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Pilot 22
New Member
USA
12 Posts |
 Posted - Nov 05 2009 : 23:59:42
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1. Do you feel a Chrony is a necessity ?
2. Is the Green Chrony the one to do the best for the least price?
3. At what distance is the Chrony best used? |
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Evad
Advanced Member
USA
738 Posts |
Posted - Nov 06 2009 : 00:38:16
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Yes I feel a chrony is nessary, they not only tell you your velocity, but with the actual fps of your bullet, you can get a much more accurate drop chart from balistic software. I think any model is alright, I have had the one with the LCD on the main unit, and now I am using the one with the LCD you can put on your bench, It is a little more convenient. Most people put them about 10 or 15 feet from their shooting bench. Hope this helps,
Dave  |
I never met a gun I didn't like. |
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Kansas Ed
Advanced Member
USA
701 Posts |
Posted - Nov 06 2009 : 09:31:42
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I think it depends on what type of shooting/reloading you do. If you are loading 9mm to burn at the range...no I don't think it's necessary. If you are loading for your once a year deer rifle again the answer is no.
But if you are loading because you shoot competition of some sort, or are working with cartridges or combinations that have no current data, or data that's even close, or are wildcatting etc, yes I think they are a great tool.
The hype is all there, and now everyone thinks they are a necessity and you'd have to be an "unsafe reloader" to not have one, but everyone got along fine and dandy for 100 years or more without having access to one.
IMO most people don't need one, I wouldn't have one, except that I develop smokeless data for black powder cartridges. Frankly the manuals will get most people by quite well.
And the other thing is...don't think that chrony's are foolproof...mine consistently showed over 8000 fps for my 25-06 with certain bullets...and we know that's not possible.
Ed |
Are we there yet??? |
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ten2six
Senior Member
USA
248 Posts |
Posted - Nov 06 2009 : 11:34:45
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If you do a lot of reloading, they are nice to have, but I have to agree with Kansas Ed, that you can get by without them if you're not doing competition or load development outside the printed manuals. I don't use mine for any of the handgun calibers I reload. I will with rifle calibers if I want to calculate bullet drop out at distances, but only after I find the combination of bullet and powder charge my rifle likes. I'm not reloading hot, or for competition, so I know what data I want before I use mine.
As far as which Chrony is the best value...your budget and how you'll use it will decide that. Here's the link to the Chrony product site:
http://shootingchrony.com/products_SCMMCM.htm
Looks to me like the green ones are for archery or paint balls, but I've been known to be confused..;) One recommendation I'd make if you do decide to buy one, get a printer with it. Copying down numbers when you're shooting, or depending on a battery, isn't good for consistent shooting technique. |
"Chances are, when we meet intelligent life forms in outer space, they're going to be descended from predators."
- Michio Kaku |
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ranger335v
Advanced Member
662 Posts |
Posted - Nov 06 2009 : 13:26:44
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"1. Do you feel a Chrony is a necessity ?" No.
"2. Is the Green Chrony the one to do the best for the least price?" That's a personal choice. It isn't right for me.
"3. At what distance is the Chrony best used?" Put the start screen from 9 to 14 feet from the muzzle. |
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Paul B
Advanced Member
1681 Posts |
Posted - Nov 06 2009 : 18:50:20
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1. Do you feel a Chrony is a necessity ?
For me, ABSOLUTLY!
2. Is the Green Chrony the one to do the best for the least price?
Go with what your budget allows. I used their cheapest model for years. Still do. I also have the next one up the line that has to go back because it turned toes up on me and went insane. Sometimes, stuf does happen. Why does it always wait till the warranty runs out> 
3. At what distance is the Chrony best used?
I set mine at 15 feet. Some of my rifles have a prey nasty muzzle blast which an affect the accuracy of the readings.
Alow me to explain a bit one my answer to question number one, if I may. Not all cartridges are loaded to their full power. Two very fine examples are the 7x57 Mauser and the 30-06 because they were originally chambered in rifles with problems related to their strngth.
Most top loaddatafor the 7x57 with 140 gr. bullets run at the most 2600 FPS and some not even that fast. Too many weak 1893 and 1895 Spanish Mausers still running around. I can safely load my Winchester M70 to 2800 FPS in the heat of an Arizona summer by using the chronograph.
I yake a piece of graph paper and draw three lines, one vertical on the left side of the page, one horizontal at the bottom of the page and the third, diagonally running from the bottom left to the upper right of the page.
I plot the charge weights on the bottom line, and mark the vertical line in feet per second. (FPS)
Usually, I'll load three to five rounds with each charge. (Three rounds usually for ultra expensive bullets like the barnes TSX.)
I shoot load #1 and plot the velocites on the graph. After letting the rifle cool down, I do load #2 and so on.
Powder burns progressively at a linear rate as long as you are working within the pressure range for the powder. Go too low and pressure becomes erratic and with the slower burning powder may give you an unwelcome surpirse, a detontion. Go too high and we all know what happens there. The point is, by using the chrony, you can determine when you are getting to a point where a problem is on the horizon and not all that far away. Lets say that you're using IMR 4350 in say the 7x57 with a 139 gr. bullet. Lyman says 43.0 is the start load for 2475 FPS and max is 48.0 gr. for 2785 FPS
You've set your graph up to show velocity average per 3 or five shot per charge. Your plotting shows an average gain of X FPS pere charge plus or minus maybe 15 FPS as you work up the line. Maybe at 46.5 gr. you get a sudden big jump of 50 to 100 FPS, or it could go the other way and be a drop in speed, even though you have added more powder. That's the time to drop back 1.5 to 2 full grains and call it the max load for your rifle.
Probably 4350 asn't the best powder to demonstrate with as the mex is a compressed charge. However, with ball type powder like W-760 0r H-414 in a 7x57, it's real easy to end up going too far. I happen to use W-760 and at 2800 FPS I have no problem. At the next level, velocity went weird and bolt lift was very sticky. I dropped back to the 2800 FPS level and things were good.
That's why I feel a chronograph is an essential tool in reloading.
I use that same method whenever I start out with a new powder or bullet. It'll sure let you know where you can or cannot go when used judiciously.
Paul B. |
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fishstan2
Advanced Member
USA
1601 Posts |
Posted - Nov 08 2009 : 03:29:06
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Hello Pilot, great info here and some good great advice +6 to what has already been said.
Here are the answers to your questions IMHO:
"Yes" no more quessing and you can now know what your bullet is going to do at said ranges. question number 1
Like it has been said go with what you can afford as all Chrony procudts are good . question number 2
Your Book will tell you the best distance, but experince will come on line latter. question number 3
I hope this helps. Stan  |
WILLIAMS, STANLEY W.
SGM U.S. ARMY
CAMP TAJI IRAQ
"SHOOT EM FROM LONG" RANGE" |
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robz
New Member
Australia
21 Posts |
Posted - Nov 13 2009 : 02:47:42
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Yes, a Chrony is an invaluable tool for load development. I record the velocity , powder charge and group size for every three shot group.It soon becomes apparent when a load ceases to become economical, in that the gain in velocity does not mirror the increase in powder charge. This can also be a sign that pressure is reaching excessive levels.
I will sometimes find that I have two loads that are accurate,yet the velocities are not too far apart, yet the loads may be a grain or more apart.
I will choose the lesser one as this will have less pressure and also consume less powder, a consideration if you shoot alot.
Velocities in reloading manuals often do not mirror those of your rifle as they are quite different.
It's also curious how some loads that have a velocity variation of only a few feet per second turn out not to be the most accurate loads.
rob |
robz |
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high score
Junior Member
United Kingdom
48 Posts |
Posted - Nov 13 2009 : 15:49:03
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Some good points on this thread and I for one will use a chrono for the same reasons although many of the guys I shoot with don't and probably don't miss it. I simply like understanding the rifles internal/ external performance when running up loads. In addition, it can be used as a rifle ''health check'' for example barrel wear or mapping out performance differences with the temperature as the seasons roll around and the ambient temp changes.
Just one last point, if using a moderator, the chrono can easily be placed within 4 feet of the muzzle.
HS |
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RaySendero
Average Member
USA
142 Posts |
Posted - Nov 15 2009 : 08:13:13
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quote:
Originally posted by Pilot 22
1. Do you feel a Chrony is a necessity ?
2. Is the Green Chrony the one to do the best for the least price?
3. At what distance is the Chrony best used?
My answers:
1. YES
2. Don't know of the "Green Chrony"
3. 10 Feet |
Ray |
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Dom
Moderator
Germany
890 Posts |
Posted - Nov 15 2009 : 10:47:05
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Maybe not a necessity for casual reloders but if you're serious, then yes.
Personal choice, I also don't know what a "Green Chrony" is. Mine is the color blue.
I set mine as far from the muzzle as the cable allows, as noted, muzzle blase on some rifles is intense and too close = no read. Waidmannsheil, Dom. |
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Chrony
