VX-5 Tracking Test

Or tune the velocity in your calculator until your drops match up. That’s where I would start
Unless the glitch is in the vendor's BC - then your adjustments would only solve for a single distance. Ultimately the projected ballistics across a range of distances out to 1k yds require both numbers to be right.
 
Caldwell, although occasionally finicky, has been a suitable tool for my layman rocketry and <500 yard paper & critter work.
 
I've set a LabRadar up with my Caldwell several times and the LabRadar read the same as my Caldwell. I haven't seen any reason to question mine.
So you are saying that a bullet is going the exact same speed 10-15 feet outside the muzzle as it is as soon as it leaves the muzzle? If that's the case when does it start to slow down?
 
Ya. THe difference at 0 yds and 3 yds down range are the same number, considering the ability to measure velocity. Most ggod loads have at least a 20 FPS ES. you won't see that level of velocity drop in 3 yards.
 
So you are saying that a bullet is going the exact same speed 10-15 feet outside the muzzle as it is as soon as it leaves the muzzle? If that's the case when does it start to slow down?


Are you saying that you see different speeds at those close distances?
 
Ya. THe difference at 0 yds and 3 yds down range are the same number, considering the ability to measure velocity. Most ggod loads have at least a 20 FPS ES. you won't see that level of velocity drop in 3 yards.
If you have 20 fps es that's not a good load. Might be good enough for some but I wouldn't call it a good load. A good load should have es in the single digits. That's why people will get a "flyer"
 
So you are saying that a bullet is going the exact same speed 10-15 feet outside the muzzle as it is as soon as it leaves the muzzle? If that's the case when does it start to slow down?
As long as the user understands what they are doing you absolutely can compare devices. The Labradar does not read directly at muzzle velocity as the bullet needs to get far enough away from the rifle to come within the "cone" of the radar. Depending on your set up this is about 6-10yds. But since the labradar reports at multiple points between that first reading and 100 yards it is able to use simple math to calculate the muzzle number accurately back. You just need to stick your chrono at 10yards and compare it to V1 not V0. Use V0 to compare to magneto. JBM Ballistics online also has a setting to account for the distance between muzzle and traditional chrono (but this is inherently dependent on the bullet BC vs actual multiple physical readings of a LabRadar). I am not sure how the commenter made his comparison, but done correctly comparisons are not hard to do and will account for the fact that the chrono, magneto and labradar all measure at different locations.
 
Yes, if you read one of my previous posts you'll see on average it's about 5fps.


That has not been the case for me. Mine didn't throw many errors, either. Actually, the LabRadars that I've been around threw more errors than I would put up with for what they cost.
 
That has not been the case for me. Mine didn't throw many errors, either. Actually, the LabRadars that I've been around threw more errors than I would put up with for what they cost.
They are pricey, but my Labradar has been more consistent than either my chrono or magneto. To each their own I guess.
 
For a little experiment on you super tight “es” loads.
Drive around with it in the truck for a hunting season......it will change....

shoot it at both extremes of temp....it will change....

just let it sit on the shelf for a few months....it will change.

that super tight “es” generally won’t be as good as time lapses from when loaded.

there is a reason why short range bench rest shooters charge and seat bullets on the line.
 
For a little experiment on you super tight “es” loads.
Drive around with it in the truck for a hunting season......it will change....

shoot it at both extremes of temp....it will change....

just let it sit on the shelf for a few months....it will change.

that super tight “es” generally won’t be as good as time lapses from when loaded.

there is a reason why short range bench rest shooters charge and seat bullets on the line.
If you are chronoing a load you aren't waiting months from loading to shooting. Of course things will change when other variables change. If you are getting a high es when you go to the range you aren't doing something right. If I load 10 bullets today and go to the range and shoot 5 and it's 45 degrees I expect all 5 to be within 5 fps of each other. I take the other 5 out in 4 days and it's 85 outside they will be different than the first 5 but should still be within 5 fps of each other
 
As long as the user understands what they are doing you absolutely can compare devices. The Labradar does not read directly at muzzle velocity as the bullet needs to get far enough away from the rifle to come within the "cone" of the radar. Depending on your set up this is about 6-10yds. But since the labradar reports at multiple points between that first reading and 100 yards it is able to use simple math to calculate the muzzle number accurately back. You just need to stick your chrono at 10yards and compare it to V1 not V0. Use V0 to compare to magneto. JBM Ballistics online also has a setting to account for the distance between muzzle and traditional chrono (but this is inherently dependent on the bullet BC vs actual multiple physical readings of a LabRadar). I am not sure how the commenter made his comparison, but done correctly comparisons are not hard to do and will account for the fact that the chrono, magneto and labradar all measure at different locations.
I was just saying that there's no way you are getting the same number from 2 different types of Chrono that are measuring from 2 different points. If you use a magneto and a Caldwell if they give you the same number one isn't working right
 
If you are chronoing a load you aren't waiting months from loading to shooting. Of course things will change when other variables change. If you are getting a high es when you go to the range you aren't doing something right. If I load 10 bullets today and go to the range and shoot 5 and it's 45 degrees I expect all 5 to be within 5 fps of each other. I take the other 5 out in 4 days and it's 85 outside they will be different than the first 5 but should still be within 5 fps of each other

If you get working 5fps with every load you have.....every day at the range...

I’ll forward you my address and you can send me all your culled brass, bullets, primers, and powder🤣
 
They are pricey, but my Labradar has been more consistent than either my chrono or magneto. To each their own I guess.


I thought they would be better, too. I was surprised based off all the positive reviews on the LR.
 
If you have 20 fps es that's not a good load. Might be good enough for some but I wouldn't call it a good load. A good load should have es in the single digits. That's why people will get a "flyer"

You are absolutely lying to yourself if you think you’re getting a “flyer” because of an ES of 20. A low ES is always a good goal to have but people get too wrapped up in it. There’s absolutely no way it would be the guy pulling the trigger...
 
Adding to the mud....

the reloader “grade” chronos have no way for the user to calibrate them.....

Everything manufactured has a tolerance.

the OP did a good job proving his scope goes up and comes down and in fact returns to zero.....of course someone had to come in and chest thump and derail the thread with a bunch of 🐃💩.
 
I thought they would be better, too. I was surprised based off all the positive reviews on the LR.
I have seen some "user error" situations and also some "lemon" unit issues (where the unit needed replacing), but most seem to work very well. I would never go back - I especially hated my magnetospeed v3 for my use case. I hated the variable POI effect, I hated the damn thing loosening up through a string of shots. I went back to my old crappy optical chrono for a while before breaking down and buying a labradar. I know some love the magneto, just not me.
 
I have seen some "user error" situations and also some "lemon" unit issues (where the unit needed replacing), but most seem to work very well. I would never go back - I especially hated my magnetospeed v3 for my use case. I hated the variable POI effect, I hated the damn thing loosening up through a string of shots. I went back to my old crappy optical chrono for a while before breaking down and buying a labradar. I know some love the magneto, just not me.

I actually use all three.

I keep a magneto speed in the range bag for quick checks since it’s small and portable.

I use a lab radar if I am setting up at the range for an extended time.

I use the old tried and proven sky screens indoors.

they all have pluses and minuses.
 
Just to put some scale on this ES of 20 fps I ran a load through Streloc. 2727 fps bumped up to 2747 fps had a difference in vertical of 1.42" at 600 yards.
 

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
111,131
Messages
1,948,225
Members
35,035
Latest member
believeinyourself
Back
Top