Jerry-B-WI
5 year old buck +
Anyone have advice on range finders? Is a $60 one from Amazon good enough or do I need t spend hundreds of $. I just want to get the distance on some landmarks by my stands. Probably won't go any farther than 150 yds.
Range Finder
- Thread starter Jerry-B-WI
- Start date
Hoytvectrix
5 year old buck +
Owning a cheaper range finder seems like a good idea until you miss a deer because of said range finder. Ask me how I know.
More than functions, I would focus on the LCD screen font. I prefer red because it shows up better in low light. Vortex and Sig Sauer are two brands that I know of with red font. I have had the Sig Sauer Kilo (forget model) for around 5 years and have been very happy with it. I have also used the Vortex 1000 and it has been great.
My must haves:
red font
angle adjustment
scanning feature
More than functions, I would focus on the LCD screen font. I prefer red because it shows up better in low light. Vortex and Sig Sauer are two brands that I know of with red font. I have had the Sig Sauer Kilo (forget model) for around 5 years and have been very happy with it. I have also used the Vortex 1000 and it has been great.
My must haves:
red font
angle adjustment
scanning feature
I've used a cheap Halo rangefinder for years. Using it for golfing and hunting, its always gave me the same distances as my son's $300 golfing range finder, except his expensive one has elevation compensation, and that does make a huge difference. For hunting, 150 yds in, with fairly flat ground, cheapo worked fine for me. Also note that the optics on this cheap one are shit, so sometimes it's difficult to range something like a golf flag at 150 yds+, and get it to lock in.
Sounds like Hoyt has a story to tell tho!
Sounds like Hoyt has a story to tell tho!
Leica. Great glass, I had a 1200 for a few years, upgraded to the 1600 when it came out. It has been beat to piss, no issues. Replace the battery once every few years, or every year with heavy use.
But, like scopes you can get a lot of stuff for pretty cheap that works well. My guess I would have been through 3 cheap LRFs with the one Leica, which will last the rest of my life. If anything out to 1500 yards is within my range it is a really good day.
Avoid complicated ballistic functions that will lead you to miss. Learn to shoot whatever distance you shoot. I try to memorize the ranges for whatever gun. 500 yards is 2.5 mil. or 8 moa, the gun is zeroed for 200, it is pretty easy to figure about where 300-499 will land. Not for hunting, but I memorize holdover numbers for 500, 750, and 1000, which at my current range is 2.5 mil, 5, mil, 8 mil. and some change.
Do not ever point your LRF at attack aircraft.
But, like scopes you can get a lot of stuff for pretty cheap that works well. My guess I would have been through 3 cheap LRFs with the one Leica, which will last the rest of my life. If anything out to 1500 yards is within my range it is a really good day.
Avoid complicated ballistic functions that will lead you to miss. Learn to shoot whatever distance you shoot. I try to memorize the ranges for whatever gun. 500 yards is 2.5 mil. or 8 moa, the gun is zeroed for 200, it is pretty easy to figure about where 300-499 will land. Not for hunting, but I memorize holdover numbers for 500, 750, and 1000, which at my current range is 2.5 mil, 5, mil, 8 mil. and some change.
Do not ever point your LRF at attack aircraft.
bigboreblr
5 year old buck +
Even though I have a good leupold rangefinder. I still mark nearby things with paint / tape. Red pin is 20, green pin is 35 with my bow. So, red tape or paint is 20, and green tape or paint is 35. Pretty much eliminates the need for a reliable rangfinder. Very few rifles need to know 150 accurately, even the avarage muzzleloader in 2024 need to discern 150 from 125 that much.
Heard halo are good for the price. Pretty sure you could use a golf one for hunting. Votex seems ok. Most thing labels caebla's have been decent if not great to me, optics included.
Great rangefinders vs ok ones is the ability to home in on a target. Might have to range it 2 or 3 times to get a good number. Might be hitting behind it instead of at it.
As mentioned above, if marked where I hunt, or remember distances, I don't take out the rangefinder. Much much rather just have a good pair of binoculars, than a so-so pair of binoculars and a so-so rangefinder.
Heard halo are good for the price. Pretty sure you could use a golf one for hunting. Votex seems ok. Most thing labels caebla's have been decent if not great to me, optics included.
Great rangefinders vs ok ones is the ability to home in on a target. Might have to range it 2 or 3 times to get a good number. Might be hitting behind it instead of at it.
As mentioned above, if marked where I hunt, or remember distances, I don't take out the rangefinder. Much much rather just have a good pair of binoculars, than a so-so pair of binoculars and a so-so rangefinder.
Angus 1895
5 year old buck +
I suggest to not get the very compact models. When a bull elk comes in blowing snot everywhere, my hand gets to shaking and I can’t steady the smaller ones enough to get a proper reading.
Also ones with illumination help in low light conditions.
Also ones with illumination help in low light conditions.
Wind Gypsy
5 year old buck +
I've had a few different ones. Currently have:
- Sig Kilo 10k gen 2 10x42 RF binos - Primarily for matches where you have to find/range/engage targets on the clock or western hunting where getting a range/DOPE immediately after finding an animal is very beneficial. Has a very high end ballistic calculator that gives you the elevation and windage solutions lightning fast along with the range. Expensive.
- Sig Kilo 2400 ABS range finder - similar onboard ballistics as above but in a 7x monocular. I don't really use it unless i'm wanting to use my swarovski 12x50 EL binos for glassing bigger country in lieu of the 10x sig binos above. Just holding onto it for now as i'm not sure i'm 100% ready to sacrifice glass quality of Swaro ELs for the rf function of the sig binos yet in all situations. This does not have angle compensation inside 100 yards so does not work well for archery.
- Sig Kilo 2000 - discontinued model that is more budget oriented but DOES have angle compensation inside 100 yards so this is my archery range finder. I think their current model comparison is the 2500 model and sells for around $170 but can find cheaper at times. This line would probably be a higher quality option than Chicom options OP may be looking at without being crazy expensive.
I had/have a leica 1600b that was nice. Haven't been able to find it for years so I think it's gone. Compared to the cheapest sig models like the kilo 2000 the glass was better and from reading reviews it is likely more reliable. Ranging performance was very close to the same though way beyond what the OP is looking to use it for. Also, just because something says Leica on it and costs a lot doesn't always mean its going to be more reliable. I had a pair of Leica Geovid HD-b 2000 binos that failed to function as temps approached freezing. They replaced it under warranty with the next model HD-b 2200 that had the same problem right away. They warranty replaced those with the next generation HD-B 3000 which i promptly sold and bought the kilo 2400 ABS because I didn't trust the damn things and I wasn't trying to be on a destination hunt with non functional range finder. Those Geovids were $3k binos.
- Sig Kilo 10k gen 2 10x42 RF binos - Primarily for matches where you have to find/range/engage targets on the clock or western hunting where getting a range/DOPE immediately after finding an animal is very beneficial. Has a very high end ballistic calculator that gives you the elevation and windage solutions lightning fast along with the range. Expensive.
- Sig Kilo 2400 ABS range finder - similar onboard ballistics as above but in a 7x monocular. I don't really use it unless i'm wanting to use my swarovski 12x50 EL binos for glassing bigger country in lieu of the 10x sig binos above. Just holding onto it for now as i'm not sure i'm 100% ready to sacrifice glass quality of Swaro ELs for the rf function of the sig binos yet in all situations. This does not have angle compensation inside 100 yards so does not work well for archery.
- Sig Kilo 2000 - discontinued model that is more budget oriented but DOES have angle compensation inside 100 yards so this is my archery range finder. I think their current model comparison is the 2500 model and sells for around $170 but can find cheaper at times. This line would probably be a higher quality option than Chicom options OP may be looking at without being crazy expensive.
I had/have a leica 1600b that was nice. Haven't been able to find it for years so I think it's gone. Compared to the cheapest sig models like the kilo 2000 the glass was better and from reading reviews it is likely more reliable. Ranging performance was very close to the same though way beyond what the OP is looking to use it for. Also, just because something says Leica on it and costs a lot doesn't always mean its going to be more reliable. I had a pair of Leica Geovid HD-b 2000 binos that failed to function as temps approached freezing. They replaced it under warranty with the next model HD-b 2200 that had the same problem right away. They warranty replaced those with the next generation HD-B 3000 which i promptly sold and bought the kilo 2400 ABS because I didn't trust the damn things and I wasn't trying to be on a destination hunt with non functional range finder. Those Geovids were $3k binos.
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