Rangefinder Wont Acquire Target ???

[Trigger50]

Two years in a row now in WY, I cant get my Nikon 400 rangefinder to aquire an antelope or deer much past 100 yds. Has anyone else had this problem? Are antelope just too small to acquire at long ranges? I have tried ranging the ground around the deer or antelope also, but no results. Seems to work fine at home on large objects. How do I know if something is wrong?

 

[174in]

I have had the exact results with my leupold RX1. Something about out there is hard on rangefinders

 

[Flatrock]

I've got the Leupold RX-600 and it is tough to get a good reading past about 300 yards unless it is something extremely solid, like a building or hillside.

 

[wyoming556]

Might try changing the battery. My nikon seems to work better on fresh batteries. Ive got the 1200 and it seems to work out to about 600 yards or so on antelope.

 

[awapiti]

It might be the yellow grass. I never had a problem with my rangefinder when I lived in Arizona. However, the once I moved to Montana I had a tough time ranging animals. I just assumed it had something to do with the yellow grass. I have a leica now, with no more problems.

 

[Doug in Idaho]

Buy a Leica!

 

[Tom Mickey]

I had a Leupold and it did the same thing you said. I have a Leica now and no problems

 

[dhottell]

I had a Leupold that was pathetic at ranging even a truck or house past 500 yds. I bought a leica it will range a magpie in flight at a mile!!! well maybe not a magpie but it will range deer at over 800 yds. I am convinced that less pricey range finders are truly inferior to the high dollar brands.

 

[zadvorney]

i have the same nikon and it had issues from the start. I called and got the instructions on how to send it in for repairs. since I won it at an SCI dinner I had no receipt. they said no problem. sent it in and got a new one in the mail. It wasn't a fast process but still they took care of the issue. New one works great and has for the last 2-3 years.

 

[lbirch]

My Leupold RX-III had a tough time on antelope in WY this year. My friend's Leica 1600 ranged everything even a buck at 1450 yards. My RX-III is getting decommissioned.

 

[Revharvey9576]

We went to wyoming for the first time this year and had the same problem! Very difficult to get a range unless a rock or telephone pole or something solid was close by in proximity that we could use to judge.

 

[danr55]

Before you send it for repair, be sure you have a steady rest. If you shake too much, they will not acquire a target.

 

[Corax]

The fine print notes that the advertised yardage (Nikon 400) is for a high reflectivity target. If you happen to be ranging stop signs you can probably get a reading quite a ways off! I figure no more than half the advertised distance for usable field range on fur. Also in my experience a wet target will be hard to range. I do agree with the comment about the high dollar rangefinders.