Hottest Rangefinder's at SHOT Show 2018

[Bman940]

I do not work for Nikon Corp. but I do freelance PR/Shooting Event's for them. I was at SHORT Show and can hopefully answer your question's. I'm sorry the answer's you received from Nikon were lacking.

I contacted Nikon about their new RFs, the 4000/3000. I just asked a few questions to get an idea about their brand and how they planned on marketing it.
The questions I asked were:
1. Is the illumination adjustable on these RFs? I have a Nikon 1000 that the illumination is too bright to see anything in low light

Yes, the illumination is adjustable, Therer are 5 intensity levels for the OLED display. I also have the Riflehunter 1000 and feel the illumination is just fine for my eyes where a buddy feels the same as you regarding brightness.

2. Do the 4000 and 3000 have stabilization?

The MONARCH 3000 Stabilized is obviously the new rangefinder with image stabilization. It will read a hard target actually past 3000 yards, a tree at over 2200 and a soft deer sized target to 1200. This rangefinder has hyper read capabilities to give you your results in a fraction of a second. The BLACK RANGEX 4000 has a max 4000 yard capability.

3. Comparing the earlier Nikon Rfs to similar models/brands the 1000 looks very dull and dark. How does yours compare?

I have hands on experience with both of Nikon's new 2018 rangefinder's and I am through;y impressed with the brightness of the picture and the speed these rangefinder's perform at.

4. My Nikon 1000 has a hard time ranging animals past 300-400 yards. From your testing, how would these rangefinders compare on animals?

I have personally not ranged any animals but I have seen guys ranging soft deer sized targets at over 1200 yards. I was throughly impressed with these new models. I was using the 7iVR this past weekend, the first Nikon rangefinder with built in stabilization. I easily ranged a 25 pound pig at 302 yards and then anchored it. I have ranged deer with mine at over 600 yards anbd the stabilization works so much faster in the new MONARCH 3000 Stabilized.

I would be happy to try and answer any more questions you might have about Nikon products. If I don't know the answer I will do my best to track down someone who does.

5. I dont remember
6. I asked a question about how their models competed with the sig kilo 2k.
The MONARCH 3000 Stabilized is head and shoulders above the Kilo. I usually don't comment on things like this but it is entirely ture. The laser's used in the Nikon's are also much safer.

 

[CatShooter]

Nikon has made image stabilizers into their cameras for years. There is actually a motor that moves the image sensor inside the camera to compensate for the operators movement. It doesn't seem like a stretch to apply the same technology to the laser within a range finder.

It doesn't count if they are not locked together.

 

[CatShooter]

I don't think it's the laser or the image that is stabilized. It's the entire unit. That stabilizes everything.

Do you know that as a fact, or are you just guessing??

 

[CatShooter]

The laser's used in the Nikon's are also much safer.

How is that accomplished?

 

[jrock]

How does it work in sage brush? Sage brush eats my current rage finder but the Sig Sauer's work really well.

 

[Bman940]

Using the Nikon Rangefinder's in Distant Target mode lets you cut through grasses and such that might be first picked up by the beam in true targetr mode. I routinely shoot in distant target mode just because there is usually tall plains grass where I hunt.
As for sagebrush, I can't imagine it would work any different'y for your application.

As for safety, The Nikon utilizes a Class 1M laser and the Sig and some others a Class 3 R. Info is easily available on these with a google search.

Here's a little info to help you out.

Class 1M[edit]

A Class 1M laser is safe for all conditions of use except when passed through magnifying optics such as microscopes and telescopes. Class 1M lasers produce large-diameter beams, or beams that are divergent. The MPE for a Class 1M laser cannot normally be exceeded unless focusing or imaging optics are used to narrow the beam. If the beam is refocused, the hazard of Class 1M lasers may be increased and the product class may be changed. A laser can be classified as Class 1M if the power that can pass through the pupil of the naked eye is less than the AEL for Class 1, but the power that can be collected into the eye by typical magnifying opticEYE INJURY HAZARD -- DIRECT AND REFLECTED BEAM


Class 3R visible-light lasers are considered safe for unintentional eye exposure, because a person will normally turn away or blink to avoid the bright light. Do NOT deliberately look into or stare into the beam -- this can cause injury to the retina in the back of the eye.

Be aware of beam reflections off glass and shiny surfaces. Depending on the surface, the reflected beam could be about as strong and as focused as a direct beam.
The Nominal Ocular Hazard Distance (NOHD) for the most powerful Class 3R visible-beam laser (4.99 mW) with a tight beam (0.5 milliradian divergence) is 104 ft (32 m).
Color indicates the relative hazard: Red = potential injury, green = unlikely injury. Beyond the Nominal Ocular Hazard Distance, the chance of injury is "vanishingly small" according to safety experts.
For a 4.99 mW Class 3R laser with a less-tight beam that spreads out faster (1 milliradian), the NOHD is 52 feet (16 m). This divergence is more typical of consumer lasers.
If you are closer than the NOHD distance to the laser, there is a possibility of retinal damage if the direct or reflected beam enters your eye longer than about ¼ second. The closer you are to the laser and the longer the beam is in the eye, the greater the chance of injury.

 

[magtech83]

Without using the Nikon, I cant say is its better or worse, but just reviewing the post about the 2 lasers I would say a class 1 would be less reliable due to the 5x less power used. Also, if the Class 1's produce larger diameter beams, as stated above, wouldn't that mean they are less accurate. Has Nikon recreated the internal rectification of the reflected laser signal in a way previous rangefinders couldn't, or are we just hearing marketing confusion and hoopla? I really want to buy something that isn't a disappointment. I am tired of buying products for under 1k that make me sad 2 weeks after purchase.

 

[Jeff Gibson]

I just wish rangefinders would range what they say they will. I have a sign 850. You couldn't get it to range 850 off of a drive in movie screen. I don't shoot much over 600. So I got the 850 thinking it would range deer at 600. Not.

 

[Bman940]

Agree, Ranging hard target's is way easier then soft ones such as deer. The MONARCH 3000 Stabilized will do soft targets past 1200 yards. I watched the test and it really does work as expected.

 

[Mike 338]

I just wish rangefinders would range what they say they will. I have a sign 850. You couldn't get it to range 850 off of a drive in movie screen. I don't shoot much over 600. So I got the 850 thinking it would range deer at 600. Not.

Exactly...

Your local Sig Rep needs to be held down and worked over with a tube sock stuffed with oranges for that one. 850 my keister. Yeah, and my car will do 180, but only when being sucked into a black hole in outer space.

People are so used to being deceived that they're disappointed when they're not.

 

[jrock]

In sage brush, I can't get a 1300 yard Bushnell to range 400 yards on a cow. In the mountains where I can get a better reflection angle due to the slopes, I can range 1k most of the time.

 

[Bman940]

From the tests that I have seen and the little hands on experience I have had with the MONARCH 3000 Stabilized both inside and outdoors, it will not disappoint! I have heard that it could be in stores in as little as 2 weeks!

 

[magtech83]

From the tests that I have seen and the little hands on experience I have had with the MONARCH 3000 Stabilized both inside and outdoors, it will not disappoint! I have heard that it could be in stores in as little as 2 weeks!

If I could only trust you.. Been there heard that too many times, especially on forums, to believe it. I'll just have to take one out and test it I guess.

 

[Bman940]

I understand. I wish I could get one into your hands to try out, I thijnk you'd come away a believer. My stabilized rangefinder, 7iVR, is one of the first items to go into my hunting bag. I hope you can check one out sooner then later and come back and give us your thoughts.