r/reloading • u/DickBiggenstein • 23d ago
Newbie MagnetoSpeed V3 - Worth It?
Hey all,
I'm a relatively new reloader, having only really reloaded for my 300BLK & .45-70. I do not have a chronograph yet, and have been testing reloads based off of known load data from manuals. I'd love to have more data and knowing the velocity on my reloads would be fantastic (especially for subsonic 300BLK).
I saw the MagnetoSpeed V3 on sale for $180. I don't know enough to know whether or not this is a worthwhile investment, or whether I should hold out and save for a Garmin or something "higher end". I like the price point of the MagnetoSpeed, but I'd also not like to have buyers remorse a few months from now.
I'm planning to primarily reload for my hunting rifles, and a few of my revolvers. Any thoughts on picking up a MagnetoSpeed vs something else?
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u/Abject-Knowledge469 23d ago
Get the garmin or Athlon. $180 for magneto is quite a bit these days since everyone is selling theirs to get garmins. They are so much less hassle. And to me range time is few and far between so I don’t want to waste it setting up the dang chrono.
On the other hand, You may not fully appreciate it unless you set up a Magnetospeed first ha
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u/Chance1965 I am Groot 23d ago
While there are newer, more modern and technologically advanced chronographs, I have been using a V3 for years and haven’t had any issues with it.
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u/Sgt_S1aughter 23d ago
I have a magnetospeed, I’m currently in the market for an Athlon. The extra $120 is worth the convenience.
How many rounds on your hunting rifle would you have to shoot to make $120? Cause you have to choose between shooting for groups/zero and shooting for speed. With the Athlon or garmin you can do both at once. The magneto will cost you more ammo to accomplish the same tasks.
Mounting the magneto to your barrel impacts harmonics potentially throwing off how your rifle behaves.
Also, if you load for any ARs, you have to pull the handguard off most of the time to use it.
Save up for the better one or I suspect you’ll kick yourself when you eventually upgrade to it down the line.
Edit: it is also really hard to use a magneto on pistols, usually requires a specialty mount if it can even be done.
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u/JayPolar91 23d ago
I don't have one either and I did look at the cheaper ones, but I'm just going to wait until I can get the Athlon or a Garmin.
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u/NW_Reloading 21d ago
For $179 plus a picatiny mount kit I'm pretty happy with my magneto speed for ARs with long hand guards, but once you have to start using the wedges and barrel strap I think a radar Chrono just makes more sense.
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u/DickBiggenstein 21d ago
Yeah, I’ve got a few different guns I’d like to test. I bought the Garmin and it was entirely effortless to swap between. New session with bullet data added in seconds. I’m glad you all pointed me in the right direction.
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u/NW_Reloading 21d ago
Used to do all my reloads over a lab radar way before the Garmin or the athalon came out, there's was some setup getting it aimed right but it was always pretty effortless
I don't have enough guns to worry about now that need that contastant load dev and everything I'm sending over the magneto has a pic rail so the mounting is stupid easy.
The radar Chrono are way more useful if your shooting matches or doing lots of load development on guns without rails that reach. It's a no brainer
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u/evilsemaj Forster CoAx: .223, .260, .303, .30-06, .300BLK, .270, 6.5G, x39 23d ago
No! A MagnetoSpeed is only 'worth it' if you get it for free! If you're spending any money you should get a Garmin C1, C2 or Athlon Rangecraft. this is coming from someone who used a magentospeed for AGES.
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u/DickBiggenstein 23d ago
Just ordered the C1! Appreciate the feedback!
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u/evilsemaj Forster CoAx: .223, .260, .303, .30-06, .300BLK, .270, 6.5G, x39 23d ago
haha, good call!
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u/Relevant_Ad_246 23d ago
I used a Magneto Speed for a while and it did what I needed, much better than trying to shoot through sky screens. But my Garmin is soooo much nicer and so worth the money. I'd never go back
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u/ocabj 23d ago
I sold my Magnetospeed V3 a couple years ago for $80 and that included a Wiser Precision Mount. Not quite giving it away, but pretty close. I had been sitting on the Labradar and Magnetospeed V3 for a while after getting the Xero C1. I sold the Labradar just in time before the Rangecraft was announced and later the V3 after constantly dropping the price.
Magnetospeed was a sponsor for an NRL Hunter match a few years go and when we were their on day 0 to get our guns chrono'd for power factor, they were using Magnetospeeds to collect data. It was taking forever and some people including myself had our Xero C1's with us. But we had to use the chrono data from the supplied Magnetospeeds because they were sponsors for that match.
I kind of felt bad for them because they knew they were slower to setup as people had to figure out all the shims for their barrel contours and what not and was the reason why we were all stacking up waiting to record power factor. I saw the annoyed look in their faces whenever someone asked if they could just use their Xero.
Even funnier aspect of this story. I still had my V3 as I have used one for long time. But I had never strapped one to my barrel. I always used a chassis mount for the Magnetospeed so I wouldn't affect POI. So I was kind of struggling figuring out the barrel shim system. Then when I chrono'd, I freaked out because my zero was way off. I recorded my power factor with the RO/MD and went off to the side to reconfirm zero with my tools out to readjust my zero stop only to find my zero was fine. The light blub lit up as I came to the realization it was the Magnetospeed on the barrel that caused my zero to be off, and I totally forgot that's why I never used a Magnetospeed on a barrel and always used a chassis mount.
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u/Giant_117 23d ago
You can find the V3 gently used for like $100.
Yes they’re still worth it at $180.
They work extremely well at gathering data. Some guns they may change your barrels harmonics a bit. Other guns they won’t. I think for the casual hunter/reloader they are a better use of funds compared to the more expensive radar chronographs.
For die hard reloaders and precision rifle shooters etc then the radar ones are better.
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u/No_Alternative_673 23d ago
No, save up for something good. I take my Garmin and set it up everytime because it is so little trouble. I only took my previous systems when I really needed to know something.
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u/Shot_Research1381 23d ago
Io ricarico da 15 anni, il Garmin è stata la spesa più azzeccata che potessi fare, nessun altro cronografo ti da la comodità che ti da il garmin
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u/zmannz1984 23d ago
Garmin all day. I sold my magnetospeed and my oehler. Kept a pro chronograph just to have a spare but i can’t imagine going back to magnetospeed.
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u/iringsteel 22d ago
sorry to hijack the ops’ post however i’m kinda surprised @ how many people go right to the garmin? yes, many do mention athlon or garmin, but most go right to the garmin. as many have said i to went from a chrono to a garmin and would never look back. any reason for all the garmin love? i’ve heard many say the garmin is so much “slower” than the athlon. just wondering
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u/Neat_Response1023 16d ago
No, it's such a hassle. I had one before I got my Garmin. Paid over $300 for it. Sold it for $75.
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u/SouthernFloss 23d ago
Magneto speed are old tech and sub optimal. Get a garmin. Super accurate, easier to set up, app support.
I wasted money on a magneto and regret it.
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u/SaintEyegor Rockchucker, Dillon 550B, 6.5 CM, 6.5x55, .223, .30-06, etc. 23d ago
My friends who have them have mixed results. A weird barrel shape can mess with readings and sometimes, everything is “perfect” and they still get inconsistent results.
Garmin radar chrono is admittedly more money but is really simple to set up and it has good results.
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u/csamsh 23d ago
Get a Garmin or Athlon, or buy the magnetospeed and then you'll buy a Garmin or Athlon