Air Gun Home :: View topic - Anyone using the Shooting Chrony brand ballistic printer?

supercharged86 · Member

Does anyone else's Chrony ballistic printer make a "snapping" sound when the printer head returns to the right (after printing a line)? I recently bought the printer and immediately noticed on the very first line that the printer carriage makes this snapping sound when the print head returns to the right. It sounds like some of the gears aren't meshing right on the return. I took a closer look inside to see if anything looked obvious, but nothing did.

Convinced that this couldn't possibly be right I took a ride to Staples (the local office supply store) and wouldn't you know it, they had the very same Casio HR-8TM calculator that the ballistic printer is built around. After giving the floor model a few calculations to printer I can assure you this thing is quiet as a mouse. No annoying "snapping" sound.

Just to make sure this wasn't suppose to operate like this I called Shooting Chrony in Canada and spoke to one of their reps. He told me that as long as it was printing fine it should be OK. Bull Sh*t I told him. If the original Casio model doesn't make a sound, why would this? Of course he didn't have an answer for me. Sure use it for a little while until it's out of warranty or past the return policy date and then when it breaks the repair is on me. I don't think so.

Therefore, I got on the phone with PyramydAir (after waiting on hold for god knows how long) to arrange for a return and exchange. Well after a two week wait the new one arrived today and wouldn't you know it, this mother F#$King thing "snaps" too. For all I know they returned the same one back to me. So tomorrow I'll be back on the phone (or on hold) with PA to arrange for another exchange.

So has anyone else had this problem? Thanks. Steve

AirGunEric · Site Admin

Can't help you there, sorry- but 'snapping' that isn't on the same base printer would indicate to me something isn't perfect. Was/is there some sort of shipping tab in the printer that should have been/be removed before use?

supercharged86 · Member

No shipping tab of any kind. This is just a basic $13 calculator that Shooting Chrony gets $75 for.

packrat · Senior Member

I have been using mine like crazy since the day I got it..it makes that snapping noise you're talking about, but I figured what the hell, it works fine, so why worry..Someone else on here PM'ed me about the snapping, said he sent his back and the new one he got made the same noise as well. I can't remember the guy's name , sorry. I seriously have used mine more in 5-6 weeks probably 8-10 times more than the average person would in the same amount of time....
I'm taking this approach so that I can avoid being "on hold" for a loooooooonnnnnnnnng time to get anauthorization to return, and then wait 2-3 weeks (without a printer) only to receive another unit that does the exact same thing....easier on my over-all disposition Mr. Green

Only problem I've had is not being able to find new ink ribbon, using the part number given in the owner's manual....I have checked best buy, staples, office depot all to no avail...But, since you gave me the model number (in your post) I'm going to try getting one using that model designation....now if I can't buy a new ribbon I WILL be upset..... Mad

otherwise, I'm going to run the hell outta it!!

supercharged86 · Member

Thanks for the reply. I guess I'm not the only one then. Office Depot definately has them, seen them there. It's a Porelon Ink Roller IR-40 (the IR-40 replaces the IR-30) . In fact if you don't mind purple ink, they had multi-packs in purple for a lot less money (then the black). Cheers Steve

packrat · Senior Member

Thanks Steve for the information..the idjit I asked at the Office Depot I went to didn't strike me as being the "sharpest crayon in the box" if you know what I mean.....never mentioned about roller being replaced and of course I couldn't find a reference book hanging about to look up the numbers...clerk was WAAAAY more interested in how his hair-do looked than in helping customers. Typical for the species.
I used my printer just yesterday-quite a bunch-and I made it a point to pay attention, since we'd just been talking about it...it does make a little snap at hte end, but it just keeps on printing, no indications of anything wrong, so what the "L". Smile

packrat · Senior Member

Jus an update since the last post, concerning that "clicking "sound the printer makes....since the date of my last post about this I have printed somewhere around another 30 feet of paper with my printer..been doing preformance mods, and checking frequently to see if I was making any progress, plus trying different weights and brands of pellets, and then of course I bought a new TalonSS, so naturally it HAD to be checked out ....my point being,,,,,,I have been using the printer WAAAAAAY more than most folks ever would, referring to the many feet of paper I've printed through it, printer is STILL making that clicking sound, and STILL working as good as when it was brand new out of the box. So, I wouldn't worry about it, just let it rock'n'roll Cool