Good Laser Rangefinder for long range shooting - whats everyone using?

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cody182005

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Hi guys, i apologize if there's already i thread on this, but i wasn't able to find anything. I am currently using a Bushnell G-Force 1300 rangefinder, which i found out last summer with only range a 24" steel plate accurately and consistently out to 650 yards, and game like moose or bears out to 750. I would like to have a rangefinder that would do me to at least 1200 on these type targets, id like to stay close to or under the $1k mark. I've heard good things about the swaros, and leica's. I would like the rangefinder to have built in angle compensation if i can do it for the price. But if i not i will go without and get some kind of clinometer/angle cosign indicator. Any recommendations? Has anyone tried the Newcon rangefinders?

Thanks
 
Angle plays little on your shot unless the angles become severe.

I have a Sworovski. Works well but I find I can't hold anything steady enough to get good readings. I need to use something to steady myself.

I wanted a Tarrapin but can't justify $2150.00 when I know my target distances 95% of the time.
 
Shibby! said:
Angle plays little on your shot unless the angles become severe.

I have a Sworovski. Works well but I find I can't hold anything steady enough to get good readings. I need to use something to steady myself.

I wanted a Tarrapin but can't justify $2150.00 when I know my target distances 95% of the time.
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I was going to buy one but now they've jacked the price up to $2495 .

I think you should see this market increase it offerings over the next couple of years.
 
Vortex makes a good range finder. My buddy got one last fall, and it will do angle compensations as well. Haven't done much LR target aquisitions with it yet, but it might be worth trying out. Reasonably priced too.
 
Unless you're bowhunting from a tree stand, angle is not really required in my opinion.

I've bought a couple Leica LRF1200's for between $400-$500. Way under your limit, and probably the best out there other than Swarovski or the Terrapin. It's simply - push the button, range shows up. Simple, effective, great optics, and very tough. The CRF's are even smaller and perform exactly the same as the LRF's. Very high quality units - can't be beat for the money.
 
I bought a Leica 1600-B, and have successfully ranged targets past 1750yds. I won't be selling it any time soon. Best $800 I've spent on a rangefinder.
 
I use a Bushnell Pro 1M. Its the golf version of the Elite 1600, and is identical, except the exterior colour. Ive lased over 1700m at night with it (on buildings), and cost was around $425 at golf town.
 
Another vote for the terrapin , we have owned or tried them all Swarovski is hard to beat for rangefinder in the $1000.00 range , but if you have the means step up to the terrapin you will not be sorry.
 
Desertrat said:
I bought a Leica 1600-B, and have successfully ranged targets past 1750yds. I won't be selling it any time soon. Best $800 I've spent on a rangefinder.
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Same one I have . Leica seems to under rate performance unlike most others who over rate their products . The "B" does angles with a few other features . With a tripod adapter I've ranged my truck at 2,000 several times and I've ranged other hunters at 1,500 along with a 24"x 24" plate at the same range . One quite misty morning I set up an old door to staple targets to and then drove to the farthest I could see the door through the mist and ranged it at 700 yards then took a GPS reading and drove back to the target and took another GPS . The Leica had it nailed . Other guys I shoot with have Bushnels , I think 1200 and 1500's . They are way over rated to the point of being a joke under ideal conditions . I have a small light tripod that extends to about 24 inches that I use all of the time when shooting long at unknown ranges because it's difficult to hand hold at those ranges , but they all are . My tripod is a cheap plastic one but very sturdy and light and I can collapse it to 12 inches allowing ranging from the prone position . Not having tried a wide variety of different range finders , the higher end Bushnels sold me on the Leica .
 
While I dont own one, I have had a chance to use the G7 BR2 range finder and found it amazing and will do what you want however it is priced over your 1k budget but much less than the terrapin.
 
Thanks for all the comments, i will take in in depth look into all of your suggestions. I was looking at the G7 BR2 just for giggles and its neat that they actually take your ballistic info instead of using an approximation by matching the data to the closest curve like most others. However i think a shortfall with the g7 is that it doesn't output in MRads. I know i can make up a conversion table or crunch some numbers, but to drop that kind of money on a rangefinder that is supposed to do it all i wouldn't want to have to add yet another step in trying to come up with a firing solution. I think that I'm gonna spend half as much to get a rangefinder that will range out to the distances i'm looking for and use dope cards. Currently i have a small one taped to the back of my rangefinder and it works out great, the only issue being that my rangefinder craps out past 700 yards.

Thanks again. This site is very helpfull
 
G7 BR2 - current top of the heap in the civilian market in terms of customizability of ballistic information and range (2,000+ straight-line, compensation out to 1,400 yards), however the beam divergence (at 2 x 4 mrads) can be frustrating at times. $1,899

Leica CRF 1600-B - hands down the best rangefinder under $1,000. With a max range of 1,600, angle/barometric/temperature compensation, a number of approximated ballistic profiles, and a superior beam divergence than the G7 (0.5 x 2.5 mrad) for around $799 you can't really beat the value.

Bushnell Elite 1-Mile - a close approximation of the CRF 1600-B with additional features (5 to 1,700 yard range, ballistic compensation, angle compensation, archery/bullseye/brush/rifle modes...), it's also worthy of consideration at $599.
 
From Bushnells website:

Bushnell Elite/Fusion 1 Mile Binos/Rangfinder
Deer Ranging Performance - 500 yards
Tree Ranging Performance - 1000 yards
Max Reflective Distance - 1760 yards


Bushnell G Force (1300) ARC
Deer Ranging Performance - 600 yards
Tree Ranging Performance - 900 yards
Max Reflective Distance - 1300 yards


Could be rolling the dice on the bushnell 1 mile according to manufactures specs to range steel targets and game beyond 1000 yards. Not trying to bash any products as I am fairly pleased with the bushnell 1300 i have out to 700 yards and will still likely keep it as a back-up.

Figured id post some of the specs ive come across for anyone following the thread. The leica 1600 and swaro rangefinders just state their maximum ranges at 1600 yards and 1300 yards respectively.

From what i have read and watched on youtube video, guys with the leica 1600 are having no issues on getting readings on non-reflective targets well beyond 1000 yards, the swaro seems much the same.

Now to save up more funds and shop around for a good deal. Thanks again for the input.
 
plainSight Solutions said:
G7 BR2 - current top of the heap in the civilian market in terms of customizability of ballistic information and range (2,000+ straight-line, compensation out to 1,400 yards), however the beam divergence (at 2 x 4 mrads) can be frustrating at times. $1,899
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As a range finder, it should first be a good rangefinder, then add all the bells and whistles. The G7 has most of the bells and whistles figured out, except that it doesn't have MIL capability, only MOA. The range finding is where it lacks performance(especially for the price), there are others out on the market that outperform the G7 handily.

To the OP, if price were no object, go with a Vectonix of your choice(or budget constraints) otherwise my choice would be the Leica 1600B.
 
So correct me if I'm wrong but a rangefinder with a large beam divergence would have a harder time picking up smaller targets at long range and a hard time with ranging through obstacles like brush, trees, closer hillsides, etc due to the larger area of the laser covering more than just the target your trying to acquire?
 
cody182005 said:
So correct me if I'm wrong but a rangefinder with a large beam divergence would have a harder time picking up smaller targets at long range and a hard time with ranging through obstacles like brush, trees, closer hillsides, etc due to the larger area of the laser covering more than just the target your trying to acquire?
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You can picture the beam divergence like a cone(in theory), the farther out you shoot, the larger the cone gets at the target end. At distance the cone gets so large that it may give a false reading by bouncing back off of something at a closer distance. As far as brush, branches or trees, even the best rangefinder can't tell what the intended target is, it will hit and bounce back off of what it is pointed at so trying to range through brush it difficult at best.

Just a note on beam divergence, the "cone" on range finders may take shape in different forms. They can be circular, elliptical, rectangular, square... but the point to note is that they all grow the farther out you range.

This is the most comprehensive review out there on range finders and a wealth of knowledge on the subject. The nice thing about the article(and the website) is that it is empirically based with very little opinion so you get the straight facts from actual field tests, not manufacturers specs or lab based testing. It is long but like any statistically based study, each range finder is tested exactly like the one before with no omissions, deletions or skewed results.

http://precisionrifleblog.com/category/rangefinders/
 
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ivo said:
You can picture the beam divergence like a cone(in theory), the farther out you shoot, the larger the cone gets at the target end. At distance the cone gets so large that it may give a false reading by bouncing back off of something at a closer distance. As far as brush, branches or trees, even the best rangefinder can't tell what the intended target is, it will hit and bounce back off of what it is pointed at so trying to range through brush it difficult at best.

Just a note on beam divergence, the "cone" on range finders may take shape in different forms. They can be circular, elliptical, rectangular, square... but the point to note is that they all grow the farther out you range.
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Thanks for clearing that up
 
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