Disclaimer: This page contains affiliate links, meaning we receive commissions for any purchases made through the links on this page.

Long gone are the days of packing your chronograph into its own suitcase before heading out to the gun range. Compact Doppler radar chronographs have changed the game. Advances in technology and manufacturing have made them portable and more affordable. The Athlon chronograph leads this category with its Rangecraft Velocity Pro model, which can measure everything from arrows to high-velocity centerfire rifle ammunition.

Is the Athlon Rangecraft Velocity Pro the perfect addition to your range bag? How does it stack up to the competition? I’ll cover all that and more in my review below.

Athlon Chronograph: Overview

Athlon’s entry into the Doppler radar chronograph market adds competition and lowers costs. With a velocity measurement range of 65 to 5,000 feet per second, a rechargeable battery, a large LCD display, and Bluetooth connectivity, the Velocity Pro has the specifications to handle considerably more than your average trip to the gun range.

What Is The Athlon Rangecraft Velocity Pro?

The Velocity Pro uses Doppler radar to track projectiles and calculate their velocities. Unlike traditional optical chronographs, there are no wires, screens, or antennas that need to be positioned in front of the muzzle. Unlike common barrel-mounted chronographs for centerfire rifles, nothing needs to be attached to the firearm to generate an accurate reading.

For Precision rifle shooters, that means no more attachments on rifle barrels that could affect harmonics or point of impact.  With the Velocity Pro, you simply position the chronograph next to the rifle and shoot. You can use the included tripod, or attach it to your own. You can also use magic arm attachments or an Arca offset rail to mount it on the same tripod your rifle is on for added convenience.

Since the radar system doesn’t depend on muzzle blast to trigger a reading, your placement doesn’t have to be as exact as older optical models. As long as you have the unit approximately 4-10″ from the muzzle, you’ll get accurate readings. Athlon specifically designed the radar unit to work with suppressors, muzzle brakes, compensators, and other muzzle devices.

That makes it useful for testing everything from a suppressed .22LR pistol to a 22″ barrel 6.5 Creedmoor bolt-action rifle. The best part is, it takes only a few clicks to swap between them. Meaning you don’t have to substantially change your range setup to test different calibers or weapon platforms.

Set Up & Use

Ease of use may be the Velocity Pro’s strongest feature. From startup, it only takes quick 4 button presses to select your settings and ready the unit for use. As mentioned, you’ll set the chronograph 4-10″ from the muzzle on the X-Y axis, align it towards the target, and begin your session. Once you’ve completed your session, you can start a new one, review the data you captured, or transfer the recorded data to the app.

The Athlon chronograph records individual shot velocities and calculates the statistics shooters actually care about. Average velocity, standard deviation, extreme spread, deviation from average, kinetic energy, and power factor are all recorded. For ammo testing, those statistics tell the shooter a more complete story of how their bullet is performing than velocity data alone.

Navigating the menu system on the Athlon chronograph is mostly straightforward. Three buttons on top of the unit let you access the menu and make selections and changes. The power button also functions as a back (return) button to access the menu or return to a previous screen. The Option button also functions as the Delete button, and the OK button lets you confirm selections.

On the right-hand side of the unit, there are two directional buttons. These buttons allow you to scroll through the menu options. If you’re right-handed, these buttons are easy to reach with your thumb. If you’re left-handed, you’ll have to hold the unit to make changes with your fingertips.

Athlon Chronograph App

I spent a week using the Athlon Ballistics Lite app (Get it here). Bluetooth pairing is quick and easy; if you run into issues, check your firmware to make sure it is up to date. When you open the app, it takes you to the main screen where you can view your imported sessions and sync data. Keep in mind, if you’re shooting different bullet types or calibers and want to keep them separate, you can add notes in the app after syncing the session.

The app functionality is useful; the layout and interface are good, and syncing data is straightforward. The only real issue I experienced was Bluetooth connectivity. Multiple times, I wasted a first shot in a sequence, thinking the app was connected to the unit when it was not. It would also be nice if the app included more detailed notes for reloaders, including powder types, charge weight, cartridge length, barrel length, and other cartridge-related variables.

Of course, all of this information can be added manually after the data is exported. However, as a time-saver, it would be nice to have more options than fewer. Your exported data will be put into a CSV spreadsheet. Session conditions and variables appear at the top of the sheet, a velocity performance graphic appears in the center, and your actual velocity data appears at the bottom in separate columns.

Build Quality & Battery Life

In hand, the unit feels well made. It’s clear a lot of engineering, research, development, and real-world use feedback went into the design. The case’s exterior texture could be more aggressive. It has visible screws on the front and back of the case, and tight seams that suggest an internal weather seal. Speaking of weather resistance, the Athlon Rangecraft Velocity Pro has an IP67 weather seal rating.

This means the device is dust-tight and can survive temporary submersion in water up to 1 meter (3.3′) for up to 30 minutes. The Athlon screen measures 2.4″ horizontally and has a resolution of 240×320 (76,800 pixels). The screen has a gloss finish with good clarity but it can be prone to fingerprints and scratches. It’s fine if you view it straight on, but once you get 30° in any direction, you start getting strong reflections.

The internal Lithium-Ion rechargeable battery is rated for 6 hours of use. I can confirm that to be true. The battery life on the unit is excellent; I’ve used it for hours at the range in the summer heat and never had to stop to recharge. Athlon doesn’t provide info on how many times the battery can be recharged, but it appears that it could be replaced once its life cycle has completed. The unit comes with a 1-year limited warranty, so it’s something worth considering.

Athlon VS Garmin Chronograph

How does the Athlon Rangecraft Velocity Pro stack up against the Garmin Xero C1 Pro? Both units use Doppler radar technology in compact, range-bag-friendly formats. The Garmin hit the market first and has become something of a benchmark for the industry. The Athlon offers many of the same core capabilities with a slightly larger screen. The Garmin Xero C1 has the same resolution, but its (matte) Transflective Monochrome LCD display is brighter outdoors.

Both chronos can calculate useful statistics and have corresponding apps for reviewing and exporting data. The Athlon offers a few more customization options than the Garmin, a reportedly larger radar sensor array, and a wider velocity range. You also get a nice hardshell zipper case to protect it, included with the price. Speaking of which, the MSRP on the Garmin is about $100 more than that of the Athlon Rangecraft Velocity Pro.

While the Garmin may be viewed as a higher-end unit, you’ll also have to pay more to acquire it. It has an IPX7 rating, which makes it water-resistant, but it lacks the dust and water resistance of the IP67 rating on the Athlon Rangecraft Velocity Pro. For most, the decision comes down to practicality. Both options check all of the boxes for recording ballistic data at a trip to the gun range. So it comes down to price, ease of use, and which ecosystem you want to invest in.

Overall Value

If you told me five years ago that I could buy a Doppler radar chronograph that would fit in my pocket for less than $500, I wouldn’t have been able to get my wallet out fast enough. As it stands, the value proposition is excellent. You’re getting a lot of value in a surprisingly small package with the Athlon Rangecraft Velocity Pro. It’s easy to set up. It doesn’t get in your way at the range, and after a few uses, it feels like a natural extension of your ballistic routine.

Versatility is also a strong suit. A chronograph that covers shots from a rifle, pistol, shotgun, air rifle, airsoft, bow, crossbow, and more offers real value. If you’re into reloading for your .30-30 and your kids are into archery, this one unit covers it all. It makes the Velocity Pro much easier to justify than an overly specialized piece of ballistic equipment used only once or twice a year.

Your time is valuable, and no one wants to spend a range trip calibrating and fooling around with unreliable equipment. The modern radar chronograph is a convenience that also saves you time. Instead of being punished for using it, you’re rewarded for adding it to your range bag. For the price, you’re getting more than your money’s worth. The Athlon Chronograph also goes on sale throughout the year, so if you’re patient, you can snag one well under MSRP.

Athlon Chronograph: On Your Radar?

Athlon’s Rangecraft Velocity Pro is the perfect example of why compact radar chronographs have become so popular. It turns velocity testing from a tired chore into a slick, high-tech part of your range trip. Want to know if your 9mm 124gr +P velocities match box speeds out of your Glock? Quickly enter your data, set up the chronograph, and shoot a string. Then transfer the data and compare the results. All done before the RO has a chance to yell at you for blocking the lane.

The appeal also extends to reloaders. If you want to take the mystery out of how your handloads are performing, setting up the Rangecraft Velocity Pro is easy. Working up specialty loads for short-barreled rifles, you can select your grain weights and velocity ranges with the push of a button. Then send all that data to the app on your phone to take with you back to the reloading bench.

The real advantage for gun owners is the time savings.

For shooters who want accurate velocity data without shooting through screens, attaching barrel-mounted sensors, or enduring overly complicated calibration procedures, the Athlon Rangecraft Velocity Pro is a must-have for the range bag. Trust me, it will fit; it barely takes up any room at all. If you’re looking to pick one up, keep an eye out for sales, as they do routinely get discounted throughout the year.

My overall rating of the Athlon Rangecraft Velocity Pro Review: 4.5/5

Athlon Optics Rangecraft Velocity Pro Radar Chronograph w/ 2.4" Display, Bluetooth Connectivity with App for Real-Time Projectile Speed Readings (for Any Firearm, Airgun, or Archery)

• DOPPLER RADAR PRECISION: Get incredibly accurate data without touching your barrel. Using Doppler radar, the Velocity Pro measures speeds from 65 to 5,000 FPS with +/- 0.1% accuracy. Because it sits beside your firearm, not on it, your barrel harmonics and zero are never compromised. It’s the smart, non-invasive way to gather critical performance data.
• ADVANCED SESSION MANAGEMENT: All your data, right at your fingertips. The device stores up to 50 sessions with 100 shots each. On-screen, you can instantly view average velocity, standard deviation, extreme spread, and more. For a bad shot, simply hold the "DEL" button to remove it from your string without stopping.
• SEAMLESS APP INTEGRATION: Unlock your data’s full potential. Connect via Bluetooth to the Athlon Ballistics Lite app (compatible with both Android and iPhone) to sync all your sessions. In the app, you can manage and modify your data, exclude shots from calculations, rename sessions, and associate data with specific rifle and bullet profiles for detailed sorting and filtering.

Buy on Amazon

Editor’s Note:

The Athlon Rangecraft Velocity Pro used in this review was generously provided to us by Athlon. The statements, views, and opinions expressed about the product in this review are our own and were not influenced in any way by the product’s manufacturer. The manufacturer did not receive a copy of this review before it was published on our website. 

Looking for more chronograph reviews? Check out our review of the Lab Radar Chronograph here.