Compact, light and accurate 

By Nick Rositano 

I have been wanting to test out the Garmin Xero C1 Pro Chronograph for a while now so when the opportunity with The Report arose, I was quick to jump on it! Garmin was founded in 1989, with headquarters based in the United States. Garmin first made its mark in the aviation industry with GPS navigation products. Since then, Garmin has expanded its products to cover aviation, marine, automotive, outdoor and fitness markets.   

First shot of the 300 PRC using 212 grain Precision Hunter Ammo. Second Shot image: Second shot; noticed the variation of only .8 fps, which is impressive! 

The Garmin Xero C1 Pro Chronograph is capable of measuring projectile speeds from 100fps through to 5,000fps, being suited for use with bows and air rifles all the way through to magnum centrefire rifles. The Xero C1 makes it easy to pair with your smartphone by simply downloading the ShotView app, which allows you to track each shot fired so no more pen and paper when you are trying different load data. The Xero C1 features an IPX7 water-resistant rating, which makes it capable of incidental exposure of up to 1 meter for 30 minutes, so no need to cover or protect the unit when out in the field for a short amount of time.   

Unboxing the unit for the first time, I was really impressed with how compact the Xero C1 PRO Chronograph is; it can literally fit in your back pocket! Garmin claims battery life for up to 2000 shots or up to six hours, which is ample time especially when load testing. The Xero C1 can be used both indoors and outdoors and won’t really be affected by any atmospherics. Garmin warrants the Xero C1 Chronograph for one year from date of purchase. The units feature a USB cable for charging, making it portable and easy to charge even while on the move driving, so no need to make sure its fully charged before heading away. 

I think many of us can remember the chronographs from the early 2000s, which represented something from outer space, with their massive antennas not to mention how bulky most of the units were to transport around and to setup. Having acquired a new 300 PRC, it was time to put the Xero C1 chronograph to the test to see what velocity my reloads and factory Hornady Precision Hunter achieved. In doing this, I was able to setup an accurate ballistic chart to allow me to dial in at longer ranges, whether being down at the range or out hunting.   

It was Christmas holidays, and I managed to sneak out to a mate’s property, as my local range this time of year can be chaotic. Unfortunately, upon arrival I realised I had forgotten my trusty portable range bench (nothing more than a fold up table from Bunnings) so I had no choice but to use a towel on the ground – not my best setup I can tell you! Nonetheless I had to make do, the wind was strong so I tried to shelter as best as I could.   

The Garmin Xero requires you to have the chronograph within 5-15 inches from the muzzle of the rifle, being either vertical or horizontal to the muzzle, unlike the earlier style chronographs. We have all heard of the accidental incidents of shooting the old-style antennas; however, with the Xero C1 this is almost impossible. The Xero C1 asks you to put in your projectile weight when turning on, so be sure if you are using different size projectiles to change it to give you an accurate reading.  

After firing a few shots off, I was impressed with only a difference of .8fps! This was using factory Hornady Precision Hunter ammo, so the Garmin was pretty on the money I would say! I also paired the chronograph to my iPhone using the ShotView app, so I didn’t have to worry about bringing out a pen and paper, as all the data from this day is stored on the app making it easy to go back to if ever unsure. The legs of the Xero C1 are easily screwed off and on and are durable being a small size. What I liked about this unit is the ground doesn’t have to be level to give an accurate reading, and, in my instance, I was definitely not on level ground. However, the data I got was impressive.  

For those of you who are looking at collating ballistics data for your rifle, Garmin has really made this easy: turn it on, set it up, point it in direction of fire and shoot. It is easily done in less than a minute. The Xero C1 Chronograph retails for $1099 and can be purchased either online through Garmin or at their many other stockists found on their website all across Australia. Although the unit is fairly up there on price, as the old saying goes ‘buy once, cry once’; you won’t be disappointed.