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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.
Last edited by Bum
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.
Last edited by CADad
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..

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