chrony
- Thread starter metallica
- Start date
Guy Miner
Master Loader
- Apr 6, 2006
- 17,664
- 5,451
:grin: Carefully! :grin:
The muzzle blast from a powerful rifle can topple a chronograph on a tripod right onto the deck! Set it up 10 - 15 feet in front of the muzzle, on a sturdy tripod and consider using a weight or bracing the tripod. Just in case.
To avoid shooting it - look either alongside the barrel, or remove the bolt and look through the barrel just to make darned sure that you're not lined up with any part of the chronograph. It's easy to forget that your line of sight through the scope is a couple of inches above the bore...
I tend to take my time and make very sure that I'm properly lined up. After you've done it a few times, it becomes habit, and much quicker.
Good luck - a chronograph is a really interesting tool for the handloader.
Regards, Guy
The muzzle blast from a powerful rifle can topple a chronograph on a tripod right onto the deck! Set it up 10 - 15 feet in front of the muzzle, on a sturdy tripod and consider using a weight or bracing the tripod. Just in case.
To avoid shooting it - look either alongside the barrel, or remove the bolt and look through the barrel just to make darned sure that you're not lined up with any part of the chronograph. It's easy to forget that your line of sight through the scope is a couple of inches above the bore...
I tend to take my time and make very sure that I'm properly lined up. After you've done it a few times, it becomes habit, and much quicker.
Good luck - a chronograph is a really interesting tool for the handloader.
Regards, Guy
quickdeath
Beginner
- Oct 4, 2006
- 48
- 0
hey metalica,,,,you know,i shoot alot,,,probably about 2 or 3 thousand rounds a year at my local sportsman club,,,i find it a waste of time to set up my chrony and sight in my rifle at the same time.a chrony is made to do one thing and that is to measure speed in fps or mps.it is not going to help you in any way sighting in your rifle and is very distracting.tell you what i do,,,i'll load 10 cartridges,,,,take the rifle and set up the chrony in front of a hillside or make sure of your backstop(VERY IMPORTANT),,,stand 7 to 10 feet away,,fire those bullets,,take your average and if the speed is not what you anticipated,,go home and load some more until you get the desired fps's your looking for then take the gun out and sight it in.i find it's alot easier to hit a target in plain view with no distractions.however if you still insist on sighting in with a chrony,,,come up off of the chrony 4" and 6" and run a piece of 1/2 inch masking tape colored with a red magic marker from rod to rod,,,set the chrony at the target centered between the tape and fire away.joe
"Guy"s got the right procedure,
I agree, you don't need a chrony to "sight-in" a rifle, and you can even work up some reloads looking for accuracy without a chrony.
BUT I think shooting over a chrony while working up a series of reloads and looking for accuracy at the same time, can sure save some time in the long run. It can even keep you from shooting rounds that are too hot. (Though if your getting near max. listed powder level, you should be checking each case and primer for signs of excess pressure anyway)
Also the use of a good rifle rest, makes it easy to keep the bullets above the chrony. You can probably put the bullets 6" to 10" over the chrony and still get good reading, depending on the unit.
I agree, you don't need a chrony to "sight-in" a rifle, and you can even work up some reloads looking for accuracy without a chrony.
BUT I think shooting over a chrony while working up a series of reloads and looking for accuracy at the same time, can sure save some time in the long run. It can even keep you from shooting rounds that are too hot. (Though if your getting near max. listed powder level, you should be checking each case and primer for signs of excess pressure anyway)
Also the use of a good rifle rest, makes it easy to keep the bullets above the chrony. You can probably put the bullets 6" to 10" over the chrony and still get good reading, depending on the unit.
Jeff Olsen
Handloader
- Nov 10, 2006
- 294
- 2
metallica":3cc5na3f said:
I like to put mine a good 25 feet out. It seems to work more consistantly out there.
I have not shot mine, yet. Knock on wood! One time, an old-timer showed up at the quarry where I shoot and was pretty impressed by this "radar gun" for bullets. I told him he should shoot his rifle over it, a 25-06 I believe. Well, SOMETHING came out the barrel of that rifle and knocked a little hole in the plastic faceplate of the Chrony! Still works fine. Never did figure out what it was, and he wouldn't shoot over it again.
They are an invaluable tool for the reloader. It will drive you nuts to see how far off some of your loads are from where you thought they were, though. Mostly slower, sometimes a LOT slower.
-jeff
Well, SOMETHING came out the barrel of that rifle and knocked a little hole in the plastic faceplate of the Chrony
Did it look a bit like this??
Range 15 ft
rifle M700
260 Rem with 120 gr Sierra SP
How this happened is a long story with the offending party still in a state of deep denial :roll: The screen still runs the range, the shot was poor and nothing vital was hit even though if you look close there is a second "grazing" hit on the top of the body. The fact he "wounded" it and missed his intended targets vitals had the shooter in a deep funk the rest of the trip. The same offender once shot the legs off the sky screen. Took both of `em off the same side with one shot!!
The closer to the guns muzzle the screen, the "larger" the window you have to shoot through. I seem to get in trouble when I put the screens wayyy out there. If the muzzle blast will let me shoot at 8-10 ft, and with most cartridges I use it will, that is where I now put them. (no 300 UMs in my safe)
I use multiple targets on a cardboard backer when I`m at the range so I don`t have to make as many trips to change them. This is fine most of the time, except if I don`t pay attention the line of flight, the bullet gets close to the screens "window" and with higher power scopes you don`t always notice it.
Muzzle blast from some high intensity cartridges will screw with reading if the screen are too close. I get more troubles though from the guy on the next bench with a muzzle brake on a 308 though :x The brakes send a blast all up and down the fireing line. This not only messes with the screens but if it is hitting the unit itself on the bench it causes it go wild. The lighting can cause problems too. I like the sun straight up. Shooting at early morning or late afternoon seems to cause more false or eradic reading for me. I accully think the ligh causes more problems then any other one cause. [/img]
Jeff Olsen
Handloader
- Nov 10, 2006
- 294
- 2
Ol` Joe said:
