I hope that this is the right place to post about range finders. I see alot of people who are using them. I would like to hear what brands are used and the benifit over cost, and why you chose the brand
Range finder
- Thread starter ToddGeddes63
- Start date
I have the Vortex Impact 1000. I bought it because it's simple to use, not a bunch of menus and reticles to choose from, $200, and their VIP lifetime warranty is great. I've had it for about 3 months. Took it to Idaho on an Elk hunt, it seems quick to respond in most conditions, waterproof (very important to me), and just plain easy to use.
I also have a Leupold RX-II 350. I've had it for about 12-13 years. Way too many menu choices and reticles to choose from, but it has a lot of features if you are into that. I think it's a bit slow to respond and I've found that it can take many tries to read a target beyond 150 yards. It was about $300 back then.
If you shoot in low light, I would suggest something that has a backlight, the black readout can be hard to read in low light on most models.
I also have a Leupold RX-II 350. I've had it for about 12-13 years. Way too many menu choices and reticles to choose from, but it has a lot of features if you are into that. I think it's a bit slow to respond and I've found that it can take many tries to read a target beyond 150 yards. It was about $300 back then.
If you shoot in low light, I would suggest something that has a backlight, the black readout can be hard to read in low light on most models.
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I use the cheap Simmons $70 rangefinder from Wal-Mart. Have 2 they are cheap enough. Don't buy HALO brand they don't honor their warranty and you have to fix the electronics yourself if it breaks.
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i had a vortex Ranger 1000 for 3 years. it started to fog up inside the unit. took it to the nearest Scheels Store where they honor vortex warranty. no questions asked. did not need a receipt, and they swapped it out for the newer model the Ranger 1800 right there on the spot.
great unit. very quick to respond to readings.
great unit. very quick to respond to readings.
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We've had this discussion before, lol. I think I've been very lucky. Got my haloxl600 I think for around $90. I beat the crap out of mine for years, and still works well for me. I guess I hope I never need the warranty service. If they treat me the same way that they treated you, I will also become a naysayer.
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I have a Leupold RX-650. It's their starter model but it's tiny, light and seems to work very well. I got it new (from someone who got it as a gift) on Armslist for $110 shipped. It's been just right for air guns.
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I have a Leica Rangemaster 2800. It communicates with my Kestrel Ballistic Weather Meter. The rangefinder sends distance, direction and inclination info to the Kestrel. The Kestrel calculates the elevation and windage (based on wind speed/direction, temperature, humidity and barometric pressure) corrections needed and send them back to the rangefinder where they are instantly displayed in the rangefinder viewfinder.
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I’ll tell you this. If you’re using a rangefinder you want one that calculates angle and give you the straight line distance. Whether you’re using a ballistic app or your own tables, you’ll have one less thing to calculate.
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Hi,
I've had a few rangefinders, from the cheapest chinese models to the one I'm using now and that I will probably use for a while since this one suits my needs better and brings me even more features that have turned out to be very practical....
I've had 2 chinese "aliexpress" models that were rather cheap (+/- 70$-90$): a bit "plasticky" and "bulky" but these were working ok if there was enough light. Image quality was rather poor as you can expect from a cheap device like that. As soon as the lighting conditions were more difficult, they were struggling to give me a reading.
I upgraded the chinese model with an entry level Nikon rangefinder (Aculon). It was much smaller and the build quality was far better; it was also more precise in the readings. Still, as an entry level (150-180$ if I remember well), it was not able to calculate the angle.
I finally opted for a Sig Sauer 1800 BDX. The BDX line is interesting in several ways. First, the build quality is excellent, the optical quality is also really great. Of course that kind of rangefinders can take the angle into account.Then the BDX range finders have a built in balistic calculator. You can store one profile in your range finder and it is able to give you a shooting solution directly. You can change the profile that is stored in the rangefinder through the smartphone application in which you can have multiple profiles for different guns or ammunitions. Once the profile loaded to your rangefinder, you just measure the distance to your target and the rangefinder gives you the distance, the angle, the number of clicks to get on target.
It's a little more expensive than the average entry level range finder but it's worth every penny!
I've had a few rangefinders, from the cheapest chinese models to the one I'm using now and that I will probably use for a while since this one suits my needs better and brings me even more features that have turned out to be very practical....
I've had 2 chinese "aliexpress" models that were rather cheap (+/- 70$-90$): a bit "plasticky" and "bulky" but these were working ok if there was enough light. Image quality was rather poor as you can expect from a cheap device like that. As soon as the lighting conditions were more difficult, they were struggling to give me a reading.
I upgraded the chinese model with an entry level Nikon rangefinder (Aculon). It was much smaller and the build quality was far better; it was also more precise in the readings. Still, as an entry level (150-180$ if I remember well), it was not able to calculate the angle.
I finally opted for a Sig Sauer 1800 BDX. The BDX line is interesting in several ways. First, the build quality is excellent, the optical quality is also really great. Of course that kind of rangefinders can take the angle into account.Then the BDX range finders have a built in balistic calculator. You can store one profile in your range finder and it is able to give you a shooting solution directly. You can change the profile that is stored in the rangefinder through the smartphone application in which you can have multiple profiles for different guns or ammunitions. Once the profile loaded to your rangefinder, you just measure the distance to your target and the rangefinder gives you the distance, the angle, the number of clicks to get on target.
It's a little more expensive than the average entry level range finder but it's worth every penny!
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Similarly, I've owned rangefinders from Bushnell, Leica, and Sig. My overall favorite is the Sig Kilo (I have not tried a BDX). The Kilo is accurate, simple, and works at short range as well as long. My one gripe about it (and the Bushnell) is that it has an un-lit LCD display that is difficult to read against a dark background so you range, look at the sky, read... That's where the Leica shines - it uses an LED display which is always readable, but it doesn't reliably range anything less than ~40 yards. (You get an error at less than 25, and garbage readings until about 40). If the Leica ranged reliably down to 15 yards, it would be my hands-down favorite. It also seems more robust, not that I've broken any of them.
GsT
GsT
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I really like Leica brand very clear 7x magnification ,easy to operate,Angle compensation also it allows you to range small objects at long-distance. Good luck on your decision.
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If you are targeting larger targets at airgun range say 250 yards max, just about any ranger will do. If you are ranging small targets(hunting for instance) in obstucted viewing then a ranger with low dispersion angle for the laser so you get reflect from target only. And this usually cost more and name brand come into play. Also pointing and Rectical must be in alignment. That all said a 1000 yard plus rranger needs low dispersion and Rectical alignment so it can get a reflect.
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I have a Leupold that went bad. Was going to send it in but it’s “out of warranty” so be aware they don’t share the lifetime warranty of their scopes. They would give me 50% off retail on another higher end one, woopee.
Went to Walmart and picked up a camo Bushnell for under $100 and it works BETTER than the $500 Leupold and has better glass to boot.
Went to Walmart and picked up a camo Bushnell for under $100 and it works BETTER than the $500 Leupold and has better glass to boot.
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Had 2 Bushnells... a 400 and 600. Both were ok but bulky. The second stopped working so after shopping quite a bit, I bought a Nikon Black 4000. Not cheap but works extremely well for both centerfire and ag. Ranges EXACTLY with my tape measure.... something I've seen few do and the longest I've done is 2475 out my shop door to the cliffs nearby. Very happy with it. Compact, light, and accurate with 6x optics that are pretty good.
There are a lot of good, inexpensive ones for shorter ranges though.
Bob
There are a lot of good, inexpensive ones for shorter ranges though.
Bob
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https://www.bushnell.com/rangefinders/bone-collector/bone-collector-850-lrf-realtree-edge/BU-202209.html
I use this one. Basically they are all the same until you get into the ones with ballistics calculators in them. Just have to pick the magnification you want, and be sure to get one with scan feature.
I use this one. Basically they are all the same until you get into the ones with ballistics calculators in them. Just have to pick the magnification you want, and be sure to get one with scan feature.
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I got the Simmons 70$ ranger at Wal-Mart couple months ago and have been very satisfied. Prolly upgrade down the road and hand off the Simmons to my kid.
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