Oehler 35P still being sold

[Garet Jax]

Hello all,

I have been reading a lot of threads on Chronographs. It seems a lot of folks think the 35P is the gold standard, but didn't buy it because they weren't being sold any more. I searched google and found that they are still being sold. Now I'm confused - if they are the gold standard and are still available for purchase, why are people still buying the Labradar since they are more expensive than the 35P?

 

[Modoc]

Hello all,

I have been reading a lot of threads on Chronographs. It seems a lot of folks think the 35P is the gold standard, but didn't buy it because they weren't being sold any more. I searched google and found that they are still being sold. Now I'm confused - if they are the gold standard and are still available for purchase, why are people still buying the Labradar since they are more expensive than the 35P?

Some I think is ease of use and lack of potential damage. I’m running a 20+ year old Ohler 35P and have had to replace some screens and add ink to the printer pad, but that’s it. Setup is more involved, including having to close the range for a bit where the shooter nest to me was able to set everything up without going beyond the firing line while using a labradar

 

[ToKeepAndBear]

I have two. I love the reliability and accuracy of the 35p. They just work. I also like the printout, easy to take notes on and then take a photo with your phone for your records.

 

[Buford Boone]

With the 35P you have the inconvenience of having to setup skyscreens. However, you have the following advantages:

1 - You know exactly where the velocity measurement was made - Easy to get true MV.
2 - You control the accuracy of the system - Want better data, use longer screen spacing (but less convenient).
3 - It makes two independent measurements for every shot - If their agreement suddenly goes crazy, you know you have a setup problem.

There are a few good chronographs out there. All are capable of giving good data. All are capable of giving bad data. The best way to know is to make two measurements. One Oehler with three screens (it can be used with only two but I don't know why anyone would do so) or any combination of Bulletseeker, Magnetospeed or Labradar(s).

 

[Garet Jax]

Some I think is ease of use and lack of potential damage. I’m running a 20+ year old Ohler 35P and have had to replace some screens and add ink to the printer pad, but that’s it. Setup is more involved, including having to close the range for a bit where the shooter nest to me was able to set everything up without going beyond the firing line while using a labradar

I have two. I love the reliability and accuracy of the 35p. They just work. I also like the printout, easy to take notes on and then take a photo with your phone for your records.

With the 35P you have the inconvenience of having to setup skyscreens. However, you have the following advantages:

1 - You know exactly where the velocity measurement was made - Easy to get true MV.
2 - You control the accuracy of the system - Want better data, use longer screen spacing (but less convenient).
3 - It makes two independent measurements for every shot - If their agreement suddenly goes crazy, you know you have a setup problem.

There are a few good chronographs out there. All are capable of giving good data. All are capable of giving bad data. The best way to know is to make two measurements. One Oehler with three screens (it can be used with only two but I don't know why anyone would do so) or any combination of Bulletseeker, Magnetospeed or Labradar(s).

Thanks folks. This is not an easy decision.

It seems like the best system is the cheapest, but it is the hardest to setup and might make you unpopular at the range.

The bulletseeker and Andiscan systems are so new and so expensive that it isn't a home run.
The Labradar costs $625, but then you have to add $100-$300 for accessories (case, tripod, battery and remote trigger).
The magnetospeed v3 is good value, but hangs off the gun and affects the shot.

I may just wait to see what happens with Andiscan and BulletSeeker - see if they come down in price or force Labradar to come down in price. Will also keep an eye out for used systems where I can save some money. If I find the deficiencies are too great, I can resell and minimize my losses.

 

[Rob01]

The Oehler is not the best. Sorry to break that bubble. It's a very good unit but doesn't give any more accurate reading than the others. Yes I have all three. The Oehler 35 unit I have had for many years and now sits collecting dust and has since I got my first Magnetospeed. It's not the printer version but if you want it I will sell it to you. LOL They are a pain when trying to use it in the wind or with others at the range trying to get the proper screen set up before shooting etc. They are an accurate optical chrono with a cult following.

The Magnetospeed works great. Only thing people complain about is POI shift when the bayonet is attached to barrel but if you get an extension to hook to the stock via pic rail or arca then that's a non issue. They are an excellent choice for ease of use.

The Labradar has some issues with picking up some things like .22s without a trigger but they work well. If you can find a good deal on one then it's a good choice also.

 

[DIBBS]

I have an Oehler 35 witout printer for sale too. Custom wood box, screens permanently mounted in said case. Works just fine, but the magnetospeed is simpler and quicker . Shipping would be a beotch.

 

[Rob01]

Shipping would be a beotch.

And pretty much why I still have mine. LOL

 

[Garet Jax]

The Oehler is not the best. Sorry to break that bubble. It's a very good unit but doesn't give any more accurate reading than the others. Yes I have all three. The Oehler 35 unit I have had for many years and now sits collecting dust and has since I got my first Magnetospeed. It's not the printer version but if you want it I will sell it to you. LOL They are a pain when trying to use it in the wind or with others at the range trying to get the proper screen set up before shooting etc. They are an accurate optical chrono with a cult following.

The Magnetospeed works great. Only thing people complain about is POI shift when the bayonet is attached to barrel but if you get an extension to hook to the stock via pic rail or arca then that's a non issue. They are an excellent choice for ease of use.

The Labradar has some issues with picking up some things like .22s without a trigger but they work well. If you can find a good deal on one then it's a good choice also.

I have an Oehler 35 witout printer for sale too. Custom wood box, screens permanently mounted in said case. Works just fine, but the magnetospeed is simpler and quicker . Shipping would be a beotch.

Thanks. First I've heard this. It seems like my information is out of date. When I found the 35P set, I thought it seemed really big and awkward, but the pics I saw didn't have much context.

I appreciate the honesty. I haven't looked too hard at the Magnetospeed - maybe I should.

 

[SmileMaker]

I have one with the printer and echo the two preceding posters sentiments.

 

[Modoc]

I agree with what @Rob01 says. I’m still using mine because I’m too cheap to replace what is working fine for me.

For a setup reference:

 

[Modoc]

Printer output:

To decipher my Notes:
6.5 Grendel
Howa 1500 Mini
99g Hammer Hunter LFP
27.5g H335
Magazine Length

MOA group with first 3 @ 3/8” C-C, I pulled the last two and called the shots opening the group to 1” C-C.
Subsequent trips have held same POI with any fliers being called. This is in the middle velocity node, the faster node was showing bolt swipe and stiff bolt lift.

 

[hkguns]

As others have said already and I'll repeat. My optical unit was used far less than I would have liked, simply becuase it was a pain to setup and get working correctly.

I shoot on a private range and I would only use it when I was the only person on the line, which wasn't often. Then, if the sun wasn't just right or if there were shadows, it could be difficult to get readings.

I can now use my Chronograph every time I shoot and no-one notices. More data means better loads, more consistent results and a much better shooting and reloading experience.

 

[BigJimFish]

Hello all,

I have been reading a lot of threads on Chronographs. It seems a lot of folks think the 35P is the gold standard, but didn't buy it because they weren't being sold any more. I searched google and found that they are still being sold. Now I'm confused - if they are the gold standard and are still available for purchase, why are people still buying the Labradar since they are more expensive than the 35P?

If I recall correctly, there was a period of time where 35p's weren't being made anymore. There was demand, and they started making them again. Frankly, people liked them more than the unit Ohler replaced them with primarily because they like the print out. For what it's worth, im still using a 35p and I do like the printout. It is a PITA to set up a traditional chrono like this though and my brother does frequently shoot the damn thing because he has the patience of a gnat. Most of the time I am using it I am alone on the zeroing range. Even then, its still a PITA. Pretty much a non-starter on a crowded public range. If I was buying one today i would probably go a different rout.

As some have said, Labradar is pretty costly, you really need a few add ons for it (battery at least perhaps trigger) and they like to fall over and are quite fragile so you realistically want a real tripod for it to prevent that. Very costly total option but quite easy to set up.

Magnetospeeds do affect the shot when barrel attached and also like to move a little every shot in this configuration. You really have to buy a rail mount kit when you get one. Still, cheaper than the labradar. Of the options I know well I would probably buy this one currently even though there is still a bit of set up getting it aligned and not shooting it. Very reliable and accurate readings though.

I don't really know the AndiScan or Bulletseeker well enough to comment. May check them out at Shot this year. Caldwell was also supposed to be releasing a cheaper dopler unit. Not sure if that ever happened. Certainly these newer technologies are easy to use and i would probably chrono a lot more if I used one.

 

[Rob01]

Never had a Magnetospeed shift or move on my barrels and have used them that way for years. You just have to grab the strap and snug it and it won't move.

 

[timintx]

Not a sales pitch but In my opinion the Oehler 35 has been and still is the most accurate chronograph for the last 20 years or so , sure it is a minor pain to set up and lug out to the matches but accuracy and reliability has been the main goal . At the time the other higher priced chronographs were not even close to accurate as the Oehler. Relating point of impact to velocity I have seen the accuracy of the Oehler first hand. Then the radars and others started appearing , missed shots and just not accurate all of the time , sometimes yes and sometimes 50 FPS off at least in my case ,when it happens I didn’t know it until the match. No way of knowing it was an error. The Oehler would show the error so at least I knew the error was there . To date no other chrono does that . For being on the road the Oehler can be cumbersome but my new easy set up chronograph system has broke so many times I lost count and I repaired it myself at least three times and now it is broke again so it is not doing me any service . So I kept falling back on the Oehler , which has never left me hanging . Not trying to bash the other systems but to have anything last 20 years with no issues makes my decision that much easier regardless of the hassles involved to set it up and I know if I set it up correctly that it will be truly accurate to 1 FPS . That is what mattered to me personally because I do large amounts of testing normally where every shot is measured and when the others failed the Oehler always came through providing it was set up correctly as with any chronograph.

timintx

 

[Supersubes]

Thanks folks. This is not an easy decision.

It seems like the best system is the cheapest, but it is the hardest to setup and might make you unpopular at the range.

The bulletseeker and Andiscan systems are so new and so expensive that it isn't a home run.
The Labradar costs $625, but then you have to add $100-$300 for accessories (case, tripod, battery and remote trigger).
The magnetospeed v3 is good value, but hangs off the gun and affects the shot.

I may just wait to see what happens with Andiscan and BulletSeeker - see if they come down in price or force Labradar to come down in price. Will also keep an eye out for used systems where I can save some money. If I find the deficiencies are too great, I can resell and minimize my losses.

Luke @BigJimFish said, there was a large window of time when they weren’t sold. My choice is labradar. There’s no reason you should need to spend 300 bucks on a accessories for one either. A neoprene zipper sleeve for a laptop will hold the unit for transport. An external lithium batt is a good thing to have because they do eat batteries. Pick any cheap base to screw it to.

 

[Rob01]

The Magnetospeed is just as accurate as the Oehler. Years back when i had my V2 I brought it to a class we were teaching and set both the Oehler and Magnetospeed up and students shot over both and the velocities were withing 5fps and the Oehler was at 15 feet so there was that. If someone is happy with their Oehler then have at it but don't try to act like it's some perfect machine. They break, especially the screens, so not indestructible.

 

[timintx]

The Magnetospeed is just as accurate as the Oehler. Years back when i had my V2 I brought it to a class we were teaching and set both the Oehler and Magnetospeed up and students shot over both and the velocities were withing 5fps and the Oehler was at 15 feet so there was that. If someone is happy with their Oehler then have at it but don't try to act like it's some perfect machine. They break, especially the screens, so not indestructible.

Not a perfect machine ? Just giving my experience with the Oehler and others.

timintx

 

[MJF]

My Oehler 35 has been working great for 20+ years. Setup for me is 2 minutes, not a hassle at all. I had it repaired once when it was 20 years old. They repaired it for free and had it back to me in less than 10 days. However, if it ever dies I will more than likely buy a more compact crono just for packing and storing convenience. I don't foresee it ever dying though.

 

[25ring]

My Oehler 35 has been working great for 20+ years. Setup for me is 2 minutes, not a hassle at all. I had it repaired once when it was 20 years old. They repaired it for free and had it back to me in less than 10 days. However, if it ever dies I will more than likely buy a more compact crono just for packing and storing convenience. I don't foresee it ever dying though.

I'm still using my Oehler 33 that I bought in 1985,started to give out weird readings about 15yrs ago and Oehler replaced it free of charge! If they ever quit making D cell batteries I may have to come up with a new power source for it, it takes 6.

 

[Rob01]

 

[timintx]

View attachment 8024691

We only used our Oehler's if we wanted accurate readings lol!!!!!!!

timintx

 

[Rob01]

Now there are other ways to get accurate readings as well as get set up easily

 

[Modoc]

We could always go old school

When my Ohler dies or I’m finished supporting children and have some more disposable income , I will probably get a magneto speed for simplicity’s sake.

 

[Jack's Dad]

Magnetosperd has been great for me with little or no poi shift

 

[BuzzBoss915]

As a few others have said, I guess my Oehler 35P is about 20 years old, never been hit, BTW. I had the printer serviced once, they turned it around in about 10 days, included a new 9v and a spare.

I don't buy the problems with set up unless you are trying to zero it to line up with a target downrange. Then, it involves one person looking through the scope and an assistant moving the screens around.... yeah it takes a couple minutes but; as far as I am concerned, i only use it for load development, and afterwards, what is the point in recording every shot's velocity? Use it when you need it and then leave it at home.

The reason why they quit offering them for sale was because the subcontractor for the printer went bust. The printer is a mechanical device and the ink dries up and parts can wear out, but as far as I know, they stand behind it. They are honest people and there aren't enough of them to go around.

Who else has a proof channel? Who else has a paper tape? Who else has a spotless customer support? Oh, but the crybabies say it takes a couple minutes to set up. All true; take the good with the bad. ONE BAD!