Leica 2200 HD-B

[muleyfool]

Curious if anyone had issues with Leica rangefinders registering ranges in cold weather.
I purchased the 10x42 HD-B a few years ago and had no problems with them until the temperature droped to 20 degrees and lower (too bad I find this out while on a hunt). I sent them to Leica and they replaced them with a new pair. Great warrantee policy just a little slow.

 

[mcseal2]

Mine are the 1600 yard version but I've had no issue with them in cold temps. I've probably had mine since 2015. I make sure I start every hunting season with a new battery just to be safe.

 

[Winchester]

Mine are the 1600 yard version but I've had no issue with them in cold temps. I've probably had mine since 2015. I make sure I start every hunting season with a new battery just to be safe.

Same here.
My 1600 yard version seems to work fine.

 

[muleyfool]

Thanks for the replies.
Hopefully the replacement pair will be ok. I’ve lost confidence with their electronics so I’m gonna put them up for sale or keep them for backups.

 

[mcseal2]

I had a Leupold rangefinder I carried in my pack fail to work once on a big bull elk, I understand your frustration. It got to cold in the pack and didn't turn on when I needed it to. I managed to get a good estimation with my reticle and got the bull, but I'd have much rather had the exact range.

 

[muleyfool]

Sounds like we were on the same hunt LOL.
I really like the Leica's and they function fine normally, but now it's in the back of my head- when will they fail me again?
Gotta have confidence when in the field, so I went to the swarovoski 10x42 EL range as my primary optics.

 

[HighPlainsHunter]

Your rangefinder stopped working once it got cold and never worked again?

I have had issues before, but with batteries, not the actual rangefinder. Temp has a big effect on batteries, I really dont know what temp would do to electronics unless there was moisture inside the receiver portion that froze and caused issues.

 

[muleyfool]

Your rangefinder stopped working once it got cold and never worked again?

I have had issues before, but with batteries, not the actual rangefinder. Temp has a big effect on batteries, I really dont know what temp would do to electronics unless there was moisture inside the receiver portion that froze and caused issues.

The battery was my first thought too, changed it and didn't solve the problem. When I called Tech support they couldn't figure it out either, so I sent it in.
After a few months I called to get a status update and they said that they could not repair them and were sending me a new pair.
They're great binos, my son bought the 2000HD-B a year before I got mine and has not had any issues with them.
However, my hunting partner bought a pair when I got mine and he had the same problem.
Maybe they had a bad run in manufacturing IDK.

 

[muleyfool]

Sorry I spaced your first question.
They started working later in the day when the temperature warmed up.
The problem continued during the hunt with the same results.

 

[HighPlainsHunter]

Were the replacement batteries the same type?



Lithium seem to be preferred in cold weather. Alakline lose much of their power at around 0f.

I notice this on my GPS. Cheap batteries stop working when cold, and when you warm up they start working again. My phone does the same thing when out if it gets to cold. I started keeping them inside a couple of layers when it gets really cold.

 

[muleyfool]

Yeah.
I really wanted it to be the battery. I always carry a spare of almost everything. Unfortunately I didn’t have a spare rangefinder ,but I do now.
Off topic. Last year on a hunt I rolled my quad and broke my rifle stock. Thank God for my backup rifle.