barefooter19
Active member
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- Jan 18, 2005
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- 189
Can anyone give me a rundown of some good rangefinders.....? I have looked at some but what do you all say.....
Range Finders?
- Thread starter barefooter19
- Start date
I've been pretty happy with my Nikon 440, it doesn't have the features lots of them have, but it does what I need which is give you the range quickly. Its small and light which I like and seems accurate as well. I looked long and hard at the Leica's and they are clearer and draw in more light, but for the added price I wasn't sure if it was worth it to me. Some of the ones Leupold and OptiLogic make that calculate the horizontal distance on angled distances are really cool and I think thats a great feature. If my Nikon ever goes belly up I'll probably end up with one that has the angle feature.
Dangerous Dave
New member
Bareft19, I used to laugh at anyone who tried to rangefind deer because the local deer around here don't give anyone any time to goof around with electronic do-dads and will leave you in the dust while you're standing there pushing buttons.
This ALL changed when I BADLY misjudged the range while shooting at a 3 point muley this year. I cussed myself up and down thinking I had wounded the deer. Luckly the distance was so far that the bullet dropped at least 2 feet and I totally missed.
At this time, I'm waiting delivery on a Leupold III. I like the idea of the ballistic compensator.
This ALL changed when I BADLY misjudged the range while shooting at a 3 point muley this year. I cussed myself up and down thinking I had wounded the deer. Luckly the distance was so far that the bullet dropped at least 2 feet and I totally missed.
At this time, I'm waiting delivery on a Leupold III. I like the idea of the ballistic compensator.
Kyhunter42
Member
I'm also looking at getting a rangefinder. One of the guys I hunted with in MT had one. He had the Nikon 440. I used it a couple of times. I really liked it. It was small and lightweigh. It was great for judging distances. I believe it was the Nikon Prostaff. I don't know if I want that one or an 800 yard rangefinder. 800 yard is too far to shoot, but it is nice to know the distance when making a final stalk.
ALL PLAY
New member
As a bow hunter you learn to range at close distances. I purchased the bushell compact and loved the price too, but now I was carring 2 optics. So last year I purchased the rangefinder bio's from bushnell. All though they are alittle heavy now I only carry 1 and this has improved my judging in the field.
When you are scouting or just crusing the hill look at something and judge it now use your rangefinder and see how well you do. Practice will pay off in the end when you have an animal on the ground instead of running away due to bad judgment call on distane.
Just my 2 cents!!!!
Bo
When you are scouting or just crusing the hill look at something and judge it now use your rangefinder and see how well you do. Practice will pay off in the end when you have an animal on the ground instead of running away due to bad judgment call on distane.
Just my 2 cents!!!!
Bo
Washington Hunter
Well-known member
I really like my Nikon Monarch 800, and they can be had for not much over $300. Very reliable out to at least 350 yards every time.
barefooter19
Active member
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- Jan 18, 2005
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I was looking at the leupold II the price is around 250. Does anyone know much about it. the range is 750
Washington Hunter
Well-known member
I don't know about the Leupold, but I do know that most rangefinders reallly won't range as far as they are rated, at least not on a non-reflective target. So don't expect that Leupold to range to 750. Divide that number in half and that is probably about right.
Larry Landgren
New member
I just got a pair of Leica 10x42 Geovid BRF Binocular Laser Rangefinder. They are pretty dam accurratte and easy to use. I highly recomend Leica products
http://www.opticsplanet.net/leica-10x42-geovid-brf-yards.html
http://www.opticsplanet.net/leica-10x42-geovid-brf-yards.html
Dangerous Dave
New member
OH BOY!! The Leupold RX III is waiting at home for me!! I'll let you all know how it does when I get through goofin' around with it. PS, Yep, Leica's ain't bad. Dave
Vinnie B
New member
I have the Leica CRF 1200 and it is awesome. I have got it to read over 1300 yards numerous times. By far the best rangefinder I have used. Plus, it is really small, not much bigger than an Etrex
Calif. Hunter
Active member
I've had a couple, and they both worked well. One was a Bushnell and I don't recall what the other one was, but it was not a Leica or other high end model. I just received the Leupold Wind River binocular rangefinder, but haven't even had a chance to take it out of the box. I don't plan on taking shots over 350 yards, but I like to know the exact yardage when I have the time to do so. I haven't really used any of them on an actual game animal, as most of my shots end up being under 200 yards anyway. If I was to take a longer shot, it would be imperative to know the distance as precisely as possible - the difference in drop between 350 and 400 yards can be large.
Dangerous Dave
New member
That's the thing: if you have time to use it. Some of the time I don't, but there are instances when you nearly get all day to rangefind a buck as it feeds down a ridge or when you suprise them bedded down.
I yanked the Leupold RX III out of the box and was relieved to notice that it wasn't as big as I thought it was going to be. Optics are not bad -but not spectacular, and at 8X it brings things in well enough. I love the fact that the yardage is displayed twice: once in straight-line yardage in large numbers directly above the reticle, and again to the right and below the reticle in smaller numbers to display the computed ballistic distance to the target when the device takes into account the up or down angle of the shot. Not bad!
Haven't had a chance to actually point it at a deer yet, but I was crazy enough to climb up on my roof and rangefind a shopper at the nearby shopping center at 748 yards, so I guess it works. I tried to lazer a bald, grassy ridge I think is about 850-900 yards away, and the display said nothing... probably because there was nothing on the ridge to reflect the signal back off of but dried grass. I think that if an animal or a rock was on the ridge I would have gotten a reading.
It's got a digital thermometer readout, but it's got to be disabled in order for the adjusted ballistic distance readout to function. I guess I could turn it off and on if I got bored and wanted to know what the temperture was. I really like the inclineometer (it works in any mode) -and in fact- the dang thing will come in handy at work.
Only one complaint: I have to really jump through hoops and do a lot of button pushing in order to scroll through the whole set of options for the "Hold"-over setting to be employed. This -of course- computes in inches the amount of holdover at a given distance taking into consideration 1) the type of rifle you are shooting 2) the range you have zeroed in at, and 3) the angle (incline) of the shot. Of course, I'm supposed to know all that holdover stuff from studying ballistic charts and from shooting out to that range. I need to get the thing out into the field and see how it works. The thing even has a backlight built into it. All in all, not bad -I like it fine. DD
I yanked the Leupold RX III out of the box and was relieved to notice that it wasn't as big as I thought it was going to be. Optics are not bad -but not spectacular, and at 8X it brings things in well enough. I love the fact that the yardage is displayed twice: once in straight-line yardage in large numbers directly above the reticle, and again to the right and below the reticle in smaller numbers to display the computed ballistic distance to the target when the device takes into account the up or down angle of the shot. Not bad!
Haven't had a chance to actually point it at a deer yet, but I was crazy enough to climb up on my roof and rangefind a shopper at the nearby shopping center at 748 yards, so I guess it works. I tried to lazer a bald, grassy ridge I think is about 850-900 yards away, and the display said nothing... probably because there was nothing on the ridge to reflect the signal back off of but dried grass. I think that if an animal or a rock was on the ridge I would have gotten a reading.
It's got a digital thermometer readout, but it's got to be disabled in order for the adjusted ballistic distance readout to function. I guess I could turn it off and on if I got bored and wanted to know what the temperture was. I really like the inclineometer (it works in any mode) -and in fact- the dang thing will come in handy at work.
Only one complaint: I have to really jump through hoops and do a lot of button pushing in order to scroll through the whole set of options for the "Hold"-over setting to be employed. This -of course- computes in inches the amount of holdover at a given distance taking into consideration 1) the type of rifle you are shooting 2) the range you have zeroed in at, and 3) the angle (incline) of the shot. Of course, I'm supposed to know all that holdover stuff from studying ballistic charts and from shooting out to that range. I need to get the thing out into the field and see how it works. The thing even has a backlight built into it. All in all, not bad -I like it fine. DD
snake river rufus
New member
I have the leupold range finding binos and fell that they are OK as far as using them as a range finder. Opitical clarity leaves a lot to to be desired though, and they are nearly one pound heavier then any other binos in that class. If I were to do it over, I would choose a decent monocular for ranging and use my Ziess for glassing.
barefooter19
Active member
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- Jan 18, 2005
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To the top!
I was also one of those guys that decided that rangefinders were not necissary, until I bought a nikon monarchs 800 last year. Now I'm kicking myself in the pants. I missed out on a real nice black bear last year cuz I woulda swore it was over 400 yards away (I dont shoot that far on a bear), went back with my buddies rangefinder and found out it was only 170yards to where the bear was sitting. Bought the nikon and Now I carry them whenever I go out.
I like the nikons, definitly not the best on the market, but I havent had a problem with them. No complaints.
I like the nikons, definitly not the best on the market, but I havent had a problem with them. No complaints.
Anybody using the new Leupold RX-1000 RF? They redesigned it to eliminate a lot of the admittedly confusing features on their RX-II model and it looks pretty interesting. Uses red LED instead of LCD imaging. Smaller and lighter too.. a big plus for a gram geek like myself. Just looking for some actual field data. Thanks.
Layin_It_Down
New member
I have the Leica 900 scan and have used it without failure for something like 5 or 6 years now. Get one with the illuminated reticle.....(a must have)
Recently tried the new Leupold RX-1000 I think it's called. Real similar to my Leica in lens quality, response time and simplicity. It also has the illuminated reticle as well. I would also try to keep it simple. Unless you're shooting straight up or down, you don't need the TBR. Might be useful in treestands though.....
My wife has the Leupold RX-II. Nice and compact, but too many doodads. If I were to buy one right now, I would go compact and simple. Either Leica or Leupold's new RX-1000. Spend a little more and get what you want; you'll be glad you did.
Recently tried the new Leupold RX-1000 I think it's called. Real similar to my Leica in lens quality, response time and simplicity. It also has the illuminated reticle as well. I would also try to keep it simple. Unless you're shooting straight up or down, you don't need the TBR. Might be useful in treestands though.....
My wife has the Leupold RX-II. Nice and compact, but too many doodads. If I were to buy one right now, I would go compact and simple. Either Leica or Leupold's new RX-1000. Spend a little more and get what you want; you'll be glad you did.
