, but was far more reliable than the shitty CED M2 that I have now. I shot the Beta by accident with a rifle.

The bottome line is that all chronos use cheap 1950s technology in the screens, so spending more money is not going to make it read any more reliable than another brand. I hear good and bad things about the IR technology, but in the end it has its shortcomings too.
 
Re: CHRONO HELP

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 1911Jerry</div><div class="ubbcode-body">There are only two types of shooters, those who have shot up a chrono, and those who will.....</div></div>
<----- Has shot a chrono! (But only the side arms, not the unit itself- yet!)
 
Re: CHRONO HELP

CTone, specifically, what's your set up with the CED M2? I've never heard of one having issues like this on an M2. Also, make sure you set it up at least 12 feet away with a brake or can, and as far as you can go with a naked barrel. The unit is sensitive to muzzle blast, and will cause errors if it's too close. Try to get the bullet to pass over a few inches above the sensors.
 
Re: CHRONO HELP

"experience with the PACT Professional XP chronograph?"

I've had the original Pro for about 15-18 years and like it quite well. Especially like the built-in ballistic computer and printer, with it I can not only record the shots but can also print a custom trajectory chart at the range. Not only is that somewhat helpful to obtain the hight for zeroing as I want it but I can also print charts for buddies.

IMHO, MOST of the problems people have with any chronograph are self inflected. The start screen MUST be far enough away to prevent triggering on the muzzle blast, direct sunlight must not be allowed to shine into the screen's window slots, the bullet's path needs to be well inside the central portion of the area defined by the diffusers and posts, the batteries must be fairly new.
 
Re: CHRONO HELP

Chad,

On my second outing with the M2 I was set up at 10' with no issues from my rifle, but a guy next to me shooting prone would give the chrono readings from his muzzle blast. After that I always set up at 15' to keep the screens away from everything. Despite that, I would always get readings from the wind, and multiple readings from every shot, sometimes as many as six. It got so bad that I stopped bothering with shooting strings and would just write down the velocity after every shot.

Two weeks ago was the last time I got any consistency from the M2, and it was still very error prone. It's always been REALLY error prone, but it got increasingly worse. I understand the limitations of the technology, as well as many of the things that make them give errors, but this chrono would give errors or no readings at all at any time of the day; in shade or not; full sun or total cloud cover; screen covers on or off. It didn't matter. In my last five outings to the range, the first three gave no velocity whatsoever, and the last two gave very low velocities with error messages. Going by the last good velocities I got months ago from two handloads that I shot yesterday, it's apparent that they were way conservative as I had to come down pretty far in elevation to get hits, I mean like it wasn't even close. Yesterday was a picture perfect day to run a chrono and I didn't get any readings at all.

With the ProChrono and Beta chronos, I would at least get some data with intermittent errors due to the sun being full up, or shadows from sunlight filtering through the trees. I get that, but this chrono just doesn't work, and certainly doesn't justify the crazy price on the thing. Fed up with it, I ended the M2s time in this world yesterday by using it to hone my pistol marksmanship. My only debate now is whether to send the pieces back to CED with an angry letter.