Range Finders ?????

[roar]

Interested in buying a range finder was wondering what everyone is using don't want to spend alot of $$$. I know the more $$$ you spend the better quality and product you will get. would like some info brand names,cost, pros and cons. thanks in advance for any and all info.:cheers:

[BackPackHunter]

Im using the new EL ranges... they r the best range finder i have ever used...
but bang for buck... my buddy has
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Leupold-112180-RX-1000i-TBR-Digital-Laser-Rangefinder-Mossy-Oak-Break-Up-Camo-/270960081660?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f167abafc#ht_1622wt_910

they work really good for the price...
almost as good as the Leica i just had, but with less options build in

[dadof5]

Leupold RX 1000 is great. Whatever you do, ensure the readout is in RED, cuz the black readout is tough to se in poor light conditions.

[singleshotom]

Vectronix Terrapin rangefinder is the best Ive ever used. Their expensive but they are as good as advertised. If your like me and bought many different ones and feel like you've been cheated I think your better off to just save your money and buy really good ones.
Especially for long range shooting.
sst

[Lefty-Canuck]

Vectronix Terrapin rangefinder is the best Ive ever used. Their expensive but they are as good as advertised. If your like me and bought many different ones and feel like you've been cheated I think your better off to just save your money and buy really good ones.Especially for long range shooting.
sst

I can relate to this.....bought 2 bushnells, strangely enough the oldest 1st one I bought was the better of the 2 but really large. The second one has the black display and it won't range past 300 yards. I got a nice bonus cheque one year so I picked up a set of Geovids.

LC

[bpoppa85]

Picked up the leupold rx-1000i rangefinder. Awesome!! The optics are crystal clear. The red readout is a must, in the bright day light can read it perfectly clear, and at night you can turn it to low and it isn't overpowering. Gives you holdover bases on your ballistics, and has a bow mode out to 120 yards. The only thing i was concerned with was the price. Cabelas wanted $530. A little too much for me. Well i walked into the bargain center one day at cabelas and saw them sitting at the counter. Turns out the packaging had been ruined and it had no manual. Picked it up for $370. If you keep your eyes open you can find the best deals. Would definitely recommend.

[chopperman]

Check out the Nikon range finders, I've had one for years and it worked perfectly. Gets a target reading off small objects and is bang on for distance. Had mine stolen out of my truck and I'm going to replace it with another Nikon. They are also reasonably priced.

[Full Curl Earl]

I have to agree as well. The first Bushnell, tha larger one, was probably one of the best rangefinders made, and I wonder what's in that first model that they stopped using in all the ones that followed? I owned 2 top end Bushnells rated for 1200 and never saw them zap anything over 580 ish! Not a mountain face, a house, anything! Then I purchased a Leupold, same thing! Fraudulent really! Then Leica came into my life, and this 1600 will read out past it's limits. All the garbage units I bought trying to keep the price down, I could have bought 2 Leicas!

[Okotokian]

My thought is that one really needs to find out what the realistic ranging ability is on FUR. Look at the Bushnell "Sport 850". 850 yards sounds good, but that's for reflective targets. Their claimed range for deer? 200 yards. Seems useless IMHO. Personally, I wouldn't bother with one that couldn't range at least 500 yards on fur. I got the Leupold RX 1000i. Their claim for deer is 600 yards. Seems to check out so far. I also wanted the angle compensator, having missed a long downhill shot last season. The illuminated reticle is nice too, though not sure if it is tha necessary. Could live without that.

Like most things I buy, I started out looking for something inexpensive and talked myself up the price range LOL I should not be left alone in stores. LOL

[elkhunter11]

All the garbage units I bought trying to keep the price down, I could have bought 2 Leicas!


That happens a lot more than most people like to admit. :)

[bpoppa85]

I have to agree as well. The first Bushnell, tha larger one, was probably one of the best rangefinders made, and I wonder what's in that first model that they stopped using in all the ones that followed? I owned 2 top end Bushnells rated for 1200 and never saw them zap anything over 580 ish! Not a mountain face, a house, anything! Then I purchased a Leupold, same thing! Fraudulent really! Then Leica came into my life, and this 1600 will read out past it's limits. All the garbage units I bought trying to keep the price down, I could have bought 2 Leicas!

The leupold rx-1000i claims that it will range a deer to 600 yards, trees to 700 yards and a reflective target to 1000 yards. I haven't had a chance to hunt with the unit yet so i haven't tested it on fur but i ranged a bale of hay at just over 850 yards. So i believe it would propably do a deer out to 600. But honestly in my opinion at that distance who cares....who's making 600 yards shots? Range the tree beside it or just behind or the patch of bushes just in front of it and you'll at least have an idea of where you are in relation to the animal.

[JohnB]

That happens a lot more than most people like to admit. :)

Yup, get what you pay for. I would just save up and get a Leica.

[full_throttle]

Leica 1600

[elkhunter11]

But honestly in my opinion at that distance who cares....who's making 600 yards shots? Range the tree beside it or just behind or the patch of bushes just in front of it and you'll at least have an idea of where you are in relation to the animal.


In a light fog or drizzle, that range can be reduced even more. If I am paying good money for a rangefinder, I want one that can range as far as I intend to shoot under any conditions. In an open field where longer shots are quite common, there may not be trees or bush nearby, and even at 500 yards,an "idea" of the distance is not good enough.

[beansgunsghandi]

I bought a Bushnell Sport 600 off on-line for $150. I mostly use it to get the range on some place I'll be sitting for a while, it works great for that out to about 500. I mostly use trees or something handy to get a few key distance markers, then put it away. I'm happy with my purchase.

[Rackmastr]

Leica......

[BackPackHunter]

Leica compared to Swarovski
Swarovski wins, way better unit, but its a little bigger little more $
But has a better lazer

I just sold my CRF 1600 and don't miss it one bit