A shooting sports chronometer is a must for many of us. Whether analyzing handloading data, evaluating factory round performance, checking arrows or examining barrel characteristics, a chronograph is a critical addition to your range bag. The Velociradar from Caldwell is a recent entry to the market and bears a second look from the multi-discipline shooter.
When I initially encountered the Velociradar, the first thing that came to mind was the font and name reminded me of Jurassic Park. As a mom of two boys, I have spent many fabulous years attempting to both spell and pronounce a variety of dinosaur names. The Velociraptor is known for both speed and ruthlessness with one of its main methods of terminal effectiveness being a sickle claw on its hind foot. In fact, I have a plastic Velociraptor residing under my couch at this very moment…
Dinosaur metaphors aside, the Velociradar has some features that make it a very positive addition to my range bag. The first thing I noticed about the Velociradar was its size. In a time when “smaller is better” pervades popular thought, the Velociradar went the other way. This is no petite princess. I never pack light, no matter where I’m headed, so I just added this to the collection of stuff I was carting to the range later that day.
My first range excursion with the Velociradar was all that a beautiful January Saturday in Northern Michigan should be. The ambient temp was a crisp 12 degrees with the refreshing 28 mph wind bringing the felt temperature down to the negative integers. Each exhale brought a fresh cloud in front of my face and the corresponding inhale a prompt shock to the nasal passages. I had three guns to shoot that day and decided that 100 yards was going to be sufficient based on the swirling wind. Wearing my Sitka “snuggie,” I trudged/waddled through the knee-deep drifts to the 100-yard backboard.
Targets hung and cardio complete for the day, I set up my stuff on the bench. My Caldwell Tack Driver X rest and my favorite bag rests came out first and then I set up the Velociradar. This unit comes equipped with its own ball-head tabletop tripod. For archery and shotgun, I use a standard height tripod to get appropriate proximity to the projectile. The included tripod is easy to set up and can be done with heavy ski gloves on, which is a very important feature in this kind of weather.
Set up is complete, integrated sight aimed correctly and now we’re ready to play. I have never been more grateful for actual buttons and not a touchscreen. The Velociradar user interface is delightfully intuitive and traditional. The buttons are large, rubber, clearly labeled and not overly touchy. No biometrics or picky touch screens here…
The unit also has an app that functions with Apple or Android platforms. I have it on an iPhone 16 Pro Max and it functions well with no notable glitches thus far. The app allows you to store both firearms and ballistic profiles so you can compare performance between sessions.
While you can add guns, bows and projectile details, you can also just send rounds downrange and get your real-time data. This can be saved if desired or reviewed at the end of the session in the Shot String menu.
For this particular session, I wanted to keep track of each gun-and-ammunition combination separately. Thanks to the Caldwell app, I was able to do that. One of the things that sets the Caldwell Velociradar apart is its ability to calculate DOPE charts with limited information. The Chirp Radar technology uses data collected from a single shot and extrapolates ballistic information out to 100 inches of drop. I trued the data by taking my Bergara Stoke in 7mm-08 out to 500 yards following the information provided by the Velociradar.
My other set of tests involves pelletized projectiles and slugs. I shoot a lot of shotgun for purposes of hunting, target, recreation, factory ammo analysis and load development. I have not found a chronograph that can deliver consistent reads. Unfortunately, despite extensive testing, consistent reads were difficult to come by with both pellets and slugs. Finding the perfect combination of trajectory, target angle, distance and unit placement was an incredibly delicate balance. I will continue to work on this aspect of the Velociradars’ performance to find that “just right” formula to get good reads with each trigger squeeze.
So, what’s the bottom line? If the Velociradar were on a dating site, body type would read “full-figured, curvy, or a few extra pounds.” This just means there’s more to love! Interests would be “varied and diverse,” reflecting the multi-discipline capacity and performance. Where the Velociradar really excels is in its DOPE calculation functions through its Chirp Radar technology. As a multi-discipline shooter and reloader, this is a great unit to add to my range day arsenal. MSRP for the Caldwell Velociradar is $549.99, and for more information, visit caldwell.com.
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