Chronograph brand/model recommendations/warnings?

I'm looking to pick up an inexpensive (<$125) chronograph, and noticed that there are many to choose from in that price range. Does anyone have a recommendation of a good one to buy, or to avoid?

I'll use it initially for my son's potato canon science project (testing velocity and calculated energy effects of three different propellants at different doses), but will also use it to test reloads in both handgun and rifle calibers. Been reloading for years, but have limited exposure to chronograph usage other than safety checks of paintball velocity prior to entering field of play, and even that was 15 years ago.

Just be careful of your aim, I seen some dummy shoot the crap out of his at Otter Creek one time:rolleyes:

That was probably me.

I bought a brand new one. The fancy kind with the printer and everything!!

Set it up at OC, and the first shot I fired hit it.:dunno:

.308 bolt gun > any modern chronograph. :o

Oh! I have however been getting really good service from the "Competition Electronics Pro Chronograph" since then.

Read reviews. Lots of them. And think about the conditions you will use it in. I saw lots of reviews of units that said they didn't work well under clear blue skys. DAFQ? Thats like a bunch of my shooting time. Others that didn't work well under cloudy days. Dafq part 2?

I still haven't bought one, because I'm just not sure that sub $200 range Chrono's are worth it. But I'd love to have my mind changed.

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Originally Posted by Rumbler

That was probably me.

I bought a brand new one. The fancy kind with the printer and everything!!

Set it up at OC, and the first shot I fired hit it.:dunno:

.308 bolt gun > any modern chronograph. :o

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It was, I hated it for you but I have to admit I (and several other RSO's) laughed.......... sorry:hiding:

I have two from Shooting Chrony http://www.shootingchrony.com/

On bright days... you will need the included sun screens... the screens provide a back drop for the sensor to pick up the bullet. They are inexpensive and I've been quite pleased with mine.

I have an old Competition Electronics chrono as well. FWIW, I use it to test my match ammo before major matches. This is great because they test them at the match to make sure they meet standard with a $1,000+ dual chrono set up so I get to see what the variation is, and so far, their results match mine every time. I have a lot of faith in my old beat up chrono because of that.

What ever you choose, make sure you throw a level in with it. If the windows are off-level too much it makes the bullets read as faster than they actually are.

Do they make any out of AR500 steel just in case Rumbler is around?

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Originally Posted by Dale Gribble

Do they make any out of AR500 steel just in case Rumbler is around?

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LOL.

From what I'm hearing, he can't even keep AR500 safe. :poke: