Over the last year, a number of new, compact chronographs have hit the market where before there were very few options. In this video, I’ll test the new Athlon Rangecraft Velocity PRO Radar Chronograph and see how it stacks up!
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About the Athlon Rangecraft Velocity PRO Radar Chronograph
The Athlon Rangecraft comes in a sturdy carrying case with a USB-C charging cord, Allen key, product warranty card, owner’s manual and aluminum-bodied tripod.
One unique thing about this tripod is that the legs are not spring-loaded so you can move the feet to tilt however you wish.
It is extremely compact, fits neatly in a range bag, and easy to travel with!
From Athlon:
Reliable Data Capture
Rifles, Airguns, Pistols, Archery and more! The Rangecraft Velocity PRO Radar reliably captures projectile velocities from 65 – 5,000 FPS, from .17 -50″ diameter.
6+ Hour Battery Life
Powering through the longest range days, you’ll more than likely run out of ammo long before you run out of battery. Powered by a USB-C rechargeable internal lithium-ion battery. USB-A to USB-C cable included.
Compact Design
Fits as easily in your pocket as it does your 3-day assault pack. At 4.7 ounces, this chronograph will not weigh you down.
Data Management
Manage every range trip, take notes on recorded shots and makes adjustments through the Athlon Ballistics Lite app.
Ballistic Enabled
The Athlon Ballistic Lite app is an easy to use ballistic software to help you extend your ranges and take a precise shot. Tag your session data from your Velocity PRO radar with your rifle profiles to easy find your data for years to come.
Easy to Read Screen
View tons of data on an easy to read indoors and out 2.4″ LCD screen. Large font sizes and a bright backlight display work in any lighting condition.
Intuitive Interface
Easy to navigate and quick to set up. An intuitive button layout features an option button to cycle through various data points such as average, minimum, and maximum velocities, standard deviation, extreme spread, kinetic energy, and power factor. While capturing data, easily remove the last shot fired by holding the DLT button.
Testing
We’ve been using the Rangecraft in all sorts of scenarios ranging from centerfire to airguns. It’s faster than other doppler systems that we’ve used with a larger radar array and faster sampling rate. The screen works well and the buttons and hardware interface are intuitive.
Some of the rifles we’ve chronographed with the Rangecraft include my .22 ARC Pristine build, .223 trainer, 6mm, .375 CheyTac, and .22 caliber FX Airguns Impact M4.
We’ve also specifically tested Sierra’s 77 Grain MatchKing bullets and done some pistol shooting with a 9mm Beretta 92FS and .44 Magnum revolver.
Quality equipment is incredibly important, particularly the further the target is. Of the many things shooting at two miles taught me, one of the most memorable was the necessity of a quality chronograph and target camera. (Check out the Longshot LR-3!)
While good data is always needed, another application in which it is absolutely critical is in airgunning. You cannot make hits at distance without accurate velocities.
Demo
The screen is backlit for easy viewing in various lighting conditions with three buttons along the top and two on the right side.
The top buttons are for power/return, option/delete, and ok. The two side buttons are labeled with up and down arrows for navigation. The charging port is accessible from the opposite side.
The ok button selects items while the up and down buttons allow you to scroll. If the screen dims, pressing the up button will reactivate the backlight. Users can choose a quick start session or new session. Quick start has fewer options. 
In starting a new session, users can choose between rifle, pistol, archery, and air gun. Selecting one returns velocity ranges. Choose the most appropriate and enter the weight of the projectile.
For shooting .44 Magnum, this was 240 grains. The Rangecraft analyzed each shot, returning a shot velocity, minimum and maximum velocity, and round count on the main screen.
The summary page returned an average velocity of 1291.4 fps with a standard deviation of 45.9 fps. (This load should be tighter – I will be sure to investigate.) Scrolling down I could see the extreme spread, kinetic energy, and power factor. This data is not available in a quick start session. It is also possible to navigate to a previous session.
Users can also customize their Rangecraft in settings by changing the display color, brightness, backlight timer, and velocity units (metric or standard). The Rangecraft Velocity PRO has an accompanying app, Athlon Ballistics Lite, that allows you to view and edit your data on a mobile device.
This app uses Bluetooth to connect the chronograph to the mobile device and gives options to exclude a shot, mark whether it was a cold bore or clean bore, and enter notes. I am a big fan of anything that allows me to keep better records. I also don’t have to take photos of the chronograph screen — I can conveniently view all of the data on a larger screen to more effectively manage it.
Conclusion
Athlon’s Rangecraft Velocity PRO is a must-have on all of my range trips. I’ve been very impressed with this unit and its reliability.
It is very easy to use and navigate and its articulating legs allow me to position it exactly where I want every time. The MSRP is $499 but I’ve seen it for as low as $399 online, placing it well below the price of other competitive options.
Get the Gear
Order the new Athlon Rangecraft Velocity PRO Radar Chronograph from Midsouth Shooters Supply!
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Thanks,
Gavin Gear
