Spend my money on a chronograph

[BrentD]

I had the chance to use the Garmin this past weekend. What a great tool! We had a firing line of 12 suppressed shooters and we'd set the Garmin between two shooters and not even attempt to align it with the target. We'd merely point it downrange and it wouldn't miss a shot from either shooter on the left or right. It was very easy to leapfrog down the line between strings so all shooters could get MV's.

No funky recoil trigger or aiming devices needed to make the Garmin work. User interface of the Garmin is simple and intuitive. It makes my LR seem like 1950's tech.

Does anyone know how far down range the Garmin is getting that velocity?

Also, at least so far, it appears that the Garmin is inadequate for shotguns with lead shot. Anyone have any luck with it? Garmin warns against expecting good results with shotties, but maybe that has changed.

 

[noharleyyet]

Does anyone know how far down range the Garmin is getting that velocity?

Also, at least so far, it appears that the Garmin is inadequate for shotguns with lead shot. Anyone have any luck with it? Garmin warns against expecting good results with shotties, but maybe that has changed.

Down range?

That little gizmo has put the halos on Saturday morning folding tables with low price tags.

 

[BrentD]

Down range?

That little gizmo has put the halos on Saturday morning folding tables with low price tags.

Yes, down range. Up range would not be interesting or else someone needs to be escorted from the range permanently

The rest of your note mystifies me (not unusual ).

 

[noharleyyet]

Yes, down range. Up range would not be interesting or else someone needs to be escorted from the range permanently

The rest of your note mystifies me (not unusual ).

Fair enough...

 

[manitou1]

I read forty yards in a test some guys performed.

They were actually setting it up downrange at various yardages to verify their velocities at distance also.

 

[noharleyyet]

I read forty yards in a test some guys performed.

They were actually setting it up downrange at various yardages to verify their velocities at distance also.

@BrentD ...do not try this with a shotty

 

[Caseknife]

I was under the impression that it was muzzle velocity that it was measuring, not down-range. It calculates muzzle energy. If it was getting the reading 40 yards down-range, wouldn't work too good for archery if you are shooting at a 20 yd target. That is one of the benefits of the Labradar, it does measure down-range to 100 yds if it is aimed correctly.

 

[noharleyyet]

I was under the impression that it was muzzle velocity that it was measuring, not down-range. It calculates muzzle energy. If it was getting the reading 40 yards down-range, wouldn't work too good for archery if you are shooting at a 20 yd target. That is one of the benefits of the Labradar, it does measure down-range to 100 yds if it is aimed correctly.

Sir, this is HT where gear(geek)talk reserves the right to parse the slightest tangent of common sense...

 

[BrentD]

@BrentD ...do not try this with a shotty

Ya think?

I've staked my Ohler out at 199 yds to measure BCs on .45 cal paper patched bullets, but I keep my shotgun work down to about 10-12 ft max.

 

[BrentD]

I was under the impression that it was muzzle velocity that it was measuring, not down-range. It calculates muzzle energy. If it was getting the reading 40 yards down-range, wouldn't work too good for archery if you are shooting at a 20 yd target. That is one of the benefits of the Labradar, it does measure down-range to 100 yds if it is aimed correctly.

However it does it, it has to do it over some kind of spatial interval. The first yard the first 3 yards, between yards 2 and 3, whatever. Just wondering out loud.

 

[Schism]

Does anyone know how far down range the Garmin is getting that velocity?

Also, at least so far, it appears that the Garmin is inadequate for shotguns with lead shot. Anyone have any luck with it? Garmin warns against expecting good results with shotties, but maybe that has changed.

Sorry, I don't have the answer to your questions. Wherever it measures the velocity, it seems to be calculating muzzle velocity and was within a couple fps of my Labradar.

I didn't have a ton of time to play with the Xero and all of its settings so I'm not sure if there is a shotgun setting. However, I was told the Garmin has been developed to be future proof. The software can be updated and maybe someday there will be a shotgun setting if there isn't already.

 

[manitou1]

I was under the impression that it was muzzle velocity that it was measuring, not down-range. It calculates muzzle energy. If it was getting the reading 40 yards down-range, wouldn't work too good for archery if you are shooting at a 20 yd target. That is one of the benefits of the Labradar, it does measure down-range to 100 yds if it is aimed correctly.

Supposedly they (Garmin) have it programmed to figure the velocity at the muzzle, taking into account that the unit reads at approx forty yards.

All the more reason to verify velocity and bc at distance.

 

[fishing4sanity]

Having the older style Caldwell chrono, a Magneto, a LabRadar and the Garmin, I'd wholeheartedly recommend to just go get the Garmin and enjoy.

 

[BAKPAKR]

I think @Mica Man is going to get a Garmin after playing with mine.

 

[Caseknife]

However they work, they are very simple to operate.

 

[perma]

So it seems as though the general consensus is to get a used LabRadar. Thanks everyone!

 

[psinclair]

Get the Garmin.....