CED Millenium 2 Chronograph Advice Needed

[Doug in Alaska]

To help aligning the chronograph, a member on another forum suggested using a rather inexpensive Bushnell laser bore sighter. I ordered one and think it will work well when setting up the sensors and side arms. Setting your rifle up on bags with the cross hairs on the target, your bore sighter in the barrel, the red dot will show on your hand where the bullet will travel, or close to it. Should work great for side to side and elevation adjustment.

 

[zoeper]

I also have problems getting my CED M2 to work. I am not using the IR skyscreens, but i am always using it in good light. At the moment i set it up +- 22ft from the muzzle and try and shoot as close to the sensors as possible.
I recently changed from rechargeable batteries to alcalines and i think that might have improved the situation slightly.
My biggest problem is E1 and E2 (missed start or stop sensors)
I've used it mostly on 223 rem .243 win and 30-06 spr so far.
I will take it to the range again soon and see if i can experiment a bit to find the problem.

 

[Barrelsniffer]

Mike here from england currently working in afghan.

I also well last time i used mine i shot a few rounds from 17hmr and 22 rimmies and on them was getting around 100 to 150 fps lower than the stated velocity ? and when i tried my 223 that was the same around 100 low.
Now ive not had this chrono long but have a few months back tried it along side a oehler 35 and i was well impressed as it was a few fps difference in all the shots fired.
But now its gone all potty on me.does anyone have any idea ? im using the normal sky screen and not the IR.

any help would be most appreciated.

Mick

 

[FrFrog]

I've been running multiple CEDs for a long time without problems here in AZ and find them to be quite sensitive. Being in AK your sun is probably at a lower angle. What you want to do is to tilt you screens so that the sunlight more nearly comes straight into the sensors. This will create a larger "reading area."

If your lighting is really poor the IR head works wonders, even in complete darkness.

You might want to take a look at my website at

Miscellaneous Questions for a discussion of chrono related problems.

 

[Pdvdh]

I was prepared to purchase one of these units but there are enough folks posting problems of use in natural daylight conditions that I will await further feedback. I shoot in Alaska all winter long over my two units (not CED MIIs) and only have problems in fading light as the natural light levels diminish. Even shoot over snow cover much of the time. I like the level of customer support members are reporting. But buying the IR lighting units and the associated battery pack shouldn't be the required (forced) solution. Otherwise CED should advertise that up front.

Some have fallen in love with their CED IIs. But this thread demonstrates others are having operational difficulties. Wish it wasn't so, since as stated, I was in the market to purchase.

 

[MAF47]

I am another CED owner living on the other part of the world.
Here are shooters using all brands of chronos and I can understand the pros and cons of the main models.

The CED is one of the most precise and on the opinion of most of us it is the real alternative to the Oheler.
Naturally, as a precise instruments it needs an accurate setting before shooting: I own a Model I and had no problem following the instructions exactly and shooting at 6-7'' from the sensors with all calibers.
Surely it is sensitive to the light conditions, as all the other chronos. This depends on the kind of sensors used, based on the same principle of working.

The infrared lighting is surely an improvement for lessening that sensitivity, in addition to the possibility of working with poor light conditions.
lightbulb

 

[Doug in Alaska]

I'll be heading for the range this morning and will try setting the tripod at the distance Charles with CED suggested. I'm also going to use the laser bore sighter for alignment. If the weather cooperates, I'll post my results later this evening or tomorrow morning.

 

[Doug in Alaska]

The weather prevented a trip to the range today, hopefully next Friday.

 

[FrFrog]

With the demise of Oehler th CED is pretty much the standard to judge others by. There are some who are hung up on the Oehlers to the point of buying used ones. However the Oehler is old technology and is missing the consistency and features of the CED. If you use RSI's ShootingLab software you can import your chronograph data.

 

[Larry M]

Can't wait to hear what CED had to say and what your results are because my issues are exactly the same as yours.

 

[Doug in Alaska]

Made it to the range on Friday and shot 66 rounds of .22-250AI. I positioned the tripod using a laser bore sighter and set up the maximum distance the cables would allow with it set so bullets would pass through at about the middle of sensors, side screens and top screens. There was no snow on the ground and I was using the infrared sky screens. First shot produced and error showing bullet had only crossed one sensor. I moved the sensors up so bullets were crossing about three inches above the sensors. I think I had about 5 errors out of the total 66 rounds fired so this was an improvement. There was a slight wind and I could see occasional movement on the side screens but not much.

 

[Pdvdh]

Thanks for the update. Sounds better, but still not what I'd expect from a new CED MII. It should record virtually every shot fired. If it was a new unit, I'd ask them to figure it out, or else provide a replacement. Maybe there's a defect causing the glitch.

It's frustrating firing a round and not getting velocity data - at least for me it is. That's why I'd check back with CED and follow through with corrective measures.

 

[FrFrog]

Once again, where was the sun in relation to the screens? If the sun was at an angle to the horizontal position of the screens it is possible that the bullet's shadow was outside the field of view of the sensors. Simply tilt the 2 screens and the mount sideways so the shadow of a pencil held between the screen legs falls on the sensor opening. This situation is common with all chronographs and I occasionally run in to it here in AZ during the early morning or late afternoon.

See Miscellaneous Questions for a further explanation.

John S.
(aka Fr. Frog)

 

[Pdvdh]

Once again, where was the sun in relation to the screens? If the sun was at an angle to the horizontal position of the screens it is possible that the bullet's shadow was outside the field of view of the sensors. Simply tilt the 2 screens and the mount sideways so the shadow of a pencil held between the screen legs falls on the sensor opening. This situation is common with all chronographs and I occasionally run in to it here in AZ during the early morning or late afternoon.

See Miscellaneous Questions for a further explanation.

John S.
(aka Fr. Frog)

John,
He stated he was using the infrared lighting setup. Wouldn't that eliminate your concern about uneven natural lighting and any shadows effects associated with natural lighting?