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Savage16
PostPosted: Tue Feb 20, 2018 7:32 am  Reply with quote
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Joined: 30 Nov 2011
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Location: Minnesota

Have been thinking lately that I should get a chronograph to verify my reloads. Anyone have any experience with this brand or have other recommendations?

https://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/caldwell%C2%AE-ballistic-precision-chronograph#repChildCatid=3061201

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Dogchaser37
PostPosted: Tue Feb 20, 2018 9:26 am  Reply with quote
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Joined: 08 Aug 2011
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Location: Central CT

I don't have any experience with the Caldwell unit.

However I have the Prochrono, and it is very reliable with good results.

Here is the link.

https://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/product/productId/2452

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skeettx
PostPosted: Tue Feb 20, 2018 9:31 am  Reply with quote
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Joined: 15 Apr 2007
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Location: Amarillo, Texas

I use a Chrony
Mike


Last edited by skeettx on Wed Feb 21, 2018 2:04 pm; edited 1 time in total
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double vision
PostPosted: Tue Feb 20, 2018 9:39 am  Reply with quote
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I've had a basic Chrony forever. I'm betting that the Caldwell unit is just fine. You'll enjoy having your own to verify your ammo's velocity. I even check factory ammo now and then.
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Square Load
PostPosted: Tue Feb 20, 2018 10:41 am  Reply with quote
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Location: Flagstaff, AZ

Another Chrony user.

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Dennis

Current 16ga. Stable

Browning Citori Gr I
Browning Belgium Sweet 16
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Remington 11-48
Remington 31
Remington 870
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kennedy756
PostPosted: Tue Feb 20, 2018 11:06 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 30 Sep 2015
Posts: 637
Location: NEW SALISBURY INDIANA

I have the caldwell and love it, you will need a tri-pod, I measured my 16 ga reloads and got 1300 ft per sec, the load recipe said it should have been 1200 fps, so I called hodgdon and they said my data was wrong, so I measure some factory ammo that said 1200 fps on the box, and I got 1208, 1212, 1218 so I know it was working correctly. I had to reduce my load 2 bushings to get them down to 1200fps, no wonder my shoulder hurt after 4 rounds of trap.

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16ga Browning A-5 1929
16ga Marlin 90 1939
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3crosses
PostPosted: Tue Feb 20, 2018 12:52 pm  Reply with quote
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Joined: 06 Nov 2005
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I have a caldwell too. It is the newer unit than the one listed. The ap for Iphone or Android is a great addition.
I do not however use it to measure shotshells. I measure the velocity of airguns.
50 fps velocity change in shotshell is no matter of concern. with an airgun 50 fps difference can be a complete miss,. Or at least IMO. Your opinion may differ.


Last edited by 3crosses on Tue Feb 20, 2018 2:20 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Savage16
PostPosted: Tue Feb 20, 2018 1:30 pm  Reply with quote
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Joined: 30 Nov 2011
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Location: Minnesota

Thanks for the replies. I ordered it and should have it in 3-5 days.

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JNW
PostPosted: Tue Feb 20, 2018 5:17 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 15 Jun 2010
Posts: 1358
Location: Twin Cities, MN

When I was building a lot of new loads I kept a flat of factory ammo aside and every time I used the chronograph I shot several of these factory loads as my standard. There is variation from time to time and with different lighting situations so if you don't have a standard you don't know what's going on.
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old colonel
PostPosted: Tue Feb 20, 2018 5:58 pm  Reply with quote
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Joined: 01 Dec 2008
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Location: Topeka, Kansas

I will admit real ignorance on Chronograph’s for shotshells.

How far from entering the first screen is the muzzle ?

I have a simply chronograph, but have never used it for shotshells

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Topeka, KS
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skeettx
PostPosted: Tue Feb 20, 2018 6:20 pm  Reply with quote
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Location: Amarillo, Texas

http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?t=52459

And I use a thick plexiglass plastic cover over the readouts.

Mike

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old colonel
PostPosted: Tue Feb 20, 2018 6:54 pm  Reply with quote
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Thanks for the thread reference, it was useful

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Topeka, KS
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Brewster11
PostPosted: Wed Feb 21, 2018 1:58 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 08 Feb 2009
Posts: 1301
Location: Western WA

Chrony, but I never use the sky shields. They corrupt the readings. With the sky shields installed, my shotshell numbers are all over the map, totally useless, often picking up the sonic blast wave instead of the pellets. With the sky shields removed, the Chrony data is amazingly consistent, always grabs the pellets and never the sonic wave.

Of course it's always cloudy here so maybe I don't really don't need them anyway.

Definitely like Skeetx's plexiglass cover idea.
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MaximumSmoke
PostPosted: Wed Feb 21, 2018 7:18 pm  Reply with quote
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Location: Minnesota and Florida

It would be interesting to have a comparative test between a few different chronographs, but it would be time consuming and costly. It would be good to have them all set up the same -- same distance from muzzle, same day. Use a batch of carefully loaded ammo as similarly loaded as can be -- new hulls, everything scale measured, etc. Fire at least 5 shells from the same gun through each one and see if there was a statistically significant difference, or trend. More shots (at least 10, maybe a lot more) would be better, of course.

My chronograph is a CED Millenium II I got with my ballistics kit from Recreational Software, Inc. https://www.shootingsoftware.com/ It's easy enough to use, but I don't know how it really compares to others for accuracy.

Cheers!
Tony
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jswanson
PostPosted: Thu Feb 22, 2018 5:58 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 03 Feb 2008
Posts: 830
Location: Adirondak Mtns

I have an Oehler 35P that I like very much and have used it extensively for rifle and handgun but never for shot. There are three screens and on a 6 foot bar so the farthest screen will be at least 6 feet from the muzzle more likely 8 feet or better.

While I haven't used it for shot shells yet I most certainly Will but first I think it will be a good idea to do a little pattern testing to see just haw far the shot column opens up at close range. Say out to 10 feet. Not much I think based on experience with a few birds I didn't let get far enough away. Anyone know for sure?

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Interested in older US made SxS and upland hunting. New to reloading shot shells and looking for info and advice.
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