Need advice on a chronograph. Based on your experience, which do you recommend?
   
Shooting Chrony Beta Master? Is a remote necessary?
   
Thanks.

The remote is not necessary...however it does have some advantages.
I have the Chrony F1 with the remote display on 20' telephone cord, I can have the remote near me while shooting to take notes, reset etc.  I also built a switch for the remote to retrieve the extra data...the 3.5mm (1/8") stereo jack with momentary switch mounted to connect the base and middle connections No connection to the tip.  The switch lets you cycle thru the shot string, HI, LO, ADV, ES, SD...   CHRONY does sell a remote switch for this purpose, but like others I made my own!



I kept it very small when putting the switch and jack together and hot glued the ribbon just in case I dropped it so I could find it!  Works like a champ.

Good luck!

CED M2

Works well even in low light conditions, or get the infrared skyscreen and don't worry about light conditions.  1000 shot capacity with up to 500 string permanent memory.  Offers edit and omit functions.  Built in calculator using the keypad on the base unit itself.  USB interface to download data to your computer.  Runs on one 9 volt battery.  Low battery indicator so you don't have to guess. 

Has a speaker that can be turned on or off where the unit will tell you each recorded velocity out loud when your setup doesn't allow for easy screen viewing or whatever.  Also calculates power factors for both IPSC and IDPA.  With the push of a button it will also tell you the average of the 3 fastest velocities of a string.  Plus lots more.  Anyway, love mine. 

I also especially like it that the main base unit is completely separate from the sky screens.  If you shoot the skyscreens, new sets are readily available.  The skyscreen rail already has a threaded port underneath for easy mounting to a tripod.

Thanks for the tips. My Underwood 220gr hard cast ammo order is on hold until new components arrive in West Virginia. So, thought I'd find a chrono in the mean time. Called a gunstore, wanting to give them some business, but, they don't stock them. So, I'll order one on-line.

Shadow, DIY, great. I was in an electronics parts store recently and thought about building something. Used to do that when I was a kid.

I'll also look at the CED M2. Thanks.

Seriously, if you're buying one new, don't waste your money on the Shooting Chrony models. They work fine if you've got one already, but the CED models are better and about the same price. I use the Pro Chrono now, and couldn't be happier. I would never buy another Shooting Chrony, after using the Pro Chrono.

Ordered a ProChrono Digital.

Thanks for the help. Now, I wait for the Underwood hardcast to arrive.

Quote from: harrygunner on October 19 2012 01:24:49 PM MDT
Ordered a ProChrono Digital.

Sweet!   That opens up a whole new insight for you.  I expect you will be well pleased.

I either just scored or blew $60. I bought an Oehler 35P. I bought it sight unseen. besides some pictures. It was 150 miles away, but a good friend lives near there and commutes to my area once a week. It's one of those deals that may be too good to be true. I had to find out. 

The seller just bought it at an estate sale and put it up for sale online. I jumped on it.

Hopefully, it's a score. They usually cost more than $60 

Congrats on the find.

I just hope I can figure out how to turn the d@mn thing on.

The joys of technology.  Good Stuff.

QuoteBased on your experience, which do you recommend?

not a shooting chrony
mine was crap, i plan on going with a PRO CHRONO DIGITAL soon

"If it doesnt unfold, its not an inaccurate POS"

As a new owner of a chronograph, I'm wondering if the rods and shades are always necessary.

Before buying one, I considered the possibility the rods were  part of the sensor system. On the ProChrono, the sensors are in the top of the base unit. And the rods do nothing other than position the shades. And the shades don't shade that much.

After seeing videos of rods and shades being hit,  perhaps we should shoot without them.

They are diffusers and because the sensors actually see the bullet as a shadow passing over against the backround of the diffusers.  You can shot with out the difusers but errors can show as the sensor may not see the bullet.

I use long bamboo skewers (at most food stores) to hold the diffusers on my CHRONY, in fact I made some diffusers from plastic water jugs by cutting a band around the square bottom section.  This set up has worked well for me.

The bamboo is snapped of without damage to the  sensor housings.

The Chrony likes the bullets to pass about 4" to 6" above the  the center of the sensors for the best readings, some people place tape or paint the uprights to reference the sweet spot.  My target is mounted behind the CHRONY as my reference.

Thanks for that info.

I'm going out to play again soon.  Embarrassed to say, my hands were cold in 48 degree weather. Probably will take a few seasons for my bod to forget California weather. I'm going to buy some shooting gloves to block the wind.

I realized I needed to focus on a point far beyond the chronograph and forget it was there to avoid hitting any part of it. Good shooters have hit theirs, so I like the idea about using wooden or bamboo rods.