Preface
Technology is working its way into every facet of our lives. As the shooting sports and tactical market have continued to flourish, there are more and more technological gadgets involved. Today we are talking about chronographs, a device made to measure the velocity of a projectile moving in flight. Chronographs have changed a lot even since I started using them, and today we are taking a comparative look at two leading chronograph models that you definitely should consider; the Athlon Rangecraft VS. Garmin Xero C1 doppler radar chronographs.
Who Needs a Chronograph?
If you are reading this you are probably like me, looking to upgrade to something better than what you’re used to. Long-range and precision shooting require accurate data for ballistic solvers, and velocity is one of the top data points.
For years we setup sky-screens and carefully aligned devices to avoid shooting our gear. Then things changed with Magneto Speed bayonets, carefully attached to the firearms itself. This was a big step in simplifying the process of getting your data. But now we live in a world of bluetooth and Doppler radar. And todays subjects have crammed the technology into something you can carry in your pocket, and simply set them near your rifle to obtain velocities.
I love the idea of being able to easily and quickly setup one of these devices to get an accurate and current velocity for what my ammunition is doing right here and now. This incredibly valuable data once input to your ballistic equation can be the difference between a hit and a miss at any significant distance.
Comparing the Athlon Rangecraft and Garmin Xero Chronographs
| Garmin Xero C1 versus Athlon Rangecraft Velocity Pro Chronograph | ||
| Feature | Garmin Xero | Athlon Rangecraft |
| Dimensions | 3.03″ x 2.38″ x 1.36″ | 3.5ā x 2.7ā x 1.2ā |
| Internal Battery | LIthium Ion | Lithium Ion |
| Water Rating | IPX7 | IP67 |
| Display Type | sunlight-visible, transflective, monochrome | Transreflective LCD Screen |
| Weight | 3.72 oz without tripod 5.67 oz with tripod | 4.7 oz without tripod 9 oz with tripod |
| Battery Life | 6 hours | 6 hours |
| Temp Operating range | 14Ā°F to 131Ā°F / -10Ā°C to 55Ā°C | 14Ā°F to 122Ā°F / -10Ā°C to 55Ā°C |
| Memory/Shot History | 50 Sessions / 100 Shots per Session | 50 Sessions / 100 Shots per Session |
| Charging/Interface | USB-C | USB-C |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth Enabled | Bluetooth Enabled |
| Mobile App Interface | ShotViewā¢ | Athlon Ballistics |
In the Box
Lets start with the basics, these are two very similar products. Both come packaged in a handsome box filled with manuals and information on how to use it. The Athlon unit came with a zippered semi-rigid soft-case that holds the chronograph and tripod neatly.
The Xero also has some nice accessories, you just have to buy them. I found several nice options on Amazon like a silicone exterior for the Xero, and a nice soft case similar to the Athlon one.
Both units com with a compact tripod, and both of these units are very lightweight, there isn’t a lot to them. The Garmin tripod is polymer, and the Athlon tripod appears to be metal. To be honest I like the Athlon tripod better, its heavier weight is more likely to keep the tripod standing. Especially if its anywhere near a muzzle brake.
Both chronographs came with a USB-C charging cable, for easy charging with the rest of your stuff. I even charged mine in the car on the way to the range.
Controls
The Rangecraft chrono has five buttons for controlling the unit; A power/back button, a option/delete and an OK button used for selecting menu items. On the side of the unit there are two up and down selection buttons.
The Xero C1 has four buttons; A power/back button, an OK selection button, and an up and down selection buttons.
The controls on both units are so similar you can almost follow the same process for both when firing them up. Both units give you the option to input the bullet weight you are using, this data point can be used to calculate energy within the chronograph. Both units have a charging point that is covered by a rubber cap.
Using both of these chrono’s on the range together got confusing very quickly. Just because the buttons aren’t in the same place, and I found myself punching the wrong thing as I went back and forth between the two units.
Both units allow you to select from various weapons types. There is a setting for rifle, pistol, archery, and air guns. There is also an “other” option, perhaps for AOW’s? šš¤£š
In either of the firearm modes, it allows you to select from multiple velocity ranges. The Rangecraft from 600-1800 or 1800 up to 5000 fps. The Garmin version is 600-1700 or 1700 up to 5000 fps. Once again you can see that both of these are extremely similar.
Phone Applications
Both of these chronographs have bluetooth interface that you can use to both analyze the data, as well as store and export. The Garmin app is the ShotViewā¢ application, it has detailed data storage and organization for your shooting sessions.
The Athlon Ballistic app is the app to use with the Rangecraft Velocity Pro chronograph. It does much of the same, allowing you to analyze, store and export data. The added benefit is the data can be used right there in the app to add to your ballistic profiles for immediate firing solutions.
Chronograph Accessories
Besides the carrying case’s there are some other great accessories for these chronographs. Leophoto makes a nice ARCA mounted chronograph support that appears will work for both units. My favorite accessory is the Area 419 ARCA Lock Arm for the Garmin chronograph, and with minimal alteration I got my Rangecraft to fit it as well.
Kinetic Development Group also makes a great looking little Kinect Mount that attaches to your rifle by M-LOK. I haven’t used it before but based on looks and my experience with KDG products I expect it would be a fantastic option. It also appears it might fit both units.
On the Range with the Garmin Xero C1 and Athlon Rangecraft Chronograph
To compare these two units, I made a special range trip. I brought several firearms for a variety of different test results. Results from a 9mm pistol, a 6.5 Grendel, 8.6 Blackout, 5.56 carbine, and a 308 Winchester carbine. It was a fair spread of velocities and bullet types that would all test the capabilities of these chronographs.
Accuracy
Both of the chrono’s seemed to be within 10-25 FPS of each other on most everything I shot. And they were both within 10-15 FPS of velocities tested against a Magnetospeed chronograph as well. I don’t know what caused the disparity between the units, perhaps using the two together might have been causing the issue. I’m not sure how Doppler works but perhaps they were interfering with each other.
They were both reliable in picking up a signal on each shot. And they were also both good at not picking up bullets that weren’t mine. When someone close to me would shoot, neither of the units would register the shot.
Update: because folks kept asking, I retried a few different times to see how much difference there was between the velocity readings compared to a Magneto Speed chronograph. It does seem that the Garmin Xero C1 was closer to the Magneto Speed more often than the Athlon Rangecraft.
You can also select your preferred metric units. There are FPS, MPS, miles and kilometers to cover everyone. And if you prefer grams and joules over grains and foot pounds you can also select between those on the Rangecraft Velocity Pro. The Xero allows you to customize the layout for your data points for analysis.
Usability
Since these two are very comparable in function and size, it’s a little hard to judge some features. The Athlon has an additional button which gives it a very slight edge in controllability. Only because you don’t have to double up the pushing of buttons for certain purposes. The Athlon is heavier, but we’re talking ounces here so don’t worry about it too much.
The two different screen types definitely show in differing light. I thought the Garmin’s darker screen would be harder to see in hard sunlight, but it wasn’t bad at all. Both units have the ability to adjust the brightness of the screens, and select black on white or white on black. The Rangecraft also has dark setting, and a grey option. Though to be fair the differences were minimal.
The Xero also has a Pro Settings where you can turn the bullet weight entry prompt off and on. As well as the alignment diagram, I kind of wish the Athlon had the same feature. If nothing else just for less clicking buttons while setting up.
The convenience of having such quick access to velocity data is exceptional. And a definite game changer to have something this simple in your pocket for any and all shooting scenarios.
Connection
Both units easily paired to my phone through their respective apps. And both prompt you with a QR code to download the app when you select connection. The connect feature can also be turned off, to isolate both units from connecting. The USB-C charging point was easy to access and keep both units powered up before use.
The battery life is great in my opinion. I rarely have velocity testing sessions that last more than an hour or so, but these units after several hours of use were still showing 75% battery life. And that’s not bad considering all the button pushing and changes I made during that time.
Pros and Cons
Cons
Today we’ll start out with demerits of each unit starting with the Athlon Rangecraft Velocity Pro; While it is slightly heavier, I actually prefer its heavy bipod to hold it down. I also found that there seemed to be a very slight delay in the button response. Often causing me to select unwanted menu choices and such, this is simply something you’d get used to with use I suspect.
The Garmin Xero C1 on the other hand is costlier, available on Optics Planet for $599. If you already are a Garmin kinda person, with GPS’s and watches and such that might be worth it to you. I also wish it came with some kind of case, for an additional two hundred clams you’d think they could throw in even the 15$ case I showed above from Amazon.
Pros
On the positive side for the Rangecraft, it is significantly more affordable than the Garmin. It can also be had on Optics Planet for $399. I mentioned the nice case it came with, as well as the more inclusive Athlon Ballistic app interface.
By comparison, the Garmin Xero has much wider aftermarket support. With a great deal more accessory options from big names you can trust. The Xero is lighter overall, and a touch smaller as well, which is great for on the go shooters. Additionally there is a bit more customization option with your data when using the Garmin.
Both units are exceptionally convenient, and might be the most pleasant thing to add to your shooting bag this year. Allowing you to get velocities without attaching anything to your barrel. While they are a little more expensive than what we are used to, the added convenience is well worth the money in my opinion.
My Conclusion
If you are the kind of shooter that needs quick access to velocities, then I can fully endorse purchasing either of these units. But I can absolutely make an argument for economy here. You may have been telling yourself throughout reading this review: “he keeps making these sound like the same thing”. And that is almost my exact impression as well.
While either of these units I believe will perform as well as any of us might need, there is very slight difference between them. The Garmin might have a couple data features over the Athlon, but in all honesty, I cannot see anything worth shelling out another two-hundred dollars for. I have nothing against either of them. But if I was to go back in time with six-hundred dollars in my pocket to spend on a chronograph, I’d come back with the Rangecraft and two-hundred dollars worth of primers or something. If that sounds like something you would also do, follow me for more money saving advice.
-CBM
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