reasonable chronograph

[gabby]

Clark; I've trailered, launched and loaded boats over 40 years. I've been lucky enough to own 9 boats through the years. I fished out of Humboldt Bay Ca. for several years. I must admit reluctantly and with some embarrassment I'm getting older and have some health issues. The drift boat I have is less demanding and is more enjoyable. Mike

 

[goodgrouper]

I hate chronos, no matter the brand. I'm always looking for magical es and sd numbers. Depending on what time of the day it is no matter which I use the numbers are different that the day before. I have found the only way to be consisent is to build a "coffin" of sorts and install lighting or the infared screens. If you don't have your own place to shoot this can be a real pain dragging to the range and real joke to set up. For the most part I only now use the chrono to get a base line and then use exbal to correct the reading if it's off for my drop chart. I then shoot a ton at distance to judge es and sd. I've found this is way more consistent. By the way I have one shooting chrony, a ced m2 and sold a oehler 35 recently. The last 2 were big step past the first 1 but not flawless.

Links,
The inconsistencies from day to day you mention are not entirely the chronos fault. Some of the lesser quality chronos and sometimes even high quality chronos will give different readings because of variation in the lighting. But the inconsistencies also come from slight differences in temperature, humidity, and even placement of the chrono to the gun.

This is part of the reason why close range benchrest shooters load at the range and still note differences in accuracy in consecutive days.

But even though it's hard to get everything exactly the same from day to day, it usually doesn't affect much as far as what we're trying to do with our guns.

 

[edge]

Since this is Long Range Hunting

Two guys reload and shoot at 700 yards and neither has a chronograph.

They both shoot 1/2 moa at 100 yards.

At 700 yards, under good conditions ( very subjective to a shooter), they start shooting and find that their groups are about 2 MOA.

The first guy has a new Chrony and notices that his velocities are erratic.
The other guy blames mirage, wind, and unseen thermals!

The guy with the chrony goes back to load development but the other guy just muddles along

edge.

 

[Clark]

Since this is Long Range Hunting

Two guys reload and shoot at 700 yards and neither has a chronograph.

They both shoot 1/2 moa at 100 yards.

At 700 yards, under good conditions ( very subjective to a shooter), they start shooting and find that their groups are about 2 MOA.

The first guy has a new Chrony and notices that his velocities are erratic.
The other guy blames mirage, wind, and unseen thermals!

The guy with the chrony goes back to load development but the other guy just muddles along

edge.

I did not think of that.
I am here at Long range hunting forum, because this season I missed so many long range shots while hunting in Montana.
For years I have been writing down the velocity of every shot at 50 yards, but never thought that it would have any meaning to accuracy when hunting.

 

[boomtube]

"What's this got to do with a chronograph? Not much except you have to assess your needs. "

Yeah Gabby. I feel your pain. In my back, my knuckles, my shoulders and knees, etc. Us older geezers may well have an argument for downsizing.

Now, if any of you younger dudes want a nice 2800 sq ft house with three storage buidings and a detached two car garage on 10 acres in western NC, with a view of the Blue Ridge Parkway, let me know. I feel the need for less maintaince too! (There is also a private 100 yard range and a concrete topped bench in the pasture too.)

BUT - I wasn't always this way! (If you're not, it's only a matter of time.)