Chronograph

[P7M13]

I predict the biggest problem you will have when learning to use your chronograph is,...

How disappointed you are likely to be when the velocities of you favorite loads fall short of the "optimistic" ones published in reloading manuals.

I think the biggest problem is that you won't set it up right and will shoot it. I set mine up incorrectly and the sun filters "popped" apart with my 2nd or 3rd shot. Other shooters on the line thought I had shot it and were laughing. Found it worked very well without those shades and so now I don't even use them. I also did discover getting 200fps MORE than I calculated out of a load. Unfortunately, speed does not always equal accuracy

I use an excel spreadsheet for record keeping, just enter the data when I get home.

I enter them in the range on my laptop. Found when I write them down, it never gets entered. Pack up, unload, put stuff away, clean. Range notes get left in the ammo box and forgotten.

They come in handy even after that. Believe it or not, loads change due to temperature and barrel wear. Sometimes I swear they do even due to the shooter's attitude.

I will always have a chronograph around to test new batches of powder and when shooting in a new "season" when the temp's changed a bunch. Saves a lot of money on "sighters" when you have accurate info to plug into a ballistic's program. Between my QC when I build the ammo, and data from all kinds of ambient temps, I am able to get not only "on paper" when making huge range adjustments but often within a few "clicks"

Never discount the need for a chronograph if you make your own ammo or want dead on accuracy when changing ranges frequently.

BTW, my ballistic's computer is the Horus Vision software built into a watch. The H.R.T. by 5II. It's scary accurate.

Ain't that the truth.

 

[P7M13]

Same question posted on another forum, lots of answers there: <broken link removed>