[Philmo11]

Don’t know if anyone is in the market for one but I got a new chrono today to test loads. Caldwell Ballistics Precision G2. Attached a picture. Looks funny because it’s built upside down but I tested it today in the worst possible conditions (high moisture as it’s been raining, low light, windy and 37 degrees) and it works pretty darn good. Bluetooth, rechargeable lithium battery, LED lighting from underneath. I haven’t tested the Bluetooth with the app yet but I will this weekend sometime.

 

[Speed]

Attachment is not working. Link points to Camera Land vendor section.

 

[Philmo11]

Yeah, I left feedback on the new site thread. It’s not a link I posted, it’s actually a photo in my camera roll I attached from my phone. It’s a bug in the site.

 

[Philmo11]

I deleted the attachment and uploaded it again. It appears to work now.

 

[Coalcracker]

I have a caldwell too. Im very satisfied with it.

 

[fixitfred]

Looks like a good one. It bothers me when people quote velocities off printed data on what they're supposed to be getting. You don't know what you're really getting until you put a good chrono on it. It has innovative features that make sense. I hope it serves you well.

 

[jrbfishn]

Nice. I have a Caldwell too but not as fancy. A good chronograph is definitely worth the money when you reload.
When I finally got one there was one thing that I discovered that really surprised me though. I found that a couple of my least accurate reloads had the most consistent velocities.
Absolutely neccessary for accuracy, especially at longer ranges. And since velocity plays such a big part at long distance, it is surprising sometimes how much temperatures effect some powders. Something that is hard to figure out without one.


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[Philmo11]

Yeah, the 45 ACP I loaded the other day was pretty far off the load data. Glad I had one then or it could have been a disaster. Had my father pick this one up out in Missouri, been sitting at my brother’s for a while in the box while I was using his. Good thing he never unpacked it or it might not have made it home. He has a Caldwell too but his is a bit temperamental. I think it’s a bit more sensitive to how far away you are.

 

[Wag]

Never felt the need for a chrono. Not sure how it helps me to know the speed of a load.....

--Wag--

 

[Philmo11]

Helps me determine how much energy is created by the load.

 

[jrbfishn]

It helps you figure energy which can help tell you if you are getting into the unsafe pressure ranges for pistol loads especially if you like to push past the upper end of load data.
For rifles, it can be vital to calculate drop and wind deflection at distance. A ballistic calculator is worthless without velocity. I shoot rimfires out to 300yds. Center fires out to 1000. Knowing muzzle velocity saves me a lot of shooting to get drop. Windage would have to be experience without the app.
Rimfire rounds, even out of the same box can vary quite a bit but an average, say for CCI minimag hp, will get me a lot closer than nat having it.

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[jrbfishn]

Almost forgot. It is real handy for factory ammo at distance as well. Test barrels can be made to much tighter tolerances than production barrels and to a specific length to determine listed velocity. A load designed for max velocity from a 22" barrel can lose 100-200 fps by changing length by 2". That doesn't mean much at 100-200yds, but at 300-1000yds, even at a 2'x3' target it can be the difference between a hit and a miss let alone a grouping. I know guys that buy bullets in 1000 lots. They weigh each bullet and separate by into lots at 2-3grn increments. Only load boxes of 100 and chronograph each box.
They are a little anal. I am not that picky.

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[Wag]

They are a little anal. I am not that picky.

That's probably my attitude, more or less. I never exceed maximums on the load data and I just load up 10 round samples at 0.5 gr increments. When I hit one that's accurate, I go with that.

--Wag--

 

[jrbfishn]

Pretty much what I do. Depends on powder and bullet. Start with the load data chart for a bullet. Load 5 rounds at .5grn increments. Take the best 2 groups and load 5 each in .2grn increment and and keep the best load. But I also track the velocity for long range shooting.

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[SGW _Gunsmith_]

Helps me determine how much energy is created by the load.

Especially when you have the exact velocity of the ammunition you're reloading. There's no other way to get that and be assured of what you're getting.
As for me and the testing of .22 rimfire ammunition, I wouldn't be without a chronograph. I have the Oehler 35 P (Proof) chronograph that has three sky screens with the middle screen recording velocity and the third screen verifying what is being recorded. This chronograph is equipped with a printer so I can have a printout of the velocity, SD, range of velocity hi to low, and then the average, which I consider to be very handy for what I'm attempting to do. Saves me from doin' a whole bunch of syferrin', as Jethro would say:

 

[fixitfred]

I have fond memories of Oehler. Around 40 years ago it was a premium brand. I don't know if they pioneered the sky screens but I thought they did. I see new models with the skyscreens on top of the unit which is a bit worrisome. A gunsmith buddy of mine had an Oehler 33 I had access to. I could never afford one back then. Back in my youth I was obsessed with sheer velocity. I was disappointed that I wasn't achieving what the printed data said they were getting. It may have partially contributed to my bad habit of going well over loads I found in manuals. I still remember the line in the manual where it said "muzzle blast is evil!" keep it away or you might get strange readings.

I don't know how well Oehler held on to their market share over the years. I'm surprised I don't have a chrono but I shoot at indoor ranges so it would be a little problematic. If I end up getting one it might be an Oehler. I need to get a good one because I learned a lot from a chrono.