RCBS Ammomaster Chronograph

by
posted on December 2, 2010
201012292727-xw7361tar-9097_f.jpg

Few items can be as important to shooters, hunters and handloaders as a chronograph. Yet it seems that a minority of those enthusiasts have one. Consider this: Without knowing a load’s velocity from a given firearm, you cannot accurately determine trajectory, drift, energy, and ultimately, downrange performance.

If there has been a limitation on individuals owning a chronograph it has been price. The new AmmoMaster from RCBS is an affordable, effective option for those who want to know what their firearm/ammunition combination is really doing.

The $155 AmmoMaster is self-contained, meaning that all of its components, from screens and cords to diffusers and accompanying support arms, are held within the unit’s hollow cavity. The display/keypad unit detaches for use. This, coupled with the unit’s dimensions 25 3/4 by 15 5⁄8 inches—and its 4-pound, 2-ounce weight, makes for convenient transport.

Setup of the AmmoMaster is quick and easy. With the body affixed to a standard camera tripod, the two screens are placed in the corresponding slots in the body. Next, the four diffuser supports are connected—one to each side—to the screens, then, following the numerical patterns on the diffuser sections, the two diffusers are assembled and connected atop the supports. The display is then detached and the two 20-foot-long-cord ends from the screens are inserted into the corresponding slots—start and stop—in the display/keypad, and a single 9-volt battery is connected on the backside of the keypad unit.

The AmmoMaster requires a minimum distance of 10 feet from the muzzle for most firearms; however, magnum chamberings and larger calibers might require even greater distances. Although the unit has an 86-sq.-in. shooting area, the ideal projectile path is 4 inches above the bottom of the screens’ profile. As such, the shooter must be cognizant of the projectile’s path in relation to the line of sight when using an optic—typically 1.5 inches—or certain iron sight configurations, such as those found on AR-15s. When using a shotgun, one must take into account the pattern spread. In fact, RCBS recommends removing the side supports and diffusers when using a shotgun for this very reason. Fortunately, the company sells replacement parts. For use indoors, incandescent lighting is required.

The unit can measure velocities in feet/second (50 fps to 7,000 fps) and meters/second, and the user can add—via shooting—or delete data from current and past strings through the “Edit String” function. All memory can be removed if so desired. The AmmoMaster has a 100-shot memory, consisting of 10 strings of 10 shots each. Although velocity is displayed after each shot, at any time a string’s specifications can be viewed through the “Stats” feature. In this mode the shooter can scroll through high, low and average velocities, as well as extreme spread and standard deviation. By selecting “Enter/New String,” the shooter can begin a new string without deleting the previous string’s data.

Because of the varied outside venues American Rifleman staff uses to test products for these pages, an RCBS AmmoMaster sent for evaluation has proven itself indispensable. For months now the unit has performed without issue, and its small, easily transported size has endeared it to the editors.

Contact: RCBS; (800) 533-5000; www.rcbs.com.

Latest

heavy machine gun crew with DShK on tripod pointing in air above trees
heavy machine gun crew with DShK on tripod pointing in air above trees

Red Fifty: The Soviet 12.7 mm DShK Heavy Machine Gun

While the Browning .50-cal. M2 machine gun has been unequaled for more than a century, John Moses Browning’s genius design has had one significant 12.7 mm competitor: the Soviet DShK.

Support The NRA Youth Education Summit (YES) On Giving Tuesday

With more than 1,200 students having graduated from the program and over $700,000 in scholarships awarded since 1996, NRA's YES is an immersive leadership program for high school students eager to learn about the foundations of our nation, the importance of civic engagement and the role of the Second Amendment.

Rifleman Review: Remington 360 Buckhammer

Remington Ammunition's 360 Buckhammer is a straight-wall hunting cartridge that's designed to give deer hunters an ideal round for their Midwestern hunt.

New For 2025: EAA Girsan Witness2311 Brat, Match and MatchX

European American Armory Corp. (EAA) introduced an affordable variation of the double-stack 1911 design with their Girsan Witness2311 in 2023, continually adding additional chamberings and slide length options. New for 2025, the company is adding three new versions of the Witness2311 with the Match, MatchX and Brat models.

Review: Citadel Trakr

At less than 4 lbs., this repeating rifle is easy on the back while also being extraordinarily easy on the budget.

Freedom Munitions To Move Ammo Component Production To Idaho

Freedom Munitions has announced it will be consolidating its projectile component production from X-Treme Bullets out of Nevada into its Lewiston, Idaho, facilities.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.