Precision Rifle Gear New Caldwell Radar Chronograph "VelociRadar" (LabRadar competitor?)
- Thread starter Defy Gear
- Start date
Lulz. Perhaps I should have said : With that logic the aforementioned harbor freight through purchasing power and tools being old tech have the bestest shit ever. Fuck that snap on shit!!!!At the price they charge they need to include a tube of this with every unit they sell
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Listen, I'm not going to teach you the business side of manufacturing. The fact that you're making the assumptions you're making and asking the questions you're asking tells me you know nothing about it.
I gave you some examples how a better product can be made for less. That's all you get.
You sound like those butthurt douches who paid over MAP for some hot new scope only to find out six months later than the mfg is running a 25% off sale.
Not at all I got mine at a discount but by all means enjoy your Caldwell and Harbor Freight products. After all reverse engineered cheap shit is the bestest.
The LabRadar has been out long enough and they charge enough that they can take the time to update and address some of its issues with a new update. Hopefully this lights a fire under their asses and makes that happen.
Mines mostly solid and has thousands of rounds recorded with it but it turns off occasionally from the blast of the muzzle brake etc and they really need to address the whole missed shot thing. When I’m shooting a group/recording data and a shot is missed the last thing I want to do is break my position to press okay on the unit. You just messed up the data I’m trying to record, don’t ruin my shot group also.
If this thing works and addresses the LabRadar issues I’ll try it. Good on them for trying.
Mines mostly solid and has thousands of rounds recorded with it but it turns off occasionally from the blast of the muzzle brake etc and they really need to address the whole missed shot thing. When I’m shooting a group/recording data and a shot is missed the last thing I want to do is break my position to press okay on the unit. You just messed up the data I’m trying to record, don’t ruin my shot group also.
If this thing works and addresses the LabRadar issues I’ll try it. Good on them for trying.
Shitting all over a product you literally know nothing about isnt helpful.
At the price they charge they need to include a tube of this with every unit they sell
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they'd need a much larger tube for australian sales. for $1200+ AUD one would suspect there is enough profit to throw in a box of lube
I'm led to believe that the labradar was a Victorian invention, but sold to someone for mass production ?
As for the new Caldwell velociradar. I've been using a Caldwell G2 for about 2 years now. Super impressed with it. I like the magnetospeed, but didn't buy one mainly because or barrel mounting and testing nodes, etc. For pure velocity reading, it is great. The labradar is also good, but costly and at the range I've seen more than a few with "issues".
I'll be more than wanting to test out a Caldwell radar as I expect them to have fully tested it and it should have the goods.
Also, for the price, labradar should have an internal battery not some janky AA compartment. That's crap.
As for the new Caldwell velociradar. I've been using a Caldwell G2 for about 2 years now. Super impressed with it. I like the magnetospeed, but didn't buy one mainly because or barrel mounting and testing nodes, etc. For pure velocity reading, it is great. The labradar is also good, but costly and at the range I've seen more than a few with "issues".
I'll be more than wanting to test out a Caldwell radar as I expect them to have fully tested it and it should have the goods.
Also, for the price, labradar should have an internal battery not some janky AA compartment. That's crap.
A 300 dollar Caldwell that is going to break or a 600 dollar Labradar that is going to break... decisions decisions
Because, Caldwell (part of Battenfield Tech) can leverage the buying potential of the entire company. Kind of like how Walmart can out-compete local business because of their buying potential. Businesses find it beneficial to give bigger deals to bigger buyers. Labrador is probably a couple of guys in a shed by comparison. Sure, that’s where innovation happens, but it’s not where you draw upon economies of scale.
Magnetospeed on a spigot wins out for me, I always try and shoot with it if I can. If a piece of brass reads consistently high/low for two consecutive firings I cull it from rotation, no more weighing or h2o of brass needed and doesn't muck with harmonics.
I still want a Labradar, but the spigot mounted MS is just so easy, it lives on my rifle full time.
A small rail mounted radar (think Wilcox RAPTAR) would be the fucking bomb if someone could make one though...
Ask vortex who used to sell gen 2 razor for $2400 and it sells for almost $1k less now.
Name of the game is to charge as much as possible for as long as possible. Labradar has been the only real name in radar chrono. So they were able to set the industry price.
You wouldn’t be very smart if you’re the only person selling something and you sell it for what it “should” cost vs what people will pay.
Really, you don't think reverse engineering to learn or make a product different is how the world works? I'm not a harbor freight person at all! But your generality is way off.
Non barrel mounted magneto is still my go to. Something like this is what you use at matches for guys to check velocity to me. But I look at it from my viewpoint. More products = good.
I've never used a Labrador but have seen guys cursing them alot.
I've never used a Labrador but have seen guys cursing them alot.
I’ve gotten to use one quite a bit, they’re nice but not nearly nice enough for me to dump my magnetospeed.
I don’t have to aim my magnetospeed.
I don’t have to worry about wind.
I get fewer dropped shots.
My magnetospeed has taken plenty of hard knocks and still keeps on ticking.
Now this makes sense. The thing is if everyone waited for a cheaper alternative to come out and no one bought the "new thing on the block" at top price innovation would probably stagnate if the profits weren't there. I purchased the first palm pilot to come out and learned their goofy heiroglyphic alphabet you had to use, and paid top dollar. Do I regret it because a year down the road alternatives came out? Absolutely not. The thing is we are talking about Caldwell here. Yes I fully expect it to be cheaper, but as good or better? I'm just saying expectations seem high.
ROI. Return on investment. Product takes $100k to invent and develop. The product can be made for $100. You, or investor calculate the product penetration to be 10,000 units. $200 each cost price. Factor in returns (5%), packaging, insurance and business overheads, advertising and demo samples. Add you profit margin so you actually make money. Welcome to business.
After 10,000 units sold, your profit goes up as initial development cost is extinguished. You only had 2.5% warranty return and you got a better insurance deal as you didn't make a claim all year. You can have 2 paths. Have a blow out liquidation sale, and everything from here is pure profit, or continue selling high if you can, put funds towards R&D on gen2 product. Will help lower initial cost development, and thus, more profit margin overall.
"Generally" whatever a product retails for, is 3.5x manuf cost. Depends on a few things, but that's life in the market place.
The summary of this, as @Im2bent pointed out, they have no competition, and no need to lower prices.
I can't wait for the first test of the Caldwell is released. That will make labradar scared and drop their price, or play the "superior product" card and not flinch.
After 10,000 units sold, your profit goes up as initial development cost is extinguished. You only had 2.5% warranty return and you got a better insurance deal as you didn't make a claim all year. You can have 2 paths. Have a blow out liquidation sale, and everything from here is pure profit, or continue selling high if you can, put funds towards R&D on gen2 product. Will help lower initial cost development, and thus, more profit margin overall.
"Generally" whatever a product retails for, is 3.5x manuf cost. Depends on a few things, but that's life in the market place.
The summary of this, as @Im2bent pointed out, they have no competition, and no need to lower prices.
I can't wait for the first test of the Caldwell is released. That will make labradar scared and drop their price, or play the "superior product" card and not flinch.
One of my distributors has it listed online as coming soon. Called Caldwell to try to get some info on it was told its not ready yet. Expected release 4th quarter 2021
8-12 months out still means to me that its still vapor ware.
We will see when its released.
By the by, I have a Labradar and don't find myself cursing it. It works great and dependably for me and when it does pick up an errant shot from another bench, its easy to see and delete it.
I'm happy with mine...well, except for the price.
Now, I do agree fully with those who think Labradar needs some competition to push them off their ass for product improvements and feature request incorporation. There is def room for improvement, no doubt.
With at least IP 11 rating , as for handle with gloves, vs current handle with padded gloves while its in a bubble wrap.
Caudwell also gives a massive military discount which will make these even cheaper.
Still rocking magnetospeed, nothing better has been invented....yet.
Still rocking magnetospeed, nothing better has been invented....yet.
As long as it has a half decent app, and NO connectivity issues I'm super keen for them. I use a Caldwell G2 "upside down" one and love it. App is excellent, but does occasionally have connection issues to some phones.
I'd love if it could connect to a kestrel, or the app on my phone / tablet can dual pair the chrony and kestrel, so when you are shooting, it records your zero weather along with actual velo data.
Recording via SD is nice, or simple internal memory which you can pull and save to your phone, maybe as a .CSV for later analysis. Dunno how that would work with a phone between the kestrel and chrono, but I can dream.
Oh, temperature gauge. In Australia, things get hot in the sun. If it self reports temp ,,. No idea if that effects anything, or kestrel can do that actually.
I'd love if it could connect to a kestrel, or the app on my phone / tablet can dual pair the chrony and kestrel, so when you are shooting, it records your zero weather along with actual velo data.
Recording via SD is nice, or simple internal memory which you can pull and save to your phone, maybe as a .CSV for later analysis. Dunno how that would work with a phone between the kestrel and chrono, but I can dream.
Oh, temperature gauge. In Australia, things get hot in the sun. If it self reports temp ,,. No idea if that effects anything, or kestrel can do that actually.
Looks much nicer and compact than the Labradar I've been using for the last 4 years. I like the unit, it's accurate and figured out its quirks, but man it is such a pain in the ass to carry to the range, set up, and take down every time, plus it eats batteries (I run external) It's also really fragile.
Needs a ruggedized case, better interface, needs to respond quicker, and be more energy efficient. The Caldwell looks great from the photos, but will probably be chinesium junk.
Labradar V2 should include: integrated foldout tripod or feet, be smaller, integrated peep sight for aiming it, and not orange. Also be more rugged with rubber armor and waterproof/resistant and not feel like a 1980's cheap plastic toy. Unfortunately it's the only game in town.
Needs a ruggedized case, better interface, needs to respond quicker, and be more energy efficient. The Caldwell looks great from the photos, but will probably be chinesium junk.
Labradar V2 should include: integrated foldout tripod or feet, be smaller, integrated peep sight for aiming it, and not orange. Also be more rugged with rubber armor and waterproof/resistant and not feel like a 1980's cheap plastic toy. Unfortunately it's the only game in town.
its been a long time since I worked on mil radar eng and acquisitions....but, radar and energy efficient just don't seem to fit in the same sentence for me.
Used to be there were several radar sites in western Alaska - you know, the big white golf ball type. Some decades ago there were some guys inside the dome working on the radar when somebody turned it on. These things are designed to detect aircraft hundreds of miles away with a skin paint - they put out megawatts of high-frequency radio energy. A friend of mine represented those guys. The Air Force spent a lot of time and money trying to convince the court that megawatts of radar energy did no harm to those guys. Your microwave oven is a few hundred watts. Baron23 you made me wonder, how did they power those things? There is no power grid out there.
Im interested. I get the pro-price on Battenfield stuff, so its not a very large investment for me to try it out. Im happy with my MagnetoSpeed V3, it gets the job done extremely efficiently. No chance in me replacing it anytime soon, even if this Caldwell radar unit ends up being the bees knees.
Any word on these yet? I'm seeing a lot of places listing them as out of stock, but I'm not finding any information on this thing even from Caldwell. I've been eyeing a Labradar for a while but like others have mentioned have a hard time justifying the cost for something that is known to be fragile and has such a clunky UI.
I can’t help but laugh at this. I had two Labradars, one was tits up out of the box in the initial run, and then bought another a year later hoping for a better experience and didn’t get it.
So I can only imagine what a cheap (likely Chinese) similar product for half the price would be like. Not to mention Caldwell can’t even make a Harris knockoff right or anyone else’s far simpler products they rip off.
So I can only imagine what a cheap (likely Chinese) similar product for half the price would be like. Not to mention Caldwell can’t even make a Harris knockoff right or anyone else’s far simpler products they rip off.
I'm guessing no. Anyone at shot show wanna go and kick someone in the plums and get an update ?
Did this die on the vine?
If it was built well and worked I'd be all over this for $6-700. I'd imagine they got hit with supply issues just like every other technology Mfg.
Between this and ballistic calculators/weather meters, I'd love to see some movement. I don't feel like spending top dollar for outdated tech or for cheap materials.
If it was built well and worked I'd be all over this for $6-700. I'd imagine they got hit with supply issues just like every other technology Mfg.
Between this and ballistic calculators/weather meters, I'd love to see some movement. I don't feel like spending top dollar for outdated tech or for cheap materials.
