While using paintball guns, the players need to shoot that marker at the right velocity for the best performance. It is quite important, and you should always keep this thing in your mind. Well, if the gun’s velocity is very high, then the paintball will break before exiting the paintball gun.
And this will create a terrible mess, and you will have to disassemble your gun to clean it properly. On the other hand, using the marker at a higher velocity can affect the performance of the O-ring, and the ring may break. So, you will deal with frequent maintenance requirements.
If the velocity is low, then the paintball will not cover a long distance, and you may not be able to hit your target. Well, it may be noted that all paintball guns have an adjustable velocity. But it is crucial to set the right number.
It is where the Best Paintball Chronograph comes to play. If you don’t know much about this device, a chronograph is an equipment that is used to effectively measure the velocity in feet per second of a paintball gun.
These devices are placed near the gun’s barrel, and every time you shoot, it will show the reading. Based on that reading, you can easily adjust the velocity up or down. So when it comes to attaining the perfect speed, this device plays an important role. Let’s discuss this in detail.
What Is A Chronograph Used For Paintball Guns?
As a crucial performance testing tool, the best paintball chronograph is an ideal instrument for paintball gun users. Using this device, you can easily diagnose any shooting issues and evaluate the loads.
A paintball chronograph can measure how paintball travels after being shot from the gun. It is generally called muzzle velocity. Using this, you can know whether your paintball gun offers the desired muzzle velocity or not. It is measured in FPS- Feet Per Second.
On the other hand, some modern and advanced chronographs can also provide you with other useful information. For example, they can track multiple shoots or a string of shoots. Besides, they can show you LV- Lowest Velocity, HV- Highest Velocity, PF- Power Factor, SD-Standard Deviation, and more.
Paintballs can perform at different barrels, speeds, and under certain weather conditions. And before entering the match, you should ensure that the gun has the perfect velocity, which can only be done using the best paintball chronograph.
How Paintball Chronograph Works?
Some users may find such devices to look very complicated, but they work in a very simple way. In general, when you turn on the device, it will begin the advanced high-speed crystal oscillator.
Don’t consider this a complicated machine, consider the oscillator a stopwatch. That stopwatch will turn off and on when the paintballs pass over or near the sensor. Now you might be wondering about what photoelectric is and why it matters.
Well, these things come in a set, and you need to position them at a particular distance so that the clock can read the speed. Again, you can find the instructions manuals to use with your chronograph.
When you fire a ball, it will produce a shadow while moving over the electric cells. The momentary changes in the light will turn on the clock. When the ball moves over the second electric cell, the watch stops. You can calculate the speed at which the paintball moves.
You can choose between a radar-based and optical chronograph based on your requirements. The optical version is quite popular among the paintball gun community as they offer better accuracy and are quite affordable.
As per the experts, the safest velocity rate for most paintball guns is less than 30FPS. So when you have a good paintball chronograph, you will be able to enjoy the best out of your paintball gun and will play a long-lasting match.
It’s All About The Velocity
It is the responsibility of all the players to follow the rules and play a fair game. And this also includes shooting the market at a right or mentioned velocity. If you turn up the gun’s velocity higher than other players’ guns, then it will be able to shoot farther and harder. But this is unfair.
That’s why most paintball gun owners and fields use such equipment to keep the velocities of every gun at the same level. A good and professional chronograph is important for all the commercial paintball fields to keep the gameplay fair.
As per the experts, the velocity of your gun can change with time or due to other factors, for example, wear and tear and temperature. Therefore, paintball fields that provide the users with rental markers prefer to radar the guns all the time to make them work at a constant velocity.
Some fields allow the players to use their marker, but their guns will be checked using this device and adjust the speed accordingly. In general, most commercial fields set a velocity of 285 to 290 FPS as CO2 in a gun can change around 15-degree based on the temperature.
What Can A Chronograph Provide The Users With?
A professional chronograph can offer crucial data to paintball gun users. Here are some types of data that you will explore while using such a device.
#1 Shoot Velocity
All types of models will offer you the paintball shoot velocity. Most of the chronogaphs can display the velocity measurement in MPS- Meter Per Second or FPS- Foot Per Second. You can set the type based on your measurement.
#2 Paintball Shoot String Data
Some advanced chronographs can be used to track multiple shoots. It can be very helpful if you want to make a continuous shoot. Types of data the device will offer are:
#3 Highest Velocity
It represents the velocity of the fastest shoot in your string.
#4 Power
Well, not all models have the feature to measure the power. So, you need to choose the right model if you want to know the power of your shoot. The device will support multiple the velocity of the shoots with the grain of the bullets to evaluate the power.
#5 Average Velocity
It is the average speed of total shots fired from the gun.
#6 Standard Deviation
With this, you will know how close the shots were to the average velocity value.
#7 Lowest Velocity
It shows the slowest shoot fired by your paintball gun.
Factors That Can Affect The Readings Of Your Chronograph
#1 Temperature
Under the high temperature, the device may show lower velocities. So, prefer to test the marker under a nominal temperature.
#2 Light
You need to make sure that the light sensors of the chronograph are getting the same amount of light. And don’t place the sensors directly under sunlight. If required, you can use a top screen.
#3 Dirty Lenses
If you have been using it quite frequently, then you may find dust accumulated on the sensors of your chronograph. It is advisable to use canned air or a Q-tip to clean them. Be careful while doing this, as you may scratch the lenses.
#4 Muzzle Blast
As per the expert, the muzzle blast can affect the readings if it reaches the chronograph’s sensor before the shoot. So, you should place the device at the right distance from the gun muzzle.
#5 Check Out For The Reflections
If bright concrete, metal objects, or water reflect light onto the device’s sensor, it can make the device show wrong readings.
Availability Of Paintball Chronograph In The Market
Manufacturers have started offering chronographs in different prices and sizes, looking at the popularity of the paintball chronograph among the players; the features will also vary from one device to another.
While buying one, you will have to choose the best paintball chronograph to match your requirements. The players, who only use their paintball guns occasionally, can use the hand-held or small chronograph. These models are super easy to use. All you need to do is hold them near the barrel to get the reading.
They will come under your budget. Most small chronographs will come between USD 100 to USD 150. If you want more features, then go for a commercial field chronograph.
These are generally table-top models and may cost more than USD 250. You need to place them on a table and fire a paintball through the radar to measure the velocity. These models also come with more features, for example, stopwatch functions, timekeeping, and more.
It has been seen that some players depend on the chronograph installed at commercial fields to set the velocity. However, they don’t spend money on such devices. Besides, they don’t know how to choose the best paintball chronograph.
If you plan to buy a chronograph, then here are some tips that you should keep in mind.
- Consider The Measurement Accuracy Of The Device
When buying the best one, you can’t forget the accuracy. In general, these devices are calibrated before they can be sold. So while some may demonstrate a 99.5 percent accuracy, some will be 99.9 percent accurate.
To know the actual velocity of the paintball, you need to make sure that the chronograph is highly accurate. On the other hand, an accurate chronograph will also offer accurate data on the gun’s Power Factor.
- Design Of The Chronograph
The design of the device blatantly influences the user experience. Some models have a bulky design, and others can be easily mounted on the gun’s barrel. So, choose based on your comfort. The best chronographs for paintball guns are made of high-quality materials.
As they are lightweight, you can easily carry them with you. On the other hand, you can also mount it on almost all types of tripods available in the market.
- Performance
Another crucial feature to look out for is the device’s performance, as it can greatly influence how it will function when you use it. So again, read the product descriptions before buying to understand their performance.
The best chronograph can easily track bullets and arrows apart from paintballs. Some can even track BBs, pellets, and more. One of the major performance factors to consider is displaying the data.
- Ease Of Use
From assembling and utilizing a chronograph to recording and reading the data, all such things can be a little daunting. In addition, most beginners will not use the device frequently. So, for them, simple will be better. Look for a chronograph that comes with a single-button operation feature.
As per the experts, one can also go for a chronograph that can be easily paired with Android or iPhones or whose batteries can be changed easily without extra tools. Furthermore, make sure that the device has a large display to read the data easily.
The Best Paintball Chronograph Options For You
It is a major safety tool for all paintball players as using this, they can regulate the speed at which they should shoot the paintball. You can set the speed as it reads the paintball’s speed based on the reading. Many companies make or sell the chronographs, and the options are more.
That’s why finding a good one can be a difficult task. However, if you search for the best options, you can try here are some products. These are lightweight, compact, and very easy to set up.
X-Radar Custom Chronograph
By teaming up with X-radar, Empire has developed a powerful yet portable chronograph that can accurately check the velocity no matter what the condition is. In addition, the machine is very lightweight, and you can use it with one hand.
You need to use a 9-volt battery, and you are all set to go. Place the rubber tip of the chronograph around one inch back from the barrel tip and press and hold the square button located above the read-out screen. Now you can shoot to measure the speed.
The device will shoot the FPS on the large screen read, the value, and adjust accordingly to attain the legal speed for your paintball match. Most of the paintball fields prefer to set the velocity between 275-300FPS.
On the other hand, it can also evaluate the BPS- Balls Per Second. Just follow the same instructions you did for the FPS, and get the BPS. This chronograph may look compact but offers a lot of features.
Virtue Clock Gen III Paintball Chronograph
If you look at the design, you will find this as a cell phone. Apart from the regular BPS and FPS features, it comes with other useful features. The best part is linking the device to any smartphone through its Bluetooth functionality.
This way, you will ore all the important data on your smartphone. If you want to tune the markers to get the best performance from the gun, then this is something that you will love.
The device is battery-operated and can last for a long time. It also has a battery indicator that will inform you about low batteries and the time to get new batteries. The LCD screen is large, and you can read the values on sunny days.
Do You Need A Paintball Chronograph?
Whether you plan to shoot small or long-range, getting a chronograph will be a good thing. It can help you predict the bullet drop and set the right velocity for the marker. Without this, you may waste a lot of paintball to determine the speed. So, you should give it a try.
Are These Devices Accurate?
The accuracy will depend on the type of chronograph you are using. It has been seen that optical models offer less accurate reading as outdoor lighting conditions can affect the reading capability of the machine. However, you can achieve accurate results with light kits available on the market.
Final Verdict
There is no doubt that if using the best paintball chronograph, you can easily improve your accuracy and reloading skills. But you will have to buy the right one for you. Remember that there is not a one-size-fits-all when it comes to buying a chronograph.
Well, you can narrow down your options by understanding your goals, budget, and features you want in a chronograph. For example, go for the compact models f you are looking for comfort and something easy to use.
Amongst these both best paintball chronograph options, I really like the Virtue Clock, I think they are worth every penny. They have a host of useful features that no other paintball chrono has, and the ergonomics on them are really nice. Sometimes It can be difficult to hold a gun, allen key, and chrono while trying to adjust velocity but the design of the clock makes that easy.
Finding the right one might not be any, but after going through the tips mentioned here, you will have a clear idea of what you need to look for. So get the best one now and get ready to win the competition.
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