If you are a shooter new to USPSA matches, or have been around for a while but have not attended a major match, you might wonder what is meant when you hear someone say “I didn’t make major at Chrono” or “I got bumped to Open at Chrono”. So, what is this mysterious “Chrono”?
At most major matches, one of the official match stages will be a chronograph stop. At the chrono stage, several things are taking place and it is important for shooters to understand the steps. The first, and most obvious, is that the chrono officer will shoot your firearm and your ammunition to determine the bullet velocity. That is only part of the equation to determine power factor; the other is bullet weight so the officer will also pull one of your bullets to weigh it on a calibrated scale. If you fail to make your declared power factor your scores for the entire match will be adjusted accordingly. The complete chrono process for verifying your power factor can be found in Appendix C2 of the USPSA rules.
The other part of the chrono stage is to evaluate your equipment to determine that your firearm, magazines, holster, and magazine pouches meet the requirement of the division that you declared. Single Stack and Production pistols, with an empty magazine inserted, must fit into a box of a certain size; the chrono officer will place your firearm in an official box to verify that it complies. Single Stack, Production, and Carry Optics pistols have maximum weight restrictions, and those firearms will be weighed to ensure that they are not too heavy. Production and Carry Optics pistols need to be of a make and model that is on the official USPSA list, and the chrono officer will check your firearm against this list; the firearm will also be inspected for prohibited modifications. Limited, Limited-10, Open, and Carry Optics magazines have a maximum length requirement; the chrono officer will check your magazines against an official magazine gauge to determine that they comply. If your firearm or magazines fail any of these tests, your scores will be moved to Open division for the match (if you’re already shooting in Open division and your magazines are too long you will shoot the match for no score); this is described in Rule 6.2.5.1. While a PCC is not subject to many equipment restrictions, it is still necessary for PCC shooters to report to the chrono stage for ammunition verification and the chrono officer will inspect things like your stock and trigger.
At major matches, the range officers on your first stage of the match will check the location of your holster and magazine pouches to determine that their location and distance from the belt complies with any Division-related requirements. However, it is possible that the chrono officer will make these checks as well. The penalty for non-compliance with the rules regarding this equipment can be found in Rule 5.2.5.2.
When you report to the chrono stage, take one empty magazine for the chrono officer to measure and to use when shooting your ammunition (if you are shooting in Open division, bring an empty big stick). Your ammunition will most likely be collected during the first stage of the match so in most cases you will not need to bring ammunition to the chrono stage. Remember to listen to the Written Stage Briefing (yes, chrono has its own WSB) and follow the directions of the chrono officers. Chrono is an official match stage and is often the most important stage of the match. As an official match stage, all of the safety and gun handling rules apply and it is possible to be disqualified. In addition, while it is unlikely that a local monthly match will have a chronograph stage, your equipment is still subject to the rules and can be checked by a range official.
All of the current USPSA rule books can be found here: https://uspsa.org/rules.
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