My Bushnell Scout 1000 ARC rangefinder wasn't exactly working out for me as well as I wanted. Often could not range out beyond 300 yards on a bright day and the beam angle was too wide making small animals hard to range as foreground or background would tend to dominate the reading, giving me different readings each time. Well, after reading many reviews online, I determined that the Leica Rangemaster 2400-R was the minimum rangefinder that would satisfy all my gas passer and powder burner ranging requirements. On my next visit to Scheels, I spotted one in the display case and checked it out. Compared it to a Leupold rangefinder that cost a bit less. The Leica was the clear winner in my opinion for several reasons. The Leica was slightly sharper and the image snapped into focus more distinctly. The Leica was more compact and could slide into a regular sized streetwear shirt pocket. My Bushnell and the Leupold needed a bigger shirt pocket although they fit in a coat pocket.
I did the exchange deed and walked out of the store with my new rangefinder and tested the Leica later that day. Ranging capability easily exceed by well over twice the distance in every instance I compared it to the Bushnell. The Leica was MUCH faster in ranging acquisition time. The Leica much more easily ranged small targets without foreground and background getting things confused. I actually did range a dry grassy hillside at 2405 yards on an overcast afternoon. The Bushnell might go 500 yards under the same condition. No need for these extreme ranges with an airgun, but my rangefinder has to do PB duties as well, and I shoot at mule deer at long distances in Montana.
Now for the clarity of the optics. When the Leica is well focused, it works about as well as my 10X Vortex binoculars at a PD town. I just decided to ditch the binoculars and take more load off my back. Also, I get an immediate range reading as I do not have to switch from binos to rangefinder and that gets me on target quicker. I do not have to futz around trying to eliminate the foreground reading as I do with the Bushnell, and that makes getting on target even quicker yet. The $550 price tag was almost what I paid for my BSA Lonestar .25 and over $100 more than I paid for my CZ 452 .22LR rifles. However, I am just crazy about it and all the rave reviews on the internet have proven to be true. As the Brits might say, "This is one very serious piece of kit".
Phil
I did the exchange deed and walked out of the store with my new rangefinder and tested the Leica later that day. Ranging capability easily exceed by well over twice the distance in every instance I compared it to the Bushnell. The Leica was MUCH faster in ranging acquisition time. The Leica much more easily ranged small targets without foreground and background getting things confused. I actually did range a dry grassy hillside at 2405 yards on an overcast afternoon. The Bushnell might go 500 yards under the same condition. No need for these extreme ranges with an airgun, but my rangefinder has to do PB duties as well, and I shoot at mule deer at long distances in Montana.
Now for the clarity of the optics. When the Leica is well focused, it works about as well as my 10X Vortex binoculars at a PD town. I just decided to ditch the binoculars and take more load off my back. Also, I get an immediate range reading as I do not have to switch from binos to rangefinder and that gets me on target quicker. I do not have to futz around trying to eliminate the foreground reading as I do with the Bushnell, and that makes getting on target even quicker yet. The $550 price tag was almost what I paid for my BSA Lonestar .25 and over $100 more than I paid for my CZ 452 .22LR rifles. However, I am just crazy about it and all the rave reviews on the internet have proven to be true. As the Brits might say, "This is one very serious piece of kit".
Phil
