Labradar

[jimbires]

I had the same thing with a shooting chrony , beta . I get to the range and shoot while it's still overcast , I get a more accurate velocity reading . as the sun brightens up my velocity readings change , and don't fit the ballistics . I always use the sky screens . this was every time , not a once in a while thing .

 

[spladi]

You then own the only one I have seen that is consistent.

Sounds like you and all your acquaintances have faulty units.......still, mine works fine and has ever since purchased. The couple I have seen also work well. Anyone return their units for a refund?

 

[spladi]

I had the same thing with a shooting chrony , beta . I get to the range and shoot while it's still overcast , I get a more accurate velocity reading . as the sun brightens up my velocity readings change , and don't fit the ballistics . I always use the sky screens . this was every time , not a once in a while thing .

That is pretty much what the directions claim it will do in different light intensity situations. On those days when clouds and bright sun are the course for the time at the range then any light sensing Chrony will likely be erratic until more consistent conditions prevail, I just chalk it up to a bad day in those situations. The Radar seems to be a better technology but the fiddling with this and that add on is not for me. Simpler the better is what my bottom line is.

 

[epoletna]

I have to agree with your comment about fiddling, but now that I have owned a Labradar about 5 years, I feel like I have done all the fiddling I needed to do, and I just arrive at the range, set it up, and start shooting. much easier than what I used to go through with my Chrony Beta, even on the rare occasions when I had the range to myself and could take 20 minutes setting up the Chrony, aligning it, and making sure the sunscreens were in place correctly.

 

[spladi]

I have to agree with your comment about fiddling, but now that I have owned a Labradar about 5 years, I feel like I have done all the fiddling I needed to do, and I just arrive at the range, set it up, and start shooting. much easier than what I used to go through with my Chrony Beta, even on the rare occasions when I had the range to myself and could take 20 minutes setting up the Chrony, aligning it, and making sure the sunscreens were in place correctly.

I see your point.......fortunately for me my range stays safe until the dozen, or so rotating flashing red lights go out via a switch that I turned on. I feel the pressure from other shooters but its a joint effort for all shooters to participate in and almost 100% of the time they do. Just saying.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

I spent quite a bit of money on my new LabRadar, ext. battery, inertia trigger, tripod and hard case. After using it for one season I decided that it was money well spent.
Sold my trusty Oehler 35P and never looked back. Yeah, I miss a shot every now and then, mostly due to the effects of a brake, but it's no big deal.

 

[Dr. Vette]

Sounds like you and all your acquaintances have faulty units.......still, mine works fine and has ever since purchased. The couple I have seen also work well. Anyone return their units for a refund?

It's not faulty; it is just not consistent. There is a difference.
Use it on a cloudy day, and the numbers jive with my Labradar. I've checked.
Use it in the sun... well, I don't anymore.

 

[TAZMAN]

Do you guys realize how many excuses we all make for our lab radar not performing? Despite all of us trying to justify our purchase the lab radar is finicky in many ways. I have a Oehler 35 and a magnetospeed along with the lab radar and most of the time if I just need some quick velocity data, I use the magnetospeed. If I need exact dependable data I use the Oehler. Lab radar has it's place but it's not the perfect unit people make it out to be. If you have the money and can afford it then by all means get one but the magnetospeed will do everything you need and is more dependable shot to shot and position to position in my opinion.

 

[spladi]

It's not faulty; it is just not consistent. There is a difference.
Use it on a cloudy day, and the numbers jive with my Labradar. I've checked.
Use it in the sun... well, I don't anymore.

Yes, I understand that they are very sensitive to varying light intensities, I will take note of it in the future.

 

[Scaler]

Plywood and a tripod swivel mount.
Tested 3 rounds per gun 242 guns over three days. May have missed 3-4 shots mostly because I was not in position.
Six inches off to the side of the unit. We have 12 inches between the units shown.

 

[Old Rooster]

Do you guys realize how many excuses we all make for our lab radar not performing? Despite all of us trying to justify our purchase the lab radar is finicky in many ways. I have a Oehler 35 and a magnetospeed along with the lab radar and most of the time if I just need some quick velocity data, I use the magnetospeed. If I need exact dependable data I use the Oehler. Lab radar has it's place but it's not the perfect unit people make it out to be. If you have the money and can afford it then by all means get one but the magnetospeed will do everything you need and is more dependable shot to shot and position to position in my opinion.

Good point TAZMAN.I hear you can mount the Magneto Speed to the stock so it don't change poi.
Great point.

 

[TAZMAN]

Not sure I understand that comment?

 

[Old Rooster]

What I meant is that a Magnetospeed attached to your rifle barrel will change point of impact,I have seen it many times at our range.
Folks will shoot without the magnetospeed to dial in a good group and then attatch the magnetospeed to get velocities.
Thats why I stayed away from from them until someone said they mount the magnetospeed on the stock under the barrel and it will not touch the barrel and effect (POI) point of impact.Best of both worlds as I see it.
Someone tell me if I'm wrong.
Old Rooster

 

[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.

Update on the above post. I'll have to walk-back my criticism of the jk precision inertia trigger for LabRadar. Using the settings suggested by Piet, it does work as advertised. JK did not provide good instructions to follow. Just wanted to correct my previous comments. Piet trigger should arrive soon.