Lovely Lovely Gadgets - Range Finders?

dCorbus

Range Finders?

I don't know if this has been done already, but bearing in mind more recent tech developments and having been reading a couple of recent threads, I thought I'd start a couple of new threads specifically related to all those lovely and oh so useful gadgets and gizmos that we all want!

If any of the shooters out there in boards.ie-land have any recommendations, advice, thoughts, etc etc on Range Finders, maybe you could post them here for everyones joy and delectation.

- What Range Finder do you use?
- Where did you get it?
- How much did it cost?
- What do you like about it?
- What do you dislike about it?
- What Range Finders do your mates use?

plus

- How useful is it really, in practice?
- And how often do you use it?

That kind of info, and anything else you feel is relevant, would be really great.

dC

johngalway

dCorbus wrote: »

- What Range Finder do you use?

Leica CRF 900

dCorbus wrote: »

- Where did you get it?

Fleabay

dCorbus wrote: »

- How much did it cost?

$399 when the Dollar was on the bar room floor

dCorbus wrote: »

- What Range Finders do your mates use?

What mates

dCorbus wrote: »

- What do you like about it?

Uhmmm

dCorbus wrote: »

- What do you dislike about it?

Ahhh

dCorbus wrote: »

plus

- How useful is it really, in practice?

It's fantastic, I wouldn't be without it. Takes the guess work out of the situation. Brilliantly clear glass, great view under the lamp and in low light.

dCorbus wrote: »

- And how often do you use it?

Depends. If I'm in a spot I know, and the fox is within 200 yards I don't use it. On flats I always use it, familiar or not. When I had my .22lr I used to use it a lot.

dCorbus wrote: »

That kind of info, and anything else you feel is relevant, would be really great.

Ok then. DON'T but a Nikkon Prostaff laser 440, it's sh1t for lamping or low light, absolutely crap glass, even on over cast days. I gave mine away.

dCorbus

Nice one, jg.
Thanks for the info - That's exactly the sort of stuff i was hoping for!:)
That's a bloody good price you got the Leica for!

Cass

The Leica LRF 900 ...........


Brilliant tool and i always have it with me. May or may not use it too often, but a seriously handy tool. Bought it for around €400 -ish if memory serves up in Dublin in a camera shop. It goes out to 900 yards or so, but i've never used it at that. Good quality at dusk/dawn and instant reading. A friend has a rangefinder and it takes a couple of seconds after you press the button for it to give a reading. It is completely waterproof and not too big or heavy at 4" square and just over half a pound or so.

Tackleberrywho

http://www.opticplanet.com/contents/products/nikon-buckmasters800.html

there be mine.

declan1980

i use a hawke optics endurance lrf 600.
i got it in dog, rod, and gun in wicklow.
i can't remember what i paid for it, i think around €200
it's only alright, i expected more to be honest.
the glass has a kind of yellow tinge to it, which makes the image poor in low light. it can be difficult to focus, and i have to press the buttons pretty hard to make it work, but it does read accurately.
if i had known what it was like at the time i wouldn't have bought it:(.
i think i might start looking on ebay for a better one

vixdname

I use a "Bushnell Elite 1500"

I got it from "OpticsPlanet" in the US for $389, got it sent to my brother in Connecticut and he then unpacked it and sent it on to me.

Very clear glass, excellent effective distance 1500 mtrs, easy to use, good extra features

I have no dislikes, you point, you press you get your distance - simple as.

Friend also has a Leica - another nice gadget !!!

http://www.opticsplanet.net/bushnell-elite-1500-laser-rangefinder.html

clivej

ezridax wrote: »

The Leica LRF 900 ...........


Brilliant tool and i always have it with me. May or may not use it too often, but a seriously handy tool. Bought it for around €400 -ish if memory serves up in Dublin in a camera shop. It goes out to 900 yards or so, but i've never used it at that. Good quality at dusk/dawn and instant reading. A friend has a rangefinder and it takes a couple of seconds after you press the button for it to give a reading. It is completely waterproof and not too big or heavy at 4" square and just over half a pound or so.

I have and use the same model and it's able to range while you move the rangefinder as in it updates as you range other targets, just keep the button pressed. Combined with a good drop chart you'll always be on target.

£200 second hand.

ghostmantra

this is mine,got it of *bay second hand. i find it very good saves having to have binos as well
mates don't have any. (rangefinders that is, mates i have:D)
.......bushnell yardage pro quest.....8/36

jap gt

ghostmantra wrote: »

this is mine,got it of *bay second hand. i find it very good saves having to have binos as well
mates don't have any. (rangefinders that is, mates i have:D)
.......bushnell yardage pro quest.....8/36

mind me asking the price

ghostmantra

jap gt wrote: »

mind me asking the price

it was $330 +$15 post from the us back in Oct 09.its like new in its original box with all its paper work and new battery:D

jwshooter

Leica Geovids 8x42 ...

clivej

jwshooter wrote: »

Leica Geovids 8x42 ...

Just added to the wish list

jwshooter

clivej wrote: »

Just added to the wish list

never look through a pair , as it will cost you 1500 bucks.

Sparks

Sorry dC, couldn't resist

jwshooter

Sparks wrote: »

Sorry dC, couldn't resist

do you shoot out to 10m with your pellet gun .

Sorry SS couldn't resist

Sparks

Yeah jw, sometimes for as many as four or even five shots before letting the barrel cool down

Half-cocked

Sparks wrote: »

Sorry dC, couldn't resist

That's fine for your 10m spud guns Sparks, but I think the OP uses a real gun;):D

Vegeta

I have experience of 3

a Leica LRF 1200 scan. It has excellent glass and works well for a medium sized unit. One of the flaws with the design, I feel, is how hard the button to operate it has to be pressed. Now this is not a problem when using it within the range of the rifle BUT if you spot a deer a long way out and say to yourself 'I wonder how far away he is"? When the button is pressed the difficulty causes the unit to shake slightly and throws off results. The newer models are different in design and probably don't suffer from the same issue.

A Bushnell yardage pro. Out shooting with a lad once and his one was very impressive for a handy sized cheap unit. Bought one myself and it was worse than useless. Refused to work reliably at anything past 150 yards. Pain in the balls. Sitting at home gathering dust now. Does have a nice graphical interface though.

On of my friends has a big Bushnell monocular which has 2 detectors on the front as opposed to the one and this is probably the best range finder I have used for reliably returning a result a long way out. It is bulky though

So overall the best compromise is the Leica but it costs

Would love a set of the ranging binoculars JW has.

Jonty

Geovids myself. Can't fault them.

FISMA

- What Range Finder do you use?
Leica 1200 - the 1600 has been back-ordered for months...

- Where did you get it?
from a board member

- How much did it cost?
traded a scope

- What do you like about it?
very accurate, great optics, it does what it's supposed to - very well

- What do you dislike about it?
nothing

- What Range Finders do your mates use?
they don't