I'm looking for a hand primer, dig. scale, chrony any suggestions?

[The Profit Joseph Sith]

that's why I use a limbsaver Barrel De-resonator on my 7 wsm. I got good groups without but they tightened up a lot with it. I plan to try it on my 6.5 Creedmoor rifle also.

Hmm. This is very interesting! I'm particularly interested in barrel harmonics. I'm going to have to check this out. Thanks for posting. Wow, these are pretty cheap too!

[The Profit Joseph Sith]

The most economical set of digital precision scales is the gemtech 250 - it will resolve down to 0.02g (which is about the weight of a single kernel of extruded powder) it's more accurate than a chargemaster and it only costs $150us from memory

Thanks bud.

[GarandThumb]

Can't help you with the primer as I'm still priming on the press myself, but on the scale and chony...

I suspect when nuthead referred to the "gemtech 250" he actually meant to say "gempro 250". I've had one for awhile. It's an okay scale but it does drift some. And yes, the scale can detect a single kernel, but it's not reliable for trickling directly into the pan. I usually have to lift the pan up and put it back down. Also, you don't really need to get your loads down to .02 grain. .1 is good enough.

I know you said you didnt want a chargemaster just yet but I'd consider skipping the gempro and going with an auto dispenser. I picked up a Lyman gen6 and it's much better than the gempro 250. I kinda feel like I wasted money on the gempro, should have jumped up to an auto dispenser instead. You already have a beam scale to check loads and such.. so do yourself a favor and get one of the auto dispensors. The Lyman gen6 has a very small foot print. One downside to the Lyman gen6 is that it doesn't work well with fine ball powders. CFE223 is a popular grendel powder but I won't run it in the gen6 (little balls get stuck in the bushings). ARcomp, my goto grendel powder works great in the gen6.

I actually have a couple videos of both the gempro 250 and the lyman gen6 on my youtube page that can give an idea of how well they work: https://www.youtube.com/user/GarandThumb

On the Chronograph, I agree with the others that if you can afford it, the magnetospeed would be a great option. I have one of those classic "shooting Chonys". It works. I had a chance to compare a mangetospeed with my shooting chrony and the chony had the velocities within 20fps of the magnetospeed. The downsides are well known.. weather, ceasefires, sunlight, etc, etc. If you want to keep it at $100 or under, then a chrony can do what you need it for. I figure it's only a matter of time before I pickup the sporter version of the magnetospeed. The superchrono looks cool, but how would that work at a range with other shooters? Will it pick up the guy shooting from the next bench?

[Klem]

Thanks for advice. I already have a really nice older RCBS/Ohaus bean scale a friend gave me with a mosin I got for $50 bucks along with a Redding trickler. I bought a Redding 3BR for throwing. I can't get a electrical because I won't have room for it for a while. Space is really a premium. And indeed I do have the Co-Ax and have heard it's primer system is good. And I'll use it for my lower volume higher accuracy stuff. I just don't want to do all my high volume low tolerance 9mm and .45 and stuff like that with it. And I had no idea the electronic scales lifespan was so short. I HAVE heard mention of (maybe here) people making theirs more impervious to EMI. Which as a tinkerer I'd be inclined to do.

Balance beams are accurate, but they take time.

The old Chargemaster I bought a few years ago keeps on keeping on. It gets used every week and there's nothing wrong with it.

I use a DC battery instead of its AC plug pack. DC voltage is constant and so less prone to mains power surges that can interfere with the scale (and perhaps mistaken as EMI). It also makes it portable so it goes to the range sometimes. Six Li-ion laptop batteries in 3S2P. 12.3V fully charged down to 9V when the protection circuit cuts it off. It works fine through that range of volts. Good for several loading sessions or weeks before needing recharge.

[Klem]

For chronographing I am still using the cheap-and-cheerful Chony. Over time I was getting frustrated with its occasional malfunctions due to clouds and shadow. I decided to try chronoing at night and bought a couple of cheap LED light bars on Fleabay. Since then it has never missed a single shot. I use the same battery as the Chargemaster. The Chrony is cheap but it is prone to malfunction during the day when conditions are not perfect. The magnetospeed hangs off the barrel with all the likely disadvantages that brings with it. The Superchrony which works on sound also comes with the limitation that it's no good if you shoot subsonics.

I am still drooling over the Lab Radar but that is the priciest of the lot.

[CMoney]

Klem, absolutely great call on the battery pack (2 fold..mobility and surge). We had a tornado in the area about 6 years ago and lightning strikes zapped a lot of our electronics (guess what I left plugged in...). Insurance and home warranty covered most of it. After that our supplemental insurance required a house surge protector in our circuit pane and a line conditioner to be installed.

I also found some of my digitals to be more susceptible to interference problems with lights. I have since changed my light setup and went to all led's. Did you ever find/notice that with yours?

[The Profit Joseph Sith]

The superchrono looks cool, but how would that work at a range with other shooters? Will it pick up the guy shooting from the next bench?

[The Profit Joseph Sith]

For chronographing I am still using the cheap-and-cheerful Chony. Over time I was getting frustrated with its occasional malfunctions due to clouds and shadow. I decided to try chronoing at night and bought a couple of cheap LED light bars on Fleabay. Since then it has never missed a single shot. I use the same battery as the Chargemaster. The Chrony is cheap but it is prone to malfunction during the day when conditions are not perfect. The magnetospeed hangs off the barrel with all the likely disadvantages that brings with it. The Superchrony which works on sound also comes with the limitation that it's no good if you shoot subsonics.

I am still drooling over the Lab Radar but that is the priciest of the lot.

Ah, this pulls practically all my geeky heart strings. Lol. Two thumbs up. Although I have a particular distain for lithium batteries as former 787 electrician among many many other examples. I know many are great. But their life cycles are usually on the shorter end of batteries. But there is FAR better tech waiting just around the corner if we would only commit. But I truly applaud your inginuity and outside of the box thinking. I use a albeit older APC regulated power supply for all my nice goodies.

But I hear your concerns loud and clear. Nice gadgets. I wish I could shoot at night and although I want a can. I don't ever see me getting one unless the HPA passes. And I'm it holding my breath on that one. Just crossing all fingers and toes! I've actually had kinda a hard time finding 300bo barrels not geared for subs. I want a 1-8.5/1-9 for lighter weight faster loads.

Thanks again guys. Good posts.

[Klem]

I don't know about the geek part but I am sold on shooting at night at rifle ranges. As long as you have access and no sentries needed then you have the place to yourself. I'm not talking 3 O'Clock in the morning but more like just after sunset for a couple of hours of uninterrupted practise.

I use lights out at the targets. Sometimes I just leave them on for a couple of hours and sometimes on remote control. It started with cheap bicycle lights on poles and it sort of got a bit more serious from there. But it's all modular so fairly easy to put something together that works.

Bike lights on 3ft plastic poles and a 100Watt LED light bar.


It needs to be fairly rainproof;


The batteries are all Li-ion 18650 rechargeables. They are the cheapest at about $3 each. The battery in this picture is a 4S9P at about 18Ah capacity. I say 'about' because the manufacturer always quotes about 25% more capacity than they really are. That's why they are so cheap I guess. The 100W light bar draws 6Amps so it will run for about 2.5 hrs. The smaller battery at the back is a 2S2P and again, about 3hrs of light with the bike light. If you can get 2-3hrs out of your rig that's as much shooting as you need.


The remote is purchased straight from the manufacturer. It's designed for farms; remote gates and pumps. They quote 2.5km range but I've never used it past 500M. Tell you the truth I rarely use it. Just turn the lights on and leave them on. I want to use it hunting one day.



All these lights are for when there is a power blackout at home so it's not just for shooting (well, that's my story anyway...)

[Sticks]

Now if they would just come up with a camera that is not a power hog and can transmit 1k yards...

Klem - you should look into LiPo batteries. RC hobbies are moving over to those due to size, weight, and capacity. Fairly touchy on care and maintenance, but worth it.

[Klem]

Now if they would just come up with a camera that is not a power hog and can transmit 1k yards...

Klem - you should look into LiPo batteries. RC hobbies are moving over to those due to size, weight, and capacity. Fairly touchy on care and maintenance, but worth it.

They are coming out with a few; Targetvision, Bullseye, Tech Shooter. Unsure their power draw.

The classic laptop 18650 battery is still the cheapest of all the Lithium based batteries (Li-ion, Li-Po, Li-Fe). Sure, your Li-Po has more power density but it's all $$$.

Truth be known you can set yourself up with a working night range with an old car battery.

[Sticks]

They are coming out with a few; Targetvision, Bullseye, Tech Shooter. Unsure their power draw.

The classic laptop 18650 battery is still the cheapest of all the Lithium based batteries (Li-ion, Li-Po, Li-Fe). Sure, your Li-Po has more power density but it's all $$$.

Truth be known you can set yourself up with a working night range with an old car battery.

Point

Range to yourself, weight no longer becomes an issue.

[The Profit Joseph Sith]

Now if they would just come up with a camera that is not a power hog and can transmit 1k yards...

I want to believe that's what Nikola Tesla was working on, how to transmit light wirelessly.
Try one of those new fangled quad copters with the moving picture cameras that transmit to your smartphone. Some should get around that distance or close. And without using the quad motors life of batteries may be somewhat ecceptable. High def too.
Just don't shoot it on accident or you'll be charged with shooting at aircraft... Lol. Dumb laws.. if the FAA had their way every time I walked across the lawn I'd violate FAA airspace. Suddenly the cars with low flying license plates have a whole new and absurdly real meaning.

[Sticks]

I want to believe that's what Nikola Tesla was working on, how to transmit light wirelessly.
Try one of those new fangled quad copters with the moving picture cameras that transmit to your smartphone. Some should get around that distance or close. And without using the quad motors life of batteries may be somewhat ecceptable. High def too.
Just don't shoot it on accident or you'll be charged with shooting at aircraft... Lol. Dumb laws.. if the FAA had their way every time I walked across the lawn I'd violate FAA airspace. Suddenly the cars with low flying license plates have a whole new and absurdly real meaning.

I have one. Like I said, power hog. 3k feet is stretching it with modifications with the camera sitting on the ground, behind a protective barrier. These were designed to be 100-400 AGL transmitting video. Those cameras are also wide angle so 3 feet from your target and you might pick up your impacts.

[The Profit Joseph Sith]

Yeah, good points maybe if the horde hounds go pro enough they will make a decent transmitter and smart phone app.