[righttoown]

I been thinking about getting a range finder. Anybody own one or had any dealings with different models? What do you recomend? I think 500 yards would be good enough for me.

 

[msredneck]

I borrowed a buddies leupold to mark off my rifle range...not sure of the model...

Good to about 600 yards I guess

I'd buy one...Think they are a couple $100's

 

[smoffett]

I own a Leupold RX-600, supposedly good to 600 yards. I've used it out to about 200, no complaints. About $200. My nephew owns the Nikon Prostaff 550, and he said it has been flawless, again about $200. I don't range deer with it. I just range trees and then estimate distance to deer based on those landmarks I've already ranged. You can get better at estimating range by guessing distances to objects and then ranging them with the rangefinder. I was surprised at how bad I was at estimating range when I started doing this. With practice, at this will improve though. HTH.

 

[msredneck]

I own a Leupold RX-600, supposedly good to 600 yards. I've used it out to about 200, no complaints. About $200. My nephew owns the Nikon Prostaff 550, and he said it has been flawless, again about $200. I don't range deer with it. I just range trees and then estimate distance to deer based on those landmarks I've already ranged. You can get better at estimating range by guessing distances to objects and then ranging them with the rangefinder. I was surprised at how bad I was at estimating range when I started doing this. With practice, at this will improve though. HTH.

+1....a very good learning tool....Guess i'm gonna have to go get one now :thumbup:

 

[jbpmidas]

I use a bushnell. It is rated to 1500 yards. It is actually the golf model. It does slope also. It was a Christmas present from the wife. Seems like it was over $400, but I use it to golf, hunt and target shoot.

 

[quigleysharps4570]

I've had my Bushnell Yardage Pro 1000 for about 10 years now. Been a good one but if I had it to do over again I'd go the Leica 1200.

 

[smoffett]

One thing about the RX-600 you should know about - it's very lightweight and with it's 4x magnification, it can be hard to hold the crosshair on a distant target unless you have a very steady hand, or have something to brace it up against. Lighter is not always better.

 

[moredes]

Well, I've got a Leica LRF1200 but I've never used any other rangefinder or even looked through any other so I dunno how much help my advice can be. It's of average weight, I guess--no lighter than I'd expect is my best evaluation. Sharp and clean image, with quick resolutions at all distances. I've got a old Leica Televid 77 for a spotter, and the optics seem comparable; no zoom of course, but the clarity is the first quality that struck me when I looked through both glasses.

I bought the LRF sight-unseen on recommendations from the users at Sniper's Hide, when SH had a total membership of ~2000 folks and the advice was more trustworthy. Without ever having looked through other rangefinders, I'd still say it's all the glass they claim it to be. A quick check on EBay shows they're available used, and no one's using Buy It Now at $250.

 

[quigleysharps4570]

Does the Leica 1200 range to 1200 yards like they claim?

 

[moredes]

I dunno. I've only checked it out to the berm behind 1000yd. at the Sacramento shooting club. I've never taken it anywhere where there was 1200yd of flat ground.

 

[righttoown]

Good information fellows, thanks. I'll have to start doing some internet searches now.