Getting false reading on my Shooting Chrony

[gemini1]

I was a little frustrated today at the range. My F1 Shooting Chrony was giving me a lot or errors and false readings.
I noticed that it was recording/reading (at low velocity) shots that were fired from the lanes next to me. The guy on my left has a 6.8spc and the other on my right, a 308. I would either get an error once I hear a boom or a reading of low numbers (like 1825).
I would not have noticed this false reading had it not for the unbelievable read out I got while shooting a load of 24.3 grain H335 on a 55 grainer. I had an AV 3793 ES 238.8 and SD 66.46. The HI was 3913 and LO was 3674.
I was like WTF?! the brass didn't show any signs of over pressure though so I shot all 10 round batch.

I had the chrony set up about 10' in front of me. Anyone had this issue?

[meaty-btz]

The crony is reading the muzzle blast of the rifles around you. For best results, do not set up surrounded by powerful cartridges like that. 6.8spc and 308 will give quite a "blast". It cannot read their shots because they are not crossing your optical eyes.

[XDRoX]

Yep, most likely blast readings from other guns and even sometimes your own. I owned a Chrony once that sucked. One out of every ten was maybe a good reading. Best shot I ever took at it was the one that destroyed it, lol.

You just need to play with it more and find out what it likes. Most of those cheaper chronographs work best without the sun shades up in complete shade. Like under a tree. You can try different types of scenarios in your backyard with a BB gun or airsoft gun. Mine would read BB's perfectly in my backyard under the shade of a tree.

After I shot my Chrony I upgraded to an Oehler. Never misses a shot. But for the price difference a Chrony's not such a bad deal once you figure it out.

[gemini1]

Unfortunately I cannot choose the lane I get assigned to.
Would moving the chrony further fix the problem?

Incidentally, anybody wants 6.8spc brass? I got about 80 pieces picked up from the range.
I'm in Daly City, pm me if interested.

[stilly]

FLASHBACKS!

Best thing to do might be to move your chrony down range another few feet.

I HATE when that happens, but then again, how do you know exactly what readings are good and which are bad?

[rsrocket1]

Hopefully you have a remote unit that can delete the false readings. If you don't, I hope you can read the velocity of each of your shots. Then simply record it on a notepad and do the calculations yourself either during the cease fires or at home.

[Divernhunter]

Best to find a different place to shoot. Then put a pop-up shade over it. You can come and shoot with me on a range without all the problems you have there when trying to use the chrono. I am very close to Modesto.

[Wrangler John]

When you get a few extra bucks look at the MagnetoSpeed chronograph it doesn't use optical screens, rather it uses a magnetic pickup similar to an electric guitar pickup. It works best with rifles and shotguns and some pistols and revolvers. The sensitivity can be programmed for small lightweight bullets that escape detection on the optical models (.204 24 grain Hornady NTX @ 3900+fps). It is not sensitive to muzzle blast, mainly because it is barrel mounted in the blast zone. Mine works with all cartridges including .22-250, 243 WSSM, 6.5x284 and even those with muzzle brakes. I only tout it because it made my life so much easier, just mount and dismount it while standing at the bench in less than 2 minutes. My two Oehler chronographs now sit unused.

http://www.magnetospeed.com/

[gemoose23]

I read somewhere about building your own Chronograph box with lighting to achieve the most consistent readings, which would also eliminate/reduce muzzle blast from you or nearby lane shooters.

They call them Chrono Coffins....

http://www.magnetospeed.com/

I am waiting for some variant for autoloading pistols. This will be amazing when it happens.

[Wrangler John]

I read somewhere about building your own Chronograph box with lighting to achieve the most consistent readings, which would also eliminate/reduce muzzle blast from you or nearby lane shooters.

They call them Chrono Coffins....







I am waiting for some variant for autoloading pistols. This will be amazing when it happens.

I saw a custom setup on their site http://www.magnetospeed.com/pages/custom that is designed for testing across multiple rifles in a ballistic lab allowing for various barrel diameters. For an autoloading pistol this type of setup could be adapted to present the bayo at the correct distance below the muzzle of a pistol mounted on a rest. I have very few semiauto pistols so there is no impetus for me to cobble one together. It would be a fun project for someone with an aptitude for mechanical adaptation. P.S.: You can never have too many C clamps.

[EL_NinO619]

I read somewhere about building your own Chronograph box with lighting to achieve the most consistent readings, which would also eliminate/reduce muzzle blast from you or nearby lane shooters.

They call them Chrono Coffins....







I am waiting for some variant for autoloading pistols. This will be amazing when it happens.

I know who built that and supposedly it works great. I just got a Competition Electronics for $99 and it works flawless. Just pawn that POS on someone else and buy a CE prochrono.

[Davisje011]

It's ghosts. There are several rituals you can perform to expel the souls of the damned.

It's all explained in the Hornady 12th edition Necronomicon.

[GeoffLinder]

Shooting Chrony's are the low end of chrono's and you get what you pay for.

Several times recently I have had folks with these come up to me and ask if they can run some rounds over my chrono because theirs is giving them false and inconsistent results. Very typical for these units when you cannot carefully control the environment you are in.

[JagerDog]

I used my beta model for the first time last weekend. Worked great except when the sun was high and behind me (uber clear sky). Read uber high with some errors indicating 1st or 2nd sensor didn't detect. The sun shades did no good. By afternoon I was in partial shade and it worked great. I was thinking just a much larger shade of opaque plastic (simulating cloud cover). Issue being any wind is gonna raise heck.

I'd think anything optical is going to have some lighting issues...after all, it's detecting a shadow of the bullet. Muzzle blast from adjacent rifles is another issue. I'd think closer to you would be more discretionary from other shooters, but may pick up your own blast. Further might get out of the blast altogether, but your window gets smaller.

I did mine out in the forest cuz it's too difficult at a regulated range to get all set up during cease fires.

[gemini1]

I've actually emailed S. Chrony's customer support and their response was to move it further, 15-20 feet.