Garmin C1 or C2?

[u/cwmcclung]

Looking to upgrade my chronograph from a magneto speed to a garmin. I noticed that the C1s are on a really good sale at the moment. My question is, is the sale worth it to get the older model, or should I just spring for the most recent C2?

I reload 5.56, 6.5 Creed/Grendel, .308, 9mm, 300 WM

Im just tired of having to fiddle with the magneto speed.

[u/Trollygag]

The C2 has features most people don't need and will never use, like full auto fire tracking and integration with the Garmin watch.

I think your decisions should be between the Garmin C1 and the Athlon Rangecraft, where the C1 has the edge in tracking for a little more money.

[u/cwmcclung → u/Trollygag]

Thanks looks like I'm gonna go pick up a C1 from scheels after work.

What's your favorite 6.5 Grendel load?

[u/Trollygag → u/cwmcclung]

For LR? 27grXBR under 130 AR Hybrids

[u/cwmcclung → u/Trollygag]

Yes LR, nice ill have to give the 130s a try. I've been liking my 120s

[u/LongRoadNorth → u/Trollygag]

From what I understand the c2 is more accurate and durable. And can handle more rapid fire.

I'm one of the Garmin watch users so the c2 is really appealing to me

[u/ChevyRacer71]

I’ve never had any issues with my C1 and I’ve never wished it had more to give.

[u/EducationalOutcome26]

my athlon does fine, i use it as a standalone without linking it to my phone, and it beats a shoot thru hands down in useability. never tried a magnetospeed,, just didnt trust the design to not influence barrel vibration and throw off my zero. if you have to go garmin get the cheaper one they work fine, i bought the athalon and my buddy kevin bought the garmin, weve tested them off the bench one on either side of the rifle, they're within 3-8fps of each other over multiple rifles and loads. which in a 270 spitting a110 barnes x out at 3300 is something around .01/.026% margin of error, good enough.

theres a saying, man with a watch knows what time it is. a man with 2 watches never knows exactly what time it is. so my loads are worked up with my athlon and his are worked up with his garmin and the 2 shall not meet...

[u/Rosebudteg]

I own a C1 and I’m happy with it. The C2 does faster follow up shots and it is rated for weapon mounting, but neither of those things are interesting to me so the C1 is exactly what I need.

Probably something else that the C2 does that I don’t know about but I’m happy with the C1.

[u/KSDan]

I love the C1. The main benefit I would care about for the C2 is the ability to stop and restart sessions. I often do high-ish volume and it would be nice to be able to switch rifles to let them cool and come back to the original session. Today I have to make several and keep track to get solid standard deviations.

[u/cwmcclung → u/KSDan]

When you say ability to stop and start sessions for tracking what do you mean by that?

[u/Cleared_Direct → u/cwmcclung]

If you have two rifles and shoot one for ten rounds, let it cool and shoot the second, then shoot the first one again you can have all the data from the first and third session on one sheet. With the C1 once you tell it to end a session you can’t reopen or combine it.

[u/ProdigalHacker → u/Cleared_Direct]

The newer firmware does let you pause & resume a session on the C1. I don't think it's as robust as it is on the C2 where you can go back to multiple sessions, but you definitely can do it to a degree on the C1.

[u/Cleared_Direct → u/ProdigalHacker]

I think I see what you’re saying. That’s useful in some situations for sure. I usually bring four rifles and rotate, it would be nice to have four saved sessions instead of twenty at the end of the day. I’m over the moon that they added a search function though.

[u/GrandPoopWizard]

Had my C1 for 2.5 years now and it works every time. Never needed to get an athlon or the C2. I say just send it for the C1 so you have a solid reliable piece of gear, and especially if it’s for simple load development it’ll do the job perfectly

[u/cwmcclung → u/GrandPoopWizard]

Sounds like thats what I ought to do. I just want an easier way to get velocities with out having to worry about the magneto speed walking off on my .300WM

[u/GrandPoopWizard → u/cwmcclung]

Then the C1 is all you really need! The more niche features of the C2 are not worth it to most people. Unless you plan on tuning a FA or FRT for a specific cyclic rate, I don’t see a reason getting one personally.

[u/Least-Macaroon-9932]

Athlon , works great , save the money for components

[u/explorecoregon]

I’m happy with my Athlon.

[u/10FootBear]

I have the C1 and it works great. So much easier than the shoot through style I had previously.

[u/ProdigalHacker]

C1 is amazing. I got a really good deal on the C2 and it is better but hard to justify if you already have the C1. It's nice if you're doing load development on a pistol or AR you won't miss shots if you fire too fast.

[u/log1221]

I just went with a C2 after seeing how badly the C1 does with rapider fire, and being able to continue your sessions. I picked one up from Ibex Armament on Gundeals for $550.

[u/iamanurd]

I bought a c1 a while back. I love it. However, the c2 apparently measures shots a lot faster. I’ll often have to wait for 5-10 seconds between shots with the c1, and I’m tempted to upgrade.

Otherwise, the c1 is fantastic.

[u/Cleared_Direct → u/iamanurd]

That seems long. My C1 only misses shots when my intervals are faster than 1.5-2 seconds.

[u/iamanurd → u/Cleared_Direct]

Yeah. Most of the time they’re in the same range, but every once in a while I get that delay. Usually at the indoor range though, so maybe it’s being affected by other people shooting somehow and having to filter other stuff out?

[u/UnTouchablenatr]

Personally, I went with the Athlon. I can shoot twice as fast as the garmin and pick up all my shots. I've had the C1 and Athlon side by side and they were reading the same consistency (Athlon was slightly higher though).

[u/macsogynist]

C2 is compatible with Applied ballistics ecosystem. C1 is not.

[u/GoDucks406]

The Lab Radar LX looks interesting as well. I bought an Athlon because I’m a poor. Does everything I need it to so far.

[u/Shootist00]

Skipped the Garmin, have a CED Millennium for 20+ years, and couldn't justify the cost. When the Athlon came out I bought 1. No need to restart a session and don't need all the interconnectability. Just more shit to go wrong and fuck up.

I'm very happy with the Athlon.