Doppler radar chronographs have changed the way shooters and reloaders collect data. We primarily use Athlon’s RangeCraft Velocity PRO Radar Chronograph here at Ultimate Reloader and reached out to the experts at Athlon Optics to get some more insights!
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About the Athlon RangeCraft Velocity PRO Radar Chronograph
Released in 2025, this reliable chronograph is extremely competitive on price compared to other doppler chronographs. We previously filmed a story covering the basics of the RangeCraft Velocity PRO. Be sure to reference it for more information!
Dustin Harding and Justin Smith from Athlon Optics joined us virtually to discuss their product and performance. While there were some app connectivity issues early in the chronograph’s history, these have since been resolved and do not affect the performance of the chronograph itself.
The RangeCraft Velocity PRO reliably captures projectile velocities from 65 fps to 5,000 fps, making it extremely versatile. It is well-suited for traditional rifles, airguns, pistols, archery, and more and its robust performance hasn’t gone unnoticed in the shooting community.
Design and Technology
This tool is extremely compact and comes in a sturdy carrying case with a USB-C charging cord, Allen key, product warranty card, owner’s manual and aluminum-bodied tripod.
This case is extremely handy, protecting the unit while keeping everything neatly contained for compact storage and travel. I am also a big fan of the tripod legs. Composed of metal with rubber feet for extra grip, these legs are individually adjustable, not spring-loaded. This allows the user to position the legs however is needed!
Justin explained they decided to use metal legs to prevent the chronograph from blowing or falling over, but that Athlon took the same care in all parts of the design process. The menu settings are intuitive and easy to use. Clearly-labeled large buttons on the side and top of the unit accommodate large fingers and gloved hands.
Dustin added that it’s common to see a number of radar chronographs at various competitions. Watching and listening to how shooters are using the Athlon RangeCraft provides invaluable insight!
Users will soon see an app update that solves pairing issues with Samsung phones as well as offers new features! Of especial interest to reloaders is that the app will now chart all shots in a line graph, allowing easy identification of plateaus. This graph can be exported both as an image and .csv/.xlsx file!
The app will also continue to assist shooters with long-term data management, saving weather data to every individual session. Archers had reported higher than actual velocities. This is amended in the new update, as well as a session update to airgun to specify it is for 600 fps to 1800 fps.
About Doppler Radar
Overall, radar-based chronographs are pretty fool-proof. Chronographs don’t know distance, only time, and recommended location may vary by manufacturer. Athlon recommends placing their chronograph 4-10 inches from the muzzle and 4-10 inches left or right. The chronograph sends out an invisible frequency that “captures” the bullet and establishes how fast it’s moving by the time of the frequency. In other words, the chronograph sends out a frequency and receives a frequency back off the base of the bullet. The difference between the two is proportional to the speed.
While the principle is simple, developing the technology is a lot more complicated. For example, Athlon had to tune the software to work with different projectiles and multiple people shooting simultaneously. Other considerations include the interference created by muzzle brakes, etc. This can be counter-acted by measuring the bullet further away from the muzzle, but Dustin elaborated that Athlon wanted to capture the muzzle velocity as close to the muzzle as possible. To do this, they focused on eliminating interference.
I have noticed this firsthand, documenting higher velocities with the RangeCraft Velocity PRO than with other chronographs and the same gun and ammunition. Dustin offered that every manufacturer stands by their technology and that there are numerous variables to consider across sessions. In the grand scheme of things, a few fps difference between chronographs won’t make a difference.
Dustin explained that they designed the RangeCraft Velocity PRO to be future-proof with some of the highest sampling rates and fastest processing available. The antenna array is one of the largest on the market in this size format. These capabilities make the RangeCraft Velocity Pro approximately half an inch larger externally than competitors’ models.
Conclusion
Most new tools come with some sort of learning curve. Athlon’s RangeCraft Velocity PRO was specifically designed to be user-friendly and they knocked it out of the park. We can’t wait to try out the new features!
Also, Athlon is asking for your feedback! They innovate largely based on customer needs, so let them know what they can improve and do better.
Get the Gear
Order the Athlon RangeCraft Velocity PRO Radar Chronograph from Midsouth Shooters Supply!
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Thanks,
Gavin Gear
