# Range Finders



## DOC.223 (Nov 25, 2006)

OK, I need a range Finder that will be EXCELLENT at 600 yards!
HELLLLLLLLLLLLLP


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## predda-gedda (Nov 30, 2008)

Don't waste your money, buy a Leica.


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## farmerj (Jun 19, 2004)

I've got the Nikon 600. Works great at everything I have tossed it for. Either hunting, guards or otherwise.


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

DOC.223 said:


> OK, I need a range Finder that will be EXCELLENT at 600 yards!
> HELLLLLLLLLLLLLP


Keep in mind that the yardage the companies list are most often reflective objects. I had an 800 and it worked OK to 400 yards on Fox and Coyote. Then I got a 1000 yard and in daylight it was good to about 650 yards. That was on a 1500 lb hay bale. At night it would do 1400 yards. Now I have a Leica 1200, and it does 1200 yards in daylight on trees and grass. Longshot has a Swarovski and it does 1884 yards from my house to the Jamestown Dam in daylight. 
DOC.223 if you purchase a cheaper model and want reliability get one with twice the yardage you think you need.


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## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

I used to use Bushnells. They are a good rangefinder, accurate (I have yet to see one of ANY brand that isnt accurate though). The only thing I didnt like about them was the display was tough to read in low light or against dark objects. The same goes for the Nikons.

After playing with a friends Leica, I was immediately sold on the red readout, easy to read in low light and such. But, they have a hefty price tag.

I ended up going with a Leupold RX-1000. Benefits of the red display, and not as pricey as a leica. From what ive seen, its everything the Leica is and almost $200 cheaper.
You could go with the RX-600, but again, this has a black display thats tough to see in certain light conditions.
The RX-1000 will read out to 1000 yards on a good surface, I know first hand itll do haybales at 800 no problem and deer at 560 (never needed it further than that), never tried it any further.
The Leupolds have VERY clear optics, actually brightening up what you see in low light. In fact, I dont even carry binocs anymore bowhunting, just the rangefinder.

Take a look at it, its well worth the money.


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## stolenbase (Aug 23, 2003)

Plainsman and barebackjack both made excellent points with the reflective target situation. I have an RX-1000 as well and couldn't be happier with it. If you have a reflective or hard object to range off of..tree, bale, truck, etc. you will usually be able to range out there close to what the company says the max is. On deer my RX-1000 does do around 500 but I guess I've never tried it much farther than that. The clarity on Leupold's stuff..at least for the money imo is tough to beat. I had a Nikon a couple years ago that crapped out on me after one season. Company wouldn't do anything for repair.


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## kdog (Mar 13, 2007)

DOC,

I agree with the others. I recently purchased the Leupold RX 1000, and am very happy with the performance. It is as compact as any rangefinder, it ranges my coyote decoy (actual life size with fur on it) out to over 500 yards, it has great optics, and the illuminated display is very easy to read. The price is about $350.00 in the non-TBR model - much less than similar quality units (Leica, Swarovski, Zeiss). The TBR stuff is not necessary IMHO. Have fun choosing!


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## predda-gedda (Nov 30, 2008)

Just curious but can any of you non-Leica owners range through the window you your vehicles? Not trying to start an argument, just wondering.


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## DOC.223 (Nov 25, 2006)

Gentlemen, I will look at both range finders and I thamk you all for your input. Seems I can never find a range finder that will pick up a coyote at 500 yds. or less. Hunting in western Nevada, and eastern Montana it is a little difficult to range them as they come charging in fast. Depth perception is a pain on flat country.


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

predda-gedda said:


> Just curious but can any of you non-Leica owners range through the window you your vehicles? Not trying to start an argument, just wondering.


I noticed Leica doesn't do that beyond about 150 yards. My old Bushnell would do 400 yards through the window. Different light wave length I guess. Maybe more towards the true UV. 
I noticed the UV lights in my underwater camera reach all the way across my aquarium room, but when I put it in a 75 gallon aquarium you can't see the far side. I guess it doesn't penetrate water well either. Odd they used UV. I know the lens has to be plastic in UV lights because UV doesn't penetrate glass. That's why you need UV protection with plastic lens glasses, but not with glass lenses.


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## kingcanada (Sep 19, 2009)

i have owned 2 good rangefinders. the first was a lieca 800 and my current one is a bushnell elite 1500. in flat country with snow, you lose a lot of range. there is just not anything substantial to bounce that beam off of. my lieca sometimes had trouble reading 300 yards and the elite 1500 had trouble with 400 or so. if i had a brushy bank, the lieca read up to 550 well and the elite would grab 800. most of the time the results are in between these two examples. i will say that using a lithium battery makes a big difference, especially in cold weather. a range finder depends on peak surge power and the lithium battery handles this better. flats with brush are hard to read also since the beam is bouncing off too many objects at different distances and the unit can't single one out. the best reading my 800 lieca gave was 697 yards off a lone boulder. my elite gave me several readings over 1000 yards on cottonwood trees.


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## kingcanada (Sep 19, 2009)

something else that will help is not trying to range the coyote. i always "pre-range" several land marks i will readily recognize before i ever call. i already know about how far a dog is when he crosses each rise, washout, or brush clump. then i don't get spotted while fiddling with a range finder. i just wait for a moment when he looks away (often times they are looking over at another coyote :wink: ) or dips out of sight behind a bush or in a low spot so i can get the gun on him. as soon as he stops, whack! that is, IF he stops! sometimes you just have to roll 'em on the trot. usually works, but not always!


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## Longshot (Feb 9, 2004)

kdog said:


> DOC,The price is about $350.00 in the non-TBR model - much less than similar quality units (Leica, Swarovski, Zeiss).


I will have to disagree with this kdog. IMO the Leupold isn't even close in quality of the Swarovski. I haven't used the Zeiss and have only tried the Leica. While I haven't owned the Leupold range finders and having only looked through them I wouldn't own a Nikon or Leupold. First off they both have small pupil lenses with Nikon's being the worst. The Leica is a bit faster at getting the range than my Swarovski, but if you look at them all you will find that the Swarovski has 8X optics yet the same if not larger field of view. Depth of field in the Leica and Swarovski are much better than the Leupold also, so IMO the Leupold doesn't even come close. When I compared range finders I tried 6 different ones and tested each outside for about 3 hours. What I found was that the Leica and Swarovski were much more consistent and ranged different targets better than the Leupold and Nikon. The only reason I went with the Swarovski was that at times while trying them out the Leica had difficulty picking up black targets. The Swarovski was the only one that would range very dark targets every time. That could have been just those items and not all in general, but that is what made my decision.


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## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

Longshot said:


> kdog said:
> 
> 
> > DOC,The price is about $350.00 in the non-TBR model - much less than similar quality units (Leica, Swarovski, Zeiss).
> ...


I spent 5 days playing with a Leica and Leupold. Never found a target one would range that the other wouldnt.

Cant speak for Swarovski, never used one, overpriced IMO.


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## Longshot (Feb 9, 2004)

barebackjack, the ones I tried wouldn't range a block target at 100 yards. Maybe the newer ones are better, but I have heard this from others also so it's not just me. I have a black block archery target and a friend's Leica has a difficult time ranging it also. His rangefinder is also 2 years old so I am not sure if this has changed. The Swarovski is overpriced I will agree, but I am amazed at how well it works. I have had no problem ranging prairie dogs out to 600 yards with it. To do this though I have to set it on a tripod as I am not steady enough to do it off hand for that range. One tripod for the rangefinder and one for the spotting scope. :lol:

Edited to add: WOW, hadn't looked at them in a while. They have really gone up in price. I bought mine 2 years ago at $800


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

The more I think about the Swarovski the more I am tempted to buy one. Anyone want a 1200 yard Leica? I should not have started reading this thread.


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

I should never have gotten on this thread. My new Swarovski is on it's way. If it gets here before deer season I will advertise my Leica 1200 on here.


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## duckp (Mar 13, 2008)

I have a Swarovski for sale.I tried them all last year before buying it.Love it but got the buy of a lifetime on a Leica Geovid 10 by 42 so bought it 2 weeks ago.Will sell the Swaro for $625.Perfect condition.Can try it if near NE SoDak.PM me if interested.


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

Good price, but I already ordered. I seen the Geovid had a $350 rebate, but passed. I am trying to get ranges beyond 1200 yards. I'm kind of thinking about a 338 Ultra Mag with VLD bullets of 250 gr pushed to about 3000 fps and a 36 power scope.
Thanks much for the offer. It would have been nice to have them for deer season. It looks like mine are back ordered until the second week of November.


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## duckp (Mar 13, 2008)

OK,cool.
Yes,with the Geovid 'HDs' coming out there were good buys for awhile on the 'old' models.('high def' glass ain't worth an xtra grand.-the 'old' ones are as clear and nice as my Swaro ELs were anyway.  )
I got mine for about 1650 and then the 350 rebate got them down to where selling my old stuff about washes.Just couldn't pass on it.Was out on my deck doing the initial diopter focus business they recommend and after I was dialed in I started ranging spots in a distant CRP field.Instant readings to 1200 plus yards.Need to go find a longer view later today and really check them out.


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## dynarider68 (Mar 18, 2007)

I bought a bushnell arc 1000. it cost $300..its my 1st range finder and i love it some far..compact and has an archery or rifle setting...for the money I think its a great rangefinder.heres the thing..you can get one that reaches out there a long ways but how many guys will actually shot anything past 200 to 300 yards..


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## Longshot (Feb 9, 2004)

dynarider68 said:


> I bought a bushnell arc 1000. it cost $300..its my 1st range finder and i love it some far..compact and has an archery or rifle setting...for the money I think its a great rangefinder.heres the thing..you can get one that reaches out there a long ways but how many guys will actually shot anything past 200 to 300 yards..


You may be surprised how many do.


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## dynarider68 (Mar 18, 2007)

Longshot said:


> dynarider68 said:
> 
> 
> > I bought a bushnell arc 1000. it cost $300..its my 1st range finder and i love it some far..compact and has an archery or rifle setting...for the money I think its a great rangefinder.heres the thing..you can get one that reaches out there a long ways but how many guys will actually shot anything past 200 to 300 yards..
> ...


I might be...and I can shot that far pretty darn well..I just chose to get them in closer, it takes some of the human error out it..I like taking shots from 100 to 200 yrds...I feel very comfortable taking those shots.


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## coyote sniper (Apr 15, 2009)

had a bushnell elite. now I have a leica 1200 and really like it farthest i have ranged is 1344 usually 700-900 yards is the top end but on something reflective you can get higher.


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