WTB vextronix terrapin Range finder

[dkhunt14]

i think you guys are nuts. i had a terrapin and it was great, and i currently use a PLRF10C and love it. i bought a silencerco radius for $999 and it does everything the terrapin does and more. i can range targets SO much faster with the radius, though granted, i do have to point a gun or spotting scope at them, but the distances i get are within a yard of what the PLRF10c says every time, and it takes a quarter of the time. i don't own the sig yet, but am hearing an awful lot of good stuff about it. so why would someone pay $2000+ for used electronics that can and do break (i know several who have sent them in for service) when they can get something that is just as good and comes with a warranty for under half the price, or under 1/4 of the price?

Will the Silencerco read to 2 to 3 thousand yards? And do it bright sunlight everytime.

 

[SierraCJ5]

i bought a silencerco radius for $999 and it does everything the terrapin does and more.

Will the radius range to 2500 yds in all conditions on non reflective targets? If so, I'm interested.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Will the Silencerco read to 2 to 3 thousand yards? And do it bright sunlight everytime.

No. And its weapon mounted- not very handy

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Will the radius range to 2500 yds in all conditions on non reflective targets? If so, I'm interested.

No. Its for reflective targets out that far

 

[taliv]

Will the radius range to 2500 yds in all conditions on non reflective targets? If so, I'm interested.

no, but neither will the terrapin. and in fact, neither will the PLRF10c which is more than twice the cost of the terrapin. if 2500 yrds in all conditions on non reflective targets is your requirement, it's going to get spendy, and you're probably going to need bigger targets as the beam divergence isn't as good on the 15s and 25s.

 

[taliv]

Will the Silencerco read to 2 to 3 thousand yards? And do it bright sunlight everytime.

it will read that far in sunlight, depending on target. it will not do it every time. but neither will the terrapin. or the PLRF10c

 

[dkhunt14]

it will read that far in sunlight, depending on target. it will not do it every time. but neither will the terrapin. or the PLRF10c

My Terrapin does it 2000 every time and 95% or better to 3000. It will also range small targets and they don't have to reflect. The I can put it in a mode where it will give 3 ranges. Like a tree branch going in a deer standing there and the ground behind it. It does it in seconds. Matt

 

[Dusty Stevens]

My Terrapin does it 2000 every time and 95% or better to 3000. It will also range small targets and they don't have to reflect. The I can put it in a mode where it will give 3 ranges. Like a tree branch going in a deer standing there and the ground behind it. It does it in seconds. Matt

The terrapin is in a league of its own. Probably too expensive to make anymore

 

[taliv]

My Terrapin does it 2000 every time and 95% or better to 3000. It will also range small targets and they don't have to reflect. The I can put it in a mode where it will give 3 ranges. Like a tree branch going in a deer standing there and the ground behind it. It does it in seconds. Matt

the specified performance of the terrapin is a detection probability of >90% at 1800m at 30km visibility, on a 7.5' square target, with an albedo of .6, with accuracy +- 3m

the specified performance of the PLRF10c is a detection probability of >90% at 1800m at 15km visibility, on a 7.5' square target, with an albedo of .4, with accuracy +- 2m
(i.e. conditions are worse, with half the visibility, and a target that is much less reflective)

i have owned both for many years. obviously, both (and the radius) exceed the specified performance, but in my experience neither are "every time". and definitely not on small targets (like 1 MOA plates or tree branches which most people would have a hard time seeing at 3000 with only a 5x magnification).

here's a quote from prb's test, that mirrors my experience.

In bright conditions, the Vectronix Terrapin could only range the 2 MOA targets to 1 mile (1760 yards). It didn’t give me a single reading on the targets at 1,950 yards or 2,000 yards in bright, mid-day conditions. However, it did give me readings on the 1 mile target 90% of the time and they were very accurate readings (as you might have guessed by now).

btw, the radius is always in a mode where it will give 3 ranges, and you can use it with NV, and it takes less than a second. it also has better beam divergence than the terrapin. for example, at 3000 yards, the terrapin's beam is 5 feet wider (and 8' wider than the PLRF10c)

and again, half the cost, and if it breaks, you can get it fixed.

 

[dkhunt14]

From our tests the Terapin did much better then the factory said. If the object was decent, most times it would range to 3000 and I have ranged to over 3800 in bright sun. We tested a few side by side and the Terapin blew everything else out the water. There is a rangefinder report at the top of this forum. It is a very good report. I also heard from guys that had the $10,000 unit and they compared them side by side and the terrapin won. This was from multiple people. The thing about these small lasers is they need to be tripod mounted. Any shake when ranging affects there performance. I mounted mine on the side of my Kowa Highlanders so whatever I am looking at I can range. Works for me. We also tested the Swaroski with good results. It consistently read to 1500 yards. The most it would go was 1999 because that is all the digits will let it go. Matt

 

[taliv]

if you're referring to the sticky thread, it is from 2007 and says the swarovski (which I also owned at that time) came out on top, and it doesn't review the terrapin.

yes "if the object was decent, most times it would range to 3000" is a totally reasonable statement that I agree with. and you will see identical results from the radius.

The $10k+ units are different beasts. They are not designed for small targets inside 1500 yards. Their specified performance goes to 15km. They use a laser on a different wavelength (not visible through NV). So the terrapin would probably do as well or better on say, a 10" plate at 1000 yards. It won't beat them on distance. Use the right tool for the job.

 

[dkhunt14]

if you're referring to the sticky thread, it is from 2007 and says the swarovski (which I also owned at that time) came out on top, and it doesn't review the terrapin.

yes "if the object was decent, most times it would range to 3000" is a totally reasonable statement that I agree with. and you will see identical results from the radius.
.

Yes the last post in the sticky about lasers. It was by JamesnTN. It is a pretty thorough review. The only one I ever saw beat the Terapin was an RCA and the Russian, both non-eyesafe.
Matt

 

[taliv]

heh, yeah. that's the same prb test i quoted from 4 posts ago. (post 29)

quoted again:

In bright conditions, the Vectronix Terrapin could only range the 2 MOA targets to 1 mile (1760 yards). It didn’t give me a single reading on the targets at 1,950 yards or 2,000 yards in bright, mid-day conditions. However, it did give me readings on the 1 mile target 90% of the time and they were very accurate readings (as you might have guessed by now).