Thoughts on chronographs

[meatyrem]

Bigngreen, I like your quote by the way. Funny

 

[Gene]

I don't know about ALL chronographs, but they need some source of power. All Chrony brand use the 9V battery. I use the same battery in my hearing muffs, so I carry extras with me all the time. Problem is, I frequently forget to turn the switch off.

 

[meatyrem]

I was just thinking that although they do need a power source, I would think there could be an alternative to switching out a battery as often as some guys are saying you have to, like a bigger and or longer lasting one. Like possibly a small 12volt or something of that nature.

 

[TnTom]

Great Question MeatyRem,
Both the Chronies I have had both use the 9V. I always unplug the battery as it only takes a moment when I close the unit after use. My battery lasted for years and I cant remember ever replacing it so there was never an issue about that (surely I must have had to at some point but there are a number of things I don;t remember if I remember right).

 

[Trickymissfit]

That sounds like a bit much for what I'm looking for. For the money it sounds like a pact is a good choice. I'm not really looking for one that will have all those doo dads on it. Just one that is reliable and accurate. With a couple of options also. Still wanting to hear a bit more on the pact and ced. Thanks

Midway has the Pact on sale right now. It's the one with the printer and is also downloadable to a PC. Think it's about $230 with the light bar and all, so all you need is a fairly good camera tripod (goto Goodwill) and a couple small topedo levels (Harbor Freight). Also take along a couple sheets of tin foil in case you need to mask the top of the sky screen in extremely bright light. We had to do that with the Pact and the Ohler. Been around the Shooting Chronys, and wasn't impressed. Have never seen a CED, so will not comment. The Ohler is a fine chronograph at $340; made in USA like the Pact.
Just remember that whatever brand you buy, you should expect there to be a short learning curve in it use. Don't expect it to work right out of the box for you. (it took me about three uses to really get everything right). If you get a round that is odd or thrown out, don't always blame the chronograph. I have had less than ten in fifteen years that were tossed out, but have had a few others that were in the loaded round (got a lot of primers that were full of weak ones once). Also never be afraid to call Ohler or Pact (I have). They are both good to work with.
gary

 

[meatyrem]

Tntom and trickymissfit, thanks a lot. Your posts are very informative and exactly what I am looking for. It is always good to hear the pros and cons so that one is able to take a good look at what ones options are. I have always thought the pact would be a wise choice before this post because at the time I wasn't sure about the cheap of the cheap and and didn't care to spend around $500 (the price I found) on a oehler. The pact is kind of in the middle as far as price goes. I could be wrong about the price on the oehler, but I think it was the 35p model and maybe there are other models of oehlers that I'm not aware of but I seem to think it was around the 5 bills mark. I have seen some as cheap as under $100 or right around that price and am Leary about that, just because I think I may not be happy with that and have to turn around and spend more anyway. Thanks for the reply's and opinions.

 

[bigngreen]

The Oehler is $595 shipped, I can't quite do it either cause I want two of what ever I get to do BC testing at LR. And I want something that is computer compatible as well.

 

[300magman]

Isn't there a way to work out BC using just one velocity measurement at a certain impact point, and then the known drop at another distance?

 

[meatyrem]

I have always heard that actual testing is more accurate because your getting true readings and not a computer guesstimating.

 

[Trickymissfit]

I was just thinking that although they do need a power source, I would think there could be an alternative to switching out a battery as often as some guys are saying you have to, like a bigger and or longer lasting one. Like possibly a small 12volt or something of that nature.

Pact's use a standard 9 volt battery (can't remember what Ohler uses) like most of them do. The battery in my Pact usually lasts at least a year, but I suspect the ones with a printer may go thru a couple each year. If I bring my chronograph inside during the winter months I can get over 15 months out of a battery. I just keep an extra in my range box along with some other batteries of different sizes for other gadgits I use. My next 9 volt battery will probably be a lithium, as they have a better power curve. It would be nice if all the manufacturers would make a small storage compartment inside the unit for an extra battery (hint!), or better yet have them both hooked up with an automatic switching device to keep you from loosing data.
gary

 

[Trickymissfit]

The Oehler is $595 shipped, I can't quite do it either cause I want two of what ever I get to do BC testing at LR. And I want something that is computer compatible as well.

$595!!!!! I would say that $300 of that price tag is in the name. It's nice to turn a profit, but this border lines price gouging. Have a buddy that uses an Ohler Mod. 43, and I often wonder if he uses it enough to even remotely pay for it (course he's had it for several years). When I bought my Pact a guy I used to shoot with every Tuesday, bought an Ohler #35. He got it for dealer's cost at just under $350. Nicely built except for the mounting system. Every Tuesday he fumbeled with it for about a half hour, and finally left it home. I told him to let me look at setup. I then sent him of an hour's drive to a place to buy a piece of extruded aluminium
and went to work on it. This piece of metal dosn't come cheap, but I also know it's very strait. He found a six foot piece that was messed up on one end with a few holes drilled and tapped in it for $100 (the stuff cost $3.33 an inch!). Doug had a Bridgeport, and after about an hours work with a hacksaw (no power saw) we had a 52" piece. I then made some mounting plates that would bolt to it, and were dowl pinned. Flipped it over and made an adapter plate to mount it on a heavyduty tripod, and never looked back. Now Doug sets it up in about ten minutes. I later made another for another guy out of another piece of the stuff he found. That one had close to $250 in it; yet was still cheaper than the Square Peg outfit. A third guy (I really don't know this guy very well) built his own out of 3/4" steel tubing welded up like the Pact Light Bar, but much longer. He had a lot of trouble getting it strait after welding it, but the results ended up being very nice.

this is too much work for me!
gary

 

[meatyrem]

It doesnt sound like you have had too much trouble on battery life with your pact. That actually sounds pretty good as far as battery life goes. I thought I remember hearing changing them out every time one would go to the range. I think the pact is weighing heavy on my mind.

 

[bigngreen]

You really have to look at the Oehler 35P as two cronies because it has the third channel and it is a complete kit so I think the price really not bad and I'd have one setting here if it weren't for the fact I would need two for what I want to do!

 

[bigngreen]

Isn't there a way to work out BC using just one velocity measurement at a certain impact point, and then the known drop at another distance?

Ya you can get numbers from drops but I would like to shoot through one crony at 15ft then through a second at as far as I can in the 800-1000yrd range to get actual numbers from my rifle with a bullet not influenced by my shooting or number punching. It's the best I can do without major number crunching which I'm not really capable to doing without a serious melt down!