Comments on: Setting up your Chronograph–Remember It’s a Tool, Not a Target

By: Richard

Richard — Sat, 30 Dec 2017 16:33:33 +0000

Thanks for all the great info people. I got my first chrono for Christmas and with this info it should help me not to blow it up.

By: A. D.

A. D. — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 06:47:19 +0000

Just set your rifle on a sand bag sighted on the target at the end of the range with the bolt off. Then place a black electrical tape across one end of the defuser bar to the other end at the recomended height (Example at 5 inches above sensor). Next place a one inch red dot target on the midle/center of the electrical tape. Then look through the bore and see if the red dot target on the tape is visible. If not make the proper adjustment to the chronograpgh position until its visible brough the bore. hope it works for you.

By: WayneShaw

WayneShaw — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 12:14:36 +0000

A very easy and simple tool to help you set up the chrony is a simple piece of string! Set your gun on the rest and sight your target (unloaded of course). Tie one end of the string to the rear scope ring or mount, then pull the string along the barrel to simulate the bullet path. It an easy visual thing to then know how centered left/right and up/down and angle the chrony needs to be.

By: Laurie Holland

Laurie Holland — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 11:20:16 +0000

If shooting over a chrono’ from the prone position off a bi-pod or similar, beware too of the muzzle sinking as recoil causes the front of the rifle to drop. I ‘killed’ my first chronograph shooting off a gravel covered firing point where I’d not given enough clearance to start with and an inch or two drop in the muzzle caused a bullet to clip the housing.

By: Nat Lambeth

Nat Lambeth — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 02:25:31 +0000

John708 called me from th ranst week and told me his rifle was shooting very well but he was not getting the velocity he was expecting. I told him to come by on his way home and we would set up my chronogograph and chaeck his velocities. We set up my CED and his CED bcak to back and made a couple test shots. His CED was about 50 slower that what we knew the loads were shooting. My CED was about 100 FPS slower than what was expected. We set up my old inexpensive Crony. It was reading the velocities that we were expeciting. I gave my Oehler 33 away when I was told the CED with both white light and infra red screens would serve me just as good. Now I just don’t know and wonder if the CED can be adjusted/calibrated.
John708 said he was going to reserect his old Chrony also. We were very disapointed.
Nat Lambeth

By: AGN Jett

AGN Jett — Sun, 17 Jun 2012 21:30:30 +0000

My ChronoPal has had some adjustments made to the rear portion of the case by a 40SW. Lined all the parts back up, glued ‘em in, and she works great. Calibrated to an Oehler It works just as it did before; more character too!

By: essayons08

essayons08 — Sun, 17 Jun 2012 18:54:15 +0000

I use a string with a large loop to go over the scope and mount then tie a not 10 feet from the muzzle. Run the string down the top of the barrel this keeps the unit a constant distance, and gives a level and height reference to the bore.

By: Timothy

Timothy — Sun, 17 Jun 2012 17:21:53 +0000

I ruined my first chronograph setting it up to close (within 2 feet) of my muzzle while shooting my 300winmag and the blast caved in the front of the plastic unit and knocked the lenses out of alignment and broker the tabs the lenses are mounted in on my unit. Still deciding on what to replace it with.

By: German Salazar

German Salazar — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 00:34:53 +0000

When using a chronograph, I put a strip of masking tape across the far end of the skyscreens about 2/3 of the way up. This gives me a good aiming or boresighting reference that’s well away from the pricey bits. I learned that one the hard way.

EDITOR: That’s a good idea–you can even get bright green masking tape now at painters’ stores. Regarding the height–if you get too high above the light sensors, some of the cheaper units will start to give inconsistent readings because the light beam spreads out. You need to check for the “sweet spot” with each brand of chrono. Closer to the sensor will usually give a more reliable reading; but farther up will provide more security against hitting the “pricey bits” as German says. We’ve found on a Shooting Chrony Beta Master, best results are achieved with bullet travel no more than 9″ above the sensor.