Rangefinder Review - Leica 1200 CRF

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Pudelpointer

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Howdy,

So I finally bit the bullit and decided to get a decent rangefinder. I have had experience with a few bushnells and have never been impressed. A friend from England brought his Leica 900 (old model) with him a couple of years ago. Managed to get a 540 yard reading off of dried yellow grass in full sun. I was impressed.

I looked at the Bushnell Elite 1500 and the Leupold RX series, but they appeared clunky and too many options. The Leica has 1 button and zero options; makes it hard to screw it up when you only have a few seconds to get a distance and shoot. The CRF models are small enough to fit in your shirt pocket and the optics are .... well, they are Leica.

Picked it up from WSS for $650. Popped the battery in it and took the dog for a run this morning. First thing I point it at is a row of cottonwoods way across the field. First click, no reading, second click, 1234 yards! :)

Now this is a tree with leaves all over it. Holy crap. So I start measuring different things; shed - 604 yards - 1st click, tractor in field - 1204 yds - 1st click, telephone pole - 467 yards - 1st click, pile of black soil - 597 yards - 3 clicks. There was a steady light rain at the time, but it sure did not seem to effect its performance.

I am sure that I will be able to range a deer out to 600 yards with this unit. I will add to this review when I get back out, hopefully in better weather.

IMO, this is the simplest, smallest, most reliable unit for the price. The only one nicer would be the Swarovski, but the price is almost double, and the size is triple.

Ian
 
Me Too, Also Impressed

Picked up the same unit at the Kamloops Gun Show this spring. Was thinking of getting one of the cheap Bushnell's and might of had it not been for a friend who was along with me for the show and said, hey, if you're going to get a RF, then buy this Leica - $429, new in the box from P&D Enterprises. It's 10 times the unit the Bushnell's are.

According to the manual, good to about 900 yards. Well we get out to my buddy's cabin, sitting on a small lake, and first try, 1035 yards. Wow! So I started to range out lots of different things and impressed with how quickly it acquired and provided the readout.

The best thing about it was that we shoot at the buddy's gravel pit range. Metal gongs hung in the trees. Walked it off in previous years thinking +/- 200 yards. Well the Leica promptly informed me the distance was 320 yards.

It's going to be a fun toy this hunting season for ranging game. Would definately recommend one.
 
I bought some Leica binocs last year and was very impressed. Hopefully by this fall's hunting season I will have a Leica range finder to go with them. Thanks for the review...
 
canucklehead said:
Sorry to hear you bought it from WSS... you could have got one for around $400 from www.cameralandny.com

GST across the border, and that's it! If you buy one of the demos or refurb, it's not new, so no GST!
Click to expand...

Actually, that would be for the LRF series. LRF are still excellent, but they are bulkier. Cameralands price is $649.00 US for the same CRF model.

WSS - $649.00 CAN plus No shipping and No duty. But thanks for caring about me:wave:
 
1200_CRF_001.jpg


I bought the CRF1200 last fall, I think I paid $430+tax. Wicked unit! :)
 
i read a write up on Rangefinders in a gun rag, of all the ones they tested, the Leica 1200 was the only one that lived up to it's billing. It ranged out to what it said it would, some others would only do about 50%.
 
srupp said:
which is the BEST Leica unit crf or???1200??

Steven
Click to expand...

They are both 1200s..............

The LRF 1200 is the first model that came out a few years ago.......it has a square shape and is a horizontal design.

The CRF 1200 is the new model that has a more round shape and is a vertical design.

The main difference is that the LRF is water resistant, and the CRF is waterproof.............

The LRF also has a setting for yards or meters, while the CRF lacks that feature...........you buy a CRF in either yards or metric..........................

SKBY.
 
I had Leica CRF 1200 and I got so impressed with it that I went out and bought Leica Geovid bino 15x56 with built in range finder and Boy, was I happy! now I don't need a spoting scope.....I ranged one house at 1304 yards....love the leica....
 
i've got 1409 on a traffic sign with mine, but when people say that that really means nothing in the real world. Realistically it's an 800m rangefinder on deer but the beauty is it will almost always do that reliably, few rangefinders can say that! I did have trouble ranging dark cattle with it but that appears to be common amongst rangefinders, i don't know how a moose would range with it however. The optics on it are superb as well only the swarovski can beat it, i got a chance to compare side by side. The swarovski is a better rangefinder but it's also almost twice the price. Leica's are hard to beat.
 
Does anyone think the "ballistics features" of the Leupolds are worth anything?

I want the CF1200, but am waffling if it's worth waiting for a good rangefinder with an angle feature.
 
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I tried out all of them, bought the leica. The TBR,ARC whatever is just crap to try and out do each other with whizbang useless stuff, I point and range, point and shoot, never have time for looking at all that other stuff in the view finder, JMO:)
 
I have had an LRF 1200 for the past five years, and it is just an amazing piece of equipment. Have ranged silhouettes on our range and it is always within five yards or less, of the actual surveyed distance to the targets.

Ted
 
Yeah, I just did the math and realized the hold over point is pretty useless unless I am looking at 350yard+ shots with drastic elevation differences.

I drink too much coffee/chew too much to pull that off.

thanks for the tips.
 
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