High end, long range Laser ranger finder advice needed.

Reading time and laser diameter are both pretty much secret. You won't find them on the box. One of the best things to do is visit a WSS and take them all outside to try.

Zeiss and Swarovski are both larger units with built in tripod adapters. For the next few months, when you buy a Leica rangefinder there is a mail in rebate to get a free tripod housing for it. Really useful if you actually want to use the 1600 to it's full capacity.

The only laser rangefinder I have not played with is the new con optic. There you are jumping from the $850 and $1500 range up into the $3000 to $5000 range. I believe the last promo material for new con I saw was promising to identify the speed of ranged targets.
 
AKD said:
This is a good original topic. Let's stay on it.
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+1 to that. I don't expect I'll be buying a rangefinder in the near future but I am really really enjoying this thread, I hope it keeps going.

@Ceriksson it's great to hear about the qualitative superiority of the Swarovski amongst those three. Is this a $2000 (ballpark) unit or a $6000 one?
 
I just bought the Leica 1600, I gave it a good test this Canada day weekend.

Went up to Manitoulin island to my hunt camp and sat on the deck and did some ranging on deer. I could pick up readings off of deer out to 1120. I love the little thing! It works great. To get good readings you do need to have it mounted to a tri-pod. If you want more feedback about this model just ask,
 
While certainly not a high end unit, this spring I got a Leupold RX 1000. The small physical size of this thing makes holding on small targets a real challenge, and pressing the button without moving off the target requires great concentration and a solid hold. With respect to size, one must take care not to obscure the front of the instrument. For serious work, a larger tripod mounted unit would solve these issues. As for the actual ranging limitations of this thing, ranging over snow in bright sunshine has a severe limitation, even a shiny wet dark seal could not be ranged over 450 yards. I was able to range a large object out to 900 yards over dark ground, but ranging house sized rocks isn't particularly significant unless your target is right beside it, and that is difficult to ascertain at long range because magnification compresses the distance between objects.
 
Did some side by side testing with the swaro and the Newcon LRB 3000 pro, the Newcon has almost twice the ranging power of the Swaro on small and large objects
 
Just thinking out loud here.... Boomer is the RX1000 small and light enough to mount on a rifle? Perhaps it could be mounted to the scope tube, or perhaps an accessory rail on the left side of the stock. If it was installed in an approximately bore-sighted manner, then it is mounted on a good solid aimable platform which the shooter could easily aim on target, hold steady, click a button for range, then switch over to the scope and make the shot.

Returning to the original topic of high end laser rangefinders, are they usable as spotting scopes, i.e. do the have appropriate magnification and high enough optical image quality, or are they best used in conjunction with a spotting scope? If you are going to be using a topnotch spotting scope anyhow, why not co-mount the rangefinder with the spotting scope?
 
TV-PressPass said:
Reading time and laser diameter are both pretty much secret.
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Not so much secret, but part of their design. The reading time has to do with how the unit is programmed by the designer. Since a laser beam travels at the speed of light, it doesn't take much time to get a reading. ;) However the units average out MANY readings until they "settle" into an acceptable average (based on their programming). I believe that some very high end commercial units might also have different wavelength lasers operating simultaneously.

Taking longer is often a more accurate distance.

I have used survey total stations that will give a couple cm accuracy over a few km when there is a reflective prism on the other end, and within 10 or so cm if there is no prism.
 
rnbra-shooter said:
Just thinking out loud here.... Boomer is the RX1000 small and light enough to mount on a rifle? Perhaps it could be mounted to the scope tube, or perhaps an accessory rail on the left side of the stock. If it was installed in an approximately bore-sighted manner, then it is mounted on a good solid aimable platform which the shooter could easily aim on target, hold steady, click a button for range, then switch over to the scope and make the shot.

Returning to the original topic of high end laser rangefinders, are they usable as spotting scopes, i.e. do the have appropriate magnification and high enough optical image quality, or are they best used in conjunction with a spotting scope? If you are going to be using a topnotch spotting scope anyhow, why not co-mount the rangefinder with the spotting scope?
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That would be tricky as most long range scopes have large objectives requiring the rangefinder to be mounted very high. If mounted upside down, there would have to be clearance between the instrument and the scope tube for your finger to work the button. The thought of hose clamps on my S&B gives me shivers!;)

A pair of tripod mounted Lieca laser range finding binoculars for $3K+ would solve the magnification, stability, and quality problem despite the obvious limitations to a working guy.
 
I've had 3 different Leica rangefinders and 2 sets of Leica Geo-vids. As a rangefinder, none were the equal of the Swaro but they were good enough for whatever I was doing at the time.

Sticking a LRF into a set of fine binos opens up a whole new aspect of hunting.
 
The new Bushnell Elite 1600 ARC have resolved many of the problems with their older units. They can scan through foliage, average readings, and are more sensitive.
 
Guys can you list what specific models you have tried? I see some posted, but not for Nikon or a few others. Thanks for the info. Great thread.
 
Have a Newcon LRB 3000....and while I don't use it a great deal, it will consistantly range 18 inch gongs out past 1250 yards, have hit a 4 x 5 foot plate at 1730yds. For animals, I've ranged cows at 1300+...... Of course, at least in my hands, this all requires a tripod.....
Also they are fairly bulky, wouldn't want to pack it for a hunting application...
 
Rangefinder

TV-PressPass said:
New leica 1600 will do what you want. Cheaper than the swarovski, half the size, and twice the rangefinder. Its giving you you're angle of incline, temperature, and barometeric pressure.
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+1

I'm using the Leica CRF1600. Works Great! Longest range so far is 1700yrds. Size is great and its extras (temp and pressure) are nice if there's little wind to worry about.
Cost is also pretty good, Right around $800 I think for mine
 
I have a Swarovski laser range finder and it works great...but, it has limitations. I find I can reliably range a 24" x 24" piece of white shiny paper out to 1000 yards or so by laying on the ground and supporting the range finder - kinda like shooting prone. It will range out further but dont lean off a vehicle or it will throw it out, instead, mount to a HIGH tripod that is well off the ground. This will give the best results I can offer. It would be great if Swarovski merged the range finder and spotting scope into one, and threw in a mildot reticule to help the spotter :)
 
If you want the best, then look at the Vectronix Vector IV (or the Vector 21 or 23 if you REALLY wanna go big).

I've never used any Newcon RF's. How are the optics in those units?

I own the Leica LRF 1200, and I have ranged trees to 1380 yards, or so. The 1600 should be more of a good thing.

Recently John Barsness reviewed a bunch of rangefinders, and said that the Bushnell Fusion 1600 has the equivalent ranging capabilities of nearly any other sporting RF out there. That is enough of an endorsement for me to want to try it out.
 
Newcon Optik optics are no where near as good as the Leica RF's in my experience. Yes, I agree Vectronix Vector's cannot be touched on quality and capability but the price on these is astronomical unless you are very rich! Vectronix entry level RF starts at the $6000.00 mark last time I looked.
 
I originally started out with a Bushnell [Forget the model]
It was a very limited use unit, and I soon ditched it in favor of a Leica 1200.
Very pleased with it. It has always done what I needed in the field, and didn't break the bank.
Now I will probably move up to the 1600 series, since they have a couple of extra features that I like. Eagleye.
 
Jordan, you wouldnt happen to have a link to the review would you? thanks
 
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