Perfect - did not bore me with a long fancy intro logo; got down to business. You showed significant facts without standing in front of the screen and talking, waving your hands for five minutes like most shooting related video presenters do! Fair comparison and relevant. Thank you!
The Magnetospeed gives ACTUAL MV at the measuring point. The LabRadar gives a calculated estimate. That estimate is based on the first measurement of actual speed it sees, which can be a few yards away. Usually 6 to 12 yards or so. For MV speeds I say that Magnetospeed is more accurate since it's an ACTUAL measurement at the muzzle. The LabRadar is great for recording velocities down range. This is super useful for determining the BC of bullets fired from your rifles. The LabRadar is a lot more convenient to use.
i attached one inch scope rings to a picatinny rail below the barrel, then used a one inch wood dowel that extends past the muzzle a few inches, and attached my magnetospeed to the end. now i get accurate chrono results and don't mess with the barrel harmonic. with the cost of ammo, every shot counts!
NEW EDIT (28 OCT 2019): Since the time I made/posted this video I have purchased another device to activate the LabRadar. It is a "shock sensor" that attaches to the rifle with Velcro and then plugs into the microphone port on the LabRadar. What it then does is to activate the radar when it senses the shock of a shot being fired. This means that the Labradar will QUITE RELIABLY track the shot and record it without having to "hear" it via either an internal or an external microphone, so that all makes the placement of the muzzle and its spatial relationship to the muzzle not all that important. You DO, however, still have to have the Labradar pointed toward the target so it can "see" and track the projectile of course This all makes the Labradar a LOT easier to use/set up and makes muzzle placement not at all critical. The only "kinda drawback" is that you can occasionally cause the unit to sense a shock and activate the radar when you rapidly open the bolt or kinda slam it closed, resulting in an "unable to track Projectile" message on the screen. If that happens, just push the button and that clears that non existent "shot" completely and you then continue shooting and recording data as normal. BTW, there are several sources from which to obtain the sensor setup---IIRC, I got mine from a place called JKL.
OK...I did get to try it out and it worked fine except for one niggling issue...I had the Labradar sensitivity menu set on "3" and that let it sense bolt opening/closing a couple of times, so next time I guess I'll set it on level less sensitive and see how that works. BTW, it DOES get rid of the sensitivity to muzzle position when used with a suppressed rifle.
Thank You!! It is nice to see that folks are still viewing it and gaining some tidbits of info with which to make a decision even if it even though the video was made nearly 3 years ago!!
I like your style, most guys spend more time telling me how great they are and to like and subscribe than you spent on your entire video, which gave me more info then 20-30 minutes of watching theirs. Your video gave me everything I needed to know without wasting my time and helped me make the decision to buy the Caldwell Ballistic Precision Chronograph G2. and I did subscribe to your channel
There is a real big difference between the two units. I have both. Both give you your muzzle velocity. I use more the Labradar, is the only unit that can give you the information to calculate your real Ballistic Coefficient of your bullet at your site. You can get your muzzle speed and your speed at a designated distance of your choice. If you have your weather temperature, humidity, altitude above sea level and barometric pressure, then you can calculate your Real Ballistic Coefficient for your bullet. All weather data can be easy acquired with your Cell phone. There are pages in the Internet that you cam plug the information and get your BC. You can calculate your BC in G1, G7 or your choice. One you have your BC, all the ballistic calculations for distant shooting or any distance is a breeze!
Don, I think you did a very good job on the video. Especially with this being your first video! Your skills will improve over time. Thanks for taking the time to make this. It helped me out.
Thanks. Since making that video I have discovered that when you shoot a suppressed rifle, you have to get the alignment in reference to the mic that triggers the unit just right or it won't trigger. i have been told that some folks use a separate trigger mic for this purpose, but the guys at Labradar tell me that is not necessary if you have the muzzle to unit microphone relationship just right. I figure the less extra stuff I HAVE TO take to the range the better....and my buddies tell me I take WWAAAYYY TOO MUCH now and then they make fun of me----OTOH, those very guys are the first ones that come to me to ask if I have a "XXXX whatever tool thingy"" that they can borrow! I say, "Sure, but it is gonna cost you $8,000 to borrow that "whatever it is"!!!! LOL!!!
Some new info---I went out to the range yesterday to fire my 6.5 Creedmoor with a newly installed TOMB brake/suppressor system. While I was trying to gather data during some load development work, I discovered what (to me, anyway) could be problematic. Up until now I have fired MANY conventional centerfire rifles during data gathering and found that all of them triggered the Labradar without it being too picky about muzzle position of the rifle in use. HOWEVER, yesterday I was using a suppressor for the first time and with the rifle in the usual position (as I had done before) relative to the Labradar, a shot would NOT be detected by the Labradar and it would result in me getting no track, no data and so forth. I spoke with the guys at LabRadar and they talked me through a microphone check ( the unit has two---one at the center of each side, but not described in any way in the unit's literature) and both mics checked out OK, but by now I was out of ammunition. SSOOO, the next time I go to try it, I will use a shorter (in height) mount for the unit and a taller bipod in order to position the rifle's muzzle in closer vertical proximity to the microphone that initiates the unit's radar. We shall see if that works, though I am thinking it will because the guys at the Labradar company said they commonly use suppressed rifle in this manner and it works pretty well.
Manual clearly states if you use a silencer you will either need to set the sensitivity of the mic, or better yet - use an external microphone. They sell them separately. Same applies for airguns
I don’t have a Labradar to compare, but I do have the magnetospeed. Personally like the MS a lot due to its ease of use. HOWEVER, it does have a drawback in its design that can be significant. Because it mounts on the barrel, if you shoot milsurp guns they will often have wood or bayonet mounts upfront where the MS will mount. This requires a workaround and careful fitting at home prior to going to the range. Secondly, you have to be very careful to make sure the MS is not in the path of the bullet. I bought hollow carbon fiber rods that are roughly the caliber of my rifles to use while test fitting at home. The rod extending from the barrel allows me to verify no damage to the MS. Finally, do not plan to measure pistol bullets with the MS. The design requires wrapping around the barrel - a feature that excludes its use on semi-auto handguns and some revolvers. For those guns I use my old Chrony. This wasn’t covered in the videos, but the LR’s weakness is if you are on a busy range. I understand that the device could pick up another shot or bullet from your neighbor and skew your readings. Not sure if that is an accurate statement, but it was concern enough for me to skip.
(This is kinda long, but I figured this may just be the best way to append some info---My apologies on the length!) When I made this video I assumed that anyone that has gotten this far along as to wondering how the Labradar and the MagnetoSpeed compare will have looked at a bunch of videos of both units, so they will have a lot of info about them and how they work..........so I did NOT include any instructions as to how to work them or set them up. At the moment, the Labradar seems kinda "fiddly" to get set up all correctly, but that is likely only because I am still feeling my way along with my NEW unit! What I DID want to show is how they compare in operation and the differences in the velocities measured and the screens. I feel like an improvement in the Labradar would be an option to display the ENTIRE SHOT STRING (or most of it ON SITE at the range) after shooting, rather than just one at a time as I showed in the video which seems to be the only option at the current time. That would be nice, though the MagnetoSpeed will only show a max of 4 shots at a time out of a string. I understand that if you take the SD card out of the Labradar and display the data on your computer (using whatever adapter or input slot you have), it will display a spreadsheet and it will have all the shots on the string displayed. I will have to explore that and figure out how it all works. Once I do that, I will TRY to post it on here so you can see it. There IS a video on here already that shows how the XFR dongle works for the Magnetospeed and what and how it displays on another device (a phone in this case). In another video on here it appears kinda complicated (file-wise) but maybe I just don't know enough about it yet! EDIT 21 JAN 2018---the more my budds and I use this thing, the better we like it as we learn the "system". And it does seem to be getting less and less demanding of "fiddling" as I learn it more.
Good video sir ! I went with magnetospeed because of price and I saw another guy test if it screws with harmonics. His group was slightly smaller without it attached.
I went out this morning and shot 20 shots doing some brass length checking/headspace measuring of fire formed cases and wanted to get the velocities of all of the rounds I fired while I was at it in order to see how much using the same charge, but different weight bullets (123 gr vs. 136 gr) would affect velocities. The LabRadar recorded all of them flawlessly except one....and that one was because i wasn't paying attention and didn't ARM the radar and get the little indicator light to turn orange. again a DUH moment, I guess. But, other than that one "operator error", the unit did well. BTW, I discovered that my currently in use 6.5 Creedmoor LOVES the combo of a 136L LAPUA OTM with 43.3 grains of H4350! It produces a somewhat slow velocity (2958 fps), but nice tight groups (just guessing about .3 to .4 MOA) and an SD of 3.11 and an ES of 7.45!! EDIT 8 JUN 2018---OK...I went to the range again and tried to gather data on about 25 rounds. NOT using the air gun mike and had good luck with it without that accessory before, but NOT TODAY 8 JUN 2018)...it recorded only about one in three shots. I give UP!! I ordered an air gun mic setup today.
OK..one more thing I have found that had GOT ME a couple of times as I use this unit more and more and may be something you'll want to watch out for---and that is that the unit will turn itself from ARMED (Orange indicator) back to the normal ON state (BLUE indicator) at the time limit you programmed on the menu selections. It does this automatically, very quiet and sneaky and if you don't notice it and continue to fire shots, IT WILL NOT MEASURE OR RECORD THEM. If you, like me, tend to screw around doing whatever between shots letting the seconds fly by, watch out for it to do that or when you are done, you will discover that you shot but it DID NOT MEASURE OR RECORD a bunch of your shots!! (Don't even ask how I discovered this!) The manual says you can select up to 10 minutes before it reverts back to normal ON, but the menu only goes up to 300 seconds (5 minutes). I asked the Labradar folks about this and they told me that they haven't gotten around to updating the manual so that it is correct and agrees with the menu. They did tell me that if you fire, say 200 seconds into the (maybe 300 second) timer, the unit DOES reset it itself to the time you selected again and it does this every time you fire and the unit measures a shot. BTW, I have added another video on TH-cam here called "Labradar internal and external files/data" that talks some about using the SD card files that the unit generates if you do use a card and not just the unit's internal memory.
Thanks Don! This was a great comparison between the LabRadar and the Magnetospeed chronographs. Congratulations for an excellent job on your first TH-cam video!
Thank you for the comparison! I finally decided to invest into a chronograph after a while of guessing which group to load up for after many attempts to finally get a consistent load. I think I will go with the magnetospeed solely based on cost, but I wanted to be sure I was not missing anything super important with the lab radar. Thank you.
Don, You Sir did a Fine job on this video. I'm sorta/kinda thinking bout the MagnetoSpeed unit for myself as I'm getting fairly up in age now-a-days, but I reload and shoot alot. I've reloaded now for over 60 years now and would like to know the speeds and what-not bout my ammo I makeup.
Another quick note: I ran into this flashing BLUE LED thing at the range the other day and when I asked the LabRadar guys about it later (without looking online at the FAQs---DUH!) I found out the answer, as it is NOT addressed in the owner's manual under the functions of the BLUE LED, but would be good to know if you encounter a FLASHING BLUE LED while the unit is in use at the range or wherever. So--If when you are setting up/turning on the unit at the range and find that when you apply power the BLUE LED is flashing, it means that, for several possible reasons, the card inserted is not making good contact (usually and a good bet if that specific card was previously OK). When I found this on my unit, I made a lucky stab at the problem without knowing the cause---I turned it off and extracted and then re-inserted the card and tuned the unit back on. SHAZZZZAAAM!!! Problem solved! BTW, that was the first time I ever saw that blue LED be anything other than either steadily ON or OFF, so I kinda wondered "What the Heck"!! (Added on 2 APR 2019)
I know this video is several years old, but I have a couple of comments: My MagnetoSpeed V3 and my shooting buddy's Labradar only varied about 3 fps with my 6.5 CM handloads. To me, the advantage of the Labradar is not having to hang the thing on the barrel and fool with the shimming. The MS also affects the POI, but not as much as I thought it would - maybe 3" at 840 yards. Still, it matters. With the LR you can get your speed data at the same time you're zeroing your scope. Saves a bit of ammo. Speaking of ammo, what is your 6.5 CM load??? You must have a really hot load or a light bullet. My load with 41.3 gr of H4350 give a muzzle velocity of around 2700 fps with a 140 gr ELDM bullet. Your nearly 3000 fps is flying!
Yep...you are absolutely right on all those points And, yeah, the video is kinda old, but still valid I think. And yes, my load is a bit "hotter than yours maybe----43.0 grains of H4350 in a Lapua Small rifle primer case, FED GM205M Primer pushing a LAPUA 123 Grain bullet...That gives me JUST under 3000 FPS average velocity and Standard Deviations in the 5.0 to 6.0 range. I use (full length, NO TURN) dies with a neck bushing and set neck tension to .002" and head space at about .002". Seating depth about .002" off the lands, but that last seems to make no real difference to SDs, velocities or group sizes (Currently will print usually 1/2" and often 3/8" groups all day even with ME shooting it!) even if I run that out to .010" to .012" .I NEVER "jam" with any of my loads due to the possibility of leaving a bullet stuck in the lands and dumping powder into the action---which would RUIN me in a timed match if an unexpected cease fire is called! Barrel is a Stainless Steel M24 1:8 twist Krieger finished to 26" that was chambered and head spaced by a local gunsmith buddy of mine.At this point in time that barrel has 125 rounds through it as I VERY recently bought that barrel. The last one was the same make barrel Light Varmint and was removed with 1706 rounds through it since it was starting to open up at that point. For those of you reading this that might want to try that load---THE LOAD I MENTION ABOVE IS SAFE IN MY RIFLE. YMMV so start lower and work up carefully in steps when developing a load in YOUR RIFLE!! (NO, I am NOT a lawyer, but I know what SOME people might try!!)
Nice to see a comparison (I have the magneto sporter) to add some: I like the phone download on the Magneto, so I can email to myself all the data and work with it at home, I dislike the Magneto when used in a taper barrel or one with a big front sight, I have a piece of cardboard to make the rig being straight or it gives an error. Also the clamp should have a better design to resolve the issue I just mentioned and a quicker installation.
You bring up shooting at the range with other people but will the Labradar pick up other people bullets or confuse them with yours? What is the "field of view" of the Labradar? Do you have to aim it in anyway?
I don't know (or maybe know, but just can't remember) what the "Field of view" is, but If you don't have the sensitivity ("TRIGGER LEVEL") set appropriately on the menu, it occasionally can and will be activated by, track and record a neighboring shooter's shot. If it does that, the cure that usually works is to check/set the sensitivity and if that doesn't work, try to notice when it activates on a neighbor's shot and delete that one or, secondly, maybe to see if it is possible to get more separation from the neighbor. There are some tips on the labRadar website (mylabradar.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/1299-4842Fx1a-quick-setup-and-tips.pdf) that discuss this, but I have only on one occasion found it to be activating upon a neighboring shooters shot, so it has NOT BEEN an issue at all for me, nor for my friends that own and use the LabRadar. The one time mine did activate upon a neighboring shot, the rifle he was shooting was a black powder gun and when I looked at the velocities the unit had recorded, it was VERY OBVIOUS that those shots were NOT mine! And, YES, you DO have to aim it, but that is very simple to do and is described clearly in the manual.
I don't want to sound like your mother, but always wear your eye protection! 😎 And thanks for the video - my Magneto Sporter was stolen and I am having a real hard time deciding between the V3 and LabRadar.
Yeah..I agree....you are preaching to the choir here. I spent two careers (one military and one civilian) being EXTREMELY dependent upon good vision, but I forgot the safety glasses that day and was NOT about to drive 50 miles round trip back to the house to get them.
The Magneto Speed is attached to the barrel as described in the instructions. Setting it otherwise could affect the readings, but who knows? I can't recommend doing it any other way than as described in the instructions.
This was a deal killer for me. I have the magnospeed. I cannot remember how to operate it. So it got used once two years ago and I was back to pro chrono. Now Don Johnson says the Lab Radar is worse, forget it. I could design a magnospeed. I have designed lots of magnetics. I would have an on and off button and a display of the velocity.
Clark--The Labradar DOES have a steeper "learning curve" than the Magneto Speed and I am completely with you on the deal with kinda having to learn things all over again every time you you use it. I'll have to say I DO LIKE my Labradar, but then I use it probably every week, especially when I am load developing. i do wish, however, that I had kept the MagSpeed for use on some occasions when I am not worried about POI shift at all and only want to gather velocity data. Everyone has different tools that match their personality and working styles/habits, so I can understand why others may not like exactly what I like.
Many years ago my son said I should not get a smart phone, because I would have to learn how to use it. Now he is grown up, is a software engineer at Google, and works on syncing up androids to other systems. I have an android, and can use 1% of what it can do. You could show me more, but I would forget it by tomorrow. Having no memory makes me angry.
While I appreciate your taking the time to make a video I did not come here to be entertained. I do not want background noise(music). It serves no purpose and is a distraction from the focus of your video. I want to read the screen and concentrate on the information/data without noise disturbance or any other annoyance. Well at least it wasn't some Rap crap screaming at me. You can talk all you want. If I want music I'll put on my own.
This was a terrible comparison video! Why does the author keeps making excuses that he was unfamiliar with the LabRadar because he had so little time using it! How in the heck can you compare when you don’t yet know enough to compare? And what about the extras when he states that he put some of the necessary “option” together with things he had “laying around”? Oh yeah he has a shop to manufacture these needed options; I don’t. LabRadar does not go to the range in the little bag he showed us but goes with a lot more “options” that are needed to setup the LabRadar! If you are going to put trash on the internet then just don’t do it.
What I said was never an excuse, but was a statement of what was true about a new user's thoughts. AS WAS STATED on the very first thing you see in this video is that I am a NEW USER and that this was MY FIRST USE of the LabRadar.. My apologies for others not having a "shop" in which to make or "re-imagine" things into what they want.---even though my two careers over the decades were in fields FAR from machining or production....having been in (The first career being military) aviation. The labradar DOES, even now, go to the range in that bag. The stand that Labradar sells doesn't fit in that bag, nor does the one I made up from stuff I had lying around (which I pointed out) and I SHOWED IT as it is.....BTW, my wife could have done any and all of that with pliers, a hammer and screwdrivers she has in her "junk drawer" in the kitchen. Some sort of sophisticated, fully equipped shot is not required at all. The video NEVER showed me doing or saying anything that wasn't true and forthcoming for a new user, which is was I was at the time that video was made years ago.. I NEVER pretended to be, or posed as, some kind of an "EXPERT" on either or both and It showed what I thought and was going through at the time and never claimed to be otherwise. Anyone that took any other intent or idea from the video must have not been able to see it for what it was for some reason...Sorry you didn't get it! Most other folks saw the reality of the moment. Mostly what I feel is sorry for your lack of perception. Still, I feel for you and hope you can get that big wad you have your shorts in straightened out! Have a nice new year!
Another EDIT/Addition to the video (ADDED on 26 FEB 2020)--A friend of mine tried to use the shock sensor activation for one of his pellet rifles, but it didn't work due to the Olympic style pellet rifles (and my guess is likely the pistols, too) not having enough recoil/shock when fired to activate the Labradar. No actual info yet, but it appears that the only way to get it to work with the fairly quiet/no recoil type systems is to use the external microphone setup for Labradar activation. I DO HAVE a FeinwerkBau air rifle, but have not had an opportunity to test out how it will work with the Labradar...more info to come when I DO get some time to try it. I also do happen to have another (I think noisier and with more recoil) pellet rifle and will probably try that, too. My buddy DID NOTE, however, that the "official Labradar" microphone activation system sold by the Labradar folks is not the only one that will do the job of activation---one can also be used that is made for use with a computer or other such common device, but you'll likely want to fabricate some kind of a bracket for it by which means it can be attached to the Labradar unit.
Perfect - did not bore me with a long fancy intro logo; got down to business. You showed significant facts without standing in front of the screen and talking, waving your hands for five minutes like most shooting related video presenters do! Fair comparison and relevant. Thank you!
The Magnetospeed gives ACTUAL MV at the measuring point. The LabRadar gives a calculated estimate. That estimate is based on the first measurement of actual speed it sees, which can be a few yards away. Usually 6 to 12 yards or so. For MV speeds I say that Magnetospeed is more accurate since it's an ACTUAL measurement at the muzzle. The LabRadar is great for recording velocities down range. This is super useful for determining the BC of bullets fired from your rifles. The LabRadar is a lot more convenient to use.
This is how I like my videos! Informative and straight to the point. Thank you sir!
i attached one inch scope rings to a picatinny rail below the barrel, then used a one inch wood dowel that extends past the muzzle a few inches, and attached my magnetospeed to the end. now i get accurate chrono results and don't mess with the barrel harmonic. with the cost of ammo, every shot counts!
Thanks for doing the video. I'm in the market for my first chronograph and your video has helped me decide which to get.
Merry Christmas.
Thanks for the direct comparison of these two units! Very helpful.
NEW EDIT (28 OCT 2019): Since the time I made/posted this video I have purchased another device to activate the LabRadar. It is a "shock sensor" that attaches to the rifle with Velcro and then plugs into the microphone port on the LabRadar. What it then does is to activate the radar when it senses the shock of a shot being fired. This means that the Labradar will QUITE RELIABLY track the shot and record it without having to "hear" it via either an internal or an external microphone, so that all makes the placement of the muzzle and its spatial relationship to the muzzle not all that important. You DO, however, still have to have the Labradar pointed toward the target so it can "see" and track the projectile of course This all makes the Labradar a LOT easier to use/set up and makes muzzle placement not at all critical. The only "kinda drawback" is that you can occasionally cause the unit to sense a shock and activate the radar when you rapidly open the bolt or kinda slam it closed, resulting in an "unable to track Projectile" message on the screen. If that happens, just push the button and that clears that non existent "shot" completely and you then continue shooting and recording data as normal. BTW, there are several sources from which to obtain the sensor setup---IIRC, I got mine from a place called JKL.
OK...I did get to try it out and it worked fine except for one niggling issue...I had the Labradar sensitivity menu set on "3" and that let it sense bolt opening/closing a couple of times, so next time I guess I'll set it on level less sensitive and see how that works. BTW, it DOES get rid of the sensitivity to muzzle position when used with a suppressed rifle.
Great job! I'm looking at both units. This was very helpful. Thank you. Your video was direct and to the point. Thank you
Thank you for the video. I'm in the market for a chronograph and really appreciate straight forward, unbiased videos like this.
Perfect video for my purposes. These are the two I am carefully considering. Thank you for taking the time to put it together.
semaronick what did you decide?
Great video, no wasting time watching you shoot. Thanks, you showed clear unbiased results. We can clearly see both are good and decide what suits
Thank You!! It is nice to see that folks are still viewing it and gaining some tidbits of info with which to make a decision even if it even though the video was made nearly 3 years ago!!
I like your style, most guys spend more time telling me how great they are and to like and subscribe than you spent on your entire video, which gave me more info then 20-30 minutes of watching theirs. Your video gave me everything I needed to know without wasting my time and helped me make the decision to buy the Caldwell Ballistic Precision Chronograph G2. and I did subscribe to your channel
There is a real big difference between the two units. I have
both. Both give you your muzzle velocity.
I use more the Labradar, is the only unit that can give you
the information to calculate your real Ballistic Coefficient of your bullet at
your site.
You can get your muzzle speed and your speed at a designated
distance of your choice.
If you have your weather temperature, humidity, altitude
above sea level and barometric pressure, then you can calculate your Real
Ballistic Coefficient for your bullet.
All weather data can be easy acquired with your Cell phone.
There are pages in the Internet that you cam plug the information and get your
BC. You can calculate your BC in G1, G7 or your choice.
One you have your BC, all the ballistic calculations for distant
shooting or any distance is a breeze!
Don, I think you did a very good job on the video. Especially with this being your first video! Your skills will improve over time. Thanks for taking the time to make this. It helped me out.
Thanks. Since making that video I have discovered that when you shoot a suppressed rifle, you have to get the alignment in reference to the mic that triggers the unit just right or it won't trigger. i have been told that some folks use a separate trigger mic for this purpose, but the guys at Labradar tell me that is not necessary if you have the muzzle to unit microphone relationship just right. I figure the less extra stuff I HAVE TO take to the range the better....and my buddies tell me I take WWAAAYYY TOO MUCH now and then they make fun of me----OTOH, those very guys are the first ones that come to me to ask if I have a "XXXX whatever tool thingy"" that they can borrow! I say, "Sure, but it is gonna cost you $8,000 to borrow that "whatever it is"!!!! LOL!!!
I'm shooting suppressed air rifles. So, I picked up the external mic because some of them are whisper quiet! Thanks a bunch for the helpful tip!
Some new info---I went out to the range yesterday to fire my 6.5 Creedmoor with a newly installed TOMB brake/suppressor system. While I was trying to gather data during some load development work, I discovered what (to me, anyway) could be problematic. Up until now I have fired MANY conventional centerfire rifles during data gathering and found that all of them triggered the Labradar without it being too picky about muzzle position of the rifle in use. HOWEVER, yesterday I was using a suppressor for the first time and with the rifle in the usual position (as I had done before) relative to the Labradar, a shot would NOT be detected by the Labradar and it would result in me getting no track, no data and so forth. I spoke with the guys at LabRadar and they talked me through a microphone check ( the unit has two---one at the center of each side, but not described in any way in the unit's literature) and both mics checked out OK, but by now I was out of ammunition. SSOOO, the next time I go to try it, I will use a shorter (in height) mount for the unit and a taller bipod in order to position the rifle's muzzle in closer vertical proximity to the microphone that initiates the unit's radar. We shall see if that works, though I am thinking it will because the guys at the Labradar company said they commonly use suppressed rifle in this manner and it works pretty well.
Manual clearly states if you use a silencer you will either need to set the sensitivity of the mic, or better yet - use an external microphone. They sell them separately. Same applies for airguns
I don’t have a Labradar to compare, but I do have the magnetospeed. Personally like the MS a lot due to its ease of use. HOWEVER, it does have a drawback in its design that can be significant. Because it mounts on the barrel, if you shoot milsurp guns they will often have wood or bayonet mounts upfront where the MS will mount. This requires a workaround and careful fitting at home prior to going to the range. Secondly, you have to be very careful to make sure the MS is not in the path of the bullet. I bought hollow carbon fiber rods that are roughly the caliber of my rifles to use while test fitting at home. The rod extending from the barrel allows me to verify no damage to the MS. Finally, do not plan to measure pistol bullets with the MS. The design requires wrapping around the barrel - a feature that excludes its use on semi-auto handguns and some revolvers. For those guns I use my old Chrony.
This wasn’t covered in the videos, but the LR’s weakness is if you are on a busy range. I understand that the device could pick up another shot or bullet from your neighbor and skew your readings. Not sure if that is an accurate statement, but it was concern enough for me to skip.
Good Video. I have a magnetospeed and was wondering about the labradar. You covered the pertinent points, thank you.
(This is kinda long, but I figured this may just be the best way to append some info---My apologies on the length!) When I made this video I assumed that anyone that has gotten this far along as to wondering how the Labradar and the MagnetoSpeed compare will have looked at a bunch of videos of both units, so they will have a lot of info about them and how they work..........so I did NOT include any instructions as to how to work them or set them up. At the moment, the Labradar seems kinda "fiddly" to get set up all correctly, but that is likely only because I am still feeling my way along with my NEW unit! What I DID want to show is how they compare in operation and the differences in the velocities measured and the screens. I feel like an improvement in the Labradar would be an option to display the ENTIRE SHOT STRING (or most of it ON SITE at the range) after shooting, rather than just one at a time as I showed in the video which seems to be the only option at the current time. That would be nice, though the MagnetoSpeed will only show a max of 4 shots at a time out of a string. I understand that if you take the SD card out of the Labradar and display the data on your computer (using whatever adapter or input slot you have), it will display a spreadsheet and it will have all the shots on the string displayed. I will have to explore that and figure out how it all works. Once I do that, I will TRY to post it on here so you can see it. There IS a video on here already that shows how the XFR dongle works for the Magnetospeed and what and how it displays on another device (a phone in this case). In another video on here it appears kinda complicated (file-wise) but maybe I just don't know enough about it yet!
EDIT 21 JAN 2018---the more my budds and I use this thing, the better we like it as we learn the "system". And it does seem to be getting less and less demanding of "fiddling" as I learn it more.
Good video sir ! I went with magnetospeed because of price and I saw another guy test if it screws with harmonics. His group was slightly smaller without it attached.
I went out this morning and shot 20 shots doing some brass length checking/headspace measuring of fire formed cases and wanted to get the velocities of all of the rounds I fired while I was at it in order to see how much using the same charge, but different weight bullets (123 gr vs. 136 gr) would affect velocities. The LabRadar recorded all of them flawlessly except one....and that one was because i wasn't paying attention and didn't ARM the radar and get the little indicator light to turn orange. again a DUH moment, I guess. But, other than that one "operator error", the unit did well. BTW, I discovered that my currently in use 6.5 Creedmoor LOVES the combo of a 136L LAPUA OTM with 43.3 grains of H4350! It produces a somewhat slow velocity (2958 fps), but nice tight groups (just guessing about .3 to .4 MOA) and an SD of 3.11 and an ES of 7.45!!
EDIT 8 JUN 2018---OK...I went to the range again and tried to gather data on about 25 rounds. NOT using the air gun mike and had good luck with it without that accessory before, but NOT TODAY 8 JUN 2018)...it recorded only about one in three shots. I give UP!! I ordered an air gun mic setup today.
OK..one more thing I have found that had GOT ME a couple of times as I use this unit more and more and may be something you'll want to watch out for---and that is that the unit will turn itself from ARMED (Orange indicator) back to the normal ON state (BLUE indicator) at the time limit you programmed on the menu selections. It does this automatically, very quiet and sneaky and if you don't notice it and continue to fire shots, IT WILL NOT MEASURE OR RECORD THEM. If you, like me, tend to screw around doing whatever between shots letting the seconds fly by, watch out for it to do that or when you are done, you will discover that you shot but it DID NOT MEASURE OR RECORD a bunch of your shots!! (Don't even ask how I discovered this!) The manual says you can select up to 10 minutes before it reverts back to normal ON, but the menu only goes up to 300 seconds (5 minutes). I asked the Labradar folks about this and they told me that they haven't gotten around to updating the manual so that it is correct and agrees with the menu. They did tell me that if you fire, say 200 seconds into the (maybe 300 second) timer, the unit DOES reset it itself to the time you selected again and it does this every time you fire and the unit measures a shot.
BTW, I have added another video on TH-cam here called "Labradar internal and external files/data" that talks some about using the SD card files that the unit generates if you do use a card and not just the unit's internal memory.
Thanks Don! This was a great comparison between the LabRadar and the Magnetospeed chronographs. Congratulations for an excellent job on your first TH-cam video!
You are quite welcome. I hope it helped you out.
Thank you! This is good info. I don't have a chrono yet, but will likely choose now based on your video.
Thank you for the comparison! I finally decided to invest into a chronograph after a while of guessing which group to load up for after many attempts to finally get a consistent load. I think I will go with the magnetospeed solely based on cost, but I wanted to be sure I was not missing anything super important with the lab radar. Thank you.
Don, You Sir did a Fine job on this video. I'm sorta/kinda thinking bout the MagnetoSpeed unit for myself as I'm getting fairly up in age now-a-days, but I reload and shoot alot. I've reloaded now for over 60 years now and would like to know the speeds and what-not bout my ammo I makeup.
Another quick note: I ran into this flashing BLUE LED thing at the range the other day and when I asked the LabRadar guys about it later (without looking online at the FAQs---DUH!) I found out the answer, as it is NOT addressed in the owner's manual under the functions of the BLUE LED, but would be good to know if you encounter a FLASHING BLUE LED while the unit is in use at the range or wherever. So--If when you are setting up/turning on the unit at the range and find that when you apply power the BLUE LED is flashing, it means that, for several possible reasons, the card inserted is not making good contact (usually and a good bet if that specific card was previously OK). When I found this on my unit, I made a lucky stab at the problem without knowing the cause---I turned it off and extracted and then re-inserted the card and tuned the unit back on. SHAZZZZAAAM!!! Problem solved! BTW, that was the first time I ever saw that blue LED be anything other than either steadily ON or OFF, so I kinda wondered "What the Heck"!! (Added on 2 APR 2019)
I know this video is several years old, but I have a couple of comments: My MagnetoSpeed V3 and my shooting buddy's Labradar only varied about 3 fps with my 6.5 CM handloads. To me, the advantage of the Labradar is not having to hang the thing on the barrel and fool with the shimming. The MS also affects the POI, but not as much as I thought it would - maybe 3" at 840 yards. Still, it matters. With the LR you can get your speed data at the same time you're zeroing your scope. Saves a bit of ammo. Speaking of ammo, what is your 6.5 CM load??? You must have a really hot load or a light bullet. My load with 41.3 gr of H4350 give a muzzle velocity of around 2700 fps with a 140 gr ELDM bullet. Your nearly 3000 fps is flying!
Yep...you are absolutely right on all those points And, yeah, the video is kinda old, but still valid I think. And yes, my load is a bit "hotter than yours maybe----43.0 grains of H4350 in a Lapua Small rifle primer case, FED GM205M Primer pushing a LAPUA 123 Grain bullet...That gives me JUST under 3000 FPS average velocity and Standard Deviations in the 5.0 to 6.0 range. I use (full length, NO TURN) dies with a neck bushing and set neck tension to .002" and head space at about .002". Seating depth about .002" off the lands, but that last seems to make no real difference to SDs, velocities or group sizes (Currently will print usually 1/2" and often 3/8" groups all day even with ME shooting it!) even if I run that out to .010" to .012" .I NEVER "jam" with any of my loads due to the possibility of leaving a bullet stuck in the lands and dumping powder into the action---which would RUIN me in a timed match if an unexpected cease fire is called! Barrel is a Stainless Steel M24 1:8 twist Krieger finished to 26" that was chambered and head spaced by a local gunsmith buddy of mine.At this point in time that barrel has 125 rounds through it as I VERY recently bought that barrel. The last one was the same make barrel Light Varmint and was removed with 1706 rounds through it since it was starting to open up at that point. For those of you reading this that might want to try that load---THE LOAD I MENTION ABOVE IS SAFE IN MY RIFLE. YMMV so start lower and work up carefully in steps when developing a load in YOUR RIFLE!! (NO, I am NOT a lawyer, but I know what SOME people might try!!)
Nice video, short and to the point. Thank you for sharing.
Thomas---Thanks for the nice comment. I'm glad you found the video useful!
Nice to see a comparison (I have the magneto sporter) to add some: I like the phone download on the Magneto, so I can email to myself all the data and work with it at home, I dislike the Magneto when used in a taper barrel or one with a big front sight, I have a piece of cardboard to make the rig being straight or it gives an error. Also the clamp should have a better design to resolve the issue I just mentioned and a quicker installation.
Great help, thank you.
Labradar is by far the most convienient in my opinion. If you do a lot of hand load developments as I do, you want something easy and quick to setup.
nice work for a first video. on which unit to pick IMHO I would have to go with the Labradar too, it's really hard to fit the MagnetoSpeed on a pistol
Great video.
Great video but please next time you dont need the music, is hard to hear you!
Interesting & helpful...thank you.
You bring up shooting at the range with other people but will the Labradar pick up other people bullets or confuse them with yours? What is the "field of view" of the Labradar? Do you have to aim it in anyway?
I don't know (or maybe know, but just can't remember) what the "Field of view" is, but If you don't have the sensitivity ("TRIGGER LEVEL") set appropriately on the menu, it occasionally can and will be activated by, track and record a neighboring shooter's shot. If it does that, the cure that usually works is to check/set the sensitivity and if that doesn't work, try to notice when it activates on a neighbor's shot and delete that one or, secondly, maybe to see if it is possible to get more separation from the neighbor. There are some tips on the labRadar website (mylabradar.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/1299-4842Fx1a-quick-setup-and-tips.pdf) that discuss this, but I have only on one occasion found it to be activating upon a neighboring shooters shot, so it has NOT BEEN an issue at all for me, nor for my friends that own and use the LabRadar. The one time mine did activate upon a neighboring shot, the rifle he was shooting was a black powder gun and when I looked at the velocities the unit had recorded, it was VERY OBVIOUS that those shots were NOT mine! And, YES, you DO have to aim it, but that is very simple to do and is described clearly in the manual.
I don't want to sound like your mother, but always wear your eye protection! 😎 And thanks for the video - my Magneto Sporter was stolen and I am having a real hard time deciding between the V3 and LabRadar.
Yeah..I agree....you are preaching to the choir here. I spent two careers (one military and one civilian) being EXTREMELY dependent upon good vision, but I forgot the safety glasses that day and was NOT about to drive 50 miles round trip back to the house to get them.
Nice job. Thank you.
Great video!!! Thank you!
Excellent work with the video, thank you for your time.
Thank you
Its REALLY hard to get accurate velocity at 50m with magneto speed.
Nice background music
Looks like the mag speed was set way further out on the barrel than the instructions suggest and I wonder if this effected the results.
The Magneto Speed is attached to the barrel as described in the instructions. Setting it otherwise could affect the readings, but who knows? I can't recommend doing it any other way than as described in the instructions.
Don Johnso
TheJanka25
Add an "N" on the end and you've got it! Looks like you hit the send button before you meant to.....What's up?
I like the music
Would you share some load data to get those speeds? Pretty impressive.
This was a deal killer for me. I have the magnospeed. I cannot remember how to operate it. So it got used once two years ago and I was back to pro chrono. Now Don Johnson says the Lab Radar is worse, forget it. I could design a magnospeed. I have designed lots of magnetics. I would have an on and off button and a display of the velocity.
Clark--The Labradar DOES have a steeper "learning curve" than the Magneto Speed and I am completely with you on the deal with kinda having to learn things all over again every time you you use it. I'll have to say I DO LIKE my Labradar, but then I use it probably every week, especially when I am load developing. i do wish, however, that I had kept the MagSpeed for use on some occasions when I am not worried about POI shift at all and only want to gather velocity data. Everyone has different tools that match their personality and working styles/habits, so I can understand why others may not like exactly what I like.
Many years ago my son said I should not get a smart phone, because I would have to learn how to use it. Now he is grown up, is a software engineer at Google, and works on syncing up androids to other systems. I have an android, and can use 1% of what it can do. You could show me more, but I would forget it by tomorrow. Having no memory makes me angry.
Nice job on the video
While I appreciate your taking the time to make a video I did not come here to be entertained. I do not want background noise(music). It serves no purpose and is a distraction from the focus of your video. I want to read the screen and concentrate on the information/data without noise disturbance or any other annoyance. Well at least it wasn't some Rap crap screaming at me. You can talk all you want. If I want music I'll put on my own.
This was a terrible comparison video! Why does the author keeps making excuses that he was unfamiliar with the LabRadar because he had so little time using it! How in the heck can you compare when you don’t yet know enough to compare? And what about the extras when he states that he put some of the necessary “option” together with things he had “laying around”? Oh yeah he has a shop to manufacture these needed options; I don’t. LabRadar does not go to the range in the little bag he showed us but goes with a lot more “options” that are needed to setup the LabRadar! If you are going to put trash on the internet then just don’t do it.
What I said was never an excuse, but was a statement of what was true about a new user's thoughts. AS WAS STATED on the very first thing you see in this video is that I am a NEW USER and that this was MY FIRST USE of the LabRadar.. My apologies for others not having a "shop" in which to make or "re-imagine" things into what they want.---even though my two careers over the decades were in fields FAR from machining or production....having been in (The first career being military) aviation. The labradar DOES, even now, go to the range in that bag. The stand that Labradar sells doesn't fit in that bag, nor does the one I made up from stuff I had lying around (which I pointed out) and I SHOWED IT as it is.....BTW, my wife could have done any and all of that with pliers, a hammer and screwdrivers she has in her "junk drawer" in the kitchen. Some sort of sophisticated, fully equipped shot is not required at all. The video NEVER showed me doing or saying anything that wasn't true and forthcoming for a new user, which is was I was at the time that video was made years ago.. I NEVER pretended to be, or posed as, some kind of an "EXPERT" on either or both and It showed what I thought and was going through at the time and never claimed to be otherwise. Anyone that took any other intent or idea from the video must have not been able to see it for what it was for some reason...Sorry you didn't get it! Most other folks saw the reality of the moment. Mostly what I feel is sorry for your lack of perception. Still, I feel for you and hope you can get that big wad you have your shorts in straightened out! Have a nice new year!
Good video.
Another EDIT/Addition to the video (ADDED on 26 FEB 2020)--A friend of mine tried to use the shock sensor activation for one of his pellet rifles, but it didn't work due to the Olympic style pellet rifles (and my guess is likely the pistols, too) not having enough recoil/shock when fired to activate the Labradar. No actual info yet, but it appears that the only way to get it to work with the fairly quiet/no recoil type systems is to use the external microphone setup for Labradar activation. I DO HAVE a FeinwerkBau air rifle, but have not had an opportunity to test out how it will work with the Labradar...more info to come when I DO get some time to try it. I also do happen to have another (I think noisier and with more recoil) pellet rifle and will probably try that, too. My buddy DID NOTE, however, that the "official Labradar" microphone activation system sold by the Labradar folks is not the only one that will do the job of activation---one can also be used that is made for use with a computer or other such common device, but you'll likely want to fabricate some kind of a bracket for it by which means it can be attached to the Labradar unit.