Caldwell Ballistic Precision Chronograph Premium Kit
Posted: 05 Jul 2015 15:24
Shooting time has been rather limited with the various work that I have going on with the ranch this summer. About a month ago, I saddled up to the shooting bench to record some pressure trace data and my CED Millennium 2 chronograph was nothing but a hassle with the error messages it was producing. The whole shooting session was a waste of time and components. CED convinced me that it needed a lighted screen set, I'm still wondering how I was duped into this thinking as it has never needed them before. So two weeks later and with 100 bucks less in my pocket, I sat with the IR screens plugged in. As I started to shoot, I immediately started to see the same errors as before. I was really upset especially in light of the setup time involved for the pressure trace work. I scooped the CED up and threw it in back of the Mule. Sitting at the shooting bench with phone in hand, I went online to MidwayUSA and bought their Caldwell Ballistic Precision Chronograph Premium Kit as I've been worn very thin with the CED.
It arrived in two days with standard shipping and I put it through its first range session yesterday. Using the downloaded app, it captured all the data strings without issue. I honestly wasn't expecting much because the reviews have been mixed but it did record every shot right out of the box.
Everything; which includes the chronograph, plain screens, lighted screens, the various cables, and tripod come in a neat range bag. The chronograph has no basic function, like the Shooting Chrony F1, unless you have it hooked to a smart device with the supplied cord. With the Caldwell Ballistic Chronograph app, it has a many if not more functions than any chronograph I've owned. The app is free and was available for my Android based device. Here is a screenshot of one 5 shot session.
Not only does the app collect your data but it can take a picture of the target and measure the group that you shot! It also immediately captures the temperature and barometric pressure for your location; something that I do forget until later in the day when I download the CEDs info. In fact, the bench setup for the pressure trace session was pretty awesome! The strain gauge on the barrel was connected to the processor unit which was connected to the software on my laptop via bluetooth. The chronograph was connected to my phone by a cable and my phone was transmitting the app data, via bluetooth, to the TMT handloading software that was on my laptop. It was very nice not to download anything later and have it all placed in the right place and in the correct application or software!
I bought this just to give me breathing room while I evaluate other chronographs but honestly, this kit is a lot of bang for $135 bucks. The chronograph unit itself is comparable to the quality of the CED. I did notice that at 15', I had no problem seeing the screen readout. The screens are comparable to the CED as well. The tripod was a bit light but it will work fine and I do have the tripod that I was using with the CED that I bought from Wal-Mart.
If you are looking for a chronograph and have a smartphone, I don't think you can go wrong with this unit! I'm can give it nothing but a thumbs up!
It arrived in two days with standard shipping and I put it through its first range session yesterday. Using the downloaded app, it captured all the data strings without issue. I honestly wasn't expecting much because the reviews have been mixed but it did record every shot right out of the box.
Everything; which includes the chronograph, plain screens, lighted screens, the various cables, and tripod come in a neat range bag. The chronograph has no basic function, like the Shooting Chrony F1, unless you have it hooked to a smart device with the supplied cord. With the Caldwell Ballistic Chronograph app, it has a many if not more functions than any chronograph I've owned. The app is free and was available for my Android based device. Here is a screenshot of one 5 shot session.
Not only does the app collect your data but it can take a picture of the target and measure the group that you shot! It also immediately captures the temperature and barometric pressure for your location; something that I do forget until later in the day when I download the CEDs info. In fact, the bench setup for the pressure trace session was pretty awesome! The strain gauge on the barrel was connected to the processor unit which was connected to the software on my laptop via bluetooth. The chronograph was connected to my phone by a cable and my phone was transmitting the app data, via bluetooth, to the TMT handloading software that was on my laptop. It was very nice not to download anything later and have it all placed in the right place and in the correct application or software!
I bought this just to give me breathing room while I evaluate other chronographs but honestly, this kit is a lot of bang for $135 bucks. The chronograph unit itself is comparable to the quality of the CED. I did notice that at 15', I had no problem seeing the screen readout. The screens are comparable to the CED as well. The tripod was a bit light but it will work fine and I do have the tripod that I was using with the CED that I bought from Wal-Mart.
If you are looking for a chronograph and have a smartphone, I don't think you can go wrong with this unit! I'm can give it nothing but a thumbs up!