Timer Questions & Advice

[SiG Lady]

Both the Mark IV and the Club Timer II are good products. We use an amplified Mark IV at the range for bullseye competitions; and I bought a CLub Timer II from Our Host and use it for individual work at the range.

[TheOtherErik]

If you want BIG numbers go with the Competition Electronics, Pocket Pro timer. It doesn't have as many features as some of the others but will do everything you need, especially if you allready have a chronograph.

[Law Dawg]

I have tried several, and nothing beats the Pact MKIV.

LD

[jcmios]

I am looking to buy a shot timer for my practice sessions. Whose would you pick between the Competition Electronics Pocket Pro, Competitive Edge CED 6000, and the PACT Club Timer 2?

Thanks for the advice.

Jim

[EricW]

I have a CED and Pact MKIV. I know it's not on your list, but the Pact MKIV is the only timer you should consider - especially if you don't already have a chrono.

If you want to know why the MKIV is the only timer you should buy, get Steve Anderson's dryfire book. The MKIV is the only way you can get through the exercises in a reasonable amount of time.

[Garfield]

Hi,

Sportshooter.com has a review of some of the times you mention online.

It can be found here: http://www.sportshooter.com/gear/rev_timers.htm

[Tangram]

... may have a difficult time buying a CED6000 since they stopped making it. Its replacement is the CED8000. Nothing against other timers but for home dry-fire practice the 8000 comes with volume adjustable earphones.

I have one and so far it has held up well with a couple months of intensive use. (Time will tell on duribility and reliability) Other timers offer other features and benefits. Since I have used them only in the simplest timing modes I won't recommend one over the other.

I have been told by others that I shoot with that the CED buzzer is sounds a lower note than other timers and is easier for many hearing impared shooters to hear.

http://www.cedhk.com/show.php/Object82

[Gun Geek]

I don't know if this a standard feature on other timers or not, but, I was able to use my CED 8000 timer at an indoor range with another guy blasting away 3 positions down.

I turned the mic sensitivity down and the echo filter down and the timer only picked up my shots. I was using a 22 and he was using a 45. I turned the mic away from the other shooter.

I'm sure it was working correctly because it correctly counted my number of shots (10). When I had it too sensitive, I might get anywhere from 15 to 30 registered and some reeeeal good splits (0.07!!)

Hope this helps!

[Dalmas]

In dry fire and when you pracite alone the CED8000 is awesome. U'll not regret buying it.

[warpspeed]

PACT makes a great product. Mine has held up. Doesn't go through batteries.

[vluc]

I got my club timer II thru Brian, no regrets. Works fine, used it for indoor training over the off season, worked great.

[Cameron]

I too am very pleased with the CED 8000 for practice. Dry and live fire. Recommend it highly.

[GRD]

If you get a MKIV, I highly recommend installing a volume control inline with the speaker. The buzzer on that thing is LOUD. EricW retrofits them for a reasonable price, or you can do it yourself. You just have to make sure you get a pot with enough resistance.

Haven't tried the 8000. Looks cool, though.

- Gabe

PS: Club Timer II is OK to start out with as a first timer, but the lack of a random start really limits it. And it's a bitch to set par times compared to the MKIV.

[n2299]

I'll second what GRD wrote....

If you decide to go with the Pact MkIV, definitely get EricW to do the mods for you. Besides the volume control, you can also adjust the mic's sensitivity.

[Guest Larry Cazes]

I have had great results using my CED Pocket Pro......Don't use it much for dryfire but the par time function for practicing reloads but it shines on the range. Lots of adjustable sensitivity and great features for the right price.

[rwmagnus]

All the timers listed are pretty good. I own a CED 6000 and now a Pocket Pro. After expierencing a warranty repair problem with CED I picked up the Pocket Pro. I like the larger numbers on the read out plus the unit is alittle more compact. For dry fire practice I just put duck tape over the speaker and it muffles the sound nicely.

I prefer a smaller size timer to practice with but as I said all those your considering will work fine. Most the clubs I shoot at use one of these two timers with the Pocket Pro being more popular.

[.40AET]

I bought the Pocket Pro only because the two clubs that I shoot at use it and nothing else. The CED 8000 came out one month after I bought my timer. Looks like a lot of new technology that would have been nice to have. The pocket pro does take a real tough beating, all of my shooting buddies have dropped it at least once.

[uncle_walty]

I'll second what GRD wrote....

If you decide to go with the Pact MkIV, definitely get EricW to do the mods for you. Besides the volume control, you can also adjust the mic's sensitivity.

Will PACT still honor their warranty after the volume control mod?

[EricW]

I'll second what GRD wrote....

If you decide to go with the Pact MkIV, definitely get EricW to do the mods for you.  Besides the volume control, you can also adjust the mic's sensitivity.

Will PACT still honor their warranty after the volume control mod?

Yes, but I'm sure it falls under the "if you drive your truck over it, we'll fix it for cost" part of the clause. The sucker's built like a tank anyway. I doubt Pact sees too many MK IV's come home other than under the "truck" clause.

[jarcher]

How do you use a timer with dry fire practice? Does it pick up the click from the falling hammer?

I'm looking at timers now. Tons of thigs to consider...

Thanks

[Skywalker]

jarcher,

read this post, there's plenty of explanation on how to work in dry-fire with timers: basically you'll have to work with par times.

Since you stated (in another thread) you have ordered SA's book, you'll find there plenty of explanations too.

[jarcher]

Thanks Skywalker. I think I'll wait until the book arrives before I order anything, and see what features the book says are needed. But basically, it seems there are two very sophisticated timers, the CED8000 and the PACK MK IV.

If I understand correctly, the PACT has a crono bult in and is about $200 while the CED does not and is about 150. But I have not found a detailed feature comparison yet. Being an engineer, I get hung up on nifty features ;-)

Thanks very much, I'll check that post right now.

Cheers

Jim

[Skywalker]

basically, it seems there are two very sophisticated timers, the CED8000 and the PACK MK IV.

Jim,

you're welcome.

Here is a link to a previous thread with discussion on some timers.

I use a Pact Club II for dry and live firing. I didn't need all the features (plus chrono) of the more sophisticated MK IV.

I think I'll wait until the book arrives before I order anything, and see what features the book says are needed

Basically you'll need whatever allows you to sound a second beep at the delay you set.

Answer to your Par Time question in other thread.

[Kingman]

I bought a MKIV probably 12 years ago or so when they just came out. Its been through hell a couple moves etc.

One day the pwr switch started failing so I called them up and they just told me to send it in and they would take care of it. Customer service along the lines of Dillon. Plus this serves as my chrono for making up loads.

ON the other hand my buddies CED timer in the rain once and now you can't read the display. Don't know about that, they would not fix it for free either when he called them.

That made my decision ordered a club timer to have on hand as a spare right then and there.

[AikiDale]

Now that we've discussed dry-fire timers which one holds up best for RO use? It needs to shed water, all day long, and be comfortable at temperature ranges from July at Rio Salado to February in Green Bay. Mike sensitivity must be adjustable to not pick up the next berm and loud enough for the hearing impaired to start before you nudge them.