MagnetoSpeed: The World's Best Chronograph?
The
new MagnetoSpeed chronograph offers speed and convenience never before
offered in a chronograph. Rather than rely on light, the Magnetospeed
has a new approach. According to MagnetoSpeed, “All ballistic
chronographs currently marketed to the general public use optical sensors.
The MagnetoSpeed Rifleman uses electromagnetic sensors to detect
the presence of the bullet. These sensors are immune to muzzle blast,
which allows the sensors to be located near the muzzle. As an added
benefit, these sensors are immune to common light problems such as
fluorescent lights, low sun, bright sun, etc. Our unique method determines
velocity by sensing the difference in time between a slight disturbance
in two magnetic fields as the bullet passes by. This is somewhat
similar to the way that an electric guitar senses the vibration of its
strings to produce amplified tones.”
The MagnetoSpeed unit attaches directly to the muzzle in what they call a bayonet assembly. No more need to set-up screens downrange, no more ambient light problems, no more fouling of light sensors, no more shot-up chronographs, no more chronographs blowing over on windy days. Use it accurately in low light or use it at night if you wish. The potential advantages are huge.
The velcro cinch (Velcam) that attaches the sensing unit to the barrel of your rifle is flimsy. So flimsy, that I managed to instantly break the little toothpick size piece of plastic clean off before my first shot was ever fired-- with no significant pressure I could feel. Everything I touch lately seems to break. Now, I'm afraid to go to the bathroom. The lifeless, unattachable Velcam is lying beneath the Savage 10ML-II, on top of the Tackdriver bag, above.
Nevertheless, I was able to affix the bayonet to the barrel of my Savage 10ML-II by ignoring the Velcam, easy to do as it was no longer there, and just wrap the velcro around the whole unit. The unit still worked flawlessly, even though the bayonet was not attached as securely as it should have been. I was shooting a variety of different loads pushing a 300 grain Parker Match Hunter to 2300 fps or so, with a short black MMP sabot, out of the Savage 10ML-II.
The unit turns on when you plug in the sensor via the data cable, it gives records the shots without fail, gives you standard deviation, minimum velocity, maximum velocity, extreme spread, and average velocity. The data is easily saved (they call it archived) to an onboard micro-SD card that can be opened with common spreadsheet programs on your PC.
This is a tremendous idea and real time-saver when it comes to set-up with perfect reliability. The insta-break plastic Velcam plastic hinge pin is a concern, but this unit was a pre-production model. Perhaps I just got a bad piece of plastic, I don't know. The little plastic pin does not look adequately strong or substantial, though, so it may require some beefing up before this unit goes mainstream.
Assuming the Velcam issue is addressed, this is going to be my favorite chronograph, easily. It takes away all the things that have made optical chronograph a real pain to use, particularly on windy days or poor lighting conditions with no extras required.
For more info, see: http://www.magnetospeed.com .
Copyright 2011 by Randy Wakeman. All Rights Reserved.
Copyright 2011 by Randy Wakeman. All Rights Reserved.
