Chronographs: What to do?

[Svashtar]

I've been through several over the years, all "top of the line" optical units.

My next one will be the Labradar. I'm tired of throwing good money after bad buying chrony's that don't quite cut it.

Glad to see this thread, and thinking along the same lines. I appreciate the MS, especially the price, but I also wanted to get pistol velocities for everything including autoloaders.

I'm going to eat up a $6-700 bill getting the LR and accessories I want for it, but after my friend destroyed my last short through chrony by shooting it, I'm ready to just get a good one and be done with it. Plus with the LR I won't have to worry about POI issues.

 

[jvr]

If you're only shooting hunting style barreled guns ms is perfect. I you are shooting guns with rail systems. Big breaks or flash hiders Etc. I would go with the labradar. The latter is cumbersome with ms and drives up the price with aftermarket accessories.

 

[FEENIX]

Plus with the LR I won't have to worry about POI issues.

Same here. I ended up buying 2 extra aftermarket batteries, aftermarket tripod/stand, and 64MB card for it.

 

[SavageHunter11]

I have been shooting and loading for nearly 50 years now. I have learned so much since starting to watch this forum. I am questioning some things I thought I knew and learning a ton. Great fun! Thanks to all!
My current question is about chronographs. I am on my second chronograph (shot the first one years ago). I don't use it a lot, just when working up a load for one of my rifles. I usually shoot loads until I find a promising one, then check velocity, ES, SD, etc. to run the velocity and get my initial come-ups for distance. Mine is a simple optical instrument = a Chrony something.
It is a pain in the rump some days if the light isn't right and sometimes I have to re-set it once or twice during a string, when I get an "error" reading.
From what I have read, the general opinion is that these may not be completely reliable, or a frequent pain in the rear.
I have looked at a Lab Radar. They seem to be rather pricey and may be a bit complicated to set up. Recently there was another article about not using one brand of chronograph during sight in (which I don't generally do anyway).
I'm not running a laboratory here. This is for occasional use and the budget is not unlimited.
Please give me your opinions and recommendations. What say you?

I've had all three of the popular chronographs (MS Sporter, MS V3, and a LabRadar). I started with a LabRadar and 3/4 of the time I loved it but I had problems when other shooters were at the benches next to me and getting interference with their bullets occasionally.

Then I acquired a MS Sporter which I liked for how simple it was but I didn't have a phone that MS supported so I was stuck with using their display with minimal information and it left me wanting more.

I lent my MS Sporter out to a buddy who proceeded to shoot it on his first attempt. He paid me back what it was new in store and I took the money and bought a MS V3. I have to say, the V3 was nicer to use than the Sporter. Having the ability to store multiple strings and have all the information in front of me real time was great and not have to worry about interference for other shooters.

I kept the LabRadar for a while but eventually sold it to fund a Manners stock when I realized I never used it anymore. Personally I'm a huge fan of the MS V3. Really it's only drawback is that I can't use it to capture velocity AND get ballistic drop data at the same time because it will affect your POA. My hands loads are accurate enough though that this doesn't matter, once I have an accurate load I chronograph 25 shots to get a good sample of velocity data and usually only bring it back out when I reload with a different run of powder.

From what you've described I think you could get by with a Sporter but the V3 is really where it's at but I'm a buy-once-cry-once kinda guy (although apparently not in this instance).

 

[5Spot]

I have been shooting and loading for nearly 50 years now. I have learned so much since starting to watch this forum. I am questioning some things I thought I knew and learning a ton. Great fun! Thanks to all!
My current question is about chronographs. I am on my second chronograph (shot the first one years ago). I don't use it a lot, just when working up a load for one of my rifles. I usually shoot loads until I find a promising one, then check velocity, ES, SD, etc. to run the velocity and get my initial come-ups for distance. Mine is a simple optical instrument = a Chrony something.
It is a pain in the rump some days if the light isn't right and sometimes I have to re-set it once or twice during a string, when I get an "error" reading.
From what I have read, the general opinion is that these may not be completely reliable, or a frequent pain in the rear.
I have looked at a Lab Radar. They seem to be rather pricey and may be a bit complicated to set up. Recently there was another article about not using one brand of chronograph during sight in (which I don't generally do anyway).
I'm not running a laboratory here. This is for occasional use and the budget is not unlimited.
Please give me your opinions and recommendations. What say you?

My MS Sporter works fine. I have compared it with my buddy"s Lab Radar and they are within 5 - 6 f.p.s. - good enough for government work! I shot mine off the end of my 7 RM one time with no damage (rifle just recoiled out from underneath it) and since have snugged it down with electrical tape. Now it doesn't move. The MS does change POI a little on my rifles, so I re-check for groups after establishing average, hi, lo, SD and ES.

 

[skipglo]

Another vote for the MS Sporter. Inexpensive, easy to use and accurate.

Accurateshooter.com recently published an article comparing the MS and Labradar and Oehler. Bottom line the MS and Labradar were equally consistent. Oehler was consistent too, but its reported velocities were offset a little low by a few fps.

Another vote for the MS sporter. I compared with my buddies labradar last month and there was little to no difference. I got a new one on sale for $150ish and you will find them on our site for sale very often even cheaper. Get the extra connector to plug into a phone or ipad and you're good to go.

Pm me your site please!

 

[Mram10us]

Pm me your site please!

Sorry, I meant this site when I said our site.

 

[jreagle]

After using a MS sporter gen 1 for a few years..... ended up with a LabRadar. It is easier to use for me. With the MS, it became cumbersome moving the bayonet from rifle to rifle on any given day where I'm shooting 3 or 4 rifles at the range per day. The POI shift with the MS was frustrating to me, as I like to map velocities and groups at the same time during load development and load tuning.
No problems with the LR except for the occasional superfast velocity recorded or 'unable to gather the velocity' error on the shot fired. Clear/erase and continue shooting. An external 10,000 ma battery pack (use the 1amp output on the battery pack. read somewhere that a higher output, like 2 amps, could harm the instrument, not all battery packs have a 1 amp output) keeps it running all day and the next. added an SD card that records all of the data that I can later transfer to my pc. Also purchased the case and base. Treat the LR like the sensitive instrument that it is, and it should last a long time.

 

[Mike D Texas]

The reasons listed above is why I can't get on board with the magnetospeed devices. When developing loads I shoot through the chrono and check groups at the same time.

I currently use a shooting Chrony Beta and it's served me well for years but I'm looking to upgrade to something more modern. Probably labradar.

 

[BountyHunter]

Been thru them all and labradar is the way to go IMO. YouTube has videos on easy setup and use. One simple USB rechargeable battery and it will last forever. Aiming was an issue early on but several hacks and add on aiming devices fixed that. Get the optional feet for standing on bench. Buy and enjoy.

 

[ilc]

I went through the same decision making process recently, and chose the MS. I like to develop loads based on group size. Once I get a load grouping well at 100yds I'll attach the MS and chronograph five or ten shots to get a velocity, then validate drop and group size at long range (without the MS).

The problem for me with the LR is its reportedly poor performance with small calibre high velocity bullets. I have a .17 and a 220 swift so the LR was out. I also do my load development at a public range, so I have shooters close by on either side and reports of false triggering of the LR are common.

Being a ballistics nerd it was hard to give up the downrange information that the LR provides, however I'm not sure how useful 50 to 100 yards of info really is. Hopefully better versions will be released in the future, and when you can get a personal radar that can track 300-500 yards for a reasonable price then I'll buy one for sure.

 

[Ts3]

I have used a chrony beta for years. Works ok but the screens fly off frequently from muzzle blast even beyond 10', and that is a pain. Occasional "error" messages as well for no apparent reason. Poor readings if shooting with low raking sunlight, such as at dusk. Also if at a gun club or public range I do not like having to set up beyond the firing line while people are waiting. Looked at the MS but uninterested due to the affect on POI. I use a chronograph to work up hand loads so it is a big waste of time and components if I can't get groups while getting velocity data.
Recently upgraded to a LabRadar...never going back.

 

[nvschütze]

Also if at a gun club or public range, I do not like having to set up beyond the firing line while people are waiting.

I can completely understand that! Ranges that are attached to a gun store always close at 1630 or 1700 and there you are, burnin' the daylight of the other shooters with your interminable fiddlin' with your chrono. You think you have it right, you go back to your bench, the range goes active, you fire a shot and only then do you discover that the chrono is not aimed right or whatever-- and you just lost maybe twenty minutes of firing time until the next inactive period comes around. I feel for you guys...

I wanted to shoot in a place with as few impediments as possible to sending lead downrange. I had the opportunity as a trucker to drive out to Nevada from Virginia in Fall 2000. I was sent to a small town along I-80 a bit east of Reno and when I saw the place, I knew I had to move there. Took me four years to make the move but I did. Best thing I ever did, and I'll never move back to the madness that is the East Coast. Being fat, ugly as sin, single and bald makes relocation very easy. No wife or kid problems to consider-- you just decide when & where, plan a little and get going.

I shoot in the desert; my buds and I (if I might go with someone else) are always the only ones out there. If anybody else is out there before we get there, we just choose another place. There are hundreds and hundreds of wide-open BLM land all around and not very far away. I wanted a place to shoot with as few pains in the gluteus maximus as possible. I found it. I love it here. Praise God for creating this land that became Nevada...

 

[BKM]

Not trying to derail the thread but none of the three ( chronograph, magnetospeed or lab radar) have been dependable enough for me to use the velocities they give me to dial at long distances.

Maybe I'm doing something wrong. Any advice appreciated.

I always end up truing my velocity to make it work.
Always true at 1000 yds with a 100 yd zero.