CED M2 Range Review

It was warm and snow free down the hill yesterday so decided to take the new CED M2 chronograph out for a test drive. My shooting buddy, Deak, brought his Chrony brand chronograph so we could run a comparison between the two.

Just to get the big question out of the way... NO, I did not end up shooting the chronograph unlike at least one other member of the forum who has shot a CED but out of sheer politeness shall remain nameless. (C4W isn't actually a name, is it?)

Set up of the CED was simple, taking about 3 minutes and requiring only the addition of a tripod. I just used my spotting scope tripod. The machine comes with two fairly heavy duty 20 foot cords that resisted blowing around in the breeze plus are long enough to allow shooting high power rifles even with a muzzle break.

The computer/display console sits very sturdily on a table, shooting bench or even the ground at your feet, safely out of the way of errant shots. The actual flip up display is very large and easily readable even in bright sunlight. Think of it as a heads-up display on an aircraft canopy, it provides multiple areas of information at one time, well positioned and easily discernible.

Being one who is severely mechanically challenged, learning how to unscrew a Diet Pepsi bottle required a three week correspondence course, I was more than intimidated with the thought of mastering this little marvel of modern technology.

I must say that I was more than pleasantly surprised at its ease of operation. The instruction manual is actually one of the better ones of any piece of equipment I have ever bought. Very well laid out, all features explained in a way that even I, someone who can't spell CAT without being spotted the C and the T can readily understand. The manual is set up in a way that if one needs information on a specific button on the key pad it is exceedingly easy to simply flip to that button description in the manual and totally understand its function within a few seconds. Kudos to the author of the manual.

If you've put off purchasing a chronograph because of its perceived complexities rest assured your fears are unfounded, at least with the CED.

The CED actually comes with a speaker button that can be activated when you simply want to register shots but not take the time to glance over at the display. After the shot there is an approximately one second delay then a digitally produced voice announces the result of the shot... the announcement is easily heard while wearing a set of electronic earmuffs. A fun little feature.

Oh, one more word about the display. It is easily big enough to set the entire chronograph at say the hundred or two hundred yard line and read the result of a shot through either a rifle or spotting scope.

The comparison began with Deak's Chrony. Out of the first ten shots we got one actual reading and 9, code 122 error messages. Thinking that a weak battery might be the culprit we inserted a new one. No change. The morning sky was overcast so it should have been working without diffusers but we installed them anyway. No real improvement. Changed distances from the muzzle, changed the angle toward the sun... nothing seemed to help. I was beginning to have concerns if the CED would do any better.

Switched to the CED, out of a little more than one hundred shots we didn't get one shot to fail to register or read 'error' in any way. Recording separate strings was as simple as pushing a button as was calculating the average speed of a particular string, hi-low velocity in a string or any other desired information.

All in all the machine was exceedingly easy to use and a nifty little toy when paper punching or steel clanging get a bit boring.

I must say that this was the first time I've actually checked the charge throwing accuracy of the powder measures on my Dillons and LNL's. All the recorded shots were amazingly consistent, using different powders, different bullet weights and different powders, etc. Using very low throws of Bullseye in the grandson's .38 loads showed the most inconsistency but this is pretty much to be expected. The goal of the loads are to simply teach him gun handling safety and familiarize him with centerfire shooting. While probably not accurate enough for NRA target shooting they are more than accurate for hitting steel at 20 yards.

At $199.95 the CED seems to be well worth the money and an additional $35 for the custom fitted carry bag is certainly a convenient safeguard against inadvertent damage.

I'll post a separate thread of my other new toy... the Brass Wizard. A definite back saver.

Jack