LABRADAR DOPPLER CHRONOGRAPH Reviews & Ratings

I lobbied Brownells for months to add this to the product line. I believe I bought the first one they sold. It is SO worth the wait and the price! I no longer have to stand in front of my muzzle to set up a chronograph; it sits on the shooting bench next to my barrel. I use a std. cell phone battery pack to power it. Set-up is quick and easy. Light, dark, or rain, it doesn't matter. Shot-to-shot time is very quick,about 2 seconds. It gives multiple downrange velocities for each shot, which is absolutely amazing information to receive! It stores a huge number of shots and shot strings and shows them or downloads them at the push of a button. It comes with a tripod adapter so I use it with both a tripod and the flat plate that sits on a shooting bench. This is the tool I've been waiting for! I would buy this again in a heartbeat!

For the money, there is no more accurate and useful tool available. It took me about 5 minutes or so to set up the tripod and input the weight, etc. The unit recorded the first shot, and every shot after. Immediately produced usable data for load tailoring. Very well pleased with the unit.

WORKS great as far as I'm concerned. Had 2 missed readings out of 25-30 shots so far with my bolt rifles. My competition Electronics digitial chronograph went in the garbage literally. If you have the money, this thing is worth it. It doesn't matter if it's too dark or too much light outside. This thing will read in any conditions. Buy a battery charger too for it I did.

Works as expected. This is my 2nd one. First was stolen. I shoot completive so staying within PF is important.

Hardware is excellent, but needs a more accurate aiming device than notch. Buy an external power pack. Micro jack plug not robust enough for continual use should have been a USB A. Collects amazingly good data out to 100 yards much better than other chronos. Needs better analysis software to provide least square fit to velocity diet information and screen out bad data do not just take stated V0 data as correct.

I've only been able to use it once, and it took me 7 shots to figure out what I was doing wrong (it can only read a .224 cal out to 40 or 50 yards and my distances were set further). Once I changed that setting, the only other shot it didn't record was the one when I forgot to hit "ARM" on the phone app before taking the shot. SO MUCH EASIER TO SET UP THAN THE CHRONY, and if there's anyone else at the range they're not waiting patiently for you to make repeated adjustments forward of the firing line when setting up a traditional chronograph. I have the cheapest samsung phone available and it dropped the bluetooth connection once. The app is nice so you don't have to reach over to the radar to hit Arm. Using AA batteries after 5 hours the AA batteries were depleted about 60% with a low duty cycle (barrel break in, so lots of 20-30 minute breaks between shots for cleaning while leaving the unit on but un-armed). I ordered the external battery pack and tripod from labradar.

Sturdy construction. Not easy to set up. Keeps missing shots- unable to read? Great to download info, very easy.

I purchased the LabRadar to replace a photoelectric chronograph which was difficult to set up and use in bright sun or snow. The LabRadar is easier to set up and worked first time out. Simply place even with the muzzle and aim the unit at the target. I have no positive method to test the accuracy of the unit however I have fired a series of Federal Match rounds which correspond well with published data. I am familiar with traffic radar which have both an internal and external (tuning fork) check to verify accuracy. Would be nice to have an independent verification system. The unit is supposed to be able to track velocity out to 100 yards. 80 is the farthest I have obtained. I have not used it with a different backstop which according to instructions makes a difference. So far the LabRadar recorded every 308 Winchester fired when the unit was properly aimed at the target. Reviews from other users suggested battery life with the 6 AA cells is limited. I used an auxiliary battery pack which was almost depleted after each session. The LabRadar has an available IOS application so unit operations can be controlled and reviewed with a smart phone. Once during each of 2 sessions the app lost connection with the unit. Shots taken during that period still recorded and could be reviewed when communication was re-established, so no lost work. Unlike the app for the photoelectric chronograph, there is no provision for user input notes to keep track of notes on caliber, load or weather. LabRadar gives you only a shot string number. Its up to you to keep track of other data with pencil and paper. Once you download the results to a PC and the CVS file you can add any notes. It would be better better to have these fields available so you could use your smartphone to add the notes up front. The software engineers at LabRadar need to do more work to justify the price and work on the connection glitches.

Other than being a bit hard to aim, it works just fine. I have used it with rifles with and without muzzle breaks, and seldom does it fail to trigger. The sight could be made as simple as a peep hole to look through and the aiming issue would be solved, from the factory it is hard to tell if you have the elevation correct.

I'm sure it will work fine but be prepared to spend money on additional accessories. Shooting suppressed you'll need a trigger sensor and you will also need a battery pack unless you don't mind buying lots of batteries....and don't forget you will need a stand and a carrying bag! Probably would go with the Garmin knowing what I know now.