Thread: Chronograph advice

I am just starting out with reloading and am looking at getting a chronograph.

Having never used one before I am looking for recommendations on what model to get. There are a few options online:

Prochrono DLX
Prochrono Digital
Caldwell Ballistic Precision

There may be others?

I've been reading Nathan Foster's book "The Practical Guide to Reloading" and he suggests an F1 Chrony. They get good reviews but don't seem to be available any more?

I am loading for a suppressed 243 (Tikka T3x) just hunting loads not target shooting so I'm looking for something good enough but not fancier than I need.

There was a thread a couple years ago about this - a lot of people were on about F1s and Magnetospeed ones but they go for a grand, out of my budget really.

Are the cheaper ones I've mentioned good enough for developing a hunting load?

Also some have Bluetooth - is it any good? I run an Android phone, any experience pairing and using the apps?

I know I can probably get away without one but with the cost and availability of components the way it is, I think it would be a good investment to save waste. Also time is a really big factor for me, anything I can do to save a bit of time at the range is worth it. I know there's a forum one but I don't really get to choose when I get a free afternoon so having my own means I can just grab whatever time is available.

A cheap chrono will most likely give you average data anyway.
You could plug in your dope into a ballistic calculator and work back to your velocity.
Working back down from a supersonic crack would also give you an audible starting point for when the load initally goes subsonic.

I have an early Prochrono (before the digital model) and a Magnetospeed. The Prochrono sometimes gives some weird readings, mainly on sunny days when the light is coming from an angle, but when I used both together, two of the shots were within 1fps, if I recall correctly the third shot had a 30fps difference.
For your use, I would try to borrow one, or team up with a forum member who has one.

Originally Posted by cbfb

I am just starting out with reloading and am looking at getting a chronograph.

Having never used one before I am looking for recommendations on what model to get. There are a few options online:

Prochrono DLX
Prochrono Digital
Caldwell Ballistic Precision

There may be others?

I've been reading Nathan Foster's book "The Practical Guide to Reloading" and he suggests an F1 Chrony. They get good reviews but don't seem to be available any more?

I am loading for a suppressed 243 (Tikka T3x) just hunting loads not target shooting so I'm looking for something good enough but not fancier than I need.

There was a thread a couple years ago about this - a lot of people were on about F1s and Magnetospeed ones but they go for a grand, out of my budget really.

Are the cheaper ones I've mentioned good enough for developing a hunting load?

Also some have Bluetooth - is it any good? I run an Android phone, any experience pairing and using the apps?

I know I can probably get away without one but with the cost and availability of components the way it is, I think it would be a good investment to save waste. Also time is a really big factor for me, anything I can do to save a bit of time at the range is worth it. I know there's a forum one but I don't really get to choose when I get a free afternoon so having my own means I can just grab whatever time is available.

I followed the same route that you are on now about 3 years ago. I wasted a lot of components, created a lot of frustration and still could not get definitive answers from what exactly was happening with my hand loads. I eventually sold the optical crony and borrowed a Magnetospeed. They are expensive but you will save in the longer run. If it is outside of your budget, see if you can borrow someone elses.

I 100% agree with @Moutere, if you can find a place to shoot out to say 500-600m, rather use the bullet drop to calculate your velocities.

Optical crony’s work, but you have to be aware of the impact if clouds, direct sunlight, and if your do not properly shoot at the correct height over it - many variables to manage…


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The thing about optical chrono's is they are susceptible to a lot of variables, light (lack of or abundance of it) and shooting at a slight angle across the gates are just a couple.
I recently took an optical chrono out and over a week I shot the same load over it multiple times and on different days it gave different velocities. +/- 60fps but with similar e.s (extreme spread) which is the difference between highest and lowest velocity of a given load.
I was loosing my mind why I was getting vastly different velocities from the same load, till it was pointed out to me that optical chronos will give you consistent results but not necessarily accurate results.
This is fine if you can validate your velocity through drop you just need to be aware of it and work within the limitations.

ok I will say it.....
you using a .243 good on you.

so you are going to be shooting out to?????300-400 yards...... so what use is chronicgraph information to you???? you arent going to be likely shooting far enough to need to dial up so you arent going to need velocity to last 10fps

if you sight in 3" high at hundy...going to be point and shoot out to somewhere around 250 and spine hold at 300.... its only going to take a couple of rounds to verify your drops...which you will do anyway after using chronograph.

near enough is good enough for ballistic chart to give you your drops give or take an inch.....
but Im a bush hobbit who doesnt shoot past 350 so what would I know...

Originally Posted by Moutere

A cheap chrono will most likely give you average data anyway.
You could plug in your dope into a ballistic calculator and work back to your velocity.
Working back down from a supersonic crack would also give you an audible starting point for when the load initally goes subsonic.

Sorry, read suppressed as subsonic in the original post….. dah !
Disregard the last sentence.

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

ok I will say it.....
you using a .243 good on you.

so you are going to be shooting out to?????300-400 yards...... so what use is chronicgraph information to you???? you arent going to be likely shooting far enough to need to dial up so you arent going to need velocity to last 10fps

if you sight in 3" high at hundy...going to be point and shoot out to somewhere around 250 and spine hold at 300.... its only going to take a couple of rounds to verify your drops...which you will do anyway after using chronograph.

near enough is good enough for ballistic chart to give you your drops give or take an inch.....
but Im a bush hobbit who doesnt shoot past 350 so what would I know...

Whilst I know you have a passionate hate for chrono's, they do have their uses, knowing where your lowest ES is tells you where your best point is to find a stable consistent load. You can fluke a good group with an erratic load it doesn't make it a good load.
Also knowing your velocity will give you a good idea on if your close to max pressure especially if you aren't seeing typical pressure signs or are too inexperienced to identify them.
Just food for thought

read matt n bruce grants "sharp shooter" it WAS the hunting riflemans bible 40 years ago....they were shooting deer further than most people consistantly...one passage in there says something along lines of any ES less than 100fps is VERY GOOD.......

so yes they were using a chronicgraph way back then...BUT it seems we have got all paranoid about getting ES down to single didgets at expense in components for little real world gain

unless you are loading up near maximum book levels,you shouldnt be seeing pressure anyway....staying down a bit saves in a lot of ways....brass life being one.

you can also have an extremely accurate load with piss poor velocity and ES....thus the words of a very wise man "many a good load has been ruined by a chronograph"

thus my disdain for them......

but you already know this....

Many of us have reloaded for years without using a chrono, sighted at 100 or 200, worked out our 300 hold and then went and shot shit, very successfully too. The optical chrono's give you a reasonably good indication of your approximate speed, a good basis to work on. And I think theyre pretty good value for money, particularly when you know their shortcomings.

I have now used a Prochrono for the past 10 years and am more than happy with it. Would love a Magnetospeed, would love a 100 Series Landcruiser too, or maybe one of those new fandangled 6mm ARC. But the gain or advantage for the extra money spent would be wasted on me. I use the Prochrono to give me a reasonably accurate ball park speed for my loads, and keep adding to the data to refine that speed. But then I shoot my loads on a good long range and verify my data simply by shooting some boolits. Some rifles with some loads just simply work and match the data, and some just make you scratch your head and wonder.

At the end of the day, if you have a pretty good idea of the speed, and actually verify that speed by shooting at distance, then I'd be thinking the extra cost of something like a Magnetospeed may not be justified. However if you want to go down the reloading rabbit hole, which so many of us have, then buy the best you can afford at the time and make it work. I would suggest borrowing one for a while and buying later.

Optical chronys are affe ted by cha gingight conditions but I solved this by .ounting a large sun umbrella to provide even light. It is important to also have the two lenses parallel with the bullet line of flight and at least 3-4 m ahead of the muzzle. That way I achieved reliable results for hunting load developement.

I went with the Caldwell Ballistic Precision Chronograph because of the +/- .25% accuracy.

Yes optical chronographs have their flaws. You just have to be aware of them and mitigate them.

https://www.amazon.com/Caldwell-7200.../dp/B00HTN5DTE

cheeeeeeeep

Unless your regular hunting terrain involves shots over 300yds, there's really no pressing need to use a chrono. Same applies for worrying about ES/SD, irrelevant at that distance. I tend to agree with Micky Duck's approach. I zero std hunting rifles at 200yds and then would check the drop at 300. My LR rig is a different story.

The main item to get first is a rangefinder.

For less than the cost of a chronograph, you can join a rifle club. Shoot at verified distances and record the validated drop. You can probably shoot over a club members Labradar too. With the added bonus of seeing what others can do.