Rough year for chronographs

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earlmck
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Rough year for chronographs

Post by earlmck »

Back in January we had a number of days with weather good enough a feller could get a little shootin' in. One of those days I was set up testing some loads and a snow squall came my direction so I packed up toys and headed back to town. Got home and discovered that I'd left behind the chronograph screen thingy on its little tripod. So rush back out and (of course) it is gone. Hadn't been another rig down that road all day until I left something sitting out for 40 minutes, and there she goes. I've got the brains rolled up in the phone cord that attaches; he's got the screens that turn the brain on and off. Neither one of us has anything of value.

I'm spoilt -- just can't get interested in testing loads if I can't see the velocity and the spread thereof. So I order up another chronograph, this time I get a Prochrono model instead of my old Chrony model. The new one seems sturdier and has nicer screen shades, but has the readout screen right on the unit staring directly at the gun muzzle. The old Chrony had the readout attached by long telephone cord and you could sit it on the bench beside you. I've been doing OK with the new baby, sitting it close enough that I can see the velocity reading and record it in the old tally book.

But us cast bullet shooters (or those of us who use gas checks) should not have anything fragile set up out in front of the muzzle -- once in a while a gas check is going to come off. And that happened to me yesterday: perfect little 22 cal hole right in the readout screen (testing different 22 hornet loads). Didn't penetrate more'n 1/8 th inch. But that was enough to ruin the readout screen. And I was on such a good run with the day's shooting, too!

I sulked around for a day but then gave in and got another chronograph ordered up. Back to the old Chrony model where the fragile part sits at my elbow and not out in front of the muzzle. And maybe the nice Prochrony screen shades will fit on the Chrony.

Who has the avatar that says "If you're gonna' be dumb you better be tough" ? I guess I can resemble that remark.
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2ndovc
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Re: Rough year for chronographs

Post by 2ndovc »

Happens all the time. I used to have a picture of a chronograph screen that had a perfect .223 hole through the center of it. Good friend of my Dad's forgot that the scope on his brand new Colt AR was a bit higher than the rest of his rifles ( this was back before detachable carry handles). Being the funny guy that he was he stapled what was left of the screen to the center post of the roof over the benches.
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draperjojo
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Re: Rough year for chronographs

Post by draperjojo »

BTDT... I was out at the range with a couple new loads and the range master lined up the chrono I was setting up, to my gun. I walked back and looked through the scope and saw 100 yards clear out to the target. What I should have done is tilted the gun down to where I could see the chronograph and make sure I had plenty of room because there was about a 2" center distance from the barrel to scope... but instead I put a bullet in.. put the crosshairs on the target..and shot the top of the chronograph.... hahahaha. I ordered the parts for it and fixed it ... :D
Rusty
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Re: Rough year for chronographs

Post by Rusty »

I'll be I could get rich by offering heavy duty lexan Chrony shields on the net.
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GunnyMack
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Re: Rough year for chronographs

Post by GunnyMack »

Yup been there done that! I shot a buddies chrono many moons ago.
Now I always take extra time setting up my chrono, I always have a tape measure handy and I make durn sure the top of my chrono is the same as the top on the bench. That way once my rest is set I know my bore is well above the brains on the unit.

Yes heavy duty lean would be a great addition to all chronographs!
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AJMD429
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Re: Rough year for chronographs

Post by AJMD429 »

My chronograph mount has a 5" wide by 18' long piece of 1/2' steel mounted at an angle to protect the circuitry.
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wolfdog
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Re: Rough year for chronographs

Post by wolfdog »

45/70 500 grain cast load does a number on one. I have been thinkin on one of the Magneto Speed ones. A couple of folks at the range have them and like them.
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Hawkeye2
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Re: Rough year for chronographs

Post by Hawkeye2 »

My first shot with my brand new Chrony many years back was dead center on the screen. I was fortunate in two things; I had the optional protective covers on the unit and I was shooting a Daisy BB bun (325 fps, extremely consistent). A very short learning curve and I won't let it happen again.
Bill in Oregon
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Re: Rough year for chronographs

Post by Bill in Oregon »

My old Oehler 35 just keeps on chugging, but I have some, um, un'splained perforations in the sky screen hardware ...
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Old Savage
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Re: Rough year for chronographs

Post by Old Savage »

Yeah, they just don't hold up well to gun fire.
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earlmck
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Re: Rough year for chronographs

Post by earlmck »

My first chronograph was an Oehler model 11. It used screens that you shot through and the bullet making contact across two conductors started and stopped the count, so that I was able to make my screens by sandwiching a piece of cardboard between two sheets of aluminum foil. And this was all held in place by a very replaceable 2.5' long homemade wooden screen holder. Lasted for around 30 years before I just had to have one of those new-fangled sky screen types that would let you get velocities at the same time you shot your group. Probably should just dig the old baby out and go back to primitive.

Unlike some of you I have never had the "oops" of shooting my chronograph with the bullet I was testing. I was just noting that us cast-bullet shooters may have a second projectile in the air if the gas check comes off prematurely, and so we should avoid like the plague any chronograph model that has the readout screen sitting out in front of the muzzle. My old Chrony model that I stoopidly abandoned had a couple of dents it had acquired from errant gas-checks, but those little dents hadn't bothered the sensor. They sure do bother a plastic readout screen though!
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is he who heals the most gullies.
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marlinman93
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Re: Rough year for chronographs

Post by marlinman93 »

Couldn't you have purchased new screens cheaper than a complete chronograph?
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