Chronograph in cloudy and / or relatively dark weather - possible or not !?

[SvilenP]

Hello friends I need some advice if there is such an "animal" that works correctly under conditions of insufficient light?

I have a ProChrono and gave me Shooting Chrony F-1, but both (especially the latter) have serious requirements for good illumination. A shadow on the sensor or the rays of the sun at an angle, for example at dawn or sunset, and the results are not correct ...

Of course, I just want to say that I do not like the ones that are put on the barrel and I doubt to report exactly ...

My main question is whether there is such a chronograph that is not highly dependent on a lot of light or not?

 

[Guest]

This will work in no light. 
https://www.air-chrony.com/en/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwgMnYBRDRARIsANC2dflWk3CP5VpJGo0HiGdRHwpsZoRqn_zSpX4cLWf9c_TeATFojk2zO7oaAq5bEALw_wcB

 

[SvilenP]

Thank you friend!
I watched these two Air Chrony MK3 and Shooting Chronograph Chrono R2 but bothers me to shoot a 1 yard (for the PCP it is a question) not to shoot a chronograph considering the small size of the hole ...

That is exactly why I decided to ask you in the forum.

Caldwell, Shooting Chrony, ProChrono which are the most popular, have great light requirements.

Labradar is probably the right one, but it's very very expensive So I was hoping to miss a chronograph that would do my job ...

 

[sen]

Hi everyone.
SvilenP, thanks for posting in my stead and thanks for being kind enough to ship you Prochrono to me so that I could compare it with my Shooting Chrony M1.
I must say that I am much more pleased with the Prochrono when it comes to built quality and functionality. Yes, it is made of plastic, but the light diffusers for one, are made of much softer polymer, whereas the ones of my almost brand new Chrony are already one step away from breaking and I have been extremely careful with them. Also the Chrony is never levelled on a flat surface, because one of its segments always protrudes slightly over the other. In my opinion an accurate reading is much more important than the ability of the device to fold. Also, the accurate reading coverage area of the Chrony is only 2 inches wide as described in the user manual. If you shoot higher or lower it affects the reading significantly. This is extremely inconvenient, especially if you measure velocities at a distance of several dozens of yards. I placed both chronographs right next to each other and started shooting. Then I switched them. Prochrono gave consistent readings both closer and further from the muzzle. The Chrony being closer to the muzzle went berserk I clearly made quite a mistake opting for the Chrony instead of the Prochrono - a mistake I intend to correct pretty soon, even though it will result in the loss of some money. I couldn't possibly imagine why would someone want a chronograph which needs to always be at a certain distance from your muzzle, which gives a very narrow coverage area and is extremely light picky. Shooting Chrony? NEVER again.

 

[sen]

Now, that being said, my first choice for a less light-finicky chronograph was the Air Chrony MK3. But its opening/coverage area has a size of roughly 6 by 7 cm, which means that if my rifle loses power or has a spike for some reason I will flat out destroy it if I shoot at 40 yards with a fairly powerful air gun such as my Cricket .25 and Matador .25. The same is likely to happen in high winds. So my next choice was the R2A and R2H models. Does anyone have any experience with those?

 

[cosmic]

You can try a couple of battery powered led stick on lights on or under you sun screens.. I now only use a Combro chrony CB625 that attatches to the barrel end..Not light dependent..

 

[hawkeye69]

 I saw a Youtube video with someone using these on the bottom of the diffuser held with magnets for indoor use. I just sat one on top of each diffuser on my Shooting Chrony and sure enough, it worked just fine indoors. Harbor Freight Tools sells them and sometimes gives them away for free.

 

[sen]

Cosmic, thanks for your reply. This is what makes me angry, friend - I sold my perfectly working Combro with the intention to replace it with the allegedly superior Shootign Chrony M1 The M1 is most certainly going away. I considered purchasing another Combro, but I want to be able to shoot at various distances so that I can calculate ballistic coefficients. Yes, the Combro was not light dependent at all.

 

[spinj]

The way a typical chronograph like the Prochrono works is that it detects the projectile against a light background, which contrasts the pellet. (Think about how you can't see your reticle if it's against a black/dark target or background.) Pellets, being gray in color, tend to not contrast well with fading or faint light because, well, the near absence of light sort of "grays" things out, thus making it difficult for the chronograph to detect the projectile. Hmm, maybe with glow-in-the-dark pellets we probably won't ever need a lighting kit. Anyway, with proper lighting, the sensors on the chronograph will be able to better discern the projectile as well as detect the "flick" of the light created by it; thus, the chronograph determines the projectile's speed once it figures out its timing (lag) between the first and second sensor. The better the contrast, the more the chronograph is able to determine the velocity of the projectile. Of course, you know this already.

 

[LDP]

I have a pressure test lab I use at work usually but if I am at home my prochrony works just fine with heavy overcast you just have to remove the sky screens. If the sun is really bright and at a low level I just tilt my chrony so the sun is coming from the top. Tipping the chrony down doesnt allow for chrono readings while shooting at a target but I rarely need to do that so it works just fine for checking velocity for comparison.

 

[cosmic]

Something else to try is to remove the screens and leave the rods and turn it upsidedown on a bright white board and try it like that , and if it doesn't work shine a light down at the board..

 

[SvilenP]

For ProChrono: http://www.competitionelectronics.com/product/indoor-lighting-system/
""Adapter input: 100-240volts AC 50-60Hz
Light Arc Input/Adapter Output: 24 VDC 200mA
Light type: Infra-red LED (invisible)""
This is the best of everything, but to me in BG will come even more expensive than it is at the moment ...

The colleague mentioned these: 27 LED Portable Worklight/Flashlight https://www.harborfreight.com/household/lighting/27-led-portable-worklightflashlight-69567.html and I found these too:. 200 Lumen LED Super Bright Flip Light https://www.harborfreight.com/household/lighting/200-lumen-led-super-bright-flip-light-63922.html What do you think ? Will they become like power and intensity? Also, does the magnet bother me if it will not influence me though I can get it out?

 

[cootertwo]

After shooting the led display out of my Caldwell, I got a Magneto Speed "Sporter" model. No dice, it will not pick up pellets very well. So I liked the idea so much, I sprung for the "V3" model, and it is a totally different chrony. I do have mine set on the highest sensitivity, and use the included guide rod, to get it close to the bore line. These work from a magnetic force, so, in any kind of light, or no light at all. Great thing, is you do not have to aim through a certain point cause it's attached to the end of your barrel. Works with suppressors too. VERY adjustable. Has an SD card slot, files (shot strings) can be downloaded to computer.
https://www.amazon.com/Magnetospeed-V3-Chronograph-Barrel-MSV3HC/dp/B00JZR1C10/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1527968983&sr=8-1&keywords=magnetospeed+v3

 

[sen]

Thank you for the different pieces of advice, guys. But all these, tipping and turning the chrony upside down only make me fear that it will give readings, but false ones. I trust that all of you would agree that giving false readings is much worse than giving no readings at all. Which reminds me - I've noticed that very often the chrony doesn't detect the pellet, doesn't display "Error" but simply keeps the previous reading on display. This kind of misbehaviour is like the VISA/Mastercard commercial - PRICELESS. I take my chronograph on which I've spent my hard earned money and I start spinning it until I get some readings which I like, regardless of their accuracy...

 

[DAVEFISHING]

"SvilenP"Hello friends I need some advice if there is such an "animal" that works correctly under conditions of insufficient light?
I have a ProChrono and gave me Shooting Chrony F-1, but both (especially the latter) have serious requirements for good illumination. A shadow on the sensor or the rays of the sun at an angle, for example at dawn or sunset, and the results are not correct ...
Of course, I just want to say that I do not like the ones that are put on the barrel and I doubt to report exactly ...
My main question is whether there is such a chronograph that is not highly dependent on a lot of light or not?

Got 2 led lights from the Dollar Store. mine works every time now.

 

[nced]

For years I've been using my chrony outdoors and the ProChrono I own would give good readings on "brighter cloudy days" (not dark cloudy days) with the diffusers removed and on sunny skies I attached the diffusers. It was a bit of a hassle however to carry my chrony and HW95 from my upstairs "man attic" to the back yard so I started putting the chrony/tripod through the window above the roof of my sunroom and get measurements........

That still didn't allow checking my mv at night or during bad weather so I splurged and bought ProChrono lighting.........

Works a treat and now I can chrony anytime I want...........

 

 

[SvilenP]

Thanks all friends for your help! :yes:

 

[Hotbrass]

"sen"Cosmic, thanks for your reply. This is what makes me angry, friend - I sold my perfectly working Combro with the intention to replace it with the allegedly superior Shootign Chrony M1 The M1 is most certainly going away. I considered purchasing another Combro, but I want to be able to shoot at various distances so that I can calculate ballistic coefficients. Yes, the Combro was not light dependent at all.

These are what I use.

 

[sen]

Combros?

 

[sen]

Nced, have you noticed any difference in the readings of your Prochrono depending on how high above the sensors you shoot? Manufacturer says it makes no difference. With the Chrony M/F1 it makes a HUGE difference. And it is a nuisance to always aim in the area between 4 and 6 inches above the sensors (as specified in the manual) - not because I am lazy and unwilling to do it, but because it always leaves some room for doubt if the pellet went through that specific spot, hence the uncertainty if the reading is accurate.