Fx True Ballistic Chronograph first thoughts

[PA_AirHead]

Like many people, I wanna unbox my newest toy or tool and put it to work. So when I received my FX Chronograph I did just that. Already having a pocket chrony, I had the app already and it recognized the True Ballistic straight away.

This afternoon when I got home from work I grabbed my tiny .177 cal Akela and headed outside with everything I’d need. Before this took place, I had set things up mostly last night in the settings. At least I thought I had .

So I shot four magazines or 56 pellets out at 50 yards. The chronograph failed to report on at least 10 shots. Like it wasn’t “seeing” the pellets. ….. I thought, “Really?!!!, I just dropped nearly a $1k on this thing and it doesn’t work as well as my pocket Gen 1 chrony?!!!” A bit discouraged is an understatement. But I figured it was probably something I wasn’t doing right. Maybe it was environmental, my aiming of it, was I too close, were the pellets too small? Something other than the product had to be wrong.

So this evening I went through the manual and the unit itself. Turns out, I’m 99% sure it is entirely my fault. There’s a trigger sensitivity adjustment that I am positive was set by default to be not quite sensitive enough for the little .177. It’s possible that my BRBQ grill is also interfering with the radar, so that will be moved out of the area. Also the positioning may have been off just a bit. So I have corrected everything I can so far and will try it again in a few days. After all the rain is over with. It’s got great display and info available, probably way more than I need at my level, but I think it’s going to make my airgunning for fun, and that’s saying a lot because I’m having a ball.

I can’t wait to get the Impact retuned and my FT kit all done, as well as a few more. After that, it’s on to the mighty Bulldog and some specially casted ammo. This Chronograph is gonna be a busy one this spring.

 

[Pumacarl]

Nice report! Someday the price of these is going to drop like a rock, ...I hope.

 

[Danman]

Nice! Love that it can track your projectile all the way to target. I'm a bit jealous Thought about it but definitely gonna stick with my prochrono for now as she's working well enough, just very light sensitive . Not strapping something to your gun or accidentally shooting it WITH your gun is always nice to!!

 

[Eckhearth]

Really nice piece of kit you got there! I love all the data it gives to you. Enjoy this new purchase!

 

[Ezana4CE]

@PA_AirHead I like how this report started. After close to a year and a half, what are your thoughts on this unit? What I find attractive is that the chronograph records the projectile at 4 points during flight and that it calculates BC.

My concerns are the drag models that it uses (IIRC they use G1 and G7). I don’t know much of anything about ballistics, but I wonder if these models are adequate for accurately calculating BC for diabolo pellets and slugs. The other thing that I wonder about is how the build quality will hold up long-term. It looks like a lot of plastic that the Texas sun will beat up and reduce to a brittle broken rubble, particularly the storage case/ stand.

 

[hameditor]

@PA_AirHead I like how this report started. After close to a year and a half, what are your thoughts on this unit? What I find attractive is that the chronograph records the projectile at 4 points during flight and that it calculates BC.

My concerns are the drag models that it uses (IIRC they use G1 and G7). I don’t know much of anything about ballistics, but I wonder if these models are adequate for accurately calculating BC for diabolo pellets and slugs. The other thing that I wonder about is how the build quality will hold up long-term. It looks like a lot of plastic that the Texas sun will beat up and reduce to a brittle broken rubble, particularly the storage case/ stand.

The GA model is required for diablo pellets.

 

[Ezana4CE]

The GA model is required for diablo pellets.

@hameditor Thank you. I’m still learning in this area. I read here that the FX True Ballistics Chronograph uses G1/G7 drag models.

FX Outdoors - True Ballistics Chronograph | Utah Airguns

FX Outdoors True Ballistics Chronograph is a premium, precision chronograph designed for accurate velocity and ballistic data measurement on your airgun.

utahairguns.com

Edit: the same info is specified on the FX site.

Chronographs - FX Airguns

fxairguns.com

I read a forum post saying that RA4 and GA are also included. Post #4 here

Which chronographs are capable of calculating BC

Hello all Trying to put together a list of chronographs that calculate BC I know of the FX true ballistic and when it is released, the Caldwell velociradar, but are there any others? i wasn't positive about the lab radar or Garmin being able to do the BC...Can they? Thank for the help

www.airgunnation.com

I’m trying to see mine which is the most accurate information. I don’t know if firmware updates added more drag models or what

 

[PA_AirHead]

@PA_AirHead I like how this report started. After close to a year and a half, what are your thoughts on this unit? What I find attractive is that the chronograph records the projectile at 4 points during flight and that it calculates BC.

My concerns are the drag models that it uses (IIRC they use G1 and G7). I don’t know much of anything about ballistics, but I wonder if these models are adequate for accurately calculating BC for diabolo pellets and slugs. The other thing that I wonder about is how the build quality will hold up long-term. It looks like a lot of plastic that the Texas sun will beat up and reduce to a brittle broken rubble, particularly the storage case/ stand.

Since I made the initial adjustments of the unit, it’s not failed me. Maybe I should say, I’ve not failed it lol. It reads my multi pump pistol down to 400 fps and all the rifles now. The constant updates are nice. Seems when I don’t use it for a month or so, and then fire it up, there’s more useful information available.

In the end I have no regrets on the purchase and look forward to many many more chrony sessions with it.

 

[Ezana4CE]

@PA_AirHead How is the construction of that stand and protective case? Does it look like it will hold up over time? Are there any shortcomings or weak points that you have noticed? Have the RA4 and GA drag models been added in any updates?

Functionally it looks great.

 

[PA_AirHead]

I’ve never updated mine in the unit itself, only the auto update in the app. (My computer isn’t online currently). The stand has been completely fine. The case is semi rigid but works as intended. I should say, I baby all my shooting gear from gun, pellets, and especially electronics. I don’t abuse any of my kit. I’ve mounted the chrony on my camera tripod for shooting pistol while standing and, well it does what it should. Mounts easy and just does its job.