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  #1  
Old 04-13-2021, 01:20 AM
BrianM BrianM is offline
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Default Chronograph ....

Who uses a chronograph and what kind do you have ? I screwed up a few years back and sold the Oehler chronograph that I had and bought a CED and could never get it to work properly. I'm in the market for a new one ! Wondering what I should go with and thought I would ask for opinions here . I would use it mostly for 17 , 20 , and 22 caliber cartridges if that makes a difference.
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Old 04-13-2021, 02:08 AM
B23 B23 is offline
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For an optical unit it's hard to beat the Oehler 35. My dad use to have one and I used his a lot. When the Magnetospeed first came out I was one of the first to get one and I've been using a Magnetospeed V1, V2, and now V3 ever since.

I shot my very first MS V1 inline with my dad's Oehler 35 right after I bought it because the MS was so new and I just didn't have the confidence in it that I had in dad's Oehler. After shooting it inline with the Oehler and confirming the then new to the market MS was accurate I've never used anything but a Magnetospeed since and my dad quickly sold his Oehler and also bought a MS chronograph after using mine.

The MS is sooooo easy and convenient to use virtually anywhere. They work in any and all conditions rain or shine. Setup and use doesn't get any easier. I can literally take it out of the box, attach it to the muzzle, plug it in and be ready to accurately record shots in under 60 seconds. No need to shut the range down to set it up and others shooter near you has no affect on its use. The bayo is very light weight and weighs less than most muzzle brakes but like ANYTHING you attach to the muzzle it can cause point of impact shift. This seems to be more of an issue with smaller contour skinny sporter weight barrels. Pretty much all my guns have varmint contour barrels so I see very little POI shift and I've never had it affect group size. I usually work up a load with it on recording every shot then once I'm done I'll take it off and confirm zero and shoot another group to confirm.

I've used my Magnetospeed on everything from 17HMR to 338's. I don't recommend it but I once chronographed my suppressed 17 WSM in my basement with the MS attached shooting it into a bullet trap I rigged up. My wife was far less impressed with me doing that than I was.

The LabRadar is also a good unit but it too isn't perfect and they have their issues as well. LabRadar users I've talked to tend to have a love hate relationship with the LR chronographs, they either love them or hate them.

For most recreational shooter the Magnetospeed Sporter model will suit the vast majority and do so very accurately for less than $200. If you have suppressors and you want to leave them on when you're chronographing loads you'll want to get the MS V3 model.

You mentioned owning a CED chronograph that didn't work very well. Ugh, long time ago I had one what a POS those things are. It worked pretty well for about the first 10 times out with it then after that it was a total POS and their CS was pretty much nonexistent.
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  #3  
Old 04-13-2021, 02:08 AM
SmokinJoe SmokinJoe is offline
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Get another Oehler 35P, they turn up occaisionally used for a very good price. Don't get the radar type chrono; only reads to 3900 fps and our little cartridges sometimes get above that ya know.
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Old 04-13-2021, 02:14 AM
Bill K Bill K is offline
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Without spending too much money, I bought a Magnetospeed and it works fine for what I want a chrony for, FPS only.
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Old 04-13-2021, 11:05 AM
fosters fosters is offline
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Does the Sporter version work well with the hot 17"s?
Steve
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Old 04-13-2021, 01:06 PM
Tparrish Tparrish is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fosters View Post
Does the Sporter version work well with the hot 17"s?
Steve
Mine works just fine with 17 Rem, 17 Fireball & 17-222.

Tom
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Old 04-13-2021, 01:07 PM
coyotespotter coyotespotter is offline
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I have a chronograph, very seldom use it for the 22 and under until final load development is done. Usually only if something weird is happening on target data, since hunting shots are typically 300 yards and less. 400 yards and out is where velocity and velocity deviation matters.
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Old 04-13-2021, 01:10 PM
B23 B23 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fosters View Post
Does the Sporter version work well with the hot 17"s?
Steve
The Sporter model is the one MS unit I've never used so I'm not sure on that but a quick call to MS would probably be best. I called them years ago before I used in on my 17 HMR rimfire rifle to see what they recommended I use for sensitivity settings and they were great. I used their suggested settings and it recorded every shot from those tiny little bullets.

Magnetospeed 800-784-4221
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Old 04-13-2021, 01:19 PM
B23 B23 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by coyotespotter View Post
I have a chronograph, very seldom use it for the 22 and under until final load development is done. Usually only if something weird is happening on target data, since hunting shots are typically 300 yards and less. 400 yards and out is where velocity and velocity deviation matters.
I like using a chronograph during all load development because to some degree it's also my pressure sensor. If I start getting velocities that are well above where they should be or I get 100 or 100+ fps gains from only changing a couple tenths of powder increase it causes me to start looking a lot closer and paying a lot more attention to pressure signs.
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  #10  
Old 04-13-2021, 02:45 PM
L Rivard L Rivard is offline
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Another vote for the Oehler 35, I have had one for about 25 years, still works fine.
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