Chronograph advice Do I need one?

[jerm8352]

I have been looking at getting a chronograph but I’m not sure I really need one or would benefit from one really. Started reloading about 10 years ago and besides lots of pistol reloaded for all my hunting rifles. Basically I just found a load for each one that didn’t show pressure signs but was up close to the book max and left it there for the last ten years. Good enough for hunting out to 400 yards (my limit). Recently I just bought and then won some nicer rifles that happened to be in the same calibers as my previous rifles that I still have. Thought to myself that if they are nicer I should do some upgrading. Bought some Peterson brass and a Hornady head space kit to do a better job of sizing and saving brass. Chronograph was the other thing I was gonna get but stopped to think about whether I would actually benefit from it. Would a Chronograph be useful or helpful for hunting loads out to 400 yards? Especially is this day and age when you are using whatever components you can get instead of trying to find the best would it make much of a difference? Thanks for the insight.

 

[deerhunter628]

It really probably depends on your rifle caliber. I shoot a 308 and it helps a ton out to 400 yards. I can enter my muzzle velocity into a ballistic calculator to know my drop out to 400 yards so i can dial for that.

 

[rifletuner]

A chronograph allows you to accurately model the ballistic data for your rifle / load in an app. I find it handy to do that. But I also verify it to the furthest distance possible at our local range which is 500 meters (548 yards).

If you are happy to go shoot targets out to your 400 yard maximum to work out your actual data, you can get by fine without a chronograph.

 

[waterfowl3]

Borrow one! They work good for velocity spread and finding muzzle velocity.

That said, my family has been reloading for decades without one, but I did borrow one once.

 

[N2TRKYS]

I won’t shoot reloads without one. I won’t be without one, ever.

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

Magnetospeed Sporter is about $180.

But if not having one has worked this long, then why fix what isn't broken.

 

[EdP]

They are not that expensive - just over $100 or so. I would absolutely not be without one but I am not a fan of the ones that attach to the barrel of your rifle. I want to compare both the size and statistics for groups I shoot and I want to do it without my POI being affected.

Others talked above about being able to use the ballistic data once you know your muzzle velocity. There are ballistic calculators available on-line that you can use to see what to expect for drop and to optimize your point blank range. Plus you can account for environmental changes like elevation and temperature if preparing for a hunt away from your normal hunting area.

 

[Tesoro]

When I was a kid I would handload my 280 and zero at 100. And then shoot it at 300 to see what the drop was. That was back when we had a party phone on the ranch. Now I have a 170$ magnetospeed and Ballistic AE on my phone!

 

[Torrey in Tahoe]

Sounds like you're already pretty invested in shooting and loading. A chronograph isn't that expensive and gives very valuable information both for load development and using a ballistic program.

 

[jerm8352]

Thanks. Just ordered a magnetospeed

 

[EdP]

Thanks. Just ordered a magnetospeed

They attach to the barrel of your rifle and change POI and potentially affect group size, Just exactly what I advised against but I guess some people like them. There are better and cheaper options IMO.

 

[Rifles And More]

They attach to the barrel of your rifle and change POI and potentially affect group size, Just exactly what I advised against but I guess some people like them. There are better and cheaper options IMO.

On some of my rifles they change POI - on some they don't. OP will just have to find out.

It all depends on your development method.

 

[Hummerdawg]

They attach to the barrel of your rifle and change POI and potentially affect group size, Just exactly what I advised against but I guess some people like them. There are better and cheaper options IMO.

What are you preferrred better cheaper options? Thanks

 

[N2TRKYS]

My Caldwell has worked very well for me. Doesn’t affect my rifle’s accuracy and I can shoot arrows through it.

 

[Hummerdawg]

I find optical chronos to vary quite a bit day to day, and kind of a pain in the butt to get setup correctly. Magnetospeed or Labradar for me

 

[XLR]

For reloading, you can find your node by using different velocities and that is what a lot of guys use them for when doing load development. They are more of a convenience factor if you are shooting factory ammo. Mine has saved me a bunch of time because I can zero a rifle and have my ballistics trued in less than 10 rounds. You will also see guys that don't use them true their velocity vs BC. We had a post about this a few weeks ago and I should have made a poll to see how many guys who were trueing velocity were using Chronos. There are a bunch of different ways to skin the cat but personally, it is a convenience factor to throw a Chrono on and then true my BC at 1200 to the POI. Then test it at 800 and 500 and I know I am good to go!

 

[Justin Crossley]

They attach to the barrel of your rifle and change POI and potentially affect group size, Just exactly what I advised against but I guess some people like them. There are better and cheaper options IMO.

What option costs less and gives accurate readings?

The only chronograph I personally know about and would consider over the Magnetospeed is a Labradar which is much more expensive.

 

[Weldor]

I use the magnetospeed with a wiser eng. pro system. No poi change, magneto mounts to carbon rod not barrel. Easy set up and can be used on multiple firearms.

 

[BFR]

You don’t NEED a chrono. But you don’t really NEED a powder trickier, or digital scale or even any scale. Nor do you NEED a reloading press of any kind or any of the myriad of add ones for one. They are however just another tool to help you tweak your hand loads to get a little better performance, and that’s what it’s about.

Personally I have both a Chrony and a Caldwell. I usually set them up tandem just because I’m a little OCD and like to double check myself.

 

[Pickettpuncher]

They attach to the barrel of your rifle and change POI and potentially affect group size, Just exactly what I advised against but I guess some people like them. There are better and cheaper options IMO.

Those “cheaper and better” are not always better. Go to a public range and try to set that Caldwell up. They’ll just love you shutting the range down while you get it in the perfect spot, so you don’t effect groups. Or when the sunlight isn’t just right, and you get poor readings. Yeah, there’s cheaper and better.