ProChrono Digital -- do you love it?

S

Sevens

New member
I have the Chrony Beta Master and it works almost every single time and I -hate it- with every fiber of my being for reasons that I have documented many many times right here on these pages.

I am not here to crap on the Chrony (but I think I may actually literally do that down the road!) but it just seems like the ProChrono with the accessory bluetooth device is the very best way for me to stop hating the very idea of chronoing more loads.

If you have one, please tell me what you think. And to be honest, any/all complaints, no matter how trivial just seems to help the most.
 
I've had the same shooting Chrony as you for about 20 years and have never had a problem with it. Never bought the printer so I had to write down all my strings. When I accidently hit one of the arms and had to wait forever for the replacements to arrive I decided to pop for the pro chrony. It's a great unit and I love the tablet app. One word of caution be carefull where you place your tablet. Bouncing brass is not screen friendly.:eek:
 
I just bought myself a pro chrono digital, even though for the price of the chrono and tripod I could have gotten the magnetospeed sporter, which wouldn't strap on well enough to have on my magnum revolvers. Still waiting for the weather to get above 0°F to shoot through it though... Forecast looks like a few weeks out
 
I just watched a few videos about this setup.

Looks very cool.

I currently have a CED chrony and it a bit cumbersome to use. The data export feature also does not play nice with my Mac.

If this works as advertised it looks like a really easy way to export and use data. I really like the PDF feature. I could use my iPhone to capture a screenshot and place it directly into my electronic reloading records.

I'll be staying tuned to this thread.

One other thing... I like how you can bounce back and fourth between strings. For instance, when I am testing different powder charges I typically like to test them in a round robin fashion. The CED will not allow this.
 
So this thread got me thinking, and I pulled the trigger on this setup.

I got in some shooting time today and did a comparison between my old CED and the new Chrony Digital w/ Bluetooth.

My range is orientated in a way where the sun hits the right side of the chronograph. This has never given me much of an issue with the CED (at least I can't remember), but the Chrony Digital didn't like the shadows coming off the trees and it was missing shots. No worries, I simply shaded the unit with a piece of cardboard and it never missed a beat.

Now for the weird thing, and why I wish I would have never done a comparison between 2 chronographs. I can see that this could definitely drive you nuts if you let it. Problem with the comparison is that I didn't have two tripods so I couldn't get a reading from each of the machines on one single bullet.

So I fired a 10 shot group over the CED. The round was 17HMR. Data is as follows.

2524
2470
2486
2489
2488
2461
2486
2442
2510
2478

LO 2442
HI 2524
AV 2483
ES 82
SD 22.1

Not too bad. The velocities seem reasonable for being fired out of my Savage 93FV 21"BBL.

Now for the Chrony Digital. Take a look at the PDF it created... awesome feature. However, the data seems to be not so awesome. All 10 of these shots ended up being right around an inch, which isn't bad considering the wide swings in velocity. I'm wondering if the machine was reading correctly. The data listed below is all over the place when compared to the data above.

IMG_0189.jpeg


I would really like some opinions on these numbers. The CED showed fairly repeatable data, while the Chrony Digital was much more erratic with the readings. Think the data is good? In your experience would a group with an SD of 61 print a 1" 10 shot group at 100yds.? Ill hafta get another tripod and shoot over both chronies at once to see.
 
Love my Pro Digital. It's been flawless since I got it. When I go to a competition my results have been within a few fps comparing times.

I lent it out and my friend broke one of the sun screens. Replacement was inexpensive.

It works best on a cloudy day but we don't get many of them here in the desert. So when I go to the range I use the sun screens a lot.
 
Tex I've had good luck w my pro chrono, nothing like what your showing. Stack them one behind the other and see the delta from the same shot
 
Sorry, that you don't like yours.

I have that chrono...never had a single problem with it...matter of fact, I have never put but one round through it, that it did not capture the data on.
 
I have the Prochrono.

I don't have any accessories for it.

On the whole I am happy with the performance. On occasion I have had misreads but I think that was to do with lighting. My only gripe is that I can't use it indoors because all the local ranges have fluorescent tubes which confuse the chrono sensors. There are LED light-shades but I've not bought them.

If the OP was not happy with a chrono that did all it was supposed to, it will be hard to predict if the Prochrono will satisfy, but it was the best on sale when I bought it at a reasonable price and, TBH, I am perfectly happy with it.
 
While really hoping to hear hands-on tales of the Pro Chrono and bluetooth link, I certainly do understand why some wonder about my white-hot seething *HATE* for the Chrony Beta Master.

I agree with the folks who say that it always works for them and measures all shots. Mine does also. Packs small, too. But I am extremely disappointed in being limited to 10 shots in a string and the fact that all the mathematical power is controlled via THREE tiny buttons just plain upsets me.

If all you ask for in a chronograph is to measure and report the speed of a bullet over it, the one I own works superbly well.

Now then, Tex S, you have me totally confused. How are you getting a Chrony to spit out .pdf files with a wireless link?! Is there a new Chrony on the market? The way your post reads... that's what it sounds like.

If this -NEW- Chrony continues to limit any/every/all strings to a measly 10 shots... then it won't work for me. :(
 
I agree with the folks who say that it always works for them and measures all shots. Mine does also. Packs small, too. But I am extremely disappointed in being limited to 10 shots in a string and the fact that all the mathematical power is controlled via THREE tiny buttons just plain upsets me.
Click to expand...

Well, the Prochrono only has ten shot strings.

If you want to review the results you have to scroll through with a single button to change strings and another to review a given string. You want to see SD? You have to scroll through all of the preceding info and if you "overshoot" you have to scroll through again.

This can annoy me, but I take it as a given.
 
Sevens,

The pro chrony digital w/bt will make PDF's for you. It's in the app.

I cannot confirm 100% since I was only firing 10 shot groups, but I think you can fire almost as many shots as you want to.

They state the chrony alone can only track 9 strings. With the app I set up many strings. I don't know the max amount, but I stopped at 12 different strings.

Think if it this way... the chrony sends data to your phone/iPad. That's it. The chrony is no longer responsible for storing or managing data. You device handles all that. I guess theoretically I could have 64GB of shot data if I wanted to.
 
Haha, okay guys, collectively... some or all of us are confused. Me for certain.

The Chrony Beta Master only allows 10 shots in any one string... this means if I find a load combo that is returning low SD, I would love to expand the testing to 20-25 or 30 shots but the Chrony will not allow this.

Features that I read on the Pro Chrono suggested to me that I could (if I wanted!) shoot as many as 99 shots in a single string -- and yes, this is what I seek.

I truly do not care how many total strings I can collect (I simply wish to test one thing thoroughly, record those results and then clear it from my chrono), I just want to be able to have the ability to properly test a decent load. Ten shots won't cut it.
 
The pro chrony digital offers 9 strings with 99 shots when used as a stand alone unit.

This can be expanded to unlimited shots and strings when the Bluetooth unit is purchased and paired with a smart phone.
 
Well taking some liberties here I am going to defend the Chrony.

My only issue is setup (tripod and target line up) and that was what they had, you can do the strap on or get the radar unit now.

If I use it, I do a load, check a couple of strings and then its so what?

How much is it going to change?

You want more, pay more. Get a printer. I am fine with what I have.

Granted I did try to kill it, but that was an NB (negligent bullet)

It has an honorable and fortunately not fatal bullet ding.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top