Now i need a chronograph

Started by cohiba, March 01, 2013, 02:02:04 AM

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cohiba

Need some guidance on purchasing a chronograph. Mostt all my shooting is done indoors at my warehouse. Sometimes the lights are on but not always, i understand this makes a difference?

What should i buy? And how do you set it up with the needed accessories, not the "extra junk"?

I have no idea what im getting into..........but i have enough builds now that having one would be cool.

Cohiba

mr007s

There has been a few threads here about Chrony Connect, an app for your phone that works well. I watched some you tube movies that shows what it can do. That may be an option for you.

JEBert

QuoteSometimes the lights are on but not always, i understand this makes a difference?
Mine is the traditional type and that is what my description pertains to.  There are newer types and I don't even know how all of them work. 
It depends on whether they provide enough light, or if they are fluorescent or not.  Fluorescent lights flicker.  We may not be able to see it but they do, about 60 times a second (house current is 120v 60htz) and the chronograph will return errors under fluorescent lights.
Chronographs were designed to be used out in the sunlight and they have diffusers over the screens to keep the sun from reflecting off of the bullet and shining on the pickup screen.  You don't have to use the diffusers if the cloud cover is right but having the diffusers in place offers the screen a white background and the projectile will cast a shadow on the screen when it passes over.
Indoors or at night, incandescent lights just need to be bright enough, or moved closer to the diffusers to provide enough light for the pellet to cast a shadow over the pickup screens.  Many folks put a set of light fixtures just over the diffusers and some even attach them to brackets on the diffusers.  Your choice, just light up the diffusers enough.
As far as what to buy, I am probably not the guy to ask.  I had the spare cash several years ago and I sprung for a CED Millennium 2 ($200).  Here is a review I found online just today for your reading:
http://ezine.m1911.org/CEDchrono.htm
I haven't used it a lot and haven't even set it up since I got back into airguns but I really like it.  Mine came with a cable and software to import the shot data into a spreadsheet in the PC.  All I added was a battery and a tripod.
The last time I used it was a few Christmases ago to chrono SWIMBO's grandson's airsoft guns in our dining room.  I did get some errors until I positioned one screen under the overhead light that is above the table and I moved a lamp nearer to above the other screen and it picked up just fine with no errors.
Most people don't want to spend that much and there are several less expensive ones out there.  Someone else will have to tell you how they like theirs.
A side note about the grandson's airsoft: His dad was telling us we could shoot at each other with them and have "wars" and that was why airsoft was invented.  I ran them over the chrono (around 320fps) and had him shoot me in the back (I wouldn't shoot him until I knew how it felt) and he had me shoot him in the back to see how it felt and he changed his mind about shooting at each other with them.  I was glad because I don't want anyone pointing any gun at anyone else even playing with toys. 
Cheers,
Jerry
NRA Life Member
USAF Veteran 1973-1977 (43151E) Sgt (E-4)