High country rangefinder

Slim Pickins

Slim Pickins

New Member
Feb 24, 2012
16
0
Ca. Sierra foothills region
Lets talk rangefinders. I'm it the market for one. Thinking about a Leupold. I want to spend $400 or less and I want it to work. If my target is 450+ yards I don't shoot. I'm not sure if max. range distance specified on products is the truth or
not. What says you?
 
Bitterroot Bulls

Bitterroot Bulls

Veteran member
Apr 25, 2011
2,326
0
Montana
Usually rangefinders list the maximum distance on a "reflective" target (think highway sign). In my experience ranging distance on game runs 1/2 to 3/4 of the "reflective" rating.

In your shoes one of the 1000 yard rangefinders from Bushnell or Nikon should do the trick. My buddy has a Scout 1000 ARC, and it would hit 450 easy.
 
Musket Man

Musket Man

Veteran member
Jul 20, 2011
6,457
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colfax, wa
I will always swear by Leica. My 1200 will read to 1000 everytime and I got it to read at 1321 once even! I had a bushnell and leupold (both 800s i think?) and neither was reliable over 250. The Leica's are also small light and simple and easy to use.
 
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RUTTIN

RUTTIN

Veteran member
Feb 26, 2011
1,299
0
Kamas, Utah
I have a Leupold RXII I can usually range an elk sized animal out to about 350 with it, but you have to stay steady. I am a bowhunter and it works great for the closer range that I need. It has angle compensation in it that seems to work. It also has a ballistic mode to set your caliber up to, then when you range something it will tell your how many inches to hold over. The only problem is in low light the black led inside is hard to see, if you can get one with a red readout I would definitely think about it.
 
Musket Man

Musket Man

Veteran member
Jul 20, 2011
6,457
0
colfax, wa
No the Leica is just point and shoot. It does not give TBR. The leupold I tried did but it was very complicated to say the least.
 
Bitterroot Bulls

Bitterroot Bulls

Veteran member
Apr 25, 2011
2,326
0
Montana
I have also only seen terrible performance out of the Leupold RX series, but reports on the new ones are pretty good. Bushnell has brought some not-so-good rangefinders to the market, but the Scout 1000 is pretty good. The Elite 1500/1600 has excellent ranging capabilities, and pretty good optics, but it is over the OP's budget.

Leicas are great rangefinders, but even used they are usually over the OP's budget, and the OP can easily stay on budget for the performance he is looking for, IMO.
 
G

Graylight

Active Member
Apr 27, 2011
222
0
Southern California
If you want angle compensation, I would look no further than the Leupold TBR-1000 DNA... Used it in the high country last year and it is bad A$$! I was a huge advocate of my old Leica 700 because of the optics and red LED... The Leupold is great, it also has good optics and a red easy to read LED display....
 
cali_hornhunter

cali_hornhunter

Active Member
Jun 17, 2011
304
1
Red Bluff Ca
definitely agree with graylight on this one me and my dad both own one and especially with the red LED read out it is easy to read in low light conditions
 
Musket Man

Musket Man

Veteran member
Jul 20, 2011
6,457
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colfax, wa
The leupold I had was an RX 800. I really have nothing good to say about it. It was really no better then my old bushnell as far as range. When I returned the RX cabelas had a whole pile of them in the bargain cave.............bad sign..... I realize the leica is over budget (200 for the 1000) but Im a firm believer that you will never regret spending a bit more for better quality on any optics. A range finder that wont read when you need it too is very frustrating.
 
H

hoytnut

Member
Mar 10, 2011
83
0
Monticello, Utah
I'm in the same boat looking for a new rangefinder for high country archery use. I have heard good things about the newLeupold withTBR mentioned above. I have also looked at the Nikon Riflehunter 550 and 1000. I understand the new Vortex rangefinder is supposed to be pretty nice. However, it won't be out until May. I may wait and check out the Vortex before making my purchase.
 
Big Sky

Big Sky

Active Member
Apr 6, 2011
151
1
Bozeman Mt.
I am holding out for the new Leica that is coming out this summer. It is suposidaly going to have the angle compensation in it from what I have heard.
 
Umpqua Hunter

Umpqua Hunter

Veteran member
May 26, 2011
3,576
88
60
North Umpqua, Oregon
I have always felt Leupold made excellent scopes, but I owned one of the first Leupold angle compensating rangefinders and the thing drove me crazy. I never knew if it was in the right mode setting. The new ones are likely much better, but that experience really soured me on the Leupold rangefinders.

I have had very good experience with Bushnell's but I have used them primarily for shorter ranges (bowhunting). The Bushnells I have had were always reliable and easy to use, but I really only have field experience with them for bowhunting.

I owned two Leica's I used extensively in rifle hunting and they were both excellent and would certainly do what you are looking for. I sold them this year and applied the money towards ranging binoculars. The Leica's also have very good resale value on eBay.
 
G

Graylight

Active Member
Apr 27, 2011
222
0
Southern California
I would agree that for the most part, Leupold makes sub parr equipment as a generalization towards what is offered on the free market... Previously, I personally wouldn't touch anything they made with a 10 foot pole, until I purchased the TBR 1000 DNA... I only bought it after my buddy Travis let me use his and I liked it enough to make the switch! The angle compensation makes it very attractive... Everything in the high country is deceiving... I simply couldn't guess angles and yardages effectively enough on a consistent basis to ignore what these impressive little gagets can do in regards to gaining the upper edge. Just my opinion.

Musket Man said:
The leupold I had was an RX 800. I really have nothing good to say about it. It was really no better then my old bushnell as far as range. When I returned the RX cabelas had a whole pile of them in the bargain cave.............bad sign..... I realize the leica is over budget (200 for the 1000) but Im a firm believer that you will never regret spending a bit more for better quality on any optics. A range finder that wont read when you need it too is very frustrating.
Click to expand...
 
W

Whisky

Member
Dec 7, 2011
109
0
North Dakota
Brother and buddy have an RX1000 and they are junk. I wouldn't trust it for a reliable 450yd RF. I had a Leica CRF 1200 (3 of them actually). They'd probably be reliable for 450 or so, but not much more than that. They also sucked IMO. 1200yd RF my butt. Way overpriced!!!

For a 450yd and under RF, I'd look at the Nikon Riflehunter 1000. They are about $350ish, and from what I've read, appear to be pretty decent. I may pick one up for a bow hunting RF and go a different direction for rifle hunting.
 
B

bigshot

Very Active Member
Apr 14, 2011
538
1
Crestline, CA.
I own a Nikon Monarch 800 and has ranged deer and elk out to 650 yards. I'm thinking about getting the Nikon Monarch 1200, from what I've been hearing its top notch.
 
Muleys 24/7

Muleys 24/7

Veteran member
Jan 12, 2012
1,406
12
The Golden State
I use the bushnell 1000 arc. Thats the only bushnell product I own, I have had good results out of it. A few of my buddys have the leupold ones and when we use them side by side, we get the same ranges with in a yard or so.

If I remember correctly......I have got ranges out to 600 yards on a non-reflective targets.
 
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