It was the mid 1960’s.  In every episode of “Star Trek” ™ (© Paramount Pictures) William Shatner would flip open the top of his little “communicator” and say those immortal words: “Kirk to Enterprise”.

 

At the time I thought: “Wow, it be really cool if there really were such a device!”

 

40 years later, everyone is walking around with a “communicator”, though it’s now called a cell phone.  Science fiction has become science fact. (Note.1)

 

Microprocessor technology makes cell phones, PC’s, digital watches, calculators etc. possible.  Additionally, the microprocessor has brought the price of such items within the reach of everyday citizens.

 

I recall a friend buying a VCR around 1976.  It cost him a whopping $1,600.00 + tax!  It must have weighed 25 or 30 pounds, and was almost as big as the Buick Lasabre he hauled it home in!  In those days you had to hunt for a store that even carried VCR’s.   

By 1979, the price of a VCR was “only” about $1000.00 + tax.  The size had also shrunk.  In 1979, a VCR was no bigger then a Dodge Charger!   

 

Today every Mart-Mart store has stacks & stacks of VCR’s that are amazingly small, light and inexpensive.  There is another great point to progressive technology.  As reliability improves, and size and price come down, features that were once only available on expensive “high end” units become standard features on all units.

 

At one time only the most expensive, high end VCR’s had stereo output, high quality (HQ) circuitry, 4 heads and a wireless remote.  Today, these are standard features on even the least expensive units.  So you ask, what’s all this got to do with chronographs?  As we shall see, there is a direct correlation between this discussion and the chronograph.

 

A chronograph is simply a device used to measure bullet velocity.  As a bullet passes the first screen a timer is started.  As the bullet passes the second screen the timer is stopped.  The microprocessor translated this raw data to a direct read out in feet per second (FPS).  

 

Owning one today is as simple as selecting the model you wish, and ordering it from any on-line or catalog dealer.  It wasn’t always so!  At one time, the prospect of acquiring a digital chronograph with light sensitive sky screens, that gave a direct read out in FPS was as expensive and daunting as acquiring one of the first VCR’s!  In 1976, such a model chronograph would set a fellow back at least $300.00 dollars + shipping!  Additionally a tripod arrangement of some type was required to hold the screens.  $300.00 was very important money in 1976.  It may have been a weeks pay for many fellows back then.   

 

In those early days, there was a plethora of companies offering chronographs.  The majority of early chronographs didn’t have a direct read out in FPS.  What they had was a rotary switch that had to be manually rotated thru a complete 360-degree circle after every shot and a tiny meter gave a YES or NO answer as the switch was rotated.  The YES numbers were written down, and the raw numbers compared against a printed Targe Table to get the FPS for that one, single round of ammunition.  But, after all that, you weren’t ready for your next shot yet.                                                                        

 

The screens back then were actually a thin sheet of plastic with a printed circuit on it.  The bullet actually had to shoot thru, and break the two sheets to start and stop the timer.  The two sheets had to be changed after every shot.  The sheets cost about $8.00 per hundred.  Those 100 sheets were good for 50 shots.  Needless to say, this took up quite a bit of time and target grouping wasn’t really an option while using this type of chronograph.   Within a short number of years, most of the companies selling chronographs withdrew their offerings from the market.  Most were just too expensive.  That great equalizer, the market place, eliminated the unreliable, inconvenient and vastly overpriced units.  Only a couple of companies were producing units after awhile, and they were still somewhat pricey.    

I vividly recall the first time I actually saw a portable, digital chronograph with light sensitive sky screens that gave a direct read out in FPS.  It was at the US Forces Rod & Gun Club in Kaiserslautern West Germany in early 1985.  The Rod & Gun Club bought the chronograph so they could rent it out at the range for $2.00 per hour.                  

 

The chronograph was brand new, from a well-known company, and a top of the line unit.  The club manager told the range officer to try it out and see how well it worked.  The range officer was a friend of mine.  He allowed me to help set up and “test” the unit (which means I also got to chronograph some of my handgun loads for free).  After setting the unit up, the first gun we tried was the range officer’s 1911. 

 

The chronograph’s digital readout registered velocities were all over the spectrum when we fired the 1911 across the screens!   One of the other employees jokingly asked the range officer how he measured his powder.  The range officer smiled and made a motion like he was using a saltshaker!   We re-read the instructions and decided we needed to check the distance between the sky screens.  The other employee got a tape measure.  After a minor adjustment to the screen distance, the chronograph worked wonderfully! The range officer’s load for his 1911 was very accurate and there was little variation in the velocities from shot-to-shot.  I found my 255 grain cast lead bullet load in my 7.5 inch barreled Ruger Redhawk gave a very consistent 1450 FPS with no pressure signs.

 

I recall thinking: “This chronograph is a great tool!”  At that time, I also knew a chronograph was out of my price range.   That was when only a few companies were producing chronographs, and they were still fairly pricey.  

 

The market place is a wondrous thing.   When someone realizes there are a market niche to be filled by a less expensive, but totally reliable and well-built unit, there is usually a company willing to build and market it!   Such a unit may not every bell & whistle as the most expensive units.  However, even basic units have most of the features a fellow really needs.  Some of the most common features are; statistics for each string- hi, low, average, number of shots, standard deviation and extreme spread etc.  Additionally, and most important, the accuracy of the velocity information derived between the least expensive, and the most expensive units is the same!

    

Today, a basic digital chronograph with light sensitive sky screens that gives a direct read out in FPS only costs about $70.00 + shipping.   A camera-type tripod can be acquired from any Mart-Mart store for about $18.00 + tax.  For an investment of about $100.00, you are ready to accurately measure velocity of any loads you choose.  Of course it begs the question, why would you even want, or care to know the velocity at which your ammunition is traveling? 

Shooting Chrony, Side view.  Slide the guide rods out, and the unit simply folds in half for storage!  Shooting Chrony is mounted on an inexpensive camera tripod

Here’s the main reason; if cartridges have the same bullet, seated to the same LOA, same brand of brass & primer; the load that has the smallest shot-to-shot velocity variation almost always make the smallest groups.  Consistency is the key to accuracy.  This just doesn’t apply to hand loads either.  Much Mil-Surp ammunition is amazingly consistent from shot-to-shot.   I once saw a fellow shoot 5 rounds of Turk 8X57 Mil-Surp ammunition into an inch at 100 yards.  You can bet your last dollar those loads had hardly any shot-to-shot variation! 

 

The chronograph is a great diagnostic tool.  Suppose a rifle known as a good shooter makes casual groups on a target with a new batch of Mil-Surp ammunition from a country or factory the shooter has never used before.  Even if every round goes “bang” that doesn’t mean the ammunition is consistent or that rifle likes the particular bullet loaded in the ammunition.  Which is it, the powder, or bullet?              

 

If the chronograph discloses huge variations from one shot to the next, then either powder or primer is most likely at fault.  Such ammunition will usually show vertical stringing on a target.    If the chronograph shows the velocity is consistent, and within the normal range for that cartridge, then the fault may lie with a bullet shape or size not appropriate for that barrel.  What about hand loads?

 

Suppose the reloader is carefully weighing each and every load on his scale prior to putting it in the brass.  Let’s also suppose the bullets are appropriate for that barrel, and the bullets are being seated properly.  But, the accuracy simply isn’t what it should be.   A chronograph may show that velocity is low, and velocity isn’t consistent from shot-to- shot.   This is a hint that either a faster powder or a hotter primer is called for.  If the reloader is using a ball powder, it may show this type powder simply isn’t appropriate for this particular load combination and rifle.

 

Let us say a reloader wants to cautiously and carefully approach a maximum load in a particular rifle (Note2).  Once again, a chronograph is the tool of choice.  The chronograph will show when additional increases in a powder charge are not yielding any significant increases in velocity.  At this point that particular combination of components has reached maximum yield in that rifle, the only thing that will be gained by additional powder is a disproportionate increase in pressure, and that’s a bad thing.  

 

The chronograph will show the differences between individual guns of the same make, model and caliber.  Suppose a fellow owns two Swiss K-31 rifles.  He either buys factory ammunition, or loads his own.  It’s natural to think identical loads will produce the same velocity, or nearly the same velocity in guns of identical make, model and caliber.  While velocities may be close, there is a very good chance the velocities may be quite different!

 

What chronograph do I own?  I have a Shooting Crony Inc, www.shootingchrony.com .   I have a fairly basic model that I acquired quite a few years ago.  It does everything I need it to do, and then some. I’m really impressed with the quality and accuracy of this unit.  At the range I shoot at, the Shooting Chrony seems to be the most popular model seen.   In the years since I got mine; they have added many features to their units.   They have always had memory functions, and can recall shot strings etc.  Now you can get printers, remote displays and many other accessories for a chronograph.

The white plastic pieces at the top are light diffusers on the Shooting Chrony. They must they must be used on sunny days

Some brands of chronographs even have a function where after returning from the range, you can hook the chronograph to a PC and download the velocity data!  Shooting Chrony is not the only brand of chronograph.  Here are the other popular brands that can be acquired from any on-line or catalog supplier of shooting supplies.  All are reliable, and perform well.   Review the data on the sites below to get particulars on any unit you are considering (Note.3).

 

Pact, www.pact.com

Competition Electronics, www.competitionelectronics.com

Oehler Research Inc. www.oehler-research.com

Competitive Edge Dynamics, www.cedhk.com

 

Today, a chronograph is an easily acquired, inexpensive device that helps you achieve better shooting.  It’s a tool any dedicated reloader or shooter of Mil-Surp arms should serious consider owning.  

 

Note 1

Actually, the first cell phone was released for consumer sales in 1973.  It weighed about 3 pounds, and had a maximum talk time of 45 minutes before the battery went dead!  The units and service were outrageously expensive, however, they sold as fast as the company could produce them.   Only large companies, doctors and lawyers, based in big cites where towers were installed, bought them at first.

 

Note 2

NEVER exceed the loads listed in current, recognized loading references.  Verify loads by cross checking them with at least two other sources.

 

Note 3

Most chronographs, or their separate screens are designed for setup 8 to 10 feet from the barrel.  They also require the bullet to pass a certain distance above the unit for proper functioning (also so you don’t shoot the chronograph).   Get particulars from the manufacturers site or printed guides of the unit you buy.