Best Shooting Chronographs – The Complete Buying Guide

Gun chronographs, commonly referred to as shooting chronographs, are watch-like instruments designed to measure missile or rather bullet velocity as fired from a gun.

With their history dating back to the Second World War, modern chronographs feature two sensors called chronographic screens, with the screens further being composed of optical sensors.

The screens are designed in such a way that the bullets will pass through the two screens. It is from this passage that the time taken by the missile to pass is taken and velocity electronically calculated thereafter.

Gun enthusiast and experts are among the people who may really want to use shooting chronographs in their research. Below are some of the best shooting chronographs on the market.

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Factors of Consideration when Choosing Best Shooting Chronographs

a) Price

Price is one of the most important factors, that is to be considered when one is buying almost anything. The same applies when you are shopping for a shooting chronograph. It is a common occurrence that the lowly priced chronographs aren’t the best as far as performance is concerned. The best shooting chronographs, which offer very reliable data recording and calculating performance, then budget for at least $150.

b) Performance

This is a factor that is mainly considered if your budget is flexible. If you have a high buying power, you will get some of the best performance features on a chronograph. Such features include Smartphone compatibility, ability to connect and store data in external devices, guaranteed accuracy and efficient battery performance among others.

c) Accuracy

Your main reason for buying the shooting chronograph is for bullet velocity measurement. The product you go for must, therefore, be one that comes with absolute accuracy as this is the only sure way you will find the power of your shooting gear. Poor accuracy may deceive end up giving you false gun power. Accuracy is measured in percentage.

d) Design

This is where we find the construction material and as well as compatibility of the end product. Design is also where we find the weight and size of the chronograph. The best shooting chronographs come with a lightweight and durable construction. Go for a product that is compatible with many guns with those that can be mounted onto a tripod being even better. In other words, the product must give you ease of use and for long-lasting durations.

e) User-Friendly and Ease of Use

These are electronic products and as we know, some electronics can be so difficult to use to the extent that they can really irritate you. The best shooting chronographs are those that are easy to install as well as easy to operate. Most of those rated as easy to use, are those that come with just a single button operation.

Top Picks of the Best Shooting Chronographs

Custom Chronograph X Radar Deluxe Handheld Chronograph

Editor Rating

This product is perhaps the very best shooting chronograph that is outside there and most probably the most compact design. With a hand size measurement of just 5 3/8 x 2 ¾ x 1 ¼ inches, I doubt if there is another more compact chronograph so far to have been released into the market. And with the capacity to measure bullet speeds that range between 200 and 399 fps, the product is worth being added to your accessories.

Benefits of the Product

  • Portability: The chronograph can comfortably fit in your hand, thanks to its small size. It also weighs less than 7 ounces. These make it be one of the most portable chronographs on the market
  • Easy Battery Replacement and Operation: Replacement of the battery doesn’t require any extra tools. All you need is your hands and within a matter of seconds, you will be done. Setup of the accessory features just one button operation hence very simple and easy
  • Hi-Tech technology: It comes with a 3-digit smart LCD display system for easy reading and follow-up, and also comes with a low battery indicator so you won't unexpectedly be ambushed by flat batteries.
  • Great Performance Efficiency: It is capable of measuring between 200 and 399 fps bullet speeds, more than what most of the other products within its range can offer.

Drawbacks

  • The button has to be continuously pressed for it to work. But for its price, nothing much to complain above

It can become a little bit cumbersome and annoying to know that upon the release of your hand from the button, the chronograph goes off thus stopping to measure the speed. However, if you consider the other great construction and performance features attributed to this product, the minor issue potentially gets nullified. After all, bullet speed measurement is a matter of just seconds.

Magnetospeed V3 Chronograph

Editor Rating

A chronograph cannot just be rated at around 4.8/5 after more than a quarter a century reviews for no reason. It must have given its users a reason to smile hence such high rating and positive reviews. The product has been designed for use on barrels measuring between 5-inch and 1-inch in diameter. It is compatible with muzzle brakes as well as flash hiders and uniquely uses electromagnetic sensors rather than the common optical sensors thus eliminating the common error risks

Benefits of the Product

  • Easy To Use: By the press of just a single button, you are able to read whatever is displayed on the accessory. It also comes with a 3.5 feet sensor cord, which is longer than most of those cords accompanying other products. This makes work easier for you.
  • Improved Technology: The product features an electromagnetic sensor system instead of the common optical sensors which are characterized with lots of common errors.
  • Portable: This product easily fits in a range bag and is easy to set up and remove. This makes it a favorite of many users.
  • Versatility: Most of the chronographs on the market today will not work well with other gun accessories such as the flash hider and the muzzle brakes. This one does

Drawbacks

  • Its fit is a bit finicky in some guns, especially on most of the semi pistols
  • It’s a bit expensive

All in all, this product is a quality construction with quality performance thus the reason why it finds itself on most of the lists of the best shooting chronographs. It comes with three settings for fine tuning and sensitivity tuning, is easy to install and worth every single penny you spend on it.

Competition Electronics Digital Link Bluetooth Adapter

Editor Rating

This is a digital chronograph that provides you with precise velocity readings. Other than just its performance, its other main selling feature is the fact that it is compatible with all the guns. The product features a wide and large shooting area, is easy to setup and is very user-friendly indeed. With a 9 volt battery, you will be able to encounter better speed recording experiences.

Benefits of the Product

  • Easy Data and Information Management: The product can be connected to external data ports. Connection to mobile devices can also be done wirelessly thus making remote access to be not just possible but also easy.
  • Powerful Performance: Even when working with the power down memory, this product can guarantee you up to 99 shots. Storage is in 9-shot strings
  • User-Friendly: It is easy to setup and comes with a user-friendly interface. The chronograph comes with a Free Android and iOS app for the newer devices. And for it to be compatible with all the guns you have makes it even friendlier to you.
  • Price: At just about $50, you can't get a product with such quality construction and performance. It is arguably the best shooting chronograph for the buck

Drawbacks

  • Not the best for the class buyer

This shooting chronograph has been designed to review data of every single shot string and gives an analysis of the spread, standard deviation, and the average speed. It is capable of collecting, viewing and ultimately exporting data from as far as 50-feet away.

Caldwell Ballistic Precision Chronograph Premium Kit

Editor Rating

This product comes as a kit that contains virtually everything that a shooter will need to capture velocity data with the highest levels of reliability.

Benefits of the Product

  • Complete Package: You will not need to buy anything else, other than the gun, to get accurate and reliable velocity measurements. It comes as a complete kit that contains the Chronograph, a tripod, IR LED Light kits and a custom carry case, which holds all these items with convenience.
  • Accurate Performance: The manufacturer has incorporated a high speed 48 MHz processor in the design and in conjunction with an advanced data interface in the circuit, the product offers one of the most accurate performances on the market for 5 to 9,999 fps speed ranges
  • Simple Operation: The technology is advanced but the end result is a user-friendly device. It comes with an LCD screen that allows for the display of easy to read data in feet/second or meters/second. It is also technologically friendly with external data storage and transmission technologies
  • Reliability: It comes with sunshades which are constructed from durable synthetic materials. The sunshades are extra wide to provide better dependability during sunny situations

Drawbacks

  • Not as reliable as some of the chronographs on the market. It may jam and display results that are thousands more than the speed of your gun

This product well suits a wide range of people and professions, ranging from the gun enthusiasts all the way to the hand loaders. It is extremely user-friendly as it is super easy to use, coming with a large display LCD screen that gives readings in m/s or ft/s. Though a few cases have been recorded where it hasn’t been dependable, chances that it will serve you well are more.

Shooting Chrony 7000129 Beta Master Chronograph

Editor Rating

This is a shooting chronograph that has the capacity of measuring the speeds of not just bullets but missiles. Its measurement of bullet speed is rated between 30 and 7000 fps. Constructed from 20 gauge steel, lightweight 2.5-pound performance and its ability to store data even when turned off are some of the main reasons why the chronograph is highly liked by experts and users alike.

Benefits of the Product

  • Superior Data Storage Technology: Most of the shooting chronographs that you will come across have the capacity of storing data only when they are on. Upon switching off, they lose their memory. This one keeps data even when it is off.
  • Durable, Lightweight Construction: with gauge 20 steel constructions, you would have expected this product to be more than the 2.5 pounds it weighs. It, therefore, features durability without sacrificing the weight.
  • Superior Shooting Area: Its shooting area is adjustable in size and triangular in shape thus enhanced accuracy
  • Superior Technology and Performance: The inbuilt ½- inch LCD display screen is larger and clearer than that of most of its counterparts. And with a 9V battery performance that offers performance for up to 48 hours, this is one of the best shooting chronographs you should buy

Drawbacks

  • It is not user-friendly. Unfortunately, the instructions aren’t also very easy to follow

Talk of a shooting chronograph that you can mount on a suitable table or a tripod. It is a chronograph that can be upgraded to Gamma Master Chrony or the Gamma Chrony. It is that product that features durable high-grade steel but it is very lightweight. Such are features that can only be found on some of the best shooting chronographs such as this Shooting Chrony.

Conclusion

When you purpose to buy a shooting chronograph, going for one of the products reviewed above is one sure way of grabbing the best. These are high precision tools that feature quality and great accuracy. Otherwise, you must know exactly what you want, what you are going to use it for, what you are going to use it with and where you will be using it, as this is the only sure way of landing on among the best shooting chronographs.

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