[The Earl o Sammich]

Didn't know where to post his question but I figured more people that reload/hand load would use a chronograph. I want to set up my chronograph outside my basement window so I can shoot from inside. It's cold here in the UP of Michigan. The chronograph will be under a roof. I am worried about light pick up. I plan on taking a bed sheet and tack it to the ceiling of the over hanging roof and shine a flood light up onto it with the chronograph underneath.

Do you think this will work?

Do you think it is necessary?

Any other thoughts/suggestions?

Ohler 35P chronograph.

TIA.

 

[superdude]

The only way to know is to try it. Seriously, we don't know what your lighting conditions are, but you're thinking correctly - you might or might not need more light. Try it. Let us know how it goes.

 

[Taroman]

You will need light and sky screens to diffuse it.
Your solution appears sufficient.
I use UV illuminated screens with mine.

 

[RetiredRod]

If it's a bright sunny day and the underside of your roof is painted white or white soffits, then you'll probably be OK light-wise.

 

[old cop]

Actually the detectors are pretty sensitive and before you do anything just try it without the diffusers. The supports for those are a good reference point and it helps to have a downrange target of some type for an aiming point.

If that doesn't work just try bouncing a floodlight off the overhead.

 

[noisewaterphd]

I would perhaps just purchase an infrared screen kit. They work pretty good, and I think pretty much every manufacturer offers them for their chronographs.

Edit: I was pretty sure Oehler had infrared for the 35p, but if they do, I can't find them anywhere. They have other infrared units but nothing for the 35. Which is a bummer, cause I wanted some for mine.

 

[Road_Clam]

I've been using the Chrony Alpha and it's an awesome aid in tracking velocities. A few things i've learned over the years is that the new chrono user can easily get way too wrapped up around "velocities" in peticular when you have larger ES's. The high precision competition handloaders can keep ES's in the single digits. Well i'm an amateur and I am proud to say I can generally keep ES's around 30. I have observed outstanding precision with ES's up around 60 fps, and have also observed poor precision with ES's in the low teens. I've learned over the years to not get all worked up over the ES numbers. Are wide ES's a result of my handloading methods or the fact I have an inexpensive $125 Chrony ? I don't know. I do know that Chrony's get very fussy with varying light conditions. Sometimes they read sometimes they don't. My Alpha works most consistent in brighter overcast conditions. If the sun angle is low either near dawn or dusk the chrony won't work. Passing sun and clouds is another issue that causes read errors. I like to use my data to track favorable FPS trends for example my data shows the my R700 308 has a great accuracy node around 2530 fps no matter what style of match bullet i use, 168 smk's 155 Nosler CC's they both are very precise at this velocity. I've also learned that my barrel does not perform well with velocities past 2640 fps. This does not mean I specifically always target these numbers, I use it as reference knowledge. Crono's are also a great tool when loading uncharted territories. When I loaded very light "cowboy" loads for my 460 s&w mag I used 255 gr SWC's and both WST and Trail Boss powder and the chrono was a great tool to track my velocities and not get into any "hot" load situations.

 

[noisewaterphd]

I've been using the Chrony Alpha and it's an awesome aid in tracking velocities. A few things i've learned over the years is that the new chrono user can easily get way too wrapped up around "velocities" in peticular when you have larger ES's. The high precision competition handloaders can keep ES's in the single digits. Well i'm an amateur and I am proud to say I can generally keep ES's around 30. I have observed outstanding precision with ES's up around 60 fps, and have also observed poor precision with ES's in the low teens. I've learned over the years to not get all worked up over the ES numbers. Are wide ES's a result of my handloading methods or the fact I have an inexpensive $125 Chrony ? I don't know. I do know that Chrony's get very fussy with varying light conditions. Sometimes they read sometimes they don't. My Alpha works most consistent in brighter overcast conditions. If the sun angle is low either near dawn or dusk the chrony won't work. Passing sun and clouds is another issue that causes read errors. I like to use my data to track favorable FPS trends for example my data shows the my R700 308 has a great accuracy node around 2530 fps no matter what style of match bullet i use, 168 smk's 155 Nosler CC's they both are very precise at this velocity. I've also learned that my barrel does not perform well with velocities past 2640 fps. This does not mean I specifically always target these numbers, I use it as reference knowledge. Crono's are also a great tool when loading uncharted territories. When I loaded very light "cowboy" loads for my 460 s&w mag I used 255 gr SWC's and both WST and Trail Boss powder and the chrono was a great tool to track my velocities and not get into any "hot" load situations.

I have been down the road you are on.

If you are chasing single digit ES's, definitely ditch the Chrony and fork out for the Oehler 35p. I say this as a person who both owns, and likes his Shooting Chrony's.

 

[BillD]

I've used a Shooting Chrony for a number of years, like 17. Still the same one.

My numbers very, very closely match high dollar Chrono's used at major USPSA matches.

I do an average of 12-15 rounds to check my PF. All rounds must meet minimum PF.
And I got it for free....

 

[brickeyee]

You will need light and sky screens to diffuse it.
Your solution appears sufficient.
I use UV illuminated screens with mine.

UV or IR?

UV is a PITA to generate.

 

[noisewaterphd]

I've used a Shooting Chrony for a number of years, like 17. Still the same one.

My numbers very, very closely match high dollar Chrono's used at major USPSA matches.

I do an average of 12-15 rounds to check my PF. All rounds must meet minimum PF.
And I got it for free....

I own many a chronograph these days. I have spent considerable time testing them against one another.

I don't know what you mean exactly by high dollar chronograph, but my reference machine is an Oehler 35p.

A Shooting Chrony will match up with an Oehler within 6% or so greater than 50% of the time. That is pretty dang good for $100, but totally unacceptable for working up precision loads.

1 single bad reading out of 10 and your ES, SD are shot to hell.

For getting a general idea of your muzzle velocity, or for determining your chances of making PF, a Chrony is perfectly suitable.

 

[Rwehavinfunyet]

Using a chronograph

Since I shoot competitively in action shooting gun games, I mainly use my Chrony chronograph to check velocities to make sure my ammo makes the proper power factor for the gun game I shoot....

I don't shoot precision rifle, but any rifle load and handgun load I choose has been tested by the results of shooting the load from a benchrest. I will shoot my AR and hunting rifles at 100 yards, and my pistols at 50 yds. for accuracy tests.

I have never found the Standard Deviation shown in a string of 10 chronographed loads to necessarily imply a lower SD is more accurate. When I test for accuracy, I use either new or once fired cases, and the results on the target show me which is the most accurate load for the gun.....

All of my rifles will shoot MOA or better with my handloads at 100 yds. All of the 1911 guns I have built will shoot roughly 3" five shot groups from a rest at 50 yds with my handloads (using new or once fired brass and good JHP bullets)......I wish I could shoot that good standing off-hand.... The farthest shots I have ever fired in action shooting with a handgun was roughly 35 yds.

 

[The Earl o Sammich]

Well I finally got to it today. Worked fine for the first half of the session and then it just wouldn't work. It started out sunny with a thin overcast. The ground is covered with snow so I think that enough light was reflected up and this gave enough light and good results. After noon the cloud cover started to thicken up a bit and then nothing. Took the sky screens off, nothing. Turned on a bright light shining up at the roof, nothing. Put sky screens back on with light, nothing. Stapled a bed sheet to the rafters with light and sky screens, nothing. Took sky screens off with bed sheet up and light on, nothing.

Decided to try a new battery but by that time it was half past beer thirty so I'll try again tomorrow. I got new batteries.

Thanks for everyone's thoughts. I'll keep you posted.

 

[The Earl o Sammich]

BTW, I'm working up .458 SOCOM loads in an AR.

Up here in Dah UP the sun is pretty low in the sky even at noon.

 

[noisewaterphd]

Since I shoot competitively in action shooting gun games, I mainly use my Chrony chronograph to check velocities to make sure my ammo makes the proper power factor for the gun game I shoot....

I don't shoot precision rifle, but any rifle load and handgun load I choose has been tested by the results of shooting the load from a benchrest. I will shoot my AR and hunting rifles at 100 yards, and my pistols at 50 yds. for accuracy tests.

I have never found the Standard Deviation shown in a string of 10 chronographed loads to necessarily imply a lower SD is more accurate. When I test for accuracy, I use either new or once fired cases, and the results on the target show me which is the most accurate load for the gun.....

All of my rifles will shoot MOA or better with my handloads at 100 yds. All of the 1911 guns I have built will shoot roughly 3" five shot groups from a rest at 50 yds with my handloads (using new or once fired brass and good JHP bullets)......I wish I could shoot that good standing off-hand.... The farthest shots I have ever fired in action shooting with a handgun was roughly 35 yds.

Once you shoot past the "zero" for your given BC, there is no possible way that velocity doesn't affect your vertical string. In fact, your SD, ES can pretty much tell you exactly the best vertical you can expect.

In these instances an accurate chronograph is a must.

To be clear, I love my cheaper Chronographs. I've pretty much settled on the Chrony being my favorite. But I use the Caldwell a lot as well.

I didn't stop using my Chrony when I found out that it wasn't dead accurate, I stopped using it for certain things.

 

[jmorris]

This worked for me at night.

 

[The Earl o Sammich]

Good idea there jmorris. Me thinks I might have to lower my bed sheet diffuser and/or perhaps get the light up behind it.

Maybe a cheap ass 4 four foot florescent with a translucent diffuser.....

 

[liggett]

seems like more work than just putting a tarp down outside over the snow...
JD

 

[jmorris]

Maybe a cheap ass 4 four foot florescent with a translucent diffuser.....

This will not work. I had to do the above because of the fluorescent lights in the shop were messing with the chronograph. You can't tell because they do it so quickly but fluorescent lights actually turn on and off and this will mess up chronograph readings. The light needs to be incandescent, Or might even give LED's a try if my first try above wasn't so easy and happened to work.

For just daytime use I might try a sheet of this and make one giant "sky screen".

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Suntuf-26-in-x-6-ft-White-Opal-Polycarbonate-Roof-Panel-159856/206395301

If you pick a cloudy day just set your chronograph out there, no need for the screens.

 

[The Earl o Sammich]

seems like more work than just putting a tarp down outside over the snow...
JD

Well not really. If you read my OP I want to shoot from inside. Carrying the shooting table, spotting scope and setting that all up in knee deep snow, and then setting the chronograph up out there, taking a chance on the weather...

This will not work. I had to do the above because of the fluorescent lights in the shop were messing with the chronograph. You can't tell because they do it so quickly but fluorescent lights actually turn on and off and this will mess up chronograph readings. The light needs to be incandescent, Or might even give LED's a try if my first try above wasn't so easy and happened to work.

For just daytime use I might try a sheet of this and make one giant "sky screen".

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Suntuf-26-in-x-6-ft-White-Opal-Polycarbonate-Roof-Panel-159856/206395301

If you pick a cloudy day just set your chronograph out there, no need for the screens.

Thanks for the tip on the fluorescents. That roof panel looks like the ticket. Too cold to just paint the roof/ceiling white. Maybe this spring/summer.