# Rangefinding rifle scopes



## sdeprie (May 1, 2004)

Does anyone have any experience with these new laser rangefinding scopes? I think there are 3 brands, Burris, Leupold and Nikon. The are anywhere from $700 up to about $900. Optic quality, accuracy, etc. The concept is very interesting, but I'm not about to shell out $700 for a crappy scope.


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## crewhunting (Mar 29, 2007)

I have played with the nikon and it seems like a good deal. The only think is it is very big I dont know. Its kinda cool how it has the remote you put on you stock. Seems very clear. IF its like all other nikon scope they have a life time on them. And soo do the other companies.


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## smk (Apr 30, 2008)

We've always had rangefinding scopes. It's called a mil dot reticle.


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## iwantabuggy (Feb 15, 2005)

The one I was considering buying only had 1/2 MOA adjustments. Hardly adequate IMO. Why shell out that kind of money for something only attached to one gun at a time. Get a good range finder, carry it with you, and then get a good scope on each gun. I believe you'll be way ahead for the money you spend.


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## sdeprie (May 1, 2004)

Thanks for the input. I have a separate laser rangefinder. I was thinking that an all in one device might be handy, but not if it is too big or does not have adequate adjustment. Mil Dots are great for people used to using them, on a specific size game, etc. There are a lot of situations where a Mil Dot does not give me the information I need, probably because of my own shortcomings. The pictures do provide a different profile, but don't LOOK a lot bigger. I have a Handi-Rifle in 280 Rem and 25-06. I am getting ready to build a couple of Mausers in the same calibers. I may want to reach out there in either of those calibers for a variety of game, from varmints to Elk, or maybe even Moose. I really stink at range estimation and need all the help I can get.


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## iwantabuggy (Feb 15, 2005)

sdeprie said:


> I really stink at range estimation and need all the help I can get.


I'm with you there buddy......


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## mrb (Aug 22, 2007)

well, I have had one since they came out, back in like 1998, swarovski made the first and had the patten on it till recently! why they are all just coming out with them. here is my experience , first flaw, they are heavy

second they have to be mounted very very high so, you must raise your head almost off the stock to see well( the newer ones are some lower, but still very high!) ( had a custom stock made for mine)

third, none are rated to work well in cold temps, like below 35 degrees!!,

4th, if they don't come with scope caps, good luck finding them!!I am partial to butler creek flip up, and they might or might not have the correct ones to fit, may have to modify!
all that being said, they are just you rifle scopes you knew before, just have a range finder inside, yes it is better than having to carry both, but alot will only range animals out to 400 yards, and then you will need a reflictive object!, and most people sould not be shooting past 300 any way so no big deal there, the biggest thing is getting a stock to fit the gun after you have one of them scopes on it, as if you cannot get into good form with a rifle, you will not hit well at any far distance, so figure the cost of a new stock, or having someone build you a new highter cheek piece for the one you have, either way you really need to do this, to get a goot cheek to rifle weld!, and if you build you stock and take the scope off, you will then need a new stock to use a regular scope again!, they cost about the same as a high end scope, so that's about the same, 
BUT I WOULD WORRY ABOUT A LOT OF HUNTERS SCOPING OUT TONS OF THINGS NOW WITH A RIFLE INSTEAT OF BINO'S OR A HAND HELD RANGE FINDER, SO CAUCTION IS NEEDED!
BUT THEY DO WORK, IF YOU DON'T MIND THE ABOVES


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## sdeprie (May 1, 2004)

MRB, all of your points sound valid. 
The scopes I looked at (in catalogs) weigh in at 26 ounces, which isn't the heavyest, but right up there. 
They do not appear tall in the pictures, but who knows without having it in your hand or on the gun, and you can't use different height rings as the Weaver style mounts are built in. 
Won't work below 35 degrees? That's a new one. Did you mean -35? If so, not much chance of that here in Missouri, but maybe if I go up north for elk, moose, caribou, etc. that could be important. Are other handheld laser rangefinders susceptible to cold temperature, or is due to the tiny batteries?

But, by far, the most valid is the point of checking out non targets (like people?  ) with the rangefinder/scope. There are a lot of people who have no problem doing that with a regular scope. "I have my rifle unloaded, bolt open, etc." All I know is, when I see someone pointing a rifle at me I tend to get jumpy. *I*_ don't know that rifle is unloaded.  _


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## mrb (Aug 22, 2007)

No I mean 35 above freezing, that is all that they , the maker 's will say it will work to!, all range finders are rated at only being valid at warmish temps, My Swarvoski laser, range finder scope, weighed in at 43 onces without the batteries!!,( alot heavier than the new ones out, but was built alot stronger too) it came with its own mounts, high was an understatement!!, thus the reason I had a new stock built to compinsate, I took it to Alberta , in -15 degrees, and it did work, but the led's desplays didn't standout as well, but they claim its readings are not as accirate too due to temps, I compared to my lecia hand held unit, and they both gave me different reading in the cold!!, my scope was rated at 1,000,yards and my Lecia at 1,200, but my rifle scope/range finder was always much more accurate, and read on non reflective targets better too! but the Swarvoski scope/ranger finder was like$3,000.00 compared to $500.00 for the lecia! so I expected it to be better, swaroviski, now only sells them over seas due to so little interest in the USA market, I was a dealer for them, so I got mine at a deal from my Rep. other wise I never would have bought it!
If I was to buy a new one form the makers, I would lean toward the Burris one, better glass, from what i can tell, but again, I would have a new stock built to fit me to it! a good gun smith can built a higher cheek piece on a syntic stock pretty cheap, won't look the best but will work good! so you can see it you really like, and then have a better one made if you like, only thing if he adds it to the stock it is perminit, so if you take off the scope, you will not be using that stock on a regular scope!!, I did my first on a Rem. 700, due to having some extra stocks on hand( e-bay has tons pretty cheap ones, due to so many people building custom rifle on 700 actions, and the stocks being replaced)
As far as do they work, be sure to check what plan the retical's are on, some have the reticle on the first plan, so as you increase the scopes power, the reticle also grows in size,so at 400 yards the reticle will cover a 10'' cercile or so! tuff to shoot far with that set up!, Swaroviski's was that way, as the europeans like the thick reticles for low light, but no good in long range shooting!! seemed to defeat the purpose of a range finding scope with 1,000 yards of readable, bullet drop build up!
But then again, how many people really have the skills from practice to shoot far, not many, ammo's too much, and most don't have proper places to shoot at distance, as there are so many variables in shooting far than range distance and knowing your balistic's for your rifle/load, wind is the biggest factor most never think about!! and almost the most critical at distance to learn!!I shoot 1,000 and farther, and wind is so different from 10 yards to 1,000 yards, and only practice will teach you how to some what reads it!!
But good luck looking at them!


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## johngfoster (Oct 21, 2007)

iwantabuggy said:


> sdeprie said:
> 
> 
> > I really stink at range estimation and need all the help I can get.
> ...


Me too. I'm wanting to get a hand-held rangefinder, but haven't been able to shell out the $$$ yet.


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## mrb (Aug 22, 2007)

I have a couple of hand held ones too, guys, and for out to 400 yards i like my Nikon 400 best, its only about $200.00 and have a 8 power lens, so it can be more accurate at staying on a target at distance than some of the muck more expensive ones, never understood how a 100 or 1200 yard range finder with only a 7 power lens, you are expected to hold them cross hairs on a target at that distance when the cross hairs cover such a large portion of a target! , too easy to miss the target you are trying to range and be way off! they should have more powerful glass for the long ranges!! that is one of the best things about the rifle ones they can be turned up in power to get a more accurate range of a specific target!!


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## sdeprie (May 1, 2004)

mrb, Thanks so much for your input. It was really helpful. I'm having a rifle built out of an oud Mauser action, so the custom rifle stock shouldn't be much problem. (Of course, if you saw my 358 you would realize I couldn't care less what the stock looks like, as long as it works.  ) The caliber will be 280 Rem, so it won't be super long range, certainly within 400 yards (_*I*_ don't have any business shooting farther than that, anyway.) Right now I'm hunting in Mid Missouri, so super cold temperature won't be a problem, either. It may be worth the investment, so I'll have to start saving my pennies, especially as I'm going to be spending too much on the custom rifle. Oh well. I have a relatively inexpensive handheld, now. I can use it, but it is bulky and awkward if I'm carrying too much, as is the case when I'm hunting.


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## mrb (Aug 22, 2007)

no problem,. I would be glad to help any way I could, the first add on cheek piece i had made was out of auto body repair/bondo type stuff, my buddy just drilled and put pins in my stock to help with support, and then sanded and painted it black to match the plastic factory stock, worked great, but looked kinda crude! but worked great!!
I made the size of the needed increase cheek piece out of old socks and just layered then taped over them till I got the size i wanted,for him to take measurements so he would know how big to make it ,then as he built the new one, I was there to have fitted to my exact size, My final stock was a laminated stock he built from scratch for me, I too paid more than I would have liked ,. but it was a complete custom rifle project, I did it on a .338 rem ultra mag!, 27 inch barrel, and had the whole rifle cerakoted, to make it almost weather proof, I think cerakote stuff is super, have several guns now with it on them, it will de-value a collectable, but for a working gun, its unbelieaviable protection!! well worth the $200.00
just out of courisoty, what length and contor barrel are you going to put on your gun, I had one built some time ago in .280, with a 21 inch barrel, on the smallest contor they could still flute, I just like the the way a fluted barrel looks on a custom rifle!!, I used a mcmillian stock too! shoot 1/4 inch groups at 100 yards and if I'm shooting good 2 inch groups and smaller at 300 great gun!, I have a leupold VXIII 4.5x14x40 mill dot reticle on it to!I am a frim user of leupold scopes, I sold all brands of scopes for over 15 years, and they were the least likely to come back for a repair, a little over priced, but what isn't these days! Sightron scopes were another problem free scopes for me too, and a lot better on price! but I have a favor for leupold! and remington actions, and mcmillian stocks, never had a failure with all 3, !!


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## sdeprie (May 1, 2004)

My "custom" rifle probably won't be in the same class as yours, with an Adams & Bennet barrel from MidwayUSA. It is the standard sporter contour with a 26" length. My 358 is the fun one. It has an E R Shaw barrel at 18.5" heavy sporter (that was the lightest they would give me for a 35 cal) on a Mauser 96, original military stock cut off in some appropriate places and a red dot optical sight. I used the military stock because it was already bedded, etc and shoots fine. I had to inlet the barrel channel, and it sure is ugly, but doesn't put any pressure on the barrel. I don't remember the brand of red dot, but it is not expensive. A red dot is not good for very fine shooting, but the gun was only built to be good for up to 200 yards, so it works fine for me. It was good enough for a perfect neck shot (not my choice) at 80 yards from a tree stand. I have a semi inletted walnut stock for the 358, but I've been too nervous about screwing it up to try to mount it myself. It needs the action bedded, barrel inletting for a heavier barrel, contouring the forend, etc. Besides, if I fall out of the tree stand into a mud bank, it won't even be noticed by "Buster."  I would like to make the 280 look a little nicer, but I'll just have to do what I have to do for it to shoot right. That is the highest priority, right? I haven't decided what finish I want on the gun, but functional counts more than straight looks. I'm even thinking of a parkerized finish, but have quite a while before I have to worry about it.


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## mrb (Aug 22, 2007)

sound like you have a plan, as far as stocks go, check out e-bay gun parts, there are some syntitic out there for mauser actions, and you never know till you look, as for finish, I would look into these options, all are great and the price is close to what you would pay for a parkerized finish, only these will hold up alot better, here are some links

http://www.larsontactical.com/id25.html
http://www.nicindustries.com/firearm_faq.php
http://www.blackicecoatings.com/Our_Products.html
I have trid all of these and they are very cloce, only the cerakote I sem to like the best, with all the color options, and the extra scratch protection it seems to have, but I like them all, a great up grade to any working gun, regardless of the value!!, good luck


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## trappermrd (Jun 28, 2007)

i have a nikon range finder scope on a tikka 243. had to drill tap this gun for this scope. scope is great. i shot a nice 175 pound 8 pointer last year. it is worth the money. i ranged deer in a field out to 750 yards. very clear also. bdc is on the money for yardage drop cross hair cicrles. marty


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## sdeprie (May 1, 2004)

MidwayUSA has the Burris 4-12 rangefinding scope advertised at $699. I found out recently I don't have to pay shipping from them, because it takes about 10 minutes to drive there from my apartment. Now, it's sales tax, but it'll be worth it. I already have a couple of stocks from Midway. None of them are very expensive, so if they get screwed up, I won't lose a lot. I have a gunsmith who will mount the barrel for $100. Now, bend the bolt, drill and tap and scope mounts, bed and finish the stock (and barrel), I'm all set. I would love to have it all tricked out with blueprinting, even pressures etc. I'll have to see if it needs any of that, first. I still think the scope will be the most expensive part. Most expensive, heck. It'll be about half what I spend on the whole rifle. But you gotta pay for what you want, right?


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## mrb (Aug 22, 2007)

all fun things seem to cost money!!


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## sdeprie (May 1, 2004)

You got that right.


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## smk (Apr 30, 2008)

Things we consider fun are tools that sometimes consider life and death situations.....least we not forget that.

Just a random thought..............


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## sdeprie (May 1, 2004)

I spent 17 years on active duty in the Navy, with another 7 in the Reserves. I'll never forget! But thanks for the thought. :wink:


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