chronographs again

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Last Post 01 September 2024

CBA Member

Ross Smith posted this 26 August 2024

I found something my Garmin radar won't read. I can't get velocities from my black powder slug gun. It's .510 slug weighs 768 grains pushed by 150 grains of 2f. Puts out quite a cloud. Also it is paper patched, maybe that causes confusion with all the confetti. Any one else have trouble with BP and chronos? Any advice or tricks?

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CBA Member

Aaron posted this 26 August 2024

Lubed wads, paper patching, sabots, paper cartridges, and lube globs all wreak havoc with the chronographs. The only solution I have found was distance. Set the chronograph at 25 yards to eliminate most of the interference with projectile appurtenances.

With rifle in hand, I confidently go forth into the darkness.

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CBA Member

pat i posted this 26 August 2024

I suppose you could set the Garmin at 25 yards but I'd be afraid of a stray shot hitting a $600 unit or having a wad or patch knocking it over and damaging it. I've tried mine at dusk and it still picked up the pellets I using but I wasn't shooting through a smoke screen or having a wad or patch traveling along with the ball. I'll have to try it with a muzzleloader next time I go out to see if it picks up the shot. If not I guess I'll just be relegated to using a chronograph down range where the ball goes through the screens before the junk behind it with muzzleloading guns. Also the Garmin has to be no more than 15 inches from the muzzle according to the directions and with the length of typical barrels it might be too far back from the muzzle. You could try getting it closer to to the muzzle and setting the thing to "other" on the menu and see if that helps.

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Standard Member

MP1886 posted this 27 August 2024

You guys are off key on the Garmin Radar Chrono. You set it alongside the rifle and not in front of it shooting over it. Also RADAR chono's have another feature the older Chronographs with the screens you shoot over in not having to have perfect lighting conditions. It's Doppler radar that works in all weather conditions. I imagine, but haven't tried it, that it will work on the dark.

To the OP I would call Garmin and tell them what you have going on.

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CBA Member

pat i posted this 27 August 2024

Since I have one, have been using it, and know how to read directions I don't think I'm too far off key. I'm guessing you could put it at 25 yards and shoot at 50 and it would pick up the shot but don't know because I'm not risking it with my history with sky screen chonos. The directions say to have the Garmin no more than 5 inches from the side of the rifle and 15 inches from the muzzle. With common traditional muzzleloader barrels being 36 inches or more the muzzle might be past that if testing off a bench.

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Standard Member

MP1886 posted this 27 August 2024

Since I have one, have been using it, and know how to read directions I don't think I'm too far off key. I'm guessing you could put it at 25 yards and shoot at 50 and it would pick up the shot but don't know because I'm not risking it with my history with sky screen chonos. The directions say to have the Garmin no more than 5 inches from the side of the rifle or 15 inches from the muzzle. With common traditional muzzleloader barrels being 36 inches or more the muzzle might be past that if testing off a bench.

I didn't know you had one Pat.

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CBA Member

pat i posted this 27 August 2024

I didn't know you had one Pat.

I do. There's a thread I started about it around here somewhere.

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CBA Member

Eutectic posted this 28 August 2024

The Garmin shot sensor is low sensitivity so it will not trigger on the range with other shooters on a range.

It MIGHT work downrange from the wake of a supersonic bullet passing close.

Testing how close depends on how much you want a 600$ wall hangar.

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CBA Member

Millelacs posted this 01 September 2024

Testing how close depends on how much you want a 600$ wall hangar.

Years back I was shooting .22 cal bullets with sabots in a .303 British.

The sabot came off one and hit tie screen, wrecking it.

Luckily the South African version of Acme Electronics had a standard screen that was a plug-in fit.

I doubt that would be possible with these modern screens.

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CBA Regional Director

Tom Acheson posted this 01 September 2024

I've been lucky and had a friend at a match check my muzzle velocities. The results were interesting. I had been guessing the match mv's for a long time.

I got tired of the hassels of of sharing the range with other non-chrono shooters, setting up screens out on range floor in front of the bench. It's been a long time since I used my Chrony. At one time I had (3) Chronys but recently tossed (2) of them.

All of us have reasons for justifying the purchase of a new chronograph. They tell us numbers but....the number one result of shooting is what the TARGET tells us. Everything else is interesting....but.....

Tom