AustinWolv
12-17-2006, 10:21 AM
One of the tools important for airsofters but often overlooked is the chronograph. It is imperative that players know the power of their guns prior to attending an event, as well as doing tech work, part comparisons, etc.
One of things that I consider nice to have is size. The smaller the unit is makes it easier to carry around to various fields and always have available.
A more important feature in my opinion is how it works. For some of us, often replica tech work is done at night. Thus, a light-based chrono means waiting until the next day or whenever the sun feels it convenient to make daylight for us. ;) Options to use such chronos involve large, clunky light kits.
Therefore, some units that have their own light source are desirable, such that they can be used at night, indoors, and in pretty much any environment.
Thus, I mention the different chronos that I have used.
Guarder Speeder2000 (http://www.wgcshop.com/pcart/shopper.php?itm=GD-ACC-SPEED2000_cat_Chronographs) -
Pros:
Small size
Usable indoors/outdoors in day or night
Included internal rechargeable battery, offers good battery life
Switchable via buttons to show FPS, m/s, Joules
Reads full-auto
Bright LED displayCons:
Need A/C adapter to charge included battery
No low-power indicator for internal battery
Bright LED display can wash out on sunny days making it hard to read - a sunshade hood would have been nice
Have to line up barrel through the shoot-holeX3100 Chronograph (http://www.wgcshop.com/pcart/shopper.php?itm=OT-ACC-X3100SC_cat_Chronographs) -
Pros:
Smaller size than Guarder chrono
Can use it indoors/outdoors day or night
Measures ROF
Reads full-auto fire
Uses 2 common AA batteries
Has low-power indicator
Has power-save mode if it is left on
Has memory settings for different size and weight BBs
When you shoot, it displays the muzzle velocity, then ROF, then energy, then total energy (number of BBs multipled by energy of each one).Cons:
Only reads in m/s, no FPS setting!
Memory feature is somewhat clunky, causing you to select the memory number then cycle through to show what weight BB was saved in that slot
LED display can wash out in bright sunlight
Have to take off bottom half of the unit to replace batteries, requiring a screwdriver. A battery door/compartment would have been better.
Have to line up barrel through the shoot-holeProChrono PAL (http://www.competitionelectronics.com/Prochrono%20Pal.html):
Pros:
Reliable readings
Easy to shoot over instead of having to line up barrel like chronos above
Uses common, easily-accessed 9V battery
Good battery lifeCons:
No low battery indicator
Had to be used outdoors or with an expensive, clunky indoors light kit
At times finicky about amount of outdoor light
Did not read full-auto fireWhile all are good products on their own, it is unfortunate that they could not be melted together to take the strong points of the Guarder and X3100 offerings. The energy (Joules) output of the X3100 is a great feature.....if one has a energy cheatsheet, like the one listed on the TASO site to be used at ops, to reference.
The major downfall of the X3100 is that it does not display FPS.
(edit: See the Xcortech X3200 below)
Also interesting is the Satellite BB Checker (http://www.wgcshop.com/pcart/shopper.php?itm=SAT-ACC-BC_cat_Chronographs)
It looks like a nice small unit with a good display for outdoor use. However, I thought I saw it too only displays in m/s for muzzle velocity so that would be disappointing. Additionally, while the muzzle adapter looks like a nice feature, it might be tedious to attach all the time especially if one was running a lot of people through a chrono pit at an op.
Updated:
Xcortech 3200 (http://www.wgcshop.com/pcart/shopper.php?itm=XC-ACC-X3200SC_srch_xcortech)
Pros:
Small size
Easily replaced batteries, not internal pack
Backlit display
Easy to see outdoors
Reads indoors & outdoors
Reads ROF
Accurate
Reads full-autoCons:
Can be somewhat hard to shoot through
None others found yetBig red paintball chrono (http://molespaintball.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=110&products_id=484&zenid=ce21a196557fc165987f999237dfe585): -
Pros:
Accurate
Long battery life
Reads in all conditions
Easy to see displayCons:
Large
HeavyOut of the chronos in this thread, the Xcortech X3200 and Guarder Speeder2000 new version are the ones that I would recommend.
One of things that I consider nice to have is size. The smaller the unit is makes it easier to carry around to various fields and always have available.
A more important feature in my opinion is how it works. For some of us, often replica tech work is done at night. Thus, a light-based chrono means waiting until the next day or whenever the sun feels it convenient to make daylight for us. ;) Options to use such chronos involve large, clunky light kits.
Therefore, some units that have their own light source are desirable, such that they can be used at night, indoors, and in pretty much any environment.
Thus, I mention the different chronos that I have used.
Guarder Speeder2000 (http://www.wgcshop.com/pcart/shopper.php?itm=GD-ACC-SPEED2000_cat_Chronographs) -
Pros:
Small size
Usable indoors/outdoors in day or night
Included internal rechargeable battery, offers good battery life
Switchable via buttons to show FPS, m/s, Joules
Reads full-auto
Bright LED displayCons:
Need A/C adapter to charge included battery
No low-power indicator for internal battery
Bright LED display can wash out on sunny days making it hard to read - a sunshade hood would have been nice
Have to line up barrel through the shoot-holeX3100 Chronograph (http://www.wgcshop.com/pcart/shopper.php?itm=OT-ACC-X3100SC_cat_Chronographs) -
Pros:
Smaller size than Guarder chrono
Can use it indoors/outdoors day or night
Measures ROF
Reads full-auto fire
Uses 2 common AA batteries
Has low-power indicator
Has power-save mode if it is left on
Has memory settings for different size and weight BBs
When you shoot, it displays the muzzle velocity, then ROF, then energy, then total energy (number of BBs multipled by energy of each one).Cons:
Only reads in m/s, no FPS setting!
Memory feature is somewhat clunky, causing you to select the memory number then cycle through to show what weight BB was saved in that slot
LED display can wash out in bright sunlight
Have to take off bottom half of the unit to replace batteries, requiring a screwdriver. A battery door/compartment would have been better.
Have to line up barrel through the shoot-holeProChrono PAL (http://www.competitionelectronics.com/Prochrono%20Pal.html):
Pros:
Reliable readings
Easy to shoot over instead of having to line up barrel like chronos above
Uses common, easily-accessed 9V battery
Good battery lifeCons:
No low battery indicator
Had to be used outdoors or with an expensive, clunky indoors light kit
At times finicky about amount of outdoor light
Did not read full-auto fireWhile all are good products on their own, it is unfortunate that they could not be melted together to take the strong points of the Guarder and X3100 offerings. The energy (Joules) output of the X3100 is a great feature.....if one has a energy cheatsheet, like the one listed on the TASO site to be used at ops, to reference.
The major downfall of the X3100 is that it does not display FPS.
(edit: See the Xcortech X3200 below)
Also interesting is the Satellite BB Checker (http://www.wgcshop.com/pcart/shopper.php?itm=SAT-ACC-BC_cat_Chronographs)
It looks like a nice small unit with a good display for outdoor use. However, I thought I saw it too only displays in m/s for muzzle velocity so that would be disappointing. Additionally, while the muzzle adapter looks like a nice feature, it might be tedious to attach all the time especially if one was running a lot of people through a chrono pit at an op.
Updated:
Xcortech 3200 (http://www.wgcshop.com/pcart/shopper.php?itm=XC-ACC-X3200SC_srch_xcortech)
Pros:
Small size
Easily replaced batteries, not internal pack
Backlit display
Easy to see outdoors
Reads indoors & outdoors
Reads ROF
Accurate
Reads full-autoCons:
Can be somewhat hard to shoot through
None others found yetBig red paintball chrono (http://molespaintball.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=110&products_id=484&zenid=ce21a196557fc165987f999237dfe585): -
Pros:
Accurate
Long battery life
Reads in all conditions
Easy to see displayCons:
Large
HeavyOut of the chronos in this thread, the Xcortech X3200 and Guarder Speeder2000 new version are the ones that I would recommend.