Author Topic: Blackpowder and Chronographs? (Read 788 times)

JoeLansing · « **on:** September 25, 2004, 03:57:38 PM »

I've got a PACT Model 1 with all the bells and whistles except for a printer showing up very soon. I read that with big bore guns you need to put the screens a good ways away (10-12') from the muzzle. How about a smokepole? Do I need to go out even farther because of the smoke? Will shooting with a sabot affect readings? I'm sorry for the dumb questions, but I don't want to look dumb and have to set it up 4 times when I get to the range. Any other hints you might have would be great also? Thank you for any replies. - Joe

P.S. Here's what I'm getting, and I've got a decent tripod if needed.
http://www.midwayusa.com/rewriteaproduct/965062

Keith Lewis · « **Reply #1 on:** September 26, 2004, 06:12:41 PM »

I have a relatively cheap chronograph and had to send it back for rebuild after shooting my muzzleloader through it. The unburned powder managed to burn through the face of the readout and now I hang a piece of plexiglas in front of the chronograph to protect it from the powder and from any plastic sabots, Powerbelt base cups etc. I suggest you make some kind of shield for yours before you mess it up.

AndyHass · « **Reply #2 on:** September 27, 2004, 09:45:38 AM »

Ask Vapour, a plastic sabot WILL dent a chronograph! (ok, so I shot his chronograph, not him

)
I tape a thick piece of plywood or plexiglass over the screen and tape up ANY other openings in the chronograph to assure no residue gets in. Never had problems since.
Another good idea is to replace the metal aerials with uncooked spaghetti. That way when a sabot hits one it will snap the spaghetti rather than the body of your chrony.
For distance, I just do the same as a rifle.

Vapour · « **Reply #3 on:** September 27, 2004, 11:06:40 AM »

I now put a block of wood in front of my chronograph before using it with a muzzleloader :-)

You also will get strange looks from your wife when you go into the kitchen asking for uncooked spaghetti for shooting.

Nic_58 · « **Reply #4 on:** September 27, 2004, 04:06:19 PM »

I have a Competition Electronics Pro Chrono Digital chronograph and have shot through it with a ML several times with not a problem. I also use a piece of plexiglass taped over the screen of the unit. Until now, I have always put the rods and plastic diffusers on also. But while shooting yesterday, a sabot hit the front diffuser and cracked it almost in half. I ordered a new diffuser and it's going to cost me about $14 for that blunder. From now on when shooting a ML through it, I'm just going to place the rods in the chrono to line everything up with the target and then remove them altogether, then hopefully I won't be able to damage anything else the next time I go to the range.

AndyHass · « **Reply #5 on:** September 27, 2004, 05:22:08 PM »

Try the spaghetti....it's worth the funny looks from your wife!

JoeLansing · « **Reply #6 on:** September 27, 2004, 05:31:06 PM »

I don't have a wife anymore. Can I use the ex's pics to cover the display?

Seriously though, my electronics will be sitting next to me on the bench. There's supposed to be a 19' cord between the wire things? and the brain display unit. I was just more worried about the blast/smoke/sabot of the ML messing up the readings. How far should I put the wire halo things from the muzzle? I got one of these. Be here Thursday with any luck. http://www.midwayusa.com/rewriteaproduct/965062

My friends at work say I'll shoot it, everyone says I'll shoot it. grrrr! Well, I do have spaghetti, but I'll feel really strange bringing it to the range.... - Joe

Nic_58 · « **Reply #7 on:** September 28, 2004, 02:52:43 PM »

I was told to place my chronograph 10 ft. from the muzzle and everything was cool until that stray sabot took out the front diffuser. I wonder if it had anything to do with the blue .40/.50 sabot that the 200 gr. Shockwave uses. They shed the petals like the orange sabots of Dead Centers. I had never had a problem shooting T/C and Harverster sabots which don't shed their petals. But the day I hit the chrono diffuser, I was using 200 gr. Shockwaves exclusively. I don't think I'll have a problem again by leaving off the rods and diffusers the next time. I've never had a problem so far with the blast/smoke/sabot messing up the readings on my chronograph. I believe in approximately 150 or so rounds through the unit, it has never missed a reading.

Cuz · « **Reply #8 on:** September 30, 2004, 06:49:00 AM »

I have heard of using wooden dowel rods but NEVER spagetti. Just what brand of spagetti would you fellas recommend??

Cuz

Vapour · « **Reply #9 on:** September 30, 2004, 06:57:23 AM »

I know you're joking, but honestly I've had the best success with the thin Fettucini. It fits pretty firmly in my beta chrony and is a bit thicker than spagehtti so survives the muzzle blast longer.

Anything should work as long as it's not low carb. :-D

Seriously, the looks my wife and mother-in-law gave me the first time my father-in-law and I walked in looking for spagehtti, were priceless.

JoeLansing · « **Reply #10 on:** September 30, 2004, 12:44:16 PM »

I got my Chrony today, and now I see how you could hit the sensor at the bottom and damage it. You'd have to hit it pretty hard though. I don't see how spaghetti would work in mine. Maybe lasagna noodles? Here's a small 64k pic of it http://www.msu.edu/~cunorton/screens1.jpg

The instructions that came with it were very funny! An excerpt: "If it's extremely cold outside you might want to bring two batterys, and keep one warm in your shirt pocket to swap out incase the other one starts to freeze. Then again, if it's that cold, maybe you should be at home sipping a hot toddy and supervising your wife while she reloads your ammo?"

Vapour · « **Reply #11 on:** October 01, 2004, 03:50:46 AM »

That thing is HUGE. What kind is it?

I use a Beta Chrony. Here's a link on the cabelas site.

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/vertical-item.jhtml?id=0005823220699a&navCount=0&cmCat=srchdx&cm_ven=srchdx&cm_ite=srchdx

I just replace the aluminum rods with spagehtti--no need to use the diffusers on a cloudy day. Mine has a slight dent right above the "O" in "Chrony" from one of Andy's sabots. Fortunately, there's about an inch gap between the front of the unit and any electronics, so no harm done.

Cuz · « **Reply #12 on:** October 01, 2004, 05:36:56 AM »

Yelp, was kiddin' about the brand thingie. never used spagetti tho. may give fettucini a go, with Alfredo sauce and mushrooms.

have a Chrony F-1 and use wooden dowels. I know it ain't top drawer but it tells me what I wish to know.

On the HUGE chrony, I would expect lasagna with a wide noodle would work. the baby is a biggin' for such. is that msu=Murray State?

talk was of distance from the muzzle. place mine 15 feet down range and have no trouble with 'smoke' damage. sabot hits at that distance usually do no damage, but they do occur.

just tell me how ole Dan'l Boone kilt all them bears?? all he had was a round ball, spit patch and loose black powder. NO sabots, no Blue Wonder, no Chrony (just to check his load, would not wish to shoot a bear with a deer load) and all the other 'stuff' we BP shooters enjoy today. Well, I don't know, but I would not change places with him 'cause I like my Omega 50 and all the conveniences that go with BP today.

any one for wine with their fettucini?? bread sticks?

Cuz

Trail Bum · « **Reply #13 on:** October 01, 2004, 12:56:24 PM »

Joe, You have the Screens Wrong, unless they changed thing since I bought Mine, several Years Ago. The Screens take a Bow Upwards. Flip them Over so the Tabs on the Screens are Pointing Up. Not Sure if it Really Matters. But I get Better Readings,with the Screens this way.