I've used my Leica 1200CRF to range out to about 1400 yards.
I've used my Swaro to over 1900 yards.
And yes my dad is bigger than your dad
range finders
- Thread starter vincefrommantioba
- Start date
I've used my Swaro to over 1900 yards.
And yes my dad is bigger than your dad
Leica / Swar / Leupold - All big name for long distance, but what do you want it for?
I gotta cheapy Bushnell 400. I have ranged to 900 yd on high reflective targets (road signs, licence plates), Tree lines to 300+, & deer to 250 yards (max). I a ML / Bowhunter so I don't have any need for 1000+yards ranging.
I gotta cheapy Bushnell 400. I have ranged to 900 yd on high reflective targets (road signs, licence plates), Tree lines to 300+, & deer to 250 yards (max). I a ML / Bowhunter so I don't have any need for 1000+yards ranging.
When I went to buy mine, I was set on the Leica CRF 1200. In fact I called up and changed my order to the Swarovski at the last moment. The only reason why I decided on the Swarovski was the simple fact that it's considered the best overall and the price point for the demo model offererd the largest savings.
The Leica is a fine unit, I'm sure I would have been very happy with it. The Canadian dollar as high as it is, the demo model price, and the fact that there are currently no export permits needed was what tipped the scale for me. I figured this was the one chance where I could justify buying a Swarovski. At the regular retail price of $1100, I wouldn't have bought it. It would have been the Leica all the way.
All the reviews I read pretty much said get the Leica or the Swarvoski. The rest were distant contenders.
The Leica is a fine unit, I'm sure I would have been very happy with it. The Canadian dollar as high as it is, the demo model price, and the fact that there are currently no export permits needed was what tipped the scale for me. I figured this was the one chance where I could justify buying a Swarovski. At the regular retail price of $1100, I wouldn't have bought it. It would have been the Leica all the way.
All the reviews I read pretty much said get the Leica or the Swarvoski. The rest were distant contenders.
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Clearly I must have wasted my money buying a Bushnell Elite 1500......I should have a long talk with my rangefinder and explain that it's not supposed to be very good!
Come on, a rangefinder is no different than anything else you buy (spend more money and you SHOULD have a better product). Sure you can spend the $1000 on a Swarovski and have a cool gadget to show all your buddies but I spent $300 on the Bushnell Elite and will range targets to the stated 1500 yard mark with ease. (not sure why so high, I don't believe a lot of people shoot 1500 yards daily)
Unless you feel the need to have Leica or Swarovski stamped on the side of your rangefinder, go buy the Elite and save your money for something else.
Best product for your dollar.... Bushnell Elite 1500. Compare features and prices and you'll know why.
Or for another hundred you could have got the demo model Leica LRF 1200
There's your best bang for the buck.
The reality is most of these toys will work for what most of us want, including the Bushnell. I'm just a fan of buy it right and buy it once. I don't like to play the incremental upgrade game.
One of the guys at work brought in his new range finder, a Bushnell, that he got off eBay for a little over $200.
Aside from having to carry the manual so as to be able to figure out the buttonology (I know, you can learn the stuff) the killer for me was when I looked through the optics, and it felt like someone was trying to pull my eye out of the socket.
Horrible optics. Seriously horrible. Watching the world bend, as you pan across it, kinda sucks.
I have become accustomed to seeing clearly. Good quality lenses are a long step towards that.
He was happy with it, and it suited his needs, but since i got my used Leica, I pretty much have quit carrying my bino's.
One of these days I might even buy a comparable quality set of binos, too.
Cheers
Trev
Aside from having to carry the manual so as to be able to figure out the buttonology (I know, you can learn the stuff) the killer for me was when I looked through the optics, and it felt like someone was trying to pull my eye out of the socket.
Horrible optics. Seriously horrible. Watching the world bend, as you pan across it, kinda sucks.
I have become accustomed to seeing clearly. Good quality lenses are a long step towards that.
He was happy with it, and it suited his needs, but since i got my used Leica, I pretty much have quit carrying my bino's.
One of these days I might even buy a comparable quality set of binos, too.
Cheers
Trev
Ive got a Nikon 800 I bought from CameraLand and Im extremely happy with it. I can range deer at around 450-500 yards and buildings and such at 800.
I believe I paid a tad over $200, I think if you have the money a Leica is the best bang for your buck.
One word of advice....stay away from Bushnell. Ive owned a Bushnell and it was a POS in every aspect.
I believe I paid a tad over $200, I think if you have the money a Leica is the best bang for your buck.
One word of advice....stay away from Bushnell. Ive owned a Bushnell and it was a POS in every aspect.
Do the Leica read inclination to target like the Leupold is supposed to do? Has anyone used the Leupold with the Ballistic thingy that gives you the actual distance to target, then a 'shoot like it is' distance? It sounds like a good feature. Sometimes it is hard to tell how far above or below the target is at longer distances.
I have a RXII and like it. I have it set up for my .223 (zeroed @ 200 yards) and it will tell you where to aim. Some people say they are a bit cluttered and slow to give you a reading, but I ranged a hawk in a dead tree @ 186 yards and thought that was pretty good. Good enough for me anyway. I don't shoot uber long distances and find it handy when I'm out in the country setting up targets to shoot at.
i'm glad you're happy with your bushnell...good on ya..you won't find many others who are though...and you're right with my swarovski not only do i have a cool gadget to show all my buddies but mine will also not let me down when conditions aren't exactly perfect..another very cool thing about it!
Rangefinders are rated for highly reflective targets.Unfortunately animals such as deer and pronghorn are not highly reflective targets so the effective range of rangefinders on them are much less.Try ranging a pronghorn in the fog or rain and see what your effective range is.With the 800 yard bushnell,a friend could not range a pronghorn in the rain one day.I then tried my leica rangefinder,and it read 480 yards.
As far as features go,I find the red LEDs of the Leica much easier to read in low light than the black letters on my Bushnell.
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FlyingHigh
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Grande Prairie, Alberta
i plan to buy the Leica 1200 when i get the money. I love my Bushnell rifle scopes, but the rangefinders i've tried have been lacking imo. they don't give as consistent a reading as the Leica. as for Swaro and Zeiss...keep 'em. i'm not paying that much, especially when a Leica will do the job just as well.
i've got a leica crf 1200 as well and news flash it doesn't do the job just as well....Swarovski consistently hits 1400 on non-reflective targets...my leica will squeak out 1000...but for hunting you're absolutely right who is shooting past there at game anyway? and for portability the Leica rocks..fits right in your pocket...so you're not making a bad choice at all..i just wouldn't bash those that are carrying the swarovski though..for target shooting with larger calibres you'll need it..the leica just won't get the job done past 1000 yards.
