Which shooting chronograph do you use?

[bigngreen]

It might be relevant that in the test of Chrony's that Broz posted that the 223 was not braked but the rest were braked and but at different case capacities so it would be difficult to know just how far away you'd have to set the Super before the sound signature of the rifle would stop screwing with it.

Frankly the Super was about as useful as my Shooting Chronies that will never see the light of day again!

 

[Pdvdh]

Frankly the Super was about as useful as my Shooting Chronies that will never see the light of day again!

I'm seeing improved operational instructions for the SuperChrono being provided by the manufacturer that weren't being made available earlier. So I'm wondering if that hasn't been a source of problems. The new instructions state things like place the unit a minimum of 10' off the muzzle, and 15 feet for magnums. They also state don't place the unit on the ground as the sound wave echo off the ground can mess with the detection system. For example, they now sell a small tripod to get the unit off the ground surface for guys shooting prone. And the instructions for ensuring the unit is set parallel to the path of the bullet are stressed more and more.

A German shooting magazine tested the SuperChrono against two reference chronographs and reported very good correlations using a number of different bullets with 7 different calibers/cartridges. Steinert's web site was down due to being hacked, but it was coming back on line this morning and I was able to open up a couple of interesting links. Not all links were up and running yet, but these two were:

How to Set up an Acoustic Shooting Chronograph

Leading German Firearms Magazine Visier: the SuperChrono Comes out on Top

Perhaps the SuperChrono will turn out to be too fussy to get consistently accurate velocity data, but I have read several accounts now of very good correlation with quality reference chronographs, in addition to the article in the German magazine located at the link above.

And the company is investing further in the technology. The web site now IDs some additional products in their design/marketing pipeline. I'm hopeful as I desire an easier means of recording down range velocity, something the MagnetoSpeed will never be useful for.

 

[bigngreen]

The Super was set up 15 or 16 ft ahead of the muzzle, on a small tripod. Before the test I was pumped about the Super and we kinda had a giggle about the Magneto, I sooo wanted to see good numbers of the Super because it would be awesome way down range for ballistic work but I honestly would have to shoot through an Oehler and a Super at long range at the same time before I believed it was giving me valid data. I hope it gets ironed out because I think it would be a kick in the pants to get a spot on muzzle velocity and long range velocity!!!

 

[Pdvdh]

Huh, never though about straight lead bullets, I'll strap it on a Sharps and find out one of these days.

I just found this on the MagnetoSpeed web site:

"Will a MagnetoSpeed Chronograph work with solids?
Last Updated: Dec 31, 2012 12:41PM CST
Yes, solids should perform about the same as standard copper-jacked rounds. If the round is made out of something that has very low electrical conductivity (like lead) you may have to make the device more sensitive by changing the bullet type setting, but most solids should work with the default settings."

So perhaps the MagnetoSpeed will record cast lead bullet velocity.

I also just stumbled onto this:

"Shot/Slug
When using a shotgun or a slug gun, set this as the bullet type. This is especially important if you use the thicker rubber pad in the V-block (to decrease the likelihood of the sensor deck getting shot) because this results in weaker signals that the above modes may not detect. A second screen asks if the bullet is magnetic or not; do the same test with the bullet and a sensor on the bayo to figure out if the bullet is magnetic or not."

My interpretation of the instructions is that there are three bullet mode settings on the MagnetoSpeed to tune the unit for different bullet materials. Shot/Slug is one of those settings, which might work just fine with cast lead bullets.

Here's a link to some of the instructions I was just reviewing:
http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0150/8926/files/MagnetoSpeed_V2_Instructions.pdf?41

 

[azsugarbear]

Like others - I couldn't cast my vote. I have the MagnetoSpeed II. Never looked back.

 

[barnesuser28]

I will be using my magnetospeed V2 tomorrow, only for 3 rounds but i will be using it. I need to figure out how fast these unholy 215 berger hybrids are going.

 

[Trickymissfit]

Oehler 35 and Super were roughly 16' from the muzzle. The one error was the strap coming loose on the magneto. We tightened it and kept an eye on it after that.


First up was a .223. Below are the velocities recorded from each unit.

Shot............. O35..............Magneto..............Super

1:.................3261..............3289......... ..........3166
2:.................3300..............error........ ...........3231
3:.................3314..............3335......... ..........3221
4:.................3294..............3315......... ..........3248
5:.................3316..............3337......... ..........3251

Next rifle was my 6 BR

Shot..............O35...............Magneto....... ........Super

1:.................2821..............2829......... ...........2851
2:.................2824..............2832......... ...........2851
3:.................2813..............2820......... ...........2831
4:.................2805..............2810......... ...........2828
5:.................2815..............2823......... ...........2841

Next rifle was a 284 Winchester

Shot..............O35...............Magneto....... .........Super

1:................2834...............2837......... ...........2854
2:................2842...............2855......... ...........2864
3:................2857...............2860......... ...........2870
4:................2825...............2831......... ...........2837
5:................2828...............2836......... ...........2857

Last was BnG with his 338 RUM and some 250 Bergers

Shot.............O35................Magneto....... .........Super

1:................3084...............3099......... ............3005
2:................3100...............3117......... ............3028
3:................3072...............3092......... ............3005
4:................3088...............3105......... ............3001
5:................3094...............3097......... ............3028


Here you go Dick, and you know how good the Oehler 35 is so do you think I would switch without a full test?

Jeff

I suspect the 3289 reading was false as well. Reason why is that it's off from the rest of the string. Was probably moving slightly. The differences were not as great as I thought they'd be (screens placed at the sixteen foot mark).
gary

 

[Broz]

I suspect the 3289 reading was false as well. Reason why is that it's off from the rest of the string. Was probably moving slightly. The differences were not as great as I thought they'd be (screens placed at the sixteen foot mark).
gary

Cant say but the Oehler read it low too. Clean barrel maybe?? Wasn't my rifle it was Mark's I believe.

Jeff

 

[fortbuilder]

Shooting Crony Beta Master

 

[Trickymissfit]

Cant say but the Oehler read it low too. Clean barrel maybe?? Wasn't my rifle it was Mark's I believe.

Jeff

if the Ohler reads it low, then it's probably just low for some odd reason.
gary

 

[Catfur]

Time to update the poll with some new options like the Magnetospeed and Superchronograph (the acoustic one)?

 

[azsugarbear]

+1 on what on what Catfur posted.

 

[Trickymissfit]

I'm still using the one I bought in the mid 1990's, and it still works just fine
gary

 

[Shootin4fun]

Re: MagnetoSpeed?

Anybody try the new MagnetoSpeed V1 or V2 muzzle mounted chronograph?

I am an engineer/inventor and designed my first digital chronograph in 1986 for my personal use but never marketed it to the public. It got damaged in a household move and I never bothered to rebuild it.

I use a Pro Chrony now which works OK though I have no way of testing its accuracy other than trajectory tests over different ranges and ballistics programs which all do seem to match pretty well.

The MagnetoSpeed has the advantages listed in the advertisement, but I would guess that hanging something that heavy on the end of the barrel would change its harmonics like the integral BOSS by Browning or the rubber one (can't remember the name) sold in stores that you mount and slide forward and rearward to tune the barrel for a given load. This would change the POI and accuracy, wouldn't it?

The rounds I shoot through my chronograph are also used for accuracy and POI tests!

Also, I'm wondering if being so close to the end of the muzzle it would get so dirty from powder & gasses that the sensors would need to be cleaned.