Basic Rangefinder

[MikeMcCasland]

Hey Guys,

I broke my old Bushnell rangefinder this weekend, and I'm looking for a replacement.

All I really need is a basic model to use for placement of shotmarker targets, and maybe some steel in the future. I don't need any of the fancy applied ballistics type stuff; really the only feature I'm looking for is angle adjusted distance (i.e. corrected for shooting uphill/downhill).

I would need to range paper targets out to 1k, and would prefer a "quicker than 5 second" reading return (my Bushnell was slow as hell).

No real budget, but I feel like these needs could be met for around or under $400?

Any suggestions?

 

[Kracken McGraw]

The Vortex Razor 4000 will do what your wanting.

 

[Ranger188]

The Leupold RX2800 is a really nice simple unit.
Will do everything you want.
Bought mine for $350 new.

 

[MikeMcCasland]

Appreciate the recommendations guys. I looked for both of them, but they're not in stock anywhere. I suppose it has something to do with the silicon shortage?

I ended up taking a bit of a risk. I am absolutely an optics snob, but given the technological element of rangefinders, and my basic needs, I'm left with the feeling that spending more than a few hundred isn't worth it. Kinda like dropping 5k on a nice laptop for browsing the web. It'll probably be outclassed by entry level models in 4-5 years.

That said, I found an Athlon midas "1 mile" version on Amazon for ~$250. Found a review of a fairly articulate guy on YouTube who said it was ranging out to 1300-1400 yards for him so long as he had it steadied on a tripod. That's about all I'll ever need, so I guess we'll see.

I know Athlon is a name in the PRS game (not sure if its a respected one though). I guess we'll find out if their LRFs are any good. I figure everything sub $1500 is Chinese made anyway.

 

[K9TXS]

Hey make sure you update your post on this. Many of us could find this very useful in the near future.
Thanks

 

[MikeMcCasland]

Hey make sure you update your post on this. Many of us could find this very useful in the near future.
Thanks

Well I received it this morning (Europtic via Amazon shipped it UPS overnight, so that was cool). I unboxed it and took it over to a nearby park to mess around with it for ~15 minutes.

Based on my initial use, it's exactly what I was looking for. It returns yardages very quickly; almost instantaneously. I was on level ground and could range trees easily at ~850 yards, although it was difficult to pinpoint exact what tree I was aiming at in a cluster of trees. Also, due to the flat ground and my caffeinated shaking it would occasionally read back ~400-700 yards as I was lazing trees at 850. That's 100% on me though, with some kind of stabilization I'm confident this wouldn't be an issue.

As far as max range, it's as bright as can be outside right now (98 deg and not a cloud in the sky currently) and I got readings out to ~1050 yards on a dark painted buildings. I'm sure it would have gone further, I just didn't have anything further out to range.

I also ranged the top of a flagpole at 200 yards, and the beam does seem to be centered within the reticle.

The optics on it (not that I really care about this) seem fine. They're definitely better than the 12 year old Bushnell piece of crap I had before. It's not like I'm trying to glass points on deer at sundown with this thing.

My only complaint is that it feels like it's made of cheap materials; it's 'sturdy' feeling, but you can tell it's not a higher end model.

I will say it blows my old one out of the water. My old one would struggle to read past 300 yards. If you spent 5-10 minutes, and were steadied up against something you could get a reading beyond that out to maybe 600-700..but beyond that it wasn't happening.

I have high confidence it'll work for my purposes (placing shotmarker targets), and I'll test it out doing that this weekend.

 

[Dgd6mm]

My Bushnell was made in '97. One of the first. Still working, but less desirable to use when you have used better. I'm holding out for a pair of Vortex ranging binoculars.

 

[itchyTF]

Can’t get more basic than this. Doesn’t do angle adjusted distance though.

 

[BP1]

Can you try one of these and report back?

 

[MikeMcCasland]

Can you try one of these and report back?

~200 yards of my 600 yard range is over water.

No need to report back. I can tell you right now that won't work for shit.

Edit:

Following up after actually using it in the field for the first time this past weekend. It does pretty much everything I want. It did struggle to range "freehand" past ~850 on natural targets, but as soon as I leaned up against something it would return a reading.

Only obvious downside I can find is that it doesn't have a screw in connection for a tripod qd adapter. I think you've gotta get one of those bands that go around it.

For $250, I'm not complaining.

 

[DirtySteve]

I use a BOG Pod Death grip to steady mine. I also clamp my spotting scope in it, not at the same time of course.. lol..

 

[micmac]

Any number claimed by the manufacturer needs to be divided by at least 3 sometimes 4 in regards to practical sized targets , not houses and rockfaces. Even top tier mil-spec stuff that measures 7000+ yards typically taps out way before 2000y on IPSC sized target (Steiner 830 LRF rated to 7500y manages cca 1700y, Vectronix PLRF 25 rated at 7000+y manages 100y more , and these are 8-9k$ LRFs)

 

[Bill K]

Nikon or Vortex make a good one for the money.

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

I have a first gen Bushnell 400(25 years). It still will read to 980 on stop signs, but about 230-240 on fur(deer,coyote). Used it mostly for target setup and muzzleloader/slug hunting.

 

[Mark W]

Can you try one of these and report back?

Ive put in a lot of miles behind one of those.

 

[d31tc]

I have an old Nikon Monarch that is about 15 years old. It's failed me a few times in the field on some nice deer that I could see clearly in the scope and binoculars, but it was too dark to clearly see them in the range finder or get a range through some light rain and snow. Vortex Fury, or similar, seems the sure fire way to go, but also more money than I'd like to spend. Are there any hand helds that work well in low light, say 25 minutes past sunset on a cloudy day, that allow you to discern a deer at 500 yards vs a clump of brush? And work through light rain and snow?

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

Other issue with laser rangefinders, the diodes have an operating temperature range. My Sig makes it until about 10 degrees by 5 degrees and below probably NOT getting a read. I have carried them in a interior pocket with a hand warmer, need to take a reading quick. When using them warmed, need to be in your shooting position.

 

[SweaterDood]

Appreciate the recommendations guys. I looked for both of them, but they're not in stock anywhere. I suppose it has something to do with the silicon shortage?

I ended up taking a bit of a risk. I am absolutely an optics snob, but given the technological element of rangefinders, and my basic needs, I'm left with the feeling that spending more than a few hundred isn't worth it. Kinda like dropping 5k on a nice laptop for browsing the web. It'll probably be outclassed by entry level models in 4-5 years.

That said, I found an Athlon midas "1 mile" version on Amazon for ~$250. Found a review of a fairly articulate guy on YouTube who said it was ranging out to 1300-1400 yards for him so long as he had it steadied on a tripod. That's about all I'll ever need, so I guess we'll see.

I know Athlon is a name in the PRS game (not sure if its a respected one though). I guess we'll find out if their LRFs are any good. I figure everything sub $1500 is Chinese made anyway.

View attachment 1275297

Athlon products are fantastic quality considering the price. They have also been great to deal with and support a lot of the regional competitions I’ve attended. I would expect this to be everything you need in a basic rangefinder out to 1000yds.