Magneto or labrador

[Savage16Hunter]

I don't need to read the manual because it's not mine. Like you don't think he hasn't talked to the company many times. He's doing everything they told him. Fact is they are frail and prone to breakage. The first 2 were totally different units. Both replaced in 6 months. He doesn't own a magnum or muzzle brake. He only target shoots and his biggest cartridge is a 30br. I don't need to read manuals for my 35p is so simple and always works. Doesn't need a huge battery pack to run all day either a simple 9 volt last most of the yr. I mounted my skyscreen bar on a camera tripod so setup takes about a minute. When his lab radar works it's nice. It sure does eat battery.
Shep

They do eat batteries if you only use the built in AA source. I have a compact RAVPower 16750 mAh pack and it will power the Labradar for at least twenty 4-5 hour long chrono sessions. I also bought a carry bag designed for a PS4 video game console and it safely carries the chrono, cables, external battery pack and spare AA batteries. https://smile.amazon.com/Lyyes-Play...1&keywords=ps4+game+bag&qid=1586273707&sr=8-3

 

[25WSM]

Yeah that's what I said you have to have that power pack. He has the one they sell and there carry case and there adjustable base and the sight to aim it. And it's in the shop more than a Yugo.
Shep

 

[epoletna]

I have used the Shooting Chrony and the Labradar. I have shot the shooting Chrony 3-4 times, and had it miss shots an equal number of times because the light was not right.

The Labradar has two issues that I see: it does have large battery consumption and the instructions are not terribly intuitive.

Don't know why they could not have used a better connector for the external battery pack: the mini USB connector is subject to breakage. I have finally just decided to stick with internal AA batteries, and recharge them after every range session.

The manual itself takes some reading and re-reading. The company should do a better job on both the software and on the manual. I think they have a good product, but I think it could be better with a little investment.

I have not used a Magnetospeed, and don't want to attach anything to my barrel when I'm developing loads.

 

[25WSM]

I almost bought one myself. I like how compact it is and that it doesn't need light. But after what I've seen guys go through the trouble with them I took it off my list. I don't want nothing hanging on my barrel either. Those are great to just get a speed but serious load development can't be done with one hanging on your barrel. It totally changes the harmonics of you barrel.
Shep

 

[milanuk]

I'd dearly love to know *** your friend is doing to his, to have such problems with relatively 'light' calibers.

Don't get me wrong - I had my fair share of fits with mine out of the gate. Wouldn't trigger reliably via the microphone, so I had to use the Doppler trigger - which requires considerably better 'aiming' of the unit relative to the bullet flight path to get it to trigger consistently. Finally got tired of bitching about it, and got in touch with the rep... we went round and round about it, because yes, I'm fairly well versed in "reading the fine manuals". Sent it back, they said they tested it with .308, suppressed and unsuppressed, and .22LR as well, no issues.

I ended up having to get more picky about the positioning and alignment (much closer than the manual stated) to get it to work the way I wanted, but in the end, it works just fine. I already had an aftermarket USB battery pack, so that wasn't a big deal for me to use it with the LR.

I also got the Piet recoil trigger mentioned above... mine doesn't work quite as reliably just draped over the gun as he demos, but attached via velcro it does fine.

I still have my MagnetoSpeed v1, and it's still chugging along. My only complaint is that the new mounts for attaching it to the stock, not the barrel, won't work with the v1. Homebrew is the only option there.

 

[Savage16Hunter]

I invested in LabRadar last year but haven't had a chance to used it yet. I have heard people having a problem with muzzle brakes but I do not know if they were using it properly like the video below.

Ran into this aftermarket tools/devices ...

For $35

Thanks for posting the video and link about the JKL trigger. Just ordered one. If it works for me as you describe it will take care of all the downside problems I have had.

 

[Mc Fraser]

I have a labradar and a few other shooters at the range use it as well. A couple of them had some issues with they radars and what I noticed is that they fit in a very particular category, either don't read instructions or they are technologically challenged or they don't pay attention to details or a combination of those.
I have never seen anyone complaining about them after they did they homework.
Buy a 20k mAh power pack it will serve you well. A 32Gb memory card should suffice and the app is very useful is setting it up.

 

[jpndave]

There is a case Harbor Freight sells that is perfect for carrying the Labradar. I'll try and snap a pic later.

Definitely a learning curve and some setup to have it work properly but absolutely worth it IMO. I wouldn't go back to screens. I wouldn't mind having a Magnetospeed for odd occasions but wouldn't trade the labradar for one.

 

[FEENIX]

Thanks for posting the video and link about the JKL trigger. Just ordered one. If it works for me as you describe it will take care of all the downside problems I have had.

FYSA, that's not me in the video. I too will be placing an order.

 

[FEENIX]

I have a labradar and a few other shooters at the range use it as well. A couple of them had some issues with they radars and what I noticed is that they fit in a very particular category, either don't read instructions or they are technologically challenged or they don't pay attention to details or a combination of those.
I have never seen anyone complaining about them after they did they homework.
Buy a 20k mAh power pack it will serve you well. A 32Gb memory card should suffice and the app is very useful is setting it up.

I ended up with two 10K mHA (IIRC, for under $20?) and 64G.

 

[25WSM]

Problem is my friend is an engineer. Too much education for such a simple device. He is also a world record holder in 22lr and won every league at his club last yr.
Shep

 

[nksmfamjp]

I have the labradar , and I like it . I have no problems shooting a brake , just protect the unit from the blast . sets up easy . can do load development with it....

so, how do you protect from blast?

 

[Okanogan]

I have/ had both the Labradar and Magnetospeed. I can't remember who I loaned the Magnetospeed to a couple years ago because I reverted to only using the Labradar.

Is the Labradar perfect, no but neither was the Magnerospeed. My moans with the Labradar are all something I have been able to work around:
- can be finicky with a supressor or with smaller .22 cal bullets
- it doesn't like the wind because it is a big sail (from what I have read, letting is blow over greatly increases the chances of a unit failure)
- occasionally fails to pick up a shot or gets one from a adjacent shooter
- eats batteries so an extended battery pack is a must and I occasionally hook it up wrong and it eats my batteries anyway
- if I leave the batteries in the unit, it often gets inadverently turned on in the storage case and eats the batteries
- aiming the unit dead at the target seems to be more important when shooting loads that are harder to pick up and the aiming notch on the unit isn't that great of an aid


I shoot magnums with breaks, and ARs with suppressors using both supers and subs with no problems if I set it up correctly. For me it is just so much easier to use than the magnetospeed and doesn't change the POI that using it over the Magnetospeed was an easy choice. I don't plan on trying to hunt down who I loaned the Magnetospeed to as they are undoubtedly getting more use from it that I would.

 

[FEENIX]

so, how do you protect from blast?

Maybe this ...