Cronograph

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Civil War Life

New member
I would like to buy a chronograph. I need to keep the cost under 100.00. When I read the reviews for them at that price on the Midway site, it doesn't sound like any of them work very well. I will be using it outdoors at a range in normal sunlight or shade. Any suggestions on options would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Terry
 
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mrawesome22

New member
Most bad reviews probably come from guys who do not read the owners manual and have the chronograph much too close to the muzzle.

I have the Shooting Chrony alpha master. Works great and has a wired display that sits on the bench. Great unit IMO.
 
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Cary

New member
I also have one of the Shooting Chrony units and have been very pleased with it. I think the user manual could be more user friendly but follow their instructions and it should do the job for you.
Cary
 
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David Bachelder

New member
I have the Chrony F-1. If you read the manual you will not have too many problems.

PS
The manual is very poorly written, you must read between the lines. Also ... try to avoid shooting it, ask me how I know.

Tip:
Toss the aluminum rods and replace with wooden dowels. I and many, many others have accidently shot the rods.
 
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AllenJ

New member
I too am in the market for my first chronograph and read the same reviews on Midway. Since the Chrony F1 master is on sale though I think I'm going to try it out.
 
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federali

New member
+1 Chrony F1

Paid under $100.00 for my Chrony. Works great. I've used it several times and now I wonder how I ever thought I'd develop handloads if I had no idea what they were really doing.

No need for a chronograph that records data, monitors atmospheric pressure, head or tailwinds or makes cappuccino unless you think you need it.

Whether you but the $100.00 model or one with all the bells and whistles, remember to shoot over the chrono and not through it. Best to fire from a rock solid rest. If you don't already own one, go to ebay and buy a cheap camera tripod. You'll need it to mount the chrono.
 
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Brian Pfleuger

Moderator Emeritus
I have a Shooting Chrony Beta Master and it works just fine, with or without the skyscreens. It only doesn't like a dark "ceiling", otherwise it works fine. If I were buying another chrony, it would be a CED but that wouldn't make your $100 mark. A Shooting Chrony will serve your needs just fine.

The suggestion to replace the rods with wooden dowels is a good one and, on the topic of shooting the chrony, it's mostly a matter of WHEN, not if. Mine has been hit 4 times now, counting the rods but twice in the body and it still works fine. Miraculously.
 
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DeeDubya

New member
I've used an Oehler 35P for about 15 years and trust it. But I'm sure that some rules will apply to others too. I stretch the sky screen cables as far out as they will go, otherwise it will record muzzle blast instead of the bullet. Or, you can set up a couple sheets of plywood, leaving about a 10" slot to shoot through. This will attenuate the muzzle blast before it reaches the screens.
 
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PawPaw

New member
I've got an Alpha Master that I bought several years ago for under $100.00. So far it's served me fine. When the battery starts to get weak, you'll get some odd readings. Change the battery and everything comes back to normal.

Oh, and just for the record, there are only two kinds of chronograph owners. Those who have shot their chrony, and those who will shoot their chrony.
 
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Hook686

New member
The 'Master' in the Shooting Chrony line means it has a remote data output on a 15 foot cable. You can thus shoot and see the results from your shooting position. I suspect the F-1 Shooting Chrony Master might be the only one possibly available under $100. I got mine on sale at midwayusa a few years ago for under $100, but prices keep going up so I doubt it it that today.

Good luck.
 
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medalguy

New member
I have a Master Beta and like it. I get good dependable readings from it as long as I do my part. I have also read some complaints about this machine, and I agree, many users don't bother to read the manual.

Having said that, I think this chrony is like a lot of other electronics today. It's so easy to pack a hundred functions in a chip that they do it. I just want a machine that will give me basic readings in strings of 10 shots. This one does everything but bring me my morning cup of coffee. I don't use 90% of the functions that are available. But it's still a great machine.

Oh yeah, did anyone mention to not shoot the sticks?:eek:
 
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