Garmin Xero C1 Chronograph

[TNMTBik3r]

I assume others saw the Garmin chronograph announcement a few months ago, but I haven't seen a thread on this forum about it. Maybe someone will see this who was unaware or had ignored threads on other sites.

 

I started to order one back in October but decided to wait for some additional end user results, and throughout the past few months reviews have been glowing. I finally ordered one last week, had it in hand in two days, and have made a couple of range trips to test it out.

Everything you may have read online is legit - this chronograph is ridiculously easy to use and flat out works with no hassle. I've tested multiple rifle and pistol loads now and as long as the Gamin is pointed roughly in line with the shooting direction it will capture the shot.

The unit is GoPro size so highly portable, and with the ease of setup (point in the general direction of fire, press a couple of buttons to power on and start a session) I intend to have this with me on every range trip going forward.

It will be fantastic to capture velocity changes as outside temperatures fluctuate through the seasons. Previously I only chronographed loads at initial workup due to the hassle of setting up a traditional chrono so am missing lots of data that will now be easily available with this Garmin.

 

It's not cheap, but neither are any of the other options. It will be interesting to see how and if Garmin evolves this chronograph but this first iteration is a winner so far. 

https://www.garmin.com/en-US/p/771164

[ohell]

Thanks for the write up and share.  Please update this thread if you have anything to add.  That is super cool.  But being a cheap bastard….. I could shoot my prochrono and pay CE to fix at least three more times before I near this price and somewhat masochistic the tedious load & setup chrono/tripod is filling my needs

[tmauto769]

good to hear. I just ordered one this morning. If it's as good as you and everyone else is saying I will be putting up my Magnetospeed V3 in the gear classifieds soon!

Edited January 5 by tmauto769

[TNMTBik3r]

12 hours ago, ohell said:

Thanks for the write up and share.  Please update this thread if you have anything to add.  That is super cool.  But being a cheap bastard….. I could shoot my prochrono and pay CE to fix at least three more times before I near this price and somewhat masochistic the tedious load & setup chrono/tripod is filling my needs

I understand that, the price gave me a bit of a pause as well at first but I decided the Garmin was worth the price over other options. The ease of setup is ridiculous compared to any of the other chronograph options I am aware of, and no other accessories are required to make this work reliably. 

I have an inexpensive Shooting Chrony F1 that is functional but I have never liked the setup hassle. It has a couple of bullet marks but I thankfully never hit anything critical.

I almost bought a Magnetospeed v3 mid-summer 2023 but knew it would also be somewhat of a hassle each time, although it at least could be done behind the firing line instead of needing a cold range. I am very glad I waited!

 

[mxer]

I looked into this unit. 
My concern is that the rechargeable battery is not user replaceable. This fact is not evident from their website or the owner’s manual. I inquired through the website and learned that if/when the battery dies after the one year warranty it will cost $100 to “repair.”

That was enough for me to stay away. 

[TNMTBik3r]

1 hour ago, mxer said:

I looked into this unit. 
My concern is that the rechargeable battery is not user replaceable. This fact is not evident from their website or the owner’s manual. I inquired through the website and learned that if/when the battery dies after the one year warranty it will cost $100 to “repair.”

That was enough for me to stay away. 

Valid concern, but it actually is replaceable it appears. There are pictures on Snipershide and elsewhere showing the Garmin open with battery, and suitable battery options are available online to replace.

The chronograph can also be powered from a USB power bank if needed while operating. 

[srszczer]

Thanks for the review. I've been using a Labradar myself but it can be a little finicky to get it working (direction and elevation of the beam, getting the bullet offset set up correctly, getting the muzzle in the right position to pick up the report without hitting it with muzzle blast, etc). If something ever happens to it I will seriously consider getting one of these.

[Gav-n-Tn]

I’ve just ordered one of these myself after reading the reviews. The reviews certainly made it appealing. 

[Frog4aday]

For those that are just casually reading this and are wondering how this unit is 'different', the Garmin chrono does not attach to the gun (like the magnetospeed units).

The Garmin chrono does not go in front of the muzzle (like the oehler, caldwell ballistics, competition electronics prochrono DLX, etc.)

The Garmin Xero C1 sits on the bench on a small tripod pointed downrange toward your target, behind your gun's muzzle, and uses doppler radar to measure bullet speed. It can't/won't get shot. It can't/won't affect barrel vibrations or point-of-impact (POI). It works like the LabRadar chronograph but without the "issues" (picky alignment, short battery life, missing shots and needing additional devices to be functional & reliable.)

The Garmin is surprisingly small. I'd seen pictures but was still surprised when I opened the box & saw the size of it (tiny!) It isn't fooled by other guns firing on the range nearby & it captures every shot YOU fire. It's a pretty amazing device. If you have a suppressor, it still captures your velocity w/o having to buy anything extra. Muzzle break on your gun? Again, not a problem as the unit can be positioned far enough away to be protected yet still work.

It can measure up to 5,000fps but still measure arrows, bb guns, shotguns, etc. Very cool & versatile. Garmin really did their homework. At $599, it is not cheap. But if the range you shoot at won't let you set up an optical chrono downrange and the bulk & finicky-ness of the LabRadar has left you holding off on getting a doppler-type unit, the answer has arrived.

https://www.garmin.com/en-US/p/771164

Edited February 22 by Frog4aday
Removed word to correct grammar issue.

[jpx2rk]

I was at the range a couple weeks ago, and a range buddy showed me his new Garmin, they are small, (think a pack of smokes small) and he was going to test/compare the new Garmin, a magneto speed and a older type chrony that he has relied on for years.  He set up all 3, and did his testing.  I asked him how they compared and he said that all 3 were within a couple FPS of each other and he was tickled with it.  I asked for a demo as my Magneto speed sporter was wanting to act up that day (cold, and probably needed a new battery).  He pulled the Garmin out of his coat pocket (remember I said it was small), turned it on, and set it on the bench I was using.  I fired 5 shots, it picked up all 5 shots, no fuss, no muss.  There was another shooter on the next bench to my left with a Labradar, and was shooting as well when I was shooting the 5 shots, his LR picked up one of my shots when the MV was about 500 fps faster than his shots.  The Garmin did not pick up any of his shots as my "session" had only 5 shots.  

I ordered one and have received mine, they are pricey for sure but it is so simple to set up, and you can use it anytime unlike the Magneto Speed.  Testing for group size/accuracy and the MS just don't jive very well since the MS is attached to the barrel in most cases.  I've used my Garmin 2 different times, and I just start a new session for each different powder charge when doing load development.  Takes 5 seconds to push the right button to end the current session, and start a new one.  It takes me longer to find my readers so I can see which buttons to push (it's small).  

I have to be careful and remember to put the Garmin in my coat pocket when going down range as it's that small, and would be easy for someone to permanently borrow from you by hiding it in their coat pocket or range bag.  

[Beltfed]

There is a forum on Facebook devoted to the C1.  As it doesn’t seem to cause any problems, most posts are about home brew mounting and cases.  I watched a guy shoot rubber bands with it and it worked.

[juliangunney]

I saw a review on you tube comparing it with the Labradar. Velocities were very close but....... He discovered that the statistics part of the Labradar were off. The SD calculation on the Garmin is correct the Labradar is not. So if that is important to you......

[MacGyver]

I used my first Garmin unit in 1994 on a search and rescue team. I’ve been a user ever since.

They’re expensive.  But they’re worth it. 

[gary_boom]

Thanks to this thread I have one ordered from Midway , should be here Fri. Now I will have to get rid of my old one.

[Gav-n-Tn]

9 minutes ago, gary_boom said:

Thanks to this thread I have one ordered from Midway , should be here Fri. Now I will have to get rid of my old one.

I’m seeing a lot of “old ones” for sale lately. My first thought when I see them is I wonder if they’re getting the Xero

[Frog4aday]

On 2/28/2024 at 11:03 AM, Gav-n-Tn said:

I’m seeing a lot of “old ones” for sale lately. My first thought when I see them is I wonder if they’re getting the Xero

The answer is YES!  Once you use the Garmin, you are done. You can't use anything but the Garmin afterward. It is just so simple, small, and easy to use. It captures the shot every time. It isn't super finicky either; get it mostly near the gun & pointed mostly downrange & it just works.

For a person looking to get a chronograph on the cheap, there are lots of people selling off their LabRadar units for half price or less right now. But there is a reason for that - the Garmin is awesome. Don't use one or you'll want to buy one. That was my experience. 

[juliangunney]

Mine has been flawlessly picking up every shot, including rimfire at the muzzle. Yesterday I tried setting up close to a target 140 yards down range. I didn't shoot it, good new, bad news I didn't capture any data either. Has anyone had any success at this? I wanted to verify the BC of a 22LR. 

I succeeded doing this using Strelok pro but I would love to see some actual down range velocity figures.