Author Topic: Range finders  (Read 1190 times)

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Offline DC

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Range finders
« on: October 24, 2020, 08:27:28 pm »
 Was out flight shooting today and one of the guys had a pair of laser range finder binoculars. Very cool but he said they were $1500 on sale. I did a search and found laser range finders ranging from $5 and up. The $5 one was a "Lazer" so I think it's out. I think a lot of them just use optiks to measure using something of a known height like a golf hole flag. Can anyone recommend a range finder that actually uses a laser bouncing off a target? I can't use cellphone apps. I tried. There is either no service or the GPS drifts too much to be of any use. I measured my front yard which is 90' and got distances from 20' to 150'. Not a lot of use.

Offline Mesophilic

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Re: Range finders
« Reply #1 on: October 24, 2020, 11:05:28 pm »
Rangefinders are in the "you get what you pay for" category of products.

Last summer bought a Nikon Monarch 2000.  They run just under $300.  Works well and has proven just as accurate as more expensive units.

Edit: I should add, this is my first laser rangefinder.  Last rangefinder I had was in the late 80's and you dial till the images lined up and then read the dial.  So I did alot of asking around.  Read alot of reviews.  And it came down to the Nikon vs a Bushnell model.  Just liked the display of the Nikon better.  Wheel bow guys I talked to pretty much said not to waste the money on any of those sub $100 models on amazon on account of durability (or lack thereof) and accuracy (lack thereof,  too).  Figured since I shop in the $300 range for rifle optics, then I wouldn't skimp on the rangefinder.  Buy once,  cry once...
« Last Edit: October 24, 2020, 11:13:17 pm by Mesophilic »
Trying is the first step to failure
-Homer Simpson-

Offline Mo_coon-catcher

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Re: Range finders
« Reply #2 on: October 25, 2020, 09:16:59 am »
I’m a big fan of the Sig sauer range finders. Now I only have one and at the time it was the high end one they made. The Kilo 2000. That was because it could reliably range out to 1500 yards in bad rangefinding conditions and well over 2000yards in good conditions. That was when I was playing the long range rifle game a lot. Now I use it mainly for close range stuff. Like archery and mainly airgunning for squirrels. And it does just fine with that. Though a little overkill. At the time it was a $500 rangefinder that could keep up with more expensive models out there. But Sig does make closer range models that are much less expensive, especially now that their line of rangefinders have been out for several years. And they are pretty tough. Mines bounced around hunting with me for several years now and has no issues at all.

Kyle