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August 20th, 2012
Here’s good news for owners of Shooting Chrony Chronographs — you can purchase a Chrony LED Lamp (CLL) upgrade kit that allows your Chrony to work indoors. In addition, the new LED illuminators will enhance outdoor performance in uneven or shaded lighting conditions. The CLL kit costs $87.95 and can be ordered directly from the Shooting Chrony Website, or from vendors such as MidwayUSA.com.
Why the LED Illuminator Kit Is Needed
Shooting Chronys are popular “entry-level” chronographs. They are inexpensive to purchase and they stow compactly with their signature “folding box” design. This Editor used a Shooting Chrony (Beta Master model) for a few years with generally good results. However, I quickly learned that the Shooting Chrony gave the most reliable readings in diffuse mid-morning light with mildly overcast skies (thin cloud layer). The unit did not like to work in the late afternoon with the sun at a low angle. Likewise, uneven, shady conditions caused problems. In summertime, the ultra-bright, noontime summer sun, directly overhead, seemed to “over-power” the diffusers, causing errors. So, I learned to do my speed tests only when conditions were most favorable for the Shooting Chrony. Now, admittedly, not all Shooting Chronys are so temperamental — I’ve seen a few that worked great in bright overhead sunlight. But most Shooting Chronys do seem to struggle with shady conditions or low-angle sunlight.
LED Lamp Kit Components and Accessories
To improve Shooting Chrony reliability in all light conditions, Shooting Chrony offers a $87.95 LED kit (Item #110) that comes with LED-equipped 14″ white diffusers mounted on 16″ wire support rods. The LEDs provide a constant, consistent light source, so you can shoot in the late afternoon and evenings. The kit includes a 120V/220V AC Adapter, output 12VDC @500mA. If AC power is not available, you can run the LED Lamp with an optional 12v dc “Power Station” battery pack (Item #111, $47.95), or you can draw 12v current through an available cigarette lighter-style adapter (Item #112, $10.00).
LED Kit Users Say It Works
We haven’t tested the LED kit ourselves yet, but here’s what one kit buyer had to say:
“If you shot in poor light, you are going to miss velocities no matter what chronograph you are using. You go to all the work of assembling your handloads, set up the chronograph, and then shoot at the target through the detectors… only to get ‘Err 2′ or ‘Err 9′ and use up most or all of the carefully assembled handloads without getting any velocity data. The Chrony LED Lamp assembly has been perfect. Bright sun/no clouds, hazy/cloudy, or shadows/shade makes no difference — all the readings come through without a single ‘Err X’ code. Current draw is also surprisingly low. With the C.L.L. on for five straight hours, the battery pack still shows a full charge.”
June 17th, 2012
 How to Avoid Shooting your Chrono: There is nothing more frustrating (or embarassing) than sending a live round into your expensive new Chronograph. When setting up a chrono, we always first remove the bolt and bore-sight to ensure that the path of the bullet is not too low. When bore-sighting visually, set up the rifle securely on the sandbags and look through the bore, breech to muzzle, lining up the barrel with your aim point on the target. Then (during an appropriate cease-fire), walk behind the chronograph. Looking straight back through the “V” formed by the sky-screens, you should be able to see light at the end of the barrel if the gun is positioned correctly.
Adjust the height, angle and horizontal position of the chronograph so the bullet will pass through the middle of the “V” below the sky-screens, no less than 5″ above the light sensors. We put tape 5″ up on the front sky-screen supports to make it easy to align the bore to the right height over the light sensors. Make sure the chrono housing is parallel to the path of the bullet. Don’t worry if the unit is not parallel to the ground surface. What you want is the bullet to pass over both front and rear sensors at the same height. Don’t try to set the chrono height in reference to the lens of your scope–as it sits 1″ to 2″ above your bore axis. To avoid muzzle blast interference, set your chronograph at least 10 feet from the end of the muzzle (or the distance recommended by the manufacturer).
IRON SIGHT Rifles: A common mistake, particularly with newbie AR15 shooters, is to use the iron sights when setting the height of the chronograph. All too often, people forget that AR sights are positioned roughly 2.4″ above the bore axis (at the top of the front sight blade). If you set your bullet pass-through point using your AR’s front sight, the bullet will actually be traveling 2.4″ lower as it goes through the chrono. That’s why we recommend bore-sighting and setting the bullet travel point about 5-8″ above the base of the sky-screen support shafts. (Or the vertical distance the chronograph maker otherwise recommends).
TARGET AIM POINT: When doing chrono work, we suggest you shoot at a single aiming point no more than 2″ in diameter (on your target paper). Use that aiming point when aligning your chrono with your rifle’s bore. If you use a 2″ bright orange dot, you should be able to see that through the bore at 100 yards. Using a single 2″ target reduces the chance of a screen hit as you shift points of aim. If you shoot at multiple target dots, place them in a vertical line, and bore sight on the lowest dot. Always set your chron height to set safe clearance for the LOWEST target dot, and then work upwards only.
May 7th, 2010
Oehler Research, Inc. of Austin, Texas has announced that it has resumed production of the vaunted Oehler Model 35P Proof-Channel™ chronograph with printer. Company President Ken Oehler revealed to AccurateShooter.com that his company will produce “at least a couple hundred” model 35P chronographs in a “special run” this year. Production of the Model 43 remains suspended. The first new Model 35P units should ship “in late summer”. Oehler Research is taking orders right now, but Ken said: “we can’t start shipping until all the components are in inventory — end of July at the earliest.”
The latest Model 35P chronographs will employ exactly the same design and components as previous units — no changed features or parts. The Model 35P design has proven both highly accurate and reliable, and Ken explained that his team will make the new units “just the way they were before”. The new model 35Ps will ship in one configuration only, a complete system costing $575.00 (plus $20 UPS shipping). This includes: printer/base unit; three Skyscreen III detectors; four-foot rail; two folding stands; and a Plano (Doskocil) hard case. All the components fit into the hard case for storage and transport (see photo below):
The resumption of Model 35P production represents an effort to “test the waters”, to see if the company should re-enter the consumer shooting market, according to Ken Oehler. In the last few years, Oehler Research has focused on high-end military and industrial products. But Ken has brought in a new engineer, Gary Stafford, who is overseeing the Model 35P program. If all goes well, according to Ken, there may be other consumer products in the future and Stafford may “take over the reins” from Ken, who, at age 73, may shift to a “Senior Chairman” role in the company.
If you want to purchase a new Oehler Model 35P Chronograph, you should contact Oehler Research right away — Oehler has already logged 20+ orders. Order Online at www.Oehler-research.com. You can also email sales[at]oehler-research.com or phone (800) 531-5125, (512) 327-6900. According to Oehler’s sales sheet, you can reserve your unit with a Visa/MC and Oehler won’t bill until the product ships. Or, if you pre-pay via check or Money Order, Oehler will pay the shipping. Shipments will be prioritized according to the date orders are received.
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