Range finder suggestions

[charles p]

Thinking of asking Santa for a range finder.  I do not archery hunt.  Lightweight and small are important.   Not interested in a binoc/range finder combo unit.  Don't know why I need one, but it's all I can think of to tell the kids.

What should I ask for?

[KP]

Don't ask for a Leupold. I made that mistake... now I have a Nikon.

Good Luck,
KP

[torpedoman]

my bushnell is really quiet good and reliable and is real easy on the batteries.

[Graybeard]

Bushnell is the only brand I have owned. I recently sold my old Scout model to a GBO member here. I now have the Scout 1000 ARC model. I highly recommend the Bushnell range finders.

[drdougrx]

So...what's wrong with the Leupld range finders???  I was looking at an RX1000.

[Catfish]

I have had several range finders and the Licia 1200 are by far the best, but they are also the most expencive. They are very small and range far better than the Leupold, bushnell or Nicons that I have had.

[KP]

I had a Leupold RX II. It didn't do anything very well. I had a hard time ranging large flat objects. I tried all sorts of things from a stop sign to my F250 truck. Nothing registered past 200 yards, even on clear days. It never gave me a reading on any animals. I had two really big Caribou at 70 yards and it never gave a reading. I know it was around 70 yards because later I paced off the distance. No, it wasn't the battery. The thing was new.

It had way too many features also, very confusing to scroll thru the functions.

I bought a plain jane Nikon 600 and it works. No angle compensating features just straight line yardage, simple.

I have used/borrowed a Leica, Catfish is right. Those are some nice and dependable Range Finders. That's what I'd have if I didn't have two kids in school.

On a side note... I've found the customer comments on the Cabela's web site to be pretty dang accurate.

Hope this helps, KP.

[Siskiyou]

I have a Nikon 800 what is suppose to be an 800 yard rangefinder.  It is not, it is a good 400+ yard rangefinder for deer.  It is a good glass and does not fog up, and 99% of the time it does a good job. 

While I do not plan on shooting beyond 400-yards my next range finder will be rated in the 1000-to-1500 yard range.  I believe fall/winter lighting diminishes reflective light and the range my unit works at.

My brother was impressed enough with my Nikon 800 after a couple of day use to buy one.  But all of the game we were looking at was less than 400-yards.

[Graybeard]

The only real advantage the Leica has is that the angle of the beam is more narrow so that allows for more precise pointing at a smaller object. Yeah effectively that does allow readings at longer ranges but it also might be reading something you really didn't intend it to be as well. Both have up and down sides. Pick what makes ya happy.

On highly reflective targets I've had Bushnell's read well beyond their stated range but only objects with little to no reflectivity they also read less than stated range. If there is nothing to reflect the beam back you get no range reading. Simple concept.

[drdougrx]

Interesting..so does a 1000+ yard instrument compensate for bad weather conditions and read out to say, 400 yards, while a 400 yard instrument under the same conditions will only read to 200 yards???  Or am I miss understanding??? (probably....)

[Siskiyou]

I am making the assumption that the 1000 rangefinder will provide reading at a greater distance than the lesser instrument.  I have not used a 1000+ yard rangefinder.

I know my unit works best under bright, sunny conditions.  The more distant reading have to be made under those conditions.

[Graybeard]

No not really Doug. It's not a matter of weather compensation at all but rather for how reflective the target object is and to some extent how large it is. Rated distances are for fairly large highly reflective targets say a building or vehicle for instance. A deer or antelope is smaller and less reflective and you'll seldom range one at the full rated distance tho you might be able to range a tree or bush near it.

Weather has less affect than you might think really tho rain and snow do degrade their ability to some extent. All have a feature to let it ignore the rain/snow and read only objects over some fixed distance which varies by unit and it will also ignore brush and limbs and such in the way between you and your target using that feature as well. In use I've really only had a problem reading distance to prairie dogs when on very gently sloping land with nothing close enough to read off of. The PD was too small and the land offered no target of significance. That's the worst case scenario I've had so far.

Interesting..so does a 1000+ yard instrument compensate for bad weather conditions and read out to say, 400 yards, while a 400 yard instrument under the same conditions will only read to 200 yards???  Or am I miss understanding??? (probably....)

[drdougrx]

Thanks...I do mean to buy one one of these days.  I was under the impression that the farther the distance rating, the better able the instrument would be under adverse conditions.  On the other hand...I really haven't suffered from NOT owning one, though I do wish I had one from time to time just because.

I may look at a Leica...we'll see..it would be on the list, but not really a must have....

[wfeher]

i have the bushnell elite 1500 , i dont think they make it anymore its a few years old, the military had put in an order of unpteen thousands of units so they must work pretty dam good. i have no trouble on reflective things at 1620 yds i got on a house and i can range trees at 1200 + and deer at between 750 to 900 yards. i had the nikon 1200 and its was a joke i couldnt range a house, truck, etc past 600 to maybe pushing 700 yards, now thats a far cry from 1200 yards. Get the bushnell, if our military uses it then it must be good or there is something im missing from the picture.