I just got a new Bushnell Velocity radar gun and can't get it to work properly. I have to be on top of home plate to get it to read a pitch. Behind the backstop it dosen't pick up a reading. Anyone familiar with this gun ?

Yes, I wasted some money on one a few years ago. I returned it once and they supposedly fixed it, except they didn't.

My advice is, get your money back while you still can.

It will only read at about 60-65'. It will not pick up from behind the backstop. {Speaking from experience.}

Bushnell ads claim the gun will pick up a ball at 100 feet. They don't say what kind of ball

If you need range you'll have to pop for a Jugs or Stalker. (200-400 foot range). Best way to go is buy one used and sell it on ebay later.

Don't feel like the Lone Ranger. I got one and could not make it work right. I returned it a week later.

quote:

Originally posted by micdsguy:
Bushnell ads claim the gun will pick up a ball at 100 feet. They don't say what kind of ball

Maybe a beach ball...

Thanks for the advice. I am returning it today.

I just checked the literature and it says baseball at 90"which would be fine. There is no way this would do that. I tried several times and finally went right brhind the catcher (Minor Bantam) and it picked up 4 out of 5 throws.

If you're next to the catcher then the range is probably just a few feet and you're getting a reading after the ball has slowed 4-6 mph. Even a cheap SpeedChek has a range of about 40 feet.

Size of the object definitely affects range. They say a Stalker will pick up an 18 wheeler at more than a mile.

It was probably getting the top speed from 60-65 feet.
From behind the backstop it had no reading even aiming it in front of the cather.
Not much good when the guys are throwing high 80s to mid 90s. Not ging any wher near the catcher.

They're worthless.

Jugs and Stalkers work well thru normal chain link backstops, tho range may be slightly reduced.

Yes I have used those and they are excellent. They do have oaccasional issues but the Bushnell is not usable if you can't get readings from behind the backstop. .
Great advice and I am taking it back unless they can show me it can work at 90' in baseball as described in their lit.

The Bushnell is fine if you are a hack coach or a dad wanting to guage a pitcher's speed from directly behind the pitcher during bullpen.

It will give you a Jugs-type reading, however. That is, about 3 MPH higher than the Stalker. The Stalker is the preferred gun used by most college and pro scouts because it gets more samples when guaging pitching speed; because it gets more samples 1) it is more accurate, and 2) it reads about 3 MPH less than out-of-hand speed (Jugs).

Stalkers are VERY expensive, however. I would recommend a Bushnell for dads and bullpens where your primary motive is to guage progress, year by year.

A better idea, maybe, is to not buy a gun at all. Lots of minor-league parks have radar booths (Jugs speed, so subtract "3" to get scout (or Stalker) speed).

I have a Bushnell, and I never use it. I know the Stalker is the Gold Standard and I can't afford one so I take him to periodic showcases and stand behind the guys with Stalkers to save money!

Remember, if you're wanting to compare your kid to the "competition", use Stalker speeds..that's what PG showcases use.

I agree with the idea of not owning one and just finding out at the occasional event where someone else has one.

If your son plays basketball, do you measure his height every day? Or do you just check it every few months?

Undue preoccupation with the guns sends the wrong message to your son. No matter how hard he's throwing, he needs spot control, movement and off-speed stuff, too. And if he has those things, he can be successful without throwing 90.

I wouldn't recommend a Bushnell for anyone. Too many missed readings even from right behind the catcher. The Bushnells tend to read low because they don't pick the pitch up until it is closer to the gun.

If it is important to you then spring for one of the more expensive guns.

The typical JUGS reading is 2mph faster than the typical Stalker reading.

A cheap alternative is to buy a glove radar for about $75.

The readings get thrown off when you move the glove but in time you learn how to judge which readings are valid. You have to add a few mph to the reading to get the equivalent jugs or stalker speed.

I had 2 glove radar a few years ago. I sold them but did find them satisfactory at bantam level. Made a small profit on them.
I wanted a gun to track some local pitchers at several ages. I think it is important to see the progress. Jugs are used primarily by scouts around here. I have been told the difference between Stalkers and Jugs is where they pick the ball up and they are referred to as fast and slow guns. One picking the ball up at release and the other 25' out of the hand..