I like the simplicity, without it being simplistic.

Quote from: Rick1987 on September 05 2012 01:56:13 PM MDT
Bidding on a 35p on eBay, pretty sure I won't win but who knows.

Did you get one yet?  If so, which one?

Nope, I lost. It went for close to $400. I think a little over with the shipping.

For that much I would just get a new one.

I think it will be a couple more weeks till I get one. The sway bar in my hot rod took a crap so I have to fix that first.

Dang!  Why someone would pay that much, I have no idea.  With four Benjamins you can buy two CED M2 chronographs.

Still using the Oehler model 33 I bought back in 1980.. Still works great. Sent it back to Mr. Oehler last year 'cause the LED's were starting to go out. It was fixed and calibration is still right on..

CED Pro Chrono.  Less than $100 and works great.  Ran it next to my friends Shooting Chrony and he was spending more time messing with the settings than shooting over it! 
Also, if you want, the CED can be 'updated' with the USB cable and digital program for your laptop.

BTW, how does one go about calibrating a chronograph??   :'(

Thanks!

There is no way to calibrate them.  They either work or they don't within some easily corrected limitations outside of wear and tear which could include scratched sensor lenses which would need to be replaced.

What most users don't realize is what is required to get the most accurate readings possible no matter what chronograph they use.  And some chronographs will work better in some situations than others by virtue of overall design.

Examples:

1)  Bullets should pass evenly over both sensors.  That means centered over both, and at the same height over both.  So if you are set up on uneven ground, and your sensors are different to parallel of flat ground you should shoot through the sensors on the same upward or downward angle they are positioned from each other.

2)  Bullets should pass over the sensors as close to the sensors as possible within reason, and each bullet in your string should pass over the sensors at as close as possible to the same height as the last for best consistency.  Owning a Ransom Rest would be the ultimate.

3)  The lighting over the sensors (with or without the skyscreens) must be balanced.  Therefore sunlight should not be coming from either in front of or behind you.  The sensors or skyscreens (if you are using them) should be positioned underneath of, or at a right angle (90 degrees), from the light source (sun or incandescent).  So as the sunlight position changes, so will you adjust the angle of your sensors/skyscreens to it. 

If you are attempting to work with sunlight that is low on either horizon you can usually tilt your top white diffuser skyscreens evenly toward the angle of the sun to allow for continued use.  Of course your shooting angle will have to be adjusted too.

4)  Two things that will throw off accuracy or total use of any chronograph are:  electro-magnetic interference and excessive electrical static (noise).  These same issues are what causes AM radio to crackle.  Examples of causes include:  florescent lighting, nearby weather conditions, powerlines, electric fences, radar, electric motors, cellular telephones, transmitters.....  Many photo-electric sensors, just like those used in our shooting chronographs, are susceptible to these interferences.

5)  This isn't something that affects accuracy of the chronograph, but is something to still be aware of:  Changing barrel temperature affects velocities and different ammo temperature itself affects velocities.  It isn't usually by much, but when trying to be as consistent as possible is something to keep in mind.  For example you may notice minor differences in the velocity of ammo you've just unpacked to start shooting with, compared to ammo that's been sitting out in hot sunshine for a while.  Though if the ammo you are shooting isn't that consistent to begin with, you probably won't notice much of anything anyway.

6)  Altitude also minorly affects velocities, also unrelated to accuracy of the chronograph itself.  So if you are up in the mountains one day and down in the valley the next, differences may be seen, just depending on how great the difference in altitude was.

7)  Muzzle blast will interfere with chronograph readings, to the extent the velocity readings won't be accurate, all the way to not getting a reading at all (except for possibly an error message).  Therefore make sure your skyscreens are far enough out.  For most handgun rounds that equates to 7-10 feet away.  Many rifle cartridges will require 15-18 feet.

  And then there are Glints.  Glints happen when your chronograph sensors are sitting over reflective ground (water, sand, snow, bright concrete,...).  What happens is the reflection from underneath lights up the bottom of the bullet enough to keep the sensors from seeing it.  She chronograph sensors are looking for a shadow passing over them.  Little to no shadow = no velocity reading, or an incorrect one.  The easiest ways to remedy this are by putting a dark colored tarp on the ground underneath the chronograph sensors, or changing location all together.

9)  Except for not keeping your sensor lenses and skyscreens free of dust and debris, those are all I'm aware of.


Kind of makes one wonder just how many people are getting correct chronograph readings through the correct use of their chronograph.

One thing I like about my CED M2 chronograph is that it incorporates features that help to reduce some of the issues compared to all other chronographs.  For example it uses relatively high speed digital circuitry incorporating a microcontroller that runs at 48 MHz, which is also the reason it has an operating range of 50-7000 fps.  It also has an expanded digital chip design that allows it to record velocities at much lower light levels than most other chronographs, basically all the way from early morning to sunset.  It also uses custom designed dual lenses over the sensors for greater accuracy.

I'm getting good results with the CHRONY Master with the remote display...the target mount helps keep bullets at the correct level.  Here it is shown without the protective steel plate.

Quote from: Rick1987 on September 18 2012 10:18:25 AM MDT
Nope, I lost. It went for close to $400. I think a little over with the shipping.

For that much I would just get a new one.

I think it will be a couple more weeks till I get one. The sway bar in my hot rod took a crap so I have to fix that first.

Have you snagged one yet?