The chronograph protection program PT 2

[Benchrest]

After almost three months of no trigger time I finally got to go shooting

Having about 40 loads to chrono (yes, really), and NOT wanting an early demise for my 3rd chrono, I came up with the ridiculous

Some actual thought went into this: Protect the chrono from up-to hot 10mm loads; Small / portable / under 10lbs; Couldn't be reactive.

A scrap piece of AR500 steel would have done the trick, but hitting it from 10' wasn't something I was interested in trying.

Stopbox

4 layers of 13-ply Baltic birch, loose framing nails, and a couple of bricks.





Of course, it had to be tested

10mm 180gr @ 1,250, and a 155XTP around 1,350.





Both loads I'd consider 'warm', and while they went cleanly through the plywood, they stopped fairly shallow into the nails.



For a kludged together idea it worked pretty well

The other component is the chrono's Digital Link - This worked perfectly.

Easy to read output on a tablet.



Name a string (ex: 10mm 155XTP XX.Xgr Powder) and start shooting - Later you can export your strings in CSV format for spreadsheet use, or a .pdf.



<broken link removed>

Perfect weather, beautiful day, and I DIDN'T shoot my chrono

Next time out I'm out I think I'll hit the box with a .308

Read More

 

[Darkker]

... So you've already shot TWO chronographs?

Nice idea, if you need it.

 

[Certaindeaf]

I like it.. and you'll have a ready supply of #8 sinkers if you ever need to make field repairs or fabricate a target stand. Win!

 

[Benchrest]

... So you've already shot TWO chronographs?

Nice idea, if you need it.

In my defense, it wasn't an inability to aim, rather being cognizant of a certain pistol's rear sight issue.

My lack of awareness cost $300, and two bricks.

 

[Benchrest]

I like it.. and you'll have a ready supply of #8 sinkers if you ever need to make field repairs or fabricate a target stand. Win!

Don't think I didn't see what you did there

 

[P7M13]

Curious: why not sand instead of nails?

 

[Certaindeaf]

Curious: why not sand instead of nails?

Yelling "Nailed it!" while dancing a little jig is just so much more satisfying.

 

[Benchrest]

Curious: why not sand instead of nails?

Didn't have sand?



Other than the bricks, I just used what I had on hand. I wanted it to have enough mass so it wouldn't slam into the chono, knocking it over. I wanted the front to be non-reactive, minimizing any chance of injury from ricochet. The nails - high mass, energy absorbing through movement, relatively 'soft'. The bricks, last line of defense.

It was just a quick 'what if' project that, very surprisingly, worked as imagined.

I'm sure there's a 100 variations that would achieve the same result

 

[Benchrest]

Yelling "Nailed it!" while dancing a little jig is just so much more satisfying.

Isn't it your nap time!

 

[P7M13]

Yelling "Nailed it!" while dancing a little jig is just so much more satisfying.

Somehow that's just not as satisfying as Gene Hackman, playing Popeye Doyle, yelling "Bullseye!" as he grabs a nice rack....

 

[elsie]

Besides, sand would just leak out of the hole and make a mess... B-)


elsie

 

[Velzey]

Note to self, don't let Benchrest near my chrony...

 

[Benchrest]

Note to self, don't let Benchrest near my chrony...

Hey, it's the Parker's fault!