# Laser Rangefinders



## macker13 (Nov 7, 2006)

I took my son out p-dogging last summer and we are hooked! We had a great weekend of pulling the trigger.

I borrowed a friend's rangefinder, but want to get one for myself now.

What do you have and what do you like/dislike about it?


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## stress-relief (May 16, 2011)

I use a Leica 1200 that I bought about 5 ot 6 years ago. It's a pretty good one. I range the area I'm shooting with thick vedgetation or rocks or mounds of dirt. I kind a get a feel for the area which allows me to more accurately gauge the range when a target pops up.


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## xdeano (Jan 14, 2005)

Leica's are a very good. I have a really old Leica and it works well. The new ones work excellent, they're smaller and range further. Swarovski's are nice also. It all depends on your budget, but just remember you get what you pay for. The Leupolds are also a decent choice. Just have a look around and decide on how far you plan on shooting and your budget.

xdeano


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## huntin1 (Nov 14, 2003)

I love my Leica 1200, but plainsman has a Swarovski and it is better, more expensive too.

huntin1


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## AdamFisk (Jan 30, 2005)

I'm going to go against the grain here and say stay away from Leica, and Leupold. Brother has an RX-1000, which works about 25% of the time beyond 5-600yds, and I went through 3 CRF 1200s before giving up on Leica.

If you can swing it, buy a Zeiss or Swaro.


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## Savage260 (Oct 21, 2007)

I had a Leupy RX-III that was great, but only had 600yd range. I sold that and picked up a 1600 from Leica, but haven't had a chance to test it past 878yds.


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## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

Newcon.


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## xdeano (Jan 14, 2005)

now we're talking. Lets add a vector to the list too. money money. BBJ have you gotten to mess with the NC's?

xdeano


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## AdamFisk (Jan 30, 2005)

Never heard of Newcon, but I'd sell an organ or two to buy a Vector.

FYI to anybody interested, a new Zeiss PRF can be had for $550-$600. The going rate for the CRF 1200s (when they were still available) was $600, the new 1600s are $800.

Zeiss is cheaper than Leica, and in my experiences, works far better. The only thing I dislike about it, is the size compared to the Leica. But, it is 8 power, so that would eliminate me from ever having to pack my binocs. Great glass in them too.

Just out of curiosity, on my way to mail the second CRF 1200 back to Leica, I stopped on the edge of town to range a few things with the Zeiss and Leica. I ranged about 10 objects (houses, roofs, garages, sheds; pretty big objects) from 600-800 yds. There was snow on the ground, and snow on some of the roofs. The Zeiss ranged them all, the Leica didn't range a one of them. I am pretty certain if I have had a Leupy with, it would have performed about as well as the Leica, based on my brothers experiences with it.

The Leica works fine when it's not winter time. I was ranging buttes in the badlands at 1k-1100yds. I don't know what it is with the snow, but I couldn't range coyotes at 300yds with it this winter.

A little more info for people interested I guess.....


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## MikeyLikesIt (Aug 15, 2010)

Adam,
You mentioned that you have sent your Leica's back several times. Curious what they say when they are returned and if they work any better. I'm asking because I have a 900 that I've had for about 6 years and was looking at sending it in. 
Thanks,
Mike


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## AdamFisk (Jan 30, 2005)

They don't say anything, just send you a new one back. I sent letters each time explaining what was wrong, and requested they call or email me back so I know what's going on. i even offered to upgrade to the 1600, and pay the difference. I wouldn't hear back from them of course, but a week later a new RF would show up at my door.


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## AdamFisk (Jan 30, 2005)

As far as working better, the first one I sent in had a real issue with it. It wouldn't range archery targets at shorter distances, say 20-60 yds. I had to put my reflective green HS scent control clothes bag on my target to get readings. I got a new one back and it worked fine on archery targets, and for the rest of Fall. Winter rolls around and it becomes junk. It seemed to work better if it was warm, like right out of the pickup or from indoors. But in coyote hunting situations, it sucked. I had a coyote coming in and was able to range a rock he was by at 400 yds, he kept coming and I had a rock solid hold on him and it wasn't reading. I ordered a Zeiss shortly after, sent this one back in hopes of getting another new one, got it, and sold it immediately....And lived happily ever after.


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## Savage260 (Oct 21, 2007)

Great, thanks Adam, where were you with this info in Jan when I ordered my Leica!?!?!  Oh, well, at least I got it direct from Leica for about $200 less than retail. Hopefully mine works better than yours did!


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## AdamFisk (Jan 30, 2005)

Savage260 said:


> Great, thanks Adam, where were you with this info in Jan when I ordered my Leica!?!?!  Oh, well, at least I got it direct from Leica for about $200 less than retail. Hopefully mine works better than yours did!


That's easy enough, sell it for $700, spend $550 on the Zeiss, spend $50 on some more reloading stuff you need, and buy your wife something nice with the extra $100.

That's "winning"!!!


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## Savage260 (Oct 21, 2007)

Does the Zeiss have an inclinometer, temp, and barometric pressure? It looks to be quite a bit bigger than the Leica also. I will have to do some testing with the Leica first before I do any thing crazy.


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## farmerj (Jun 19, 2004)

Nikon 600 has been doing just fine for me on everything I have wanted it to do.

only thing I wish I had would be a lighted reticle at times on it.


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## huntin1 (Nov 14, 2003)

My Leica is not the CRF 1200, mine is the older LRF 1200. Looks like this:










I have not had the issues that Adam has had. Mine works with or without snow, works much better than either of the Bushnells I had. I'd buy it again, but then you can't get the LRF anymore from what I understand.

When it's time to replace this one though I'll likely get a Swaro.

huntin1


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## xdeano (Jan 14, 2005)

I have the same one as Huntin1, the older models are decent. I've ranged a lot of coyotes on snow at some extreme distances. They work well.

I'd agree, if i had to change up it would be a swaro. or the new Leica 1600. We'll see what happens when it crashes. They'll probably have some thing new by then.

xdeano


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## MikeyLikesIt (Aug 15, 2010)

I need to correct a earlier post about my Lieca rangefinder. Hadn't used it in several years and I took it out the other day, along with the Swaro range finder. I thought the Lieca was broken because I was only pushing the range button once. When I was out shooting PD's today I figured out what I was doing wrong and it worked great. This is a LRF900. No problems ranging a PD out to 700 yards. Didn't want to add gas to the fire about Lieca's being junk. I like mine and it's been trouble free.


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## Savage260 (Oct 21, 2007)

I took the Leica 1600 out the other day and had no trouble ranging a shrub at 1137yds and a tree at 1283yds. Both were ranged a few times, and almost every time I got a reading. the readings only changed +- 1yd. I was pretty happy with that. Still haven't had a chance to range animals with it at long distance.


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## People (Jan 17, 2005)

I spent the extra cash and went with the Swarovski ones. I was out last weekend and was able to range dogs well past 700yds. Once I moved on top of the pickup I was able to range dogs out over 1,200yds. I ranged a Antelope at 880 something. My old Bushnell POS 800 ranger finder would not range off a deer or any critter past 350ish. I also ranged a clay fluff at almost 1,700yds.

From my deck railing to an old sheet of steel It is 1,748 to 1,750. Two yards is a big deal when trying to shoot at those distances but the bigger challenge is holding them steady. I have ranged stuff almost as far off of sandbags and they measured the same every time.

What many people don't know is chuck Norris is the founder of planned parenthood. Not even unborn children can escape his wrath.


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## Savage260 (Oct 21, 2007)

Well, crap!!! Here I thought the Leica was going to be this great and glorious thing. Now it looks like I should have gone Swaro. :******:

I can't wait to get the Leica out to the dog towns and see how it matches up. I doubt I can hold steady enough to even range a PD at 700yds!!!


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## People (Jan 17, 2005)

I used a rest. Granted it really helps when I am not all full of coke. The brown liquid not the white powder. lol


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