Labradar

[Rick LeMonnier]

You don't need anything except an old tripod to hold it up. A lot of guys just fashion something that works for them and don't even use a tripod.

You don't need an inertia trigger - I have one and never use it.
You don't need a battery pack but they are cheap enough on Amazon.
You don't need a memory card - I don't have/use one.
You don't need a fancy hard case - just use what you've got and be careful

There - buy a LabRadar and upgrade equipment when and if you feel like it.

Ya my unit came with a base plate with a ball head. The labradar eat batteries up fast. So I use the battery pack as well as 6 AA. that way it always works. I use mine a lot it's an outstanding unit. When I use my brake I place the labradar next to rifles scope ( middle of the gun) , and close enough so I can read the unit at the same time. If I'm using a suppressor then I put the labradar in front (slightly to right or left)
of the suppressor.
I also put a bullet on top of the unit it to aim it. Aiming seems to be the biggest problem with these units.
As for the SD card their cheap and a great back up. So always have one installed in the unit.

regards

rick

 

[TERRY CLOSE]

Remember to keep firmware up to date

 

[epoletna]

Battery life is one big issue with the Labradar. I tried an external battery pack but had issues with the connector -- if it wasn't aligned just right, the unit would lose power just when I needed it. I finally went with inexpensive AA rechargeable. batteries that I recharge after every range session. no more powering down during a range session.

I also got an external trigger. Only complaint with that is that if I operate the bolt fast and hard, it triggers the unit and I get a message that it could not track the bullet. Of course it couldn't -- I hadn't shot, just racked the bolt fast enough the trigger thought it sensed recoil.

Bottom line is, I use it. In the days I was using a Shooting Chrony at a public range, I had to get everyone's cooperation for 5-10 minutes while I set it up and aligned it. that was a PITA, and I often didn't bother to set up. The Labradar has fixed that problem. I can now set it up while the range is hot.

 

[robpiat]

Remember to keep firmware up to date

Shouldn't be too hard since they ignore our requests for improvements

What's it been 2-3 years since the app came out? Shooters have been hammering them for some better logging capabilities and they are pretty silent. It works, but it could be a lot better.

 

[Dr. Mac]

The allure of radar bullet chronographs is just too strong to resist. The sheer number of modifications and/or add on's to make these expensive gadgets work is simply amazing to me, and a true testament to American ingenuity and determination.
What ticks me off somewhat is that the Canadian manufacturers of the device don't do more of this R&D to make the things work better. I find that the build quality with regard to blast sensitivity varies widely. The first one I had was one of the early models that worked almost flawlessly. That one got stolen so I promptly replaced it. The second one was a dog and just wouldn't trigger very well. I sent it back to LabRadar and they jacked up the internal microphone and now it works well most of the time. I don't use muzzle brakes so I can't comment on how they affect the unit, but with non-braked rifles I find that after following the instruction manual, the two most critical factors for reliable shot detection are triggering and proper aiming. The MK Machining sight helped aiming the device a lot and is a very clean setup https://www.mkmachining.com/product/improved-labradar-sight/. I tried one of the cheaper knock off inertia triggers https://jklprecision.com/product/labradar-trigger/ that didn't work at all. Might have been a lemon. I just ordered one of the original (?) Piet recoil triggers https://pietrecoiltrigger.com/shop/ols/products/orange-recoil-trigger-2021-rng-rcl-trg-2021for my suppressed weapons and will report back on how well it works. I will agree that the LabRadar doppler chronograph was a game changer, if not somewhat finicky to get the best out of it.

 

[Chas1]

Battery life is one big issue with the Labradar. I tried an external battery pack but had issues with the connector -- if it wasn't aligned just right, the unit would lose power just when I needed it. I finally went with inexpensive AA rechargeable. batteries that I recharge after every range session. no more powering down during a range session.

I also got an external trigger. Only complaint with that is that if I operate the bolt fast and hard, it triggers the unit and I get a message that it could not track the bullet. Of course it couldn't -- I hadn't shot, just racked the bolt fast enough the trigger thought it sensed recoil.

Bottom line is, I use it. In the days I was using a Shooting Chrony at a public range, I had to get everyone's cooperation for 5-10 minutes while I set it up and aligned it. that was a PITA, and I often didn't bother to set up. The Labradar has fixed that problem. I can now set it up while the range is hot.

Same here. Setting up the Oehler was a pain.

 

[parshal]

Well, the latest update looks to be September 21 and it actually fixes something I care about. If the labaradar is armed the app will now connect!

 

[Dr. Vette]

Serious request here, guys. I've had a Labradar for 4-5 years and until I got the remote trigger it was at best hit and miss. Could one of you give us a detailed step by step on how to set up and site the unit? I'd love to be able to leave the trigger in the bag.

I found that placement of the muzzle in relation to the unit was absolutely key. The muzzle had to be at or behind the Labradar.
However, the range I often use doesn't allow for that to be an easy setup.
I bought the trigger and haven't looked back. No more missed shots.

 

[lancetkenyon]

 

[harley04]

I use a 1/4" aluminum plate 7×9" with a flat head screw thru the bottom to attach the Labradar with. I put stick on stair tred so it doesn't move and I can make the screw as tight as I need to prevent the unit from moving.
I usually use a 6 inch bipod when shooting and this set up keeps it low enough that I don't have any missed readings.
I bought a 100,000 mah power pack and I used it all year without having to charge it. You dont need one that big ,but I didnt want to be on the range and have the power pack die.
Just my setup, I'm sure there are better out there but thought I would show it to you.

 

[Old Pole]

I called the folks at LabRadar about missed shots and an occasional reading from 6000-8000 fps. Set your offset farther away, like 18 inches. Then run the muzzle about 12-14 inches away. With more muzzle blast, the gas and shockwave sorta block the radar. Cartridge size make a difference.Haven't missed a shot since. Provided I turned the light orange that is...

 

[Beluebow]

Serious request here, guys. I've had a Labradar for 4-5 years and until I got the remote trigger it was at best hit and miss. Could one of you give us a detailed step by step on how to set up and site the unit? I'd love to be able to leave the trigger in the bag.

This is how mine is set-up...others may vary.

Vel units-FPS
DIstance-40
Weight-gr
Vel range-rifle
Offset-12"
Distance-20-40-60-80-100
Weight- Depends?
Arm time- 300sec
Screen saver- 200sec
Trigger source- Trigger
Trigger level 1
Tx chan-1
Tx power- standard

 

[jimbires]

Arko Machine Products makes (or did make) a base for the LabRadar. Very versatile and you don't need tripods, sawhorse mounts, cinder blocks, ballheads, or anything else. I don't know what an inertia trigger is but guess I've never needed one. I don't have a memory card. I always carry a notebook. I use an external battery pack. When I chronograph, I usually chronograph a hundred or more rounds at a time. I've used a LabRadar for about five years. The crude sight on the Lab Radar works fine as is.

his mount doesn't do anything a piece of plywood does . what you run into without a ball head is if the labradar is slightly pointing up , or down in relation to the target you can't get it to fully track . so you would need to put a shim under the labradar mount to tip it in the needed direction . then if it's not solid it gives goofy readings , or none . a ball head solves this . now if you're shooting off a bench and the target height is correct it's not a problem . Feenix thought of the sawhorse , before labradar started to sell this Quad pod , mount .

Quad Pod

The Quad Pod is designed to mount the LabRadar above the barrel when shooting from a prone position if you have a large caliber rifle and an aggressive muzzle brake. The user can select the length of the legs for his specific purpose. The Quad Pod mount is made of heavy gauge stainless steel and...

buymylabradar.com

 

[parshal]

I've got the quad pod and Arko's mount along with a small tripod. I've yet to use anything other than the Arko on a bench. It folds up small enough to fit in the labradar case pocket so I don't have to drag the old plate they sold (basically like a piece of plywood). I grab the labradar in the case and I've got the arko, small tripod, battery pack, cables and triggers and I don't forget anything.

If you don't shoot from a bench frequently the Arko mount is probably not the best choice.