Which Chronograph

[gr8ful]

I am in the market for a chronograph.  I have had good luck drawing on the group experience here before, so, Which models have you used? Any you would recommend?  My budget is $200 range. Thanks

[Savage]

I had a "Beta Chrony" that I gave away in frustration. It was too sensitive to ambient lighting conditions. It would frequently give wild readings, when it gave one at all. Maybe I just had a bad one.
I currently have a "Pact XL". The chronograph function works fine. The timer function leaves a lot to be desired. The start signal is weak, and it frequently fails to detect a shot even in close proximity to the firearm. I paid around $300 for it as best I recall. The Chrony was around $100. Wish I could remember the name of the one we have at the club. It works great. I'll look it up later when I'm home and post it.
Savage 

[Savage]

Here it is. Based on my frequent use of our club chrono, this is the one I'd buy if I were buying one today.

Link not working. I'll see if I can fix it.

Here's a picture. Price about $125  http://www.cabelas.com/catalog/largeImagePopup.jsp?productId=739957


Savage

[necchi]

 Seems in the range your looking at there's only a few. You can start at 100 then add more math functions on board up too that $200 range then it jumps to the high end stuff around $600+.
 I settled for the Chrony F-1 Master, I found for 119. The "Master" models have the display attached with a phone cord so you can read and re-set at the bench when the chrony is set 10-15' away.
 I have to wright down each reading, then do the math at home for averages, ES and SD. More money spent and they have an on board memory and math functions.
For $100, I can do math,
http://www.shootingchrony.com/products_SCMMCM.htm

All chronies are sensitive to light, that's what makes them work. They "see" the shadow of the bullet passing over the photo sensitive cell. Ya just have to be smarter than sunshine or a cloudy day, and you can make'm work for you instead of against ya. Here's some links I found usefull when I made my choice;

http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,222256.0.html
http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,219538.msg1099195907.html#msg1099195907

[bigvarmnt]

I've used the one Savage linked from Cabelas for over 10 yrs and never had a problem with it. A couple times I tried to use it too late in the eve. and it wouldn't read in very low light. For the money it works great for me.

[Lloyd Smale]

ive had chronys and wouldnt waste my money on another. I know have a pact. Its not as good of a unit as my buddys ohler but it does a decent job.

[Savage]

All chronies are sensitive to light, that's what makes them work. They "see" the shadow of the bullet passing over the photo sensitive cell. Ya just have to be smarter than sunshine or a cloudy day, and you can make'm work for you instead of against ya.

Guess I didn't make myself clear in my previous post.

The "Crony" I had wouldn't read reliably in the sun or the shade, with or without the sky screens. I was fortunate enough to have access to other chronographs while I was trying to use the Crony. It helped me to see how a quality product should work. Thus my choice of the Pact. Recent experience with the club's chrono has convinced that a decent one can be had for under $200. For my money, it's not the Chrony,

Savage

[calvon]

A difference of opinion is what makes a horse race.

I'm on my second F-1 Chrony (the cheapest model). The first one laid down and died after ten years.

This model does no arithmetic. It does nothing except to give you a readout of the velocity of the last shot fired over it. I have devised a simple form to record velocity at the range and a simple spreadsheet on the computer to do the math for me. The spreadsheet sorts the velocities from high to low and produces both average velocity and standard deviation.

I'm well satisfied with it.

[2ndtimer]

Here it is. Based on my frequent use of our club chrono, this is the one I'd buy if I were buying one today.

Link not working. I'll see if I can fix it.

Here's a picture. Price about $125  http://www.cabelas.com/catalog/largeImagePopup.jsp?productId=739957


Savage

I have had 2 of the Pro Chrono Digital units, and they have both worked quite well.  I added a remote control to my current one so I can run through its calculations from the bench without having to go down range.  Very useful at my club where there is almost always other shooters on the line.  The digital readout is large enough to easily read from 15 feet away, and it gives each shot readout, the high, the low, the average, the extreme spread, and the standard deviation.  You can fire up to 9 different strings and it remembers them all.  A very nice unit and reasonably priced.  Oh, and what happened to the first one?  No, I didn't shoot it.  I lent it to a buddy who thought it was a gift.  Turned out, it was!

[Savage]

I lent it to a buddy who thought it was a gift.  Turned out, it was!

There's a lesson in there somewhere!

Savage

[markp]

For what its worth. I bought a crony F 1 ..... 7 or 8 years ago for less then  $100.00. It is nothing fancy and only tells you what
your last velocity was.  I consider it one of the best $100.00 I have ever spent. Works well and Simple suits me fine.

[AtlLaw]

I bought a crony  ..... 7 or 8 years ago for less then  $100.00. ... tells you what
your last velocity was.  I consider it one of the best $100.00 I have ever spent.

+1!   

[.22-5-40]

Hello, gr8ful.  The way I look at these things..be it firearms, precision tools, loading presses, etc.  If you buy right..you will have something for the rest of your life...Why not save up a bit longer, and buy one of the oldest and top rated of the bunch..Oehler?

[gr8ful]

Thanks for all of the replies guys!