Chronos on the cheap side
 

Allright, my question is simple. I want to chrono my guns, and I don't have a chrono. I don't need to chrono everyone and their mother, so I only need one that will match the readings with the famous xCortech x3200m, or that will read higher (so if the reading is wrong, I'm still field legal).

I though about this one.
http://shop.ehobbyasia.com/accessori...-100-120v.html

A good idea? Know something cheaper?

I have one of that, from same place, only different colour.

Works great at first, but started to behaviour weird after I leave it in -15 cold for few hours one day. (The problems might be related to that, but I am not sure. )

Problems includes:
Back light do not turn on when it should, and few seconds later, the display on the LCD started to become reversed from left to right, AND top to bottom. Keep pressing and it will just go dead.
Recharging it will solve the problem, for few days. after few days, maybe 2 weeks, (The battery should last longer than that, as I've used it for monthes without charging at first) the problems will come back. As I check the battery on the menu of the chrono the battery shows to be almost full, but it just need charging. I think the cold temp have damaged the battery inside the chrono.
New problem I just discovered yesterday:
When I was chronoing my gun, the chrono gives very low readings, such as 14, 25, 28 fps, once in a while, then went dead. After fully charged it over night and chrono'ed my gun again, I got two low reading at first, then everything went normal, and gives right readings.
I still think there is a problem with the battery of the chrono, maybe I will make a battery pack small enough to fit in, to replace the old one sometime, hope it will solve the problem.


Update 4th April:
After replacing the internal battery (a 3.7V very small lipo) with a similar battery (luckily these batteries are easy to find as small RC model batteries), the problem is solved. It no longer gives very low readings or missing readings, and the screen no longer blinks. I checked the old battery,it looks fine externally, but it appears to have unstable voltage sometimes.
Everything is fine with the chrono now, but I would not recommend it. If anyone already get one... Don't bring it to temperature such as -15C, the internal battery could be damaged.

I have seen some cheaper chronos, but in China. They can't ship it internationally because of the battery, and it is not worth doing that count the shipping cost anyway.

TA has X Cortech X3200 for 96 bucks seems good for the money by the time you ship and duty a 50$ one itll cost that me thinks

I carried that chrono for a short time, but customer feedback rated the item as poor to fair so I only carry the Xcortech 3200 now. It seems to be the "community standard" chronograph.

Mmm, so that chrono doesn't seem like a good idea after all.
I'll consider getting a x3200, I just need to mind myself that's it's for the best, and that it's not overkill for my needs :P.

Well, get a cheap one and get possible unreliable results. Get the same one most organizers are using, and avoid rejection of your gun.

4. Profit.

Fair enough.

Now, with that chrono, do I NEED .20 BBs to get a good read, or can I use .25/.28 to get the .20 fps?

In other words, I don't have any .20 here, only heavier. Should I buy some or the chrono can convert the result to .20 speed?

Get the app "airsoft fps calc basic" its fred you can add any bb weights youd like and use that to convert.
Example
400 on. 20
373 on 23
357.77 on 25
338.06 on. 28
326.6 on. 30
298.14 on 36
Its easy to use and you can set field limits it also gives joules and mps

You can set the BB weight.

It took me years of suggesting the Xcortech X3200 as the best bang for the buck, and I'm glad to see the community has finally followed and listened, after seeing a few Madbulls fail, or giving inaccurate results.

The UFC products.... you get what you pay for. They work, when they work. But they'll eventually break, like most of the China made products that airsofters buy these days.

Again, you get what you pay for.

$100 for a Xcortech is CHEAP. They used to cost more over a year ago. Even at the price I used to sell them for, they are STILL CHEAP. Consider, the professional grade chronograph that I use costs over $350, and still doesn't have some of the features that the Xcortech has (granted, it has quite a number of extra features....)

I agree.

If you can't afford a $100 chronograph for your airsoft workshop, it's likely you also can't afford to build an airsoft workshop.

If you're at the stage where owning your own chrono makes sense, you're likely going though a lot of parts and are investing in other tools as well. Aside from the tools to allow you to open and get into the guns themselves, a chrono is pretty much the most important thing in your workspace because it is how you verify your work and identify problems.

You may want to spend some time saving up money and then invest a bit later.

The Xcortech "is" cheap.

Noted. Ill get that chrono or nothing.
Not that I don't feel it's worth it. It totally is.

But to answer you MaciekA, owning a chrono personally does NOT make any sense right now. I just hate the fact that I don't know how my AEG and GBBP shoot.

15 years ago Coca Cola cans were the norm for "chronos"

If it goes through one side, its 300.
If it goes through both sides, its 400.
If it goes through the bottom, GTFO the field.

I miss those days...