CED-M2 Chronograph Problems

[MROFD]

I have recently purchased the CED-M2 Chronograph and have had a variety of ongoing error issues.
I have been in contact with Charles Hardy via email to attempt to rectify the problem, with little luck.
The Chronograph and sensors have been posted back to CED Head Office (Hong Kong) for assesment.
I was just curious if any other shooters were having problems with the same unit.
Cheers Matt

[IanP]

Matt the CED-M2 is a pretty good unit. Bryan Litz used the CED to collect some of his G7 BC data. Its been tested against the other brands in numerous reviews and always places well.

Having said all that, the CED M2 does function at its best with the IR illuminated screens. I found the accuracy to vary and errors to occur under changing light conditions as clouds rolling across a blue sky causing the light to change from bright to shaded. The IR screens are essential if you want consistent results under changing light conditions.

My next chronograph will be one of these http://www.magnetospeed.com/how-it-works.html

IanP

[10FP]

Matt, i just recently got one and am extremely disapointed how fussy it is with bullet height over the sensors needing to be within 30mm and hav one sensor always giving errors etc. it hates normal sunny days and has only worked on an overcast day Once doesn`t seem to like the wind or blast within 15 feet. seems ok with a rimfire sometimes
one sensor seems to be suspect also....... if i swap it around i get EO or ER depending which end its on

cheers David K in Adelaide

[Quick]

That Magneto speed looks very nice indeed. Would get a very accurate muzzle velocity too. I wonder.....

Im in the market for a new chrony as my Shooting Chrony Beta Master is just stuffed no matter what I do.

[AlanF]

I've had a M2 for several years, and had similar problems until getting the IR screens. I still get occasional mystery readings but am learning more about them. In fact at the moment I have Rod Davies' M2 (also with IR) for a month or two and am testing them together (in series), and swapping components around etc. By the end of it I hope to have a better idea on how to use them for reliable results, so will post again as any "discoveries" are made.

My next chronograph will be one of these http://www.magnetospeed.com/how-it-works.html

Ian,

Looks interesting but there's one aspect that worries me. That gadget on the end of the barrel would act like a tuner. So if you were tuning loads while getting velocities, you'd need to leave the gadget on there permanently to maintain the tune, which could be problematic, because it looks very much like a bayonet.

Alan

[bruce moulds]

it could be called the "cold steel chronograph".
very handy if you ran out of ammo when facing an angry pig.
bruce.

[AlanF]

it could be called the "cold steel chronograph".
very handy if you ran out of ammo when facing an angry pig.
bruce.

That would be quite a rare event - at our range you could count the number of ammunitionless angry pig appearances on one hand...

[IanP]

it could be called the "cold steel chronograph".
very handy if you ran out of ammo when facing an angry pig.
bruce.

That would be quite a rare event - at our range you could count the number of ammunitionless angry pig appearances on one hand...

It does look like a bayonet. The physics in the design make it a quantum leap (pun intended) ahead of the optical chronos like the CED and just about everything else on the market outside of Doppler radar devices.

I sent the manufacturer an email saying it would need to be modified to fit 1.250" barrels and that perhaps he could consider using an adapter for different diameter barrels. I didn't get a response other than him stating 1.250" barrels would place the two sensors outside of their optimum operational range.

If he used a deeper V block and had a insert available for the most common barrel diameters then it would be a universal instrument. He could even consider having the sensors mounted on an adjustable plate to make it universal. The trace on the DSO in his how it works page and the high speed video clearly show he is about to become a very wealthy man.

Ian

[johnk]

Ian,

It would be a bit of a bugger for anybody like me who uses one of Adam's tuners.

If a bloke knew the optimum range of the sensors, he could cobble up his own adapters maybe, though there seems not to be a whole lot of wriggle room on the barrel device.

Going on the web site, it surprises me that he seems to be aiming for a market that I wouldn't have thought uses chronographs.

John

[IanP]

Ian,

It would be a bit of a bugger for anybody like me who uses one of Adam's tuners.

If a bloke knew the optimum range of the sensors, he could cobble up his own adapters maybe, though there seems not to be a whole lot of wriggle room on the barrel device.

Going on the web site, it surprises me that he seems to be aiming for a market that I wouldn't have thought uses chronographs.

John

I agree with all of what you have said and I would choose to modify the unit myself to suit my needs. Its early days and I'm sure he will eventually make the device adjustable.

I didn't think of barrel tuners, but again with a good adjustable design it could all be overcome.

I really like the idea of not having to go thru the process of setting up the sight screens for an optical chrono. It means at a rifle range you could set up to chrono your loads without ever having to go forward past the firing line with the tripod and sight screens and trailing cables.

The magneto speed chrono would also provide true muzzle velocity (measured at the muzzle) not the speed at 4 metres beyond the muzzle.

Ian

[bruce moulds]

you could also test ammo while competing with little difficulty.
bruce.

[IanP]

you could also test ammo while competing with little difficulty.
bruce.

Yes, and that is another plus for the unit. While others are competing at the range you could be checking the speed of a new load without upsetting the flow of the competition one bit!

Ian

[IanP]

I have spoken to Alex from MagnetoSpeed and the good news is that it will be available (eventually) with adjustable height sensors. He also informed me that he will be selling to Australia. Its an innovative product that fixes the shortcomings of optical chronos and I wish him every success.

Ian

[Quick]

If anyone gets one, I for one will be very interested in the results of the testing.