I am looking to purchase my first chronograph and am debating between the two. Brownells the Labradar on sale right now but I don't know which is better. For those that have used both what are the pros and cons of each?
Labradar or Magneto Speed
- Thread starter Maelstrom
- Start date
I have used the Magnetospeed as my rifle club owns one, and I personally own a Labradar. Labradar is the way to go IMO. The Magnetospeed does alter your point of impact on target which I'm not a fan of. The Labradar can be a bit finicky to set up on occasions, for example it can record other users shots if they're shooting in the lane next to you at the range, so a quiet day at the range is beneficial. The Labradar will also chew through batteries so most people buy an external battery pack and run off that. Now that bluetooth has been enabled on the Labradar you can also trigger it from your mobile which makes it quite handy and Tyler Kemp has developed a labradar "sight" to allow you to line up with your target more effectively. It's the more expensive option, but their popularity is increasing.
Have no experience w/ the Labradar but I really like my MS. Setup is quick and easy. It's been reliable. I bought it on my way to the range. Set it up in the dim light of the indoor range w/o bothering to read the directions and I was up and running. Really simple to use. Easy to store in the safe due to size and easy to tote around when I go to the range. The case it comes with is great. The only time I have had an error was when I forget to turn it on before the first shot. ? User error.
I have both and still use both
Cons:
Cons:
MS -
1. causes harmonics change
2. load work up may require not using it for some parts.
LabRadar -
1- needs open area to read correctly
2- more fragile
ProsMS-
1. Small
2. Can use in any environment
LabRadar-
1. Can use during all facets of load work reduces the number of shots needed.
2. Can use during target shooting with out change of POI
3. Nice blue tooth app
Dont have a Magnetospeer but do have a Labradar, when you are testing more than one rifle a Labradar is the way to go.
I remember reading about the labradars being fragile when they were first released and also being giant wind vanes falling over if not secured properly. I wonder how easy or hard it is to attach the magneto speed on different rifles. I have .338LM with a Badger FTE brake. I am curious about how hard it would be to attach it to that rifle as well as to an AR-10 or my M1A SOCOM vs my bolt action .308 or .22-250. Brownells had the Labradar on sale the other day for $450.
I have and use both, if I could only have one, it would be the MS, for the simple reason if it does not pick up a shot, you are dead in the water until you reset the unit<figure what went wrong. If you fail to arm the LR, you think you are the king of load dev for a brief time, simple shit but it happens.
I have had a ms3 for a few years now but I just grabbed the Labrador from brownells coming in this week hopefully with the 10% coupon just because I’m always load testing and I want to see what exactly is happening on every shot. Hope to make a little comparison Between the two after I spend a little time with each.
The ms3 is great for getting data at sight in before a match when there’s 100 guys in the line.
The ms3 is great for getting data at sight in before a match when there’s 100 guys in the line.
The magnetospeed works well on different rifles and if you take notes on what spacers you need for a particular rifle then setup is pretty quick. Also, I have an FTE brake and setup with it is no problem. It even works on longer brakes like the fast bastard. I would like to try a labradar but it's hard to justify another chronograph.
This. You can also eliminate the POI shift issue by buying a picatinny or similar mount
I liked my Magnetospeed until I shot it. Havent shot my Labradar yet.
Magnetospeed with a mount from Wiser or MKM to keep it off your barrel.
I love my magnetospeed. It ALWAYS works. never misses any shots. Its also super compact and goes with me whenever I shoot. Its not too hard to change guns but that is pretty much a non issue for me because I dont really do load development on more than one gun at a time. Magnetospeed is also cheaper which leaves more money for other useful things.
I have both, and have yet to even open the Labradar box (which I owned before I purchased the Magnetospeed). I DO plan to use it, but the MS is just sofa king simple, especially on a crowded range... strap it to the barrel, plug it in, and shoot. That's all.
The Labradar will get used once I get a chance to go play with loads out on some private land... where there are no other shooters, etc...
The Labradar will get used once I get a chance to go play with loads out on some private land... where there are no other shooters, etc...
I also have both. Started with MS. Worked great for my needs during load development, and getting MV for the Girlfriend and her two daughters ballistics.
Then got a LR. Use it exclusively now, have my MS for sale but not pushing hard - turned down some haggles - I can still see a need.
Addition to the Pros and Cons above -
Pro - MS will fit into a tripod soft carry case (16" x 3" round) and stuffed into my range bag. READ - Compact and easy to pack.
- LR is harder to shoot
- MS has a simple single file of your shooting results to review
Con - LR is bulky with the mini tripod, battery pack, unit...15" computer satchel for the carry case. One more freaking bag I gotta pack up when heading to the range.
- MS is possible to shoot (thought I was the only one)
- LR is a PITA to get the mic trigger to pick up suppressed shots. 3" forward of the muzzle and 3" to the side seems to work 80%...making it shootable.
- LR Results data files suck to combine & edit and too much extraneous info.
End of the day, if someone meets my asking price for the MS, then I will let it go, otherwise it will stay around for the convenience factor.
Then got a LR. Use it exclusively now, have my MS for sale but not pushing hard - turned down some haggles - I can still see a need.
Addition to the Pros and Cons above -
Pro - MS will fit into a tripod soft carry case (16" x 3" round) and stuffed into my range bag. READ - Compact and easy to pack.
- LR is harder to shoot
- MS has a simple single file of your shooting results to review
Con - LR is bulky with the mini tripod, battery pack, unit...15" computer satchel for the carry case. One more freaking bag I gotta pack up when heading to the range.
- MS is possible to shoot (thought I was the only one)
- LR is a PITA to get the mic trigger to pick up suppressed shots. 3" forward of the muzzle and 3" to the side seems to work 80%...making it shootable.
- LR Results data files suck to combine & edit and too much extraneous info.
End of the day, if someone meets my asking price for the MS, then I will let it go, otherwise it will stay around for the convenience factor.
I vouch for th MS also. I have a Sporter Andy it has worked well for me, no issues at all. It’s easy to affix to the rifle, and works with my suppressor.
I did buy a mount for the MS through Wiser Precision and am headed to the range this morning to try it out. It seems kind of loose where the bayonet attaches so hopefully it holds out.
I did buy a mount for the MS through Wiser Precision and am headed to the range this morning to try it out. It seems kind of loose where the bayonet attaches so hopefully it holds out.
As I've posted in several other threads - LabRadar is great but there is a learning curve. You can expect to have it miss picking up shots until you learn how to run it. If your shooting environment is cluttered - lots of stuff on the range, indoors with low ceiling, that sort of thing - I would caution that the LR may not work as desired. I base this on my unit's behavior when I've used it on shorter ranges with more "stuff" poking up. It may well be that I would learn to adapt to that idiosyncrasy as well.
Bottom line is I really like mine but I'm a retired computer guy "wired" to putter with this sort of thing. Now that I have it sorted, it almost never misses shots and I like the Bluetooth phone app. I have no personal experience with the MS beyond having had one hung off my rifle for ten minutes at my first class.
Edit: Also, the directions describe where to place the unit in relation to the muzzle, but I recently learned those directions are a bit "incomplete." If you have a brake that directs a lot of blast to the rear, you need to place the LR well back (even with scope) and close to the rifle. I've read threads here where brake blast has caused LRs to reboot or in one case broke an internal board mount. I believe it. I watched blast from a braked AR-15 take a 3-inch chunk out of a 6x6" support beam; a plastic computer case is gonna get hurt bad.
Bottom line is I really like mine but I'm a retired computer guy "wired" to putter with this sort of thing. Now that I have it sorted, it almost never misses shots and I like the Bluetooth phone app. I have no personal experience with the MS beyond having had one hung off my rifle for ten minutes at my first class.
Edit: Also, the directions describe where to place the unit in relation to the muzzle, but I recently learned those directions are a bit "incomplete." If you have a brake that directs a lot of blast to the rear, you need to place the LR well back (even with scope) and close to the rifle. I've read threads here where brake blast has caused LRs to reboot or in one case broke an internal board mount. I believe it. I watched blast from a braked AR-15 take a 3-inch chunk out of a 6x6" support beam; a plastic computer case is gonna get hurt bad.
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I have a LR that replaced a 25+ year old PACT that finally went kaput.
The LR has a bit of a learning curve to operate, but if you set it up correctly it’ll run like a champ.
The down range velocities can be used with some of higher end PC computer based Ballistic Calculators to true up the bullet BC. May or may not be important to you.
The LR has a bit of a learning curve to operate, but if you set it up correctly it’ll run like a champ.
The down range velocities can be used with some of higher end PC computer based Ballistic Calculators to true up the bullet BC. May or may not be important to you.
I shoot on private land where there is never more than 2 shooters at a time. Usually it is just me and a friend or 2 shooting. When doing rifles 1 is shooting while the other is spotting. I keep going back and forth between the two. The only semiauto I would use it on is my AR-10. Everything else is a bolt gun. I don't think I would be worried about the MS changing my point of impact from hanging off the rifle as I would work up a load then check the velocity so I would know if it was accurate or not first. Our range is open out to 600 yards. We are talking about building a small elevated platform to get us to 1000 yards but that won't be for a while. My only suppressor if on my work AR-15 so that won't be an issue either way. I need to make up my mind today with the black Friday deals at Brownells. I have actually thought about trying to get my hands on both and see which I like best then sell or return the other one. That is just a lot of money this close to Christmas.
I have attached my magneto speed to my AXMC .338LM and shot 50 rounds with no problems. I have no problems attaching my magneto speed to many different rifles.
Here's another consideration... you mount the LR on base, tripod or whatever, get it aimed at the target, and it's done. It's aimed. Open a series, shoot rifle #1, bring up a new rifle, start series, shoot, repeat. The LR is aimed. No need to mess with it "between rifles" unless (and this is a potentially substantial "unless") you're changing from a suppressed .223 to a braked .308 or something (trigger level and muzzle/LR position adjustments).
Really, it's like choosing a reticle. People prefer different things. It's good that we have a forum here where people report on pros/cons of chronographs and everything else we use.
Regarding buying both and returning the one you like less: It would be far better to spot one (or both) at a range someplace and ask its owner to let you watch and ask questions. The LR is simply not a unit you take out, turn on, and run and decide yes/no in 30 minutes. If you want to do that, save yourself some time and money and just buy the MS, because you'll find it takes an hour just to fumble through the setup and usage menus, and then another hour or two to learn to get reliable triggers. It's the nature of how it works.
For me personally, the return on time spent learning to use the LR has been a completely worthwhile investment. Your preference may well be completely different, and that's fine. LR and MS are two very different approaches to accomplishing the same goal.
Really, it's like choosing a reticle. People prefer different things. It's good that we have a forum here where people report on pros/cons of chronographs and everything else we use.
Regarding buying both and returning the one you like less: It would be far better to spot one (or both) at a range someplace and ask its owner to let you watch and ask questions. The LR is simply not a unit you take out, turn on, and run and decide yes/no in 30 minutes. If you want to do that, save yourself some time and money and just buy the MS, because you'll find it takes an hour just to fumble through the setup and usage menus, and then another hour or two to learn to get reliable triggers. It's the nature of how it works.
For me personally, the return on time spent learning to use the LR has been a completely worthwhile investment. Your preference may well be completely different, and that's fine. LR and MS are two very different approaches to accomplishing the same goal.
Accuracy wise , I’ve tested both against an Oehler 88 system and all are within 5 fps, so no issue there .
Labradar with external battery runs a long time, and I’ve got velocity on all manner of things including
arrows, canon balls, air rifles pellets and even potato gun rounds. M S is a little more field expedient :
mounting it to the chassis as some have done to eliminate harmonic change and poi shift, seems an
optimal solution.
Labradar with external battery runs a long time, and I’ve got velocity on all manner of things including
arrows, canon balls, air rifles pellets and even potato gun rounds. M S is a little more field expedient :
mounting it to the chassis as some have done to eliminate harmonic change and poi shift, seems an
optimal solution.
Me and three buddies all have the wiser. It’s great
We really only use it on one rifle so once it’s set up it’s quick to take on and off
Just used my Labradar for the first time today. Was really easy to aim and use. The phone app is great. I can sit and review shot velocity at home on my phone. I shot suppressed and friend shot with a brake. I highly recommend it. I haven’t used a MS but don’t see how it could be better than Labradar. I don’t need more stuff on my rifle.
Ha, I forgot about that. I used my LabRadar to measure the speed of a 1" cannon ball as well. We used 1 pound lead sinkers as cannon balls out of a friend's 45mm black powder cannon. We got about 850 fps which is over 12,000 pounds feet of energy! Same as a 50BMG, although with a little bit worse ballistics
-Stooxie
Thats cool! I've only used my Labradar for rifles but now the wheels in my head are grinding away, "what can I make go boom and travel away from a labradar at a high rate of speed?".Ha, I forgot about that. I used my LabRadar to measure the speed of a 1" cannon ball as well. We used 1 pound lead sinkers as cannon balls out of a friend's 45mm black powder cannon. We got about 850 fps which is over 12,000 pounds feet of energy! Same as a 50BMG, although with a little bit worse ballistics
-Stooxie
I have had a MS V2 for a couple years. It is "simple" to use but some people have apparently managed to shoot theirs. I understand how as I had the strap loosen up while firing a ladder test and it was loose enough to be struck by a bullet at that point. It did skew the results of that ladder test as the MS had rotated about 90 degrees around the muzzle with a corresponding POI change on target.
Recently I have used a friend's LR and bought one for myself during Black Friday, plus the airgun attachment and the Arko Machine base. It can be a little finicky to aim but I bought Tyler Kemp's sight to help with that. Being able to conduct data on velocity/ES/SD while also testing for accuracy is important to me.
Cutting my time and trips to the range in half as well as halving the amount of ammo and barrel wear used during load development (especially when my .300 NM setup costs me about $4 a shot counting barrel wear) makes the LabRadar more appealing to me.
Recently I have used a friend's LR and bought one for myself during Black Friday, plus the airgun attachment and the Arko Machine base. It can be a little finicky to aim but I bought Tyler Kemp's sight to help with that. Being able to conduct data on velocity/ES/SD while also testing for accuracy is important to me.
Cutting my time and trips to the range in half as well as halving the amount of ammo and barrel wear used during load development (especially when my .300 NM setup costs me about $4 a shot counting barrel wear) makes the LabRadar more appealing to me.
https://www.snipershide.com/shooting/threads/my-improved-labradar-sight.6904356/
Still listed at the Black Friday price:
https://mkmachining.com/product/improved-labradar-sight/
I have a simple solution for aiming the Labradar. Take the internals out of a Bic ballpoint pen. Or you can use any sort of stiff tubing of a similar length. A plastic drinking straw is too flexible.
Lay the pen or tubing in the groove at the top of the Labradar. Then take two rubber bands to loop around the tubing and through the handles on both sides. This keeps the pen/tubing from falling off the unit and in the groove while you are moving it around.
I look through the pen/tubing like a scope or peep sight and aim it at the target and have not had any trouble picking up the bullets.
This. Mine keeps coming off due to muzzle blast. Have cut through the strap with a bullet. Pita.
I can only comment on the Magneto Speed chrono. I upgraded from a PACT XP chrono. The PACT was finicky and I was rarely able to shoot when the wind, sun, and cloud cover were all acceptable for the PACT. The set up for the Magneto is no more than two minutes for me. I can attach to barrels or suppressors, no problem. If I want to shoot in lo light, wind, rain, snow, or in zero natural illumination, no problem. The price was right for me and I would recommend the magneto speed to anyone who asks. I have heard good reviews on the lab radar.
Attachments
I started with a magneto speed and still have it. The primary reason I ended up buying a LR is my optical chrono took a dump. I shoot archery, pellet rifles, etc and the LR can measure all those applications. I do like the LR and the data collected (speeds up to 100 yards). I don't see myself getting rid of my magneto speed though. It is useful. Especially if it's a busy range day. I shoot suppressed and have a heck of a time getting my LR set so it won't pick up other peoples muzzle blast. Level 2 is too sensitive and level 3 won't pick up my shots. Kind of frustrating at times. That's when the Magneto comes in handy.
I own the LabRadar and was lucky enough to be at the range when a guy there had is Magneto Speed. I asked if I could place my LabRadar on his bench he said sue since he was curious too. He shot about 10 rounds and the spread was within 3fps. I think both are awesome but the Labradar is easier to set up but more fragile.
I own the magnetospeed and buddy owns labradar. Have used both and like both. I'm a fan of the smaller to pack magnetospeed and prefer the readout on it as well. I only do rifle data so the magnetospeed fits the bill for me perfectly. Buddy does a lot of pistol loading so the labradar is better for him. Take care of the labradar and it'll treat you fine. I've heard but not experienced how fragile the labradar can be but that's with everything I think. Both have been tested to be accurate but labradar can be a little more difficult to setup... but only at first. I went with the magnetospeed for price, size, ease of use, and cause I only do rifles. I'm a fan of the KISS method and it fits the bill for me. YMMV
