Help me pick a Chrono

[Cobracutter]

Did a few searches, and really couldn't come up with a good comparison or review of whats out there. I did see some talk of a electromagnet one and something else. Its about time I stop taking manufactures or other peoples words for MV, and start doing my own testing. Looking for something not too expensive, but reliable.

PROCHRONO DIGITAL CHRONOGRAPH | Brownells Saw this on Brownells, how does it compared to the rest of the field?

Thanks in advance!

 

[jnesto]

Try this one

SuperChrono Standard

 

[LRDD]

Suck it up and spend the money to get a magnetospeed. You will be glad you did.

 

[wtopace]

I have been running the ProChrono for years without any problems, I would recommend it. I normally pop my battery out and leave in in the battery compartment to fight corrosion and trickle discharge.

 

[BoilerUP]

I have a ProChrono Digital, works well and has proven pretty accurate but I'm thinking of moving to Magnetospeed.

 

[Lowlight]

MagnetoSpeed, never miss a number, consistent, not dependent on light conditions,( I use it indoors) it's definitely a solid pick.

I carry one with me everyday and use it on a variety of rifles with solid results.

 

[varmint slayer]

MagnetoSpeed, never miss a number, consistent, not dependent on light conditions,( I use it indoors) it's definitely a solid pick.

I carry one with me everyday and use it on a variety of rifles with solid results.

How close has it been in relation to what your actual dope is telling you your MV is?

 

[branson1369]

MagnetoSpeed, never miss a number, consistent, not dependent on light conditions,( I use it indoors) it's definitely a solid pick.

I carry one with me everyday and use it on a variety of rifles with solid results.

Been running mine since V2 came out and had same results as Lowlight top shelf kit

 

[Lowlight]

How close has it been in relation to what your actual dope is telling you your MV is?

worst case I have seen a 50fps variation, but generally as close to correct as any other unit I have used.

 

[varmint slayer]

worst case I have seen a 50fps variation, but generally as close to correct as any other unit I have used.

Hmm ok. I only ask because my V3 shows me 3170 but my actual data is telling me more like 3140. I shot at 950 yards to confirm drops and 3140 worked there and out to 1150 on my .243 running 105 Bergers and Hornady HPBT. My .338 Lapua V3 velocity was 2720 but again at 950 and 1150 2830 worked better. I've done a tall target test with my Kahles 6-24 and it passed, use the Litz BCs, changed chrono distance in calculators, and double and triple checked my data in the softwares. I keep seeing people say the Magnetospeed velocity is dead on out to 1K but myself and a few others I know aren't seeing that result.

 

[Rob01]

How close has it been in relation to what your actual dope is telling you your MV is?

Used my V2 last week for the first time to get me data for the match yesterday. Used the number it gave me in JBM, dialed on the data and was dropping rounds on a 12"x12" piece of steel at 1000 yards like it was at 100. From that limited experience with it I am very happy. It was super easy to set up and use. Only reason I am keeping my Oehler now is to chrono semi auto pistols as that is the only downside to the Magnetospeed that I can see.

 

[LRDD]

Yeah it suck you can't use it on pistols, but for rifles the thing is the shit. No more wasted ammo from shots that were not picked up and the numbers it has gave me have always been damn near spot on with my dope. I wish I would have got one when the V1 first came out and saved myself a few years of hassle with my old chrony.

 

[Cobracutter]

Would it be a good idea to try and pick up an older V1 or V2?

I don't really need all the functions, just good MV for my ballistic computer. I only shoot factory and custom ammo.

 

[Lowlight]

@varmint slayer

Seriously, you are bitching about 30fps, LOL...

That isn't shit, it's barely a .1 mils at even the farthest distance. Hell, a box of factory ammo will give you a variation higher than that. I am not sure what is gonna do much better than 30fps and have the ease and convenience let alone the price of the MagnetoSpeed.

 

[varmint slayer]

@varmint slayer

Seriously, you are bitching about 30fps, LOL...

That isn't shit, it's barely a .1 mils at even the farthest distance. Hell, a box of factory ammo will give you a variation higher than that. I am not sure what is gonna do much better than 30fps and have the ease and convenience let alone the price of the MagnetoSpeed.

The 30 fps isn't bad. I can live with that. It's the 80-100 that I'm seeing with the 105s that has me scratching my head.

 

[Lowlight]

You posted 30fps with the 105s, and honestly no chronograph is gonna be exact, it could be a cause of a different barrel twist, calling your rifle one thing and it being another.

There are a lot of variables, it's not just the Chronograph, and that stuff is really just a starting point, it's not written in stone.

Hell I have a Oehler 35P, CED, PVM, SuperChrono and Magneto Speed and it is the best of the bunch. The PVM-21 is so picky if you don't line it up perfect every shot is different, by a lot more than 30fps and it's twice as much money.

if you're expecting dead nuts every time, for $300, you have a lot to learn. Software is just a starting point, which is why they have a way to "true" it. It can't know every variable to the exact decimal place. Is your barrel a 1-8, 1-7.8, 1-8.26, is the distance exact, even your best lasers have a +/- percentage. There are so many bias in the software that alone can be the cause of the error. Point Mass is like 50 years old, it's FreeWare which is why anyone can build a ballistic program. Do you honestly think you iPhone is calculating anything or just plugging numbers in to fill a space ?

 

[varmint slayer]

You posted 30fps with the 105s, and honestly no chronograph is gonna be exact, it could be a cause of a different barrel twist, calling your rifle one thing and it being another.

There are a lot of variables, it's not just the Chronograph, and that stuff is really just a starting point, it's not written in stone.

Hell I have a Oehler 35P, CED, PVM, SuperChrono and Magneto Speed and it is the best of the bunch. The PVM-21 is so picky if you don't line it up perfect every shot is different, by a lot more than 30fps and it's twice as much money.

if you're expecting dead nuts every time, for $300, you have a lot to learn. Software is just a starting point, which is why they have a way to "true" it. It can't know every variable to the exact decimal place. Is your barrel a 1-8, 1-7.8, 1-8.26, is the distance exact, even your best lasers have a +/- percentage. There are so many bias in the software that alone can be the cause of the error. Point Mass is like 50 years old, it's FreeWare which is why anyone can build a ballistic program. Do you honestly think you iPhone is calculating anything or just plugging numbers in to fill a space ?

Typo in the first post about the speed on the 105s. Should have been 3040. I get that the smart phone apps are not rocket science grade calculations but in and around 1K they seem to do the job. I'm not expecting dead nuts every time. I can live with 30 fps abs the .338 reference really was more to show the difference in fast vs slow readings I seem to be getting. I honestly have never owned a regular chrono for the simple fact that they are too picky as far as light conditions and are a pain to setup. I've always just shot at distance and adjusted MV to line things up. That has served me well. I bought a V3 for the ease in setup and I really like it for that fact. I'm open to the idea Im doing something wrong but I can't find it in relation to the 105 MV differences I'm seeing.

 

[Lowlight]

It could be the BC just as much as the velocity, it's not like BCs are determined with a large cross section of rifles.

Adjusting the BC will give you the same results as adjusting the velocity. I have had to adjust Litz BCs which is why Banding them work better, it gives the computer a better representation of the fall off.

Litz BCs are just like any other, an average based on what he shot.

 

[varmint slayer]

Ok so I guess I have another question for you. You said you haven't seen more than a 50 fps error according to what you are seeing down range. Are you having to adjust BCs quite a bit (say more than .03 on G7 or .08 on G1) along with MV to get things to line up? Or have you been able to adjust the MV within 50 fps to get things to line up?

 

[Lowlight]

My Valkrye uses .239 for a 175, instead of the .243 that is .04, G1 is definitely wider when you consider Sierra says .505, myself and others have used .496 and I believe Litz uses .485 all for the same bullet.

When you consider the history of the 308, and the 175, the shear volume of users, that is a huge swing in BC. G7 has far less history, the numbers used are so new even though the model is much older. We have probably less than 10 years with any Litz numbers. So that swing in G1 should give you an idea of just how far off it can be and how people look at it differently.

You have to remember, you can put the same exact data into 2 different pieces of software and you'll get two different solutions, they might not be off by a lot, but they will still be off. That is a clue.