Level 1 Chronograph

[Lee King]

With our State Championship coming up in the next couple of months, I'm toying with the idea of running a chron stage at our club match. Since I've been shooting USPSA, I don't think I've EVER seen it done. Though I've heard it was more common in years past. Is this a good idea or a bad idea? And what do you do with guy who showed up for the first time with his 3.5" XD with factory ammo that may not even make sub?

[Corey]

Run one if you want to, but Ive never seen it done at a lvl 1 match. A lot of the local matches I attend are hurting for help anyway. Adding a chrono is adding more work for what is usually a depleted match staff.

[Babaganoosh]

I shoot 2 level one matches a month here in NJ. Recently they have been running a chrono in conjunction with the classifier stage. I dont find it intrusive at all. The classifier stage is quick anyway so adding the chrono doesnt effect the match movement all that much. If anything it prevents people from stacking up behind the stage after the classifier.

I have had people in my squad end up having to shoot minor since their ammo wasn't making major pf. most of the people not making pf were reloaders, not people with commercial ammo. There have been a few where factory ammo hasnt made minor pf but thats few and far between.

[Hi-Power Jack]

With our State Championship coming up in the next couple of months, I'm toying with the idea of running a chron stage at our club match.

Lee, I would see it as a service if I didn't otherwise have

access to a chrono. Especially if I were about to shoot in

a larger match in the next few months.

Even reloaders who do have a chrono might find you're getting

a different reading than they get:(

You could even make it optional - as a service to your club

members. Could solve all sorts of headaches down the road

for them.

I don't see much advantage to using it to reclassify shooters

based on the results for that particular match - but as an

educational tool for them for the future:)

I like the idea to run it as part of the Classifier

Jack

[Flexmoney]

We have set one up to use...after...the match.

...With the person that owns the chrono doing the shooting. Don't use your big match chrono, unless you already have spare parts. (you should have spare parts for the State match)

[blaster113]

I say its a good idea to pop a surprise chrono stage here and there; it'll keep people honest. I would even volunteer my chrono (cheap enough). I've seen guys chrono after shooting a club match who declared major pf but their pf at the chrono was 164 or sometimes way under that. Wish our state match would include one cause there are Nationals slots at stake. It would eliminate that little doubt that sometimes creeps into my mind, and I know others have the same doubts sometimes too about guys declaring major but are either borderline or under. I know there were guys who shot a state match years back who declared minor but didnt even make that and shot for fun.

[Poppa Bear]

I've seen them used a couple of times at level ones. Usually it is in the month or so prior to a glut of Area/ Sectional/ National matches as a way for those going to them to get an honest assessment of their PF. One was part of the match the rest were used after the match.

[Jim Norman]

It is very easy to build a chrono box and to run the stage. We will use the declared weight to save time, but otherwise we run with 8 rounds. We ask for them out of the mags on the shooters belt. The box we built was made from a board purchased at Lowe's, a 24 x 36 shelf and for pieces of cardboard. We also bought a cheap pair of plastic fold up saw horses. I personally own the chrono we are using, it is a CED, same as what most areas and the Nats use. We do only run one, not a pair. It has the infra red system which we power off a small lawn tractor battery, Total cost not including the chrono was under $100.00. I intend to build a permanent box, but the cardboard one is doing well and may see a couple more matches in the near future.

[a matt]

Sounds good on the classifier stage. I think it will be funny. I'll probably be laughing at myself.

[Babaganoosh]

It is very easy to build a chrono box and to run the stage. We will use the declared weight to save time, but otherwise we run with 8 rounds. We ask for them out of the mags on the shooters belt. The box we built was made from a board purchased at Lowe's, a 24 x 36 shelf and for pieces of cardboard. We also bought a cheap pair of plastic fold up saw horses. I personally own the chrono we are using, it is a CED, same as what most areas and the Nats use. We do only run one, not a pair. It has the infra red system which we power off a small lawn tractor battery, Total cost not including the chrono was under $100.00. I intend to build a permanent box, but the cardboard one is doing well and may see a couple more matches in the near future.

This is one of the ones I was talking about. I don't think it slowed down the match at all. It's actually fun to see where everyone in your squad chronos at. Then you get to poke fun at the sandbaggers when they don't make their PF. My cousin missed major once by .2 or something. I busted his balls all day.

[konkapot]

Lee I think it is a horrible idea.

You're busier than a one legged man in a buttkicking contest anyway at matches.

FY42385

[EEH]

I'll be there Saturday,,see if you wont to run 50 shooters Thur an extra stage,,OK by me,

who gonna run it, like KonKapot said ????

[Sarge]

I agree with those who said it sounds great as a teaching tool as well as a help to those who don't have access to a chrono especially before a big match.

+1 to being after the match if interested.

[HuntingPaper]

I think is a great idea!

[jdphotoguy]

I agree with others that you should have it as a service to members and not a required stage. Also I'd just offer it to folks that reload, seems to be a waste of time and ammo for folks that shoot factory ammo as most of that stuff is pretty hot.

[Jim Norman]

We'll run it when asked for anyone that wants to chrono. Seems darned few do, so we run in the match. Since there are prizes involved it is fair, and properly done, it has very little if any time cost. Choose a fast simple classifier and rotate a couple of your people through the duty.

[leewhiskey]

I run into chronos at locals every now and then. Usually shoot a short course and move right to the chrono. I would say throw it in at random, not every match. Keeps people honest and lets newer shooters/reloaders get a feel for their PF.

[Lee King]

So I decided to run it as a service after the match. I would say I had about 15-20 people chron their ammo. I was astounded at the number who were minor who declared major. Not just 1 or 2. Like 4-5. And of those at least 2 were seriously minor. 145-150. The others were in the 163-164 range. No one was sub-minor.

[EEH]

Yea I was surprised more than you were

[a matt]

Set it up again as a suprise with the classifier stage and declare them minor if they fall short. Tell them if they kill the chrono they buy you a new one, and if they don't shoot it they zero the stage.

Edited February 6, 2012 by a matt

[Babaganoosh]

So I decided to run it as a service after the match. I would say I had about 15-20 people chron their ammo. I was astounded at the number who were minor who declared major. Not just 1 or 2. Like 4-5. And of those at least 2 were seriously minor. 145-150. The others were in the 163-164 range. No one was sub-minor.

Thats exactly why you should throw the chrono in every once in awhile. It's a service for the reloaders who dont have one and it will keep the few sandbaggers out there honest.

[Olivers_AR]

Yes its a good idea, one of the local matches ran a chrono just prior to an Area match, it was very helpful. Its always nice to have and it can also be run as "voluntary" and not DQ someone for not making minor or major.

[Bunchies95]

Yes its a good idea, one of the local matches ran a chrono just prior to an Area match, it was very helpful. Its always nice to have and it can also be run as "voluntary" and not DQ someone for not making minor or major.

Not making declared power factor is not a DQable offense. If you do not make major, your score is calculated for minor. If you do not make minor, you shoot for no score.

The argument that running it as a service to people who reload does not hold much water with me. Maybe I just like to make sure I am following the rules too much; if the rules say my bullet has to travel X fast, I make sure that is is traveling faster than X. If you reload your own ammo and have any intention at all of shooting a Level II or above match, you should own your own chrono. They are only ~$100, just factor it in as the cost of reloading.

The shooters that have no intention of leaving the club level, I can see the harder justification to not buy a chrono. Load data is fairly accurate, but some people forget that the data is for a specific gun/bullet/powder combo and any deviation from that is just reference data. Plus there are usually enough people around that have a chrono to borrow.

I say have one every couple of months just to keep people honest and to inform the misinformed.

[dmshozer1]

So I decided to run it as a service after the match. I would say I had about 15-20 people chron their ammo. I was astounded at the number who were minor who declared major. Not just 1 or 2. Like 4-5. And of those at least 2 were seriously minor. 145-150. The others were in the 163-164 range. No one was sub-minor.

I can't believe you were surprised!

I got curious about shooters declaring major in my division with guns that seemed to have way less recoil than mine.

At first I thought that my gun was not set up properly. Nope.

I started to pick up dropped mags and stripping rounds from them and then chronoing them later.

Surprise surprise, none of them came close to major!! Some did not make minor!!

I realize that my gun might chrono different from another gun but not that much.

Most of these shooters go to big matches and surprise, they make major.

I guess they carry their chrono bullets separate from the hoser stuff.

I still do it from time to time. Same deal.

[redial]

Since most clubs never run a chrono anyway, having an "optional" chrono stage won't change their normal scoring SOP's or the match's outcome. Given that, it's an opportunity for a club to gin up a couple extra bucks. Charge a dollar to chrono their loads on an unfamiliar instrument to prepare them for the same at a bigger match.

If you have sufficient staff to help, I'd like to see chronos run at every match.

Mark