Lab Radar, MagnetoSpeed or Other

[Broc]

For the money I am pleased with the Magnetospeed. No it does not affect chrono data. I use it for load development and/or calculating my drops for longer distances. Imagine only having a 100 yard range to practice yet in competition being able to drop your first 600 yard shot into the 10-ring or 9-ring at worst. It works great for that.

Yes, something hanging off the end of the barrel may affect accuracy. That doesn't matter to me because once I develop the load with the lowest SD and ES that usually translates into the best groups.

If I see a deal on a Labradar I might grab one but I'm in no hurry and it's more of a 'want' than a 'need'.

Interesting. I remember watching a video from Erik that said the same thing, he doesn't give a sh*t about groups, he cares about consistency. Then looks at groups.

Like everything, there are 10 different ways of doing it.

Anyway, I was leaning towards Magneto, but I also need to develop a good chart for the Sharps, the problem with the Sharps and big cast bullets is I don't know the BC, but the bullet is big enough that I can get a reading at 100 yards (in theory). So with muzzle velocity + 100 yards velocity + bullet weight, that should be enough for BC and calculating drops.

Someone correct me if I am wrong, it is all about learning.

 

[38ExtraSpecial]

Interesting. I remember watching a video from Erik that said the same thing, he doesn't give a sh*t about groups, he cares about consistency. Then looks at groups.

Like everything, there are 10 different ways of doing it.

Anyway, I was leaning towards Magneto, but I also need to develop a good chart for the Sharps, the problem with the Sharps and big cast bullets is I don't know the BC, but the bullet is big enough that I can get a reading at 100 yards (in theory). So with muzzle velocity + 100 yards velocity + bullet weight, that should be enough for BC and calculating drops.

Someone correct me if I am wrong, it is all about learning.

Wanna borrow my applied ballistics book? Great read

 

[Rockrivr1]

Another vote for LabRadar. I've used a few others that friends have owned. When I bought I did a bunch of research and everything pointed to LabRadar. That is the direction I went. Yes, you need to get the bipod and I'll strongly recommend an external battery for it. But the IOS app is really good and matches well with the Hornady Ballistic Calculator I'm using.

 

[Realtor MA]

well maybe because of the suppressor? But why would we think that it's more sensitive underneath than to the side?

I guess. I haven't had any issues. Not that I use it all that often. I have used it for .22 without issue.

 

[MC56]

30 seconds? Damn. With all the various complications for handguards and such, it’s easily a few minutes of me checking, removing, adding or removing spacers, checking, removing, tightening down spacers, and remounting.

I don't bother screwing all the spacers into place. They're held down via tension anyways once you tighten the strap. Also, if it's a little further from the bore line than would be ideal, just bump the sensitivity setting one or two settings and it will pick it up.

Edit, if your handguard doesn't leave any barrel length exposed to wrap the strap, then you have a new set of issues. lol

 

[38ExtraSpecial]

Another vote for LabRadar. I've used a few others that friends have owned. When I bought I did a bunch of research and everything pointed to LabRadar. That is the direction I went. Yes, you need to get the bipod and I'll strongly recommend an external battery for it. But the IOS app is really good and matches well with the Hornady Ballistic Calculator I'm using.

Wait don’t you just use the info from the manufacturers? A chronograph is really a tool for reloaders.

 

[nstassel]

Wtf! I just saw the price on that thing. For a savings of $500 I'll deal with the inconvenience of my cheapo chrono.

 

[PappyM3]

…

Edit, if your handguard doesn't leave any barrel length exposed to wrap the strap, then you have a new set of issues. lol

Some do, some don’t. Hence, frequent changes to configuration. But I’ll give not screwing down the spacers a shot to speed things up.

 

[PappyM3]

Wait don’t you just use the info from the manufacturers? A chronograph is really a tool for reloaders.

Not really.

The velocities provided by manufacturers is useless if you want to calculate drops for your particular gun. Even guns with the same barrel length can have different velocities with the same ammo.

Edit… unless you were being sarcastic.

 

[vicorjh]

because it does not get triggered.

I've had this problem from time to time.

Although, there is an external trigger that can be purchased which plugs into the lab radar to improve the sensitivity.

 

[38ExtraSpecial]

Not really.

The velocities provided by manufacturers is useless if you want to calculate drops for your particular gun. Even guns with the same barrel length can have different velocities with the same ammo.

Edit… unless you were being sarcastic.

Busting balls over his “reloading sucks” thread

 

[LittleCalm]

It's really a binary issue. Can catch bullet in teeth = slow. Can't catch bullet in teeth = fast.

 

[RankAmateur]

Get the Labradar. There’s a huge benefit to how it’s set up.

there’s few times you might want to get accuracy and speed data together but hanging something off your barrel would make that impossible.

Labradar can give velocities out to range. Not just at the muzzle. It calculates energy which saves you some calculator work. It’s a nice tool.

You only need a tripod and a backup batter to run it. You already have to backup battery. @Reptile told me something about you and a tripod. It was cryptic but I think he meant camera equipment.

I specifically tested for POI shift when hanging my MS off the barrel of my competition rifles and found NO shift in POI with or without the Chrono attached (100 or 200 yds). So, I think this concern is relative to your specific rifle. Heavy profile barrels (Bull, MTU, straight, etc.) may have no issue, while thin barrels probably do.

Not always relevant, but there is also a velocity limitation for the LabRadar. Anyone wanting to Chrono rounds like 22-250, 220 swift, or very small bullets (eg .17) may have issues with the labradar. Radar works best with average to large bullet base diameters.

I have used both. For longer sessions I prefer Labradar and have worked out issues of missed rounds with my setup in most cases. For most load development work, I prefer Magnetospeed due to simplicity and reliability.

 

[paul73]

I specifically tested for POI shift when hanging my MS off the barrel of my competition rifles and found NO shift in POI with or without the Chrono attached (100 or 200 yds). So, I think this concern is relative to your specific rifle. Heavy profile barrels (Bull, MTU, straight, etc.) may have no issue, while thin barrels probably do.

Not always relevant, but there is also a velocity limitation for the LabRadar. Anyone wanting to Chrono rounds like 22-250, 220 swift, or very small bullets (eg .17) may have issues with the labradar. Radar works best with average to large bullet base diameters.

I have used both. For longer sessions I prefer Labradar and have worked out issues of missed rounds with my setup in most cases. For most load development work, I prefer Magnetospeed due to simplicity and reliability.

My chrono so far works flawlessly with everything I tried, Including archery, and, potentially, even should capture rubber dicks thrown through it.
But you have a rather narrow window you have to shoot through, and it does not like direct sunshine into its prisms.

 

[Mudflap621]

I currently have the magneto and see an impact shift of .2 mil on my comp rifle consistently. It is convenient and small but a pain when I have to shoot double the rounds to get speed and zero.

I’ll be buying the Andiscan V2 when comes back in stock.

 

[Broc]

Wanna borrow my applied ballistics book? Great read

Oh, thank you

 

[Broc]

I’ll be buying the Andiscan V2 when comes back in ststock.

I will research this.

 

[MC56]

I will research this.

get your wallet out

 

[Mudflap621]

get your wallet out

And sit down

 

[northny]

Lab Radar needs a bunch of additional stuff. So let's call it $50-100 over the cost. The positive is the type of gun doesn't matter. But the distance and position relative to the chrono does matter.

Another vote for Labradar.

let me explain why I’m in that camp. First, I sold a CED chrono after purchasing a Labradar. Labradar is Easier to set up and use, not sky screen or weather dependent, not worried by a bullet or sabot hitting equipment down range.

second I’m not wasting ammo just to get speed data. I can pick up speed data while checking zero or dope

third, is the comment that the distance and position relative to rifle matters, I found this to be true and a royal pain ITA, especially as what is needed varies with no brake, a tank brake, or a reward directing brake. However all this becomes unneeded if you go with separate trigger rather than muzzle blast. I use a JKL recoil trigger. Magnet holds trigger to rifle barrel or receiver. Recoil of shot triggers Labradar to look for bullet rather than muzzle blast. You can now put Labradar whereever you want. I put it in view while I am behind scope, so I can confirm unit is on and “armed” (ready to look for projectile) before the shot. About the only time I fail to record a shot is when unit is not on or armed. User error

labradar is pricey, I actually sold a rifle ( first time in my life?) to pay for it. I don’t regret it a bit

 

[Ranger007]

Lab Radar with a JKL is the cat’s ass.

 

[paul73]

And sit down

does it have a bluetooth link and any sort of an app for integration? or is it just a device only?

 

[Ranger007]

does it have a bluetooth link and any sort of an app for integration? or is it just a device only?

Lab Radar yes There is an app and its blue tooth enabled

 

[Mudflap621]

Pretty sure it has Bluetooth but I don’t care about that. The less bells the better for me. I want a consistant speed reading without mounting to my barrel and not the size of a suitcase.

 

[Mudflap621]

does it have a bluetooth link and any sort of an app for integration? or is it just a device only?

F-class John has a few videos on the andiscan and it checks all the boxes for me.

There is another Doppler called the Bulletseeker as well but is app dependent and seems to be having some software issues from what I’ve seen.

 

[paul73]

F-class John has a few videos on the andiscan and it checks all the boxes for me.

There is another Doppler called the Bulletseeker as well but is all dependent and seems to be having some software issues from what I’ve seen.

product page did not have anything at all about actual software to keep shots library and do computations, so i asked.
youtube videos only show that box presumably generates a real time web page feed into the 192.168.4.1. it is not what i would want.

 

[Mudflap621]

product page did not have anything at all about actual software to keep shots library and do computations, so i asked.
youtube videos only show that box presumably generates a real time web page feed into the 192.168.4.1. it is not what i would want.

huh you lost me at the big number and periods.

Im just happy there are more units coming to market and competition spawns improvement. Until now the lab has had the market cornered and although it’s got some great features its form factor is severely lacking.

 

[paul73]

huh you lost me at the big number and periods.

Im just happy there are more units coming to market and competition spawns improvement. Until now the lab has had the market cornered and although it’s got some great features its form factor is severely lacking.

good to have new tech on the market, no doubt. numbers - it is from his video:
right upper corner is a web page opened on the phone that seems to be connected to wi-fi network this box creates, so it is a real time feed from the box.
and it says box has an sd card to keep last 100 shots or so there.

my post #9 here - screenshots from the app on the phone that backups data into the cloud, so your shots library persists.

 

[FancyGunz]

The longer I wait to buy a Labradar, the higher the price keeps going. I almost got one at $450 3 years ago, now they're above $600.

Caldwell was supposed to release a competitor last year, the Velociradar, for half the price. It got pushed into this year and who knows when or if it will ever get released. Might be worth waiting if you don't really need it right now. Or, you will just end up paying $800 when you finally get sick of waiting and pick up the Labradar.

 

[Broc]

The longer I wait to buy a Labradar, the higher the price keeps going. I almost got one at $450 3 years ago, now they're above $600.

Caldwell was supposed to release a competitor last year, the Velociradar, for half the price. It got pushed into this year and who knows when or if it will ever get released. Might be worth waiting if you don't really need it right now. Or, you will just end up paying $800 when you finally get sick of waiting and pick up the Labradar.

I am not waiting months or years for a Caldwell product.