Oehler Research · Ballistic Measurement Systems
Oehler System 89 BC Chrono™
Measures muzzle velocity and downrange time of flight on the same shot, so you get a measured ballistic coefficient instead of the published one.
System 89 BC Chrono™ is Oehler's current-generation ballistic coefficient system. Think of it as a System 88 reduced to the single-distant-target case. Three Skyscreen III screens at the gun capture muzzle velocity; four microphones at the target triangulate the bullet's arrival time. From the two, the software computes the BC of this rifle and this lot of ammunition, not a catalog figure. Both controllers carry lithium batteries and radio modules, so the range is set up without cables. For anyone who needs to check exterior-ballistics predictions or confirm shot-to-shot consistency within a lot, this is the instrument that turns a prediction into a measurement.
Overview
System 89 builds its measurement chain from two identical controllers. The gun-end controller drives three Skyscreen III screens for muzzle velocity. The target-end controller reads a four-microphone array and uses acoustic triangulation to fix the moment and position at which the bullet crosses the target plane. The array can be a 15 ft linear line or a square of up to 10 ft. Supersonic bullets (down to Mach 1.0) work with a fly-through array; subsonic bullets need an impact plane to generate a signal. The controllers talk to each other over a built-in radio link, which removes the long cable run and cuts setup time. A Windows computer controls the system over USB. Ballistic Explorer is included, supports G1, G7 and custom drag functions, and lets you feed the measured BC straight back into the trajectory model for comparison.
Key specifications
| Measured quantities | Muzzle velocity + time of flight to a distant target, giving ballistic coefficient (BC) |
|---|---|
| Controllers | Two identical controllers, each with built-in lithium battery and radio module |
| Gun-end sensing | Three Skyscreen III sky-lit photoelectric screens |
| Target-end sensing | Four-microphone array, acoustic triangulation |
| Target array | Linear 15 ft, or square array up to 10 ft |
| Velocity range | Supersonic (down to Mach 1.0) with a fly-through target; subsonic requires an impact plane |
| Drag functions | G1, G7 and custom |
| Interface and software | USB to a Windows computer; Ballistic Explorer included |
Features
A measured BC, not a published one
BC shifts with barrel, load and atmosphere, so the catalog value is only a starting point. System 89 reports the real number for this rifle and this lot.
Two controllers with built-in radio
Gun end and target end link by radio, so a long range needs no cable. Two people can have the station up within tens of minutes.
Four-microphone triangulation
Acoustic timing fixes when and where the bullet crosses the target plane, with time of flight resolved to the microsecond.
Shot-to-shot consistency at a glance
Velocity and BC are shown for every shot, so outliers inside a lot stand out. Well suited to ammunition acceptance.
G1 / G7 / custom drag functions
Compare results directly with your exterior-ballistics software to check whether the model fits the actual bullet.
Ballistic Explorer included
The measured BC drops straight into the solver, so the trajectory model converges on the real rifle-and-load combination.
Setup and applications
Field setup · SETUP
Separate gun-end and target-end stations
Three Skyscreen III screens at the gun measure velocity; the four-microphone array at the target measures arrival time. The two controllers sync by radio, with no cable in between.
Configuration · CONFIG
Controlled and logged from a Windows computer
Connected over USB, the software lists velocity, time of flight and the derived BC for each shot, then prints a report when the test ends.
Target array · TARGET
Four-microphone acoustic triangulation
Four microphones pick up the bullet's passage and the software back-calculates the crossing time and coordinates. Two layouts: 15 ft linear or square up to 10 ft.
R&D
Development and load validation
Comparing loads, bullet shapes and barrel conditions only works when the system's own uncertainty is far smaller than the differences under test.
Options and configuration
Tick the items you need and we will compile a configuration list into the quote request. Oehler products are quoted case by case by the factory; lead time follows the factory's reply.
Standard equipment (included)
Options and extensions
Service and support
Downloads
Evencat supplies and quotes Oehler Research, Inc. (Austin, Texas, USA) products in Taiwan, with model selection advice, supply assessment and training.
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