Leica Rangefinders

[Nicoli7153]

I'm thinking of getting a Leica Rangefinder. The 1600B seems to get great reviews. I'm probably only going to be shooting deer and elk at ranges of 500 yards or less.

Do I need a 1600? Or should I be looking at a 1200 at a lesser price?

 

[Nicoli7153]

Anybody???

 

[CatShooter]

Always get a laser rangefinder that is rated at 50% to 100% more than you need.

People get lasers and post, "I just got my Guzinta 2000, and I ranged a house at 1,900 yards."

Well that is great if you shoot houses... but real laser users have found that on real life animals, lasers typically range reliable to 1/2 to 2/3rds of their rated range, and in snow, it is much less.

Get the 1600, you will never regret it, and it will have much higher resale value if you don't need it later in life.

 

[Nicoli7153]

Thanks Cat that's what I was looking for.

 

[lightman]

I've got an older Leica 1200. It will range that far in good conditions and with a fresh battery. Some lesser expensive ones will not do what they claim. This is not opinion, as I have compared mine with others, side by side. Its a little hard to hit small targets with it at long ranges and I usually shoot them more than once. This is probably true with all of them. All targets are not houses! They did not make a 1600 when I bought this one, but I would buy the 1600 now. Resale is something else to consider in your choice. I PD hunt with a friend that has the 1600 and it is an awesome piece of gear! It does not really smoke mine, but it is definitely in another league. You can also download a ballistic program in it.

 

[Preacher]

I still use my old Leica 7x42 Geovids and wouldn't part with them for any reason.
Bounced it off Pronghorns out to 1200 yards with no problem doing it...

 

[wedgy]

There was an article comparing RF's saying that the 1600 had one of the smallest beam divergence, think of a laser compared to a flashlight, allowing it to range smaller targets and not the objects around them.

 

[jrm850]

I still use my old Leica 7x42 Geovids and wouldn't part with them for any reason.
Bounced it off Pronghorns out to 1200 yards with no problem doing it...

That is a real piece of equipment. I took a borrowed pair to the Rosebud reservation for prairie dogs many years ago and I really can't remember them ever giving anything but repeatable readings out to as far as we thought we could shoot. Seriously good glass also. Wish I had a pair.

 

[whatwind?]

I have the 1600B and it is a good range finder

 

[coues52]

1+ on the leica 1200...but when I up-grade it will be the 1600 b...coues52

 

[dcali]

I've got a 1600. I've never tested it rigorously, but it seems to work well. It's dead on at 600 yards (verified via gps, plus whatever they used to set up our 600 yard range). I have the model (I forget which one (B?) that has the ballistics calculator built in. I don't use that feature, but it might be nice for hunting. I do like that it tells you the atmospherics and angle of fire though. It's worth getting the model that has that built in. I dont' believe all of them do.

 

[DataSmith]

It's tough to go wrong with a Leica rangefinder but they are quite pricy and there have been some really good rangefinders coming into the market in the past few years.

If you are only ranging to 500yd then it might be worth comparing some of the competition.

 

[nmibex]

I have a 1600 and it works great. As with all range finders, target quality will determine how far you can range.

 

[wmdron]

I have the 1200, fine rangefinder bought it a while back, but as others have said the 1600 would be the one to buy today. If you don't mind a demo and want to save a few bucks here is one http://www.cameralandny.com/optics/site.pl?page=leica40534

 

[Larryh128]

I have a 1200 and love it but the1600 has more features. But I also bought if for about 1/2 price when the person upgraded to a 1600.

 

[Patch700]

Been using the 1600B for the second season now... My observations of it are that it is typical of Leica products and their quality. (a nice piece that is still compact)

I don't use the ballistics feature in it specifically but I do use the feature to tell me at what angle I will be shooting at and some of the atmospheric conditions are.

Probably the only complaint I have about using it is that I need a good solid rest to range anything past 400 yds as Im not as steady as I used to be lol.


All in all a great product and worth every penny when compared to some of my shooting buddies that have other brands claiming they range to 750... I wish theirs would range to 750 because then I wouldn't have to let them borrow mine lol.

If I had to do it again I would still go with the 1600B if for nothing else the resale value . A gentleman looking for a rangefinder good to 1400 will not look at one good for 1000.. But the same guy probably wouldn't be opposed to getting something good to 1600 lol.

 

[Nicoli7153]

Thanks everyone. Will definitely be getting the 1600!