Laser rangefinders

People: I am looking for direction on which rangefinder to pick. I am looking at bushnell only because of price and optic clarity. (leice/swartz etc is to much$$$) Which one would you/have you used or recommend. I like the scout as I bow hunt mostly but have had a chance to use the new 1500 elite and I like, but I think it maybe more than I need and it's bulky. We do hunt antelope with rifles so ??. Help, Please state problems, if any, with rangefinder you have used.

Thanx in advance

I have a scout and am very happy with it.

I bow hunt and rifle hunt and it has been very accurate, anything I have paced out has been right on the money. I bought this one because it is small light and ranges small enough for bow but will also give you some long ranges if needed for rifle hunting.

HnW

Scout works. I've used it for bowhunting and even work i the summer. Works fine for ditances under 200 yrds. Clarity becomes a major limiting factor after that, unless your ranging a slope or large tree etc.

Leupold makes a sweet series of laser rangefinders. Thats what I'll recommend. I havent bought one yet , but in search for a good deal for one on EBAY

I like my Luepold RX2. I also picked up off of ebay.
I am noticeing that it is never handy when I need it, or perhaps I am just not use to haveing it foolow me around yet. On a positive note it has helped with my personal rangefinding abilities.
Perhaps on of those range finders that are part of the high end scopes????

Jamie

I don't have one yet, but I've read some pretty good reviews of the new Leupold line. I've been looking at the RXIII.

Bugletoo;

I've used the Scout for years - until this season when I switched to the Leupold RX-III...

Fantastic!!! A little more complicated than the Scout initially, but once you get used to the settings, it cannot be beat for its price range. It also is 8X, so its quite good for clarity beyond 200 yards.

The Leica is really nice, but it also is nice and expensive. The Leica also does not have the TBR (true ballistic ranging) of the Leupold for uphill and downhill, or treestand, shots, which I have found to be quite useful.

Check out Leupold's website.

I had several guys recommend the new rangefinding scopes, however, if you ever take something B & C while using a rangefinding scope, you're hooped - it would make your trophy ineligible for entry into B & C...just a thought.

In a nutshell, it is going to come down to what you find to be the most comfortable, and easy, to use.

Take my two cents for what it is worth!

tyee43

I just bought the leica BRF rangefinder binoculars before the season and love them. I had a leica rangefinder that worked flawlessly until it got stolen with my binos and with this system you hit the button while you look at the animal and it gives intant readings. A lot of the time you don't have time to put the binos down and pick up the rangefinder.

I would think twice about the Leupold line of range finders....i have two hunting partners with them and both have had problems and the range finder is a pain to use.

fellas,
I am also thinking about a rangefinder. I was looking on cabelas at the leupolds and the bushnells. Reading the feed-back comments gave me some stuff to think about... not alot good said about the leopolds. But I have never laid my hands on either so I am just going off of other peoples comments.
Have fun looking, let us know what you get.
FallAirFever

I used a Leupold RX-IV for a few weeks this year. I'm a huge Leupold fan, but I would not recommend purchasing one of these rangefinders...yet. My old Bushness, though bulky, works almost a well and is pretty well idiot proof (perfect for me). They are difficult to use, have poor eye relief, and do not pick up targets at anywhere near the distances advertised.

I have had a bushnell scout and now have a leupold rx-2...at least i think its the rx-2...its camo and it does the angle correction thing. I also have a bushnell elite 1500. Can't say a bad thing about any of them.

I would sell the leupold, its new this fall, didn't really use it, always kept in its case, i think it was about 450 at wholesale...make me an offer boys...i'm usually pretty generous. Send me a pm if your interested.

p.s. quick reviews, the scout was excellent but lacked range for the coyote stuff...if your gun is flat to 300 then the scout won't help you as it starts to have trouble after that...makes an excellent bowhunting rangefinder, the 1500 can range just about anything i point it at to 1000 yrds...so thats the one i carry most now(when coyote hunting is when i carry it, i carried the leupy while bowhunting, just didn't use it much this season), the leupold seems to have more range than the scout and is definitely in a different league but i honestly didn't use it much(reason its for sale) so i can't comment on its real world distance capability

B

Cant go wrong with a Leica...easy to use and reliable.

Has anyone had any experience with the Bushnell rangefinder/binoc combo? Given my history with losing stuff when I hunt, one less thing to carry would be a bonus.

I've got an Leupold RX-II and a big older bushnell. I like the RX-II because it has the inclinometer and a few other features that most don't and it is still reasonably priced. I think it is a great rangfinder for bowhunting and is very helpful but not ideal for rifle hunting. It does have a pile of features that take a fair bit of time to figure out but once you get all the settings they way you want them its very easy to use. I think the inclinonmeter is a critical component for accuracy when you are dealing with severe angles (i.e. high treestands, cliffs, coulee edges etc.) I does range animals pretty consistently at over 400 yds when in the right mode but if I was strictly rifle hunting I would probably go with the RX-III or IV.

Chet.

I used to have a Bushnell Trophy. sold it in disgust. Wouldn't give me any dependable ranges at anything past archery ranges. If I get another one, I'll scrimp up the pennies to buy a decent one.
Grizz

Awesome thanks for all the posts I like to hear from people who actually use the stuff rather then the ones that are trying to sell you something. It all good intel and I will make a better decision because of it.

If there are still guys/gals who want to reply have at it I haven't bought yet and it appears others might find it useful too. Again thanks This board has always been good to me for this type stuff.

The other thing I have to say is goto this guy if at all possible to buy...Doug @ Cameraland will save you money over buying it in Canada.

www.cameralandny.com/

The Leica rangefinder are a great deal threw him.

Goodluck and let us know what you decide.

Rob

I have the Elite 1500, and I like it. Have ranged trees out to just less than 1000 yds, and animals to 700+ yds. The only thing I don't like is it takes a 9V battery which I've had die and had to replace a couple times in a year and a half.

Since rangefinders are only good to about half what they're rated for on animals, I'd go for one rated at 1000 yards or more if you are ever going to use it while rifle hunting. It's those 200-500 yard ranges where guys misjudge distance the most and where the rangefinder is the most useful in my opinion.

Swarovski Laser Guide 8x30 Rangefinder
900 from cabelas but sweet optics. Leupold is way over rated in quality i get a bushnell before it anyday.

Leupold is way over rated in quality i get a bushnell before it anyday.

Are you high on CRACK?

Jamie

He must be...I would never own an item with Bushnell on it...worst customer service in history, a company that won't stand behind their product says alot about what they produce.

I had several guys recommend the new rangefinding scopes, however, if you ever take something B & C while using a rangefinding scope, you're hooped - it would make your trophy ineligible for entry into B & C...just a thought.

That's interesting. Why would that be? Seems rather odd given that B&C has teamed up with Luepold to offer a scope purported to aid in the estimation of range (without laser however, instead something called the Boone and Crockett reticle). The literature goes on and on how proper estimation of range is key to ethical hunting, yadda yadda yadda...

The Leupold Boone & Crockett reticle is not excluded - my understanding is that Boone & Crockett rules exclude trophies taken with a scope with a laser range-finder built in...

I have the Bushnell trophy. I thought it was crap too till my wife pointed out you have to hold the button down till you get a range. Now....its great, accurate ranges in the 600 ydrs+. The only draw back is the button is extremely stiff. It is next to impossible to use with gloves and hard for a quick range with one hand. Other than that it is great value. My friend bought a Nikon on ebay.....great unit, same price, but does not have the range of my bushnell. My bushnell seems to be really effected by the battery power left. Although this may be very common by all units. My advise ois to look at the Nikon's, cheap and alittle bit better put together, and besides I do not need to to know the range over 500 yrds, its hard enough to be effective at 300 yrds. I would rather hunt myself closer for a better shot.

The Leupold Boone & Crockett reticle is not excluded - my understanding is that Boone & Crockett rules exclude trophies taken with a scope with a laser range-finder built in...

Yes, I understand that. My questions was WHY. I understand Boone and Crocket wants fair chase and all that. But not knowing the exact range doesn't mean you will totally miss that buck, it just means that your shot is more likely to be high or low a couple inches and you will WOUND the animal. That can't be good.

personally my favorite range finder is the one i was born wit. not knowing the exact distance to the target is all part of the challange and if you dont know that you can succesfully make the shot and take down the animal dont shoot. its all part of what makes hunting hunting and not shooting fish in a barrell.. just my oppinion

There were so many problems with the first batch of leupold range finders at P&D that we ended up returning all of the ones we ordered. The best one that is currently available is from Nikon in the $400.00 range, less than that the Bushnells are tough to beat.FS