I have the Caldwell Ballistic Precision and it works for me. I haven't used it but 5-6 times but its always been gtg when I do use it. My buddys dad uses it quite a bit. For the cash it makes me happy. I think you can get it for close to $140 now. Worth a look.
Labradar is the best for aroung $550...then #2 is Magnetospeed V3 ($380 ish or Sporter ($180) versions....I got by for years with on old Shooting Chrono Master for $120 ish
I've got a CED Millenium 2 I've been using for about 10 years and it has been very good. I've had very few missed shots and when they are missed its due to me screwing something up, not the chrono like I had with the chrony line. The data is stored in a reasonable way and accessible. The only problem is the same one all the optical types have, you need to set the thing up downrange from your shooting position and you need to make sure you're shooting through the right spot. The price is reasonable and all the components that get whacked when you miss are available individually and not too expensive. With many types you pay full price when you shoot the thing.
Having said all that I've run the LabRadar chronos belonging to friends and they are fantastic. I think there is a learning curve with them but once you get it figured they work very reliably and seem to get about the same numbers at the optical types. They're expensive but you're less likely to whack them since they sit behind your muzzle.
I know guys running the magnetospeed setups and they seem to work well. The big complaint is having to mount them to the barrel changing harmonics and affecting accuracy or having to have some other mounting hardware attached to your rifle to put them where they need to be. Any way you slice it they add weight to the rifle and change how you handle it. They're priced about midway between the CED and the LabRadar.
Ill second the LabRadar. Pricey, but it just works. No shooting down a narrow corridor, not too close, not too far, etc. (And worrying about whether you might accidentally shoot your chrono)
You just set it up and shoot at your target. If I did more reloading I would love to spend the money, but I just cant justify almost $700 for one. ($550 is JUST the unit. No case, no extra parts, extra LION battery pack (It apparently DEVOURS AAs if you try to use onboard batteries), tripod, etc.
At that price I just cant justify using it 2x a year. I'll keep shooting the string down the Caldwell Chrono, then move over out of the way and test the load's accuracy on the rest of the rounds in that load. (But I'd snap one up in a hot minute if price wasnt a factor)
Do any of these things come with a guarantee that they are exactly the right measurement.? Are they even certified by the Us weights and measure folks.
I bought a Labradar last year. Got busy with other stuff and haven't used it much, so nothing to report on that.
On buying the unit, Brownell's had some sort of a promotion on top of a (Black Friday-ish) sale that got me a better price than otherwise obtainable. This was before they were collecting IN sales tax also (another 40 bucks ,) don't know where Brownell's is on that now?
Brownell's also covers this unit with their "guaranteed forever" warranty. I've never used Brownell's warranties, but it sounds good, from a company we'd expect to stick around for a long time?
The few times I have used it, the measurements have been very close to each other. Setting it up was the likely the easiest thing I've ever done and then being able to link it directly to my Iphone was really nice. I like to pull up the app and show my buddy what speeds I was getting. I believe I paid around $110 when I got it so you can shop around some.
Do any of these things come with a guarantee that they are exactly the right measurement.? Are they even certified by the Us weights and measure folks.
I got the LabRadar a couple years ago. Their company reps did a sales pitch at a major championship. They claimed it was tested alongside a $100,000 military unit and was dead nuts the same readings, perhaps a 2 fps difference on a 3,000 fps bullet. They don't need sunlight or diffusers. Difficult to use on commercial indoor range because a neighbor shot has concussion that may start it, or it may pick up a bullet fired at the same time in the neighboring lane.