Leica 1200 RF

[Pat B.]

Hi fellas,
I got a Leica 1200 a couple of weeks ago and so far I've been dissapointed in it.. I have tried ranging houses and barns at 600-1000 yards, known, and haven't been able to get a reading on them. I think the farthest reading I've gotten on anything was around 500.. I've tried in sunlight, overcast and everything inbetween..

Is this performance typical? Am I expecting too much or is this unit not performing up to standards?

thanks,
Pat

 

[royinidaho]

I flat love mine.

I've noticed that ranging to 1200 yds every time you click it is difficult. But I've ranged important stuff out to 1198 on a regular basis.

Have very little problem at ranges under 900.

It wins comparison tests with all of the others that my hunting buddies carry.

I'd mess with it a bit more before I got excited......

Just my experience.

 

[Ridge Runner]

Yeah somethin seems amiss here, I'm exceptionately pleased with mine, have ranged deer to 944 yds, barns to 1190's, even groundhogs to 600's. Which was impossile with my bushnell.
JS

 

[nowler]

mines is spot on too.

maybe you should lay off the juice for a while? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[alremkin]

What I've found is that to range the longer distances, is that it has to be held steady, not moving. To get accurate reading beyond 600 yds, I usually set it on something, use a rest, to steady it. It's sort of like shooting from the standing position, a lot of movement. So for longer distances I'll either rest the rangefinder on something or use somthing to support my elbows to help steady the range finder. Remember to get a return signal one must hold the laser on the object continually. I hope this helps, it took me a while to realize this myself when I first got the range finder, LRF1200, I find it works very well out to about 1100 yards. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[JustC]

try a new battery.

 

[Birth Controller2]

Lenses clean?

I wouldn't deny it a high quality, new 9 volt battery, either.

You got good advice above ... hold the "fire" button down until you are through ranging and get a monopod or something for the shakes. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

TBC

 

[Pat B.]

Thanks for the advice..
This is a brand new rangefinder, well about 2 or 3 weeks old. It has the battery that came with it. The lenses appear clean, I have used rests each time I've used it.
I will try another battery and see it that does the trick.
Again, thanks for your comments.

 

[Birth Controller2]

There HAS been some cranky ones to hit the market. As I understand, it was mainly the 800's but ... I've heard of a couple 1200's that had to be replaced.

TBC

[ QUOTE ]
Thanks for the advice..
This is a brand new rangefinder, well about 2 or 3 weeks old. It has the battery that came with it. The lenses appear clean, I have used rests each time I've used it.
I will try another battery and see it that does the trick.
Again, thanks for your comments.

[/ QUOTE ]

 

[4ked Horn]

I'm with JustC on this one. A new battery is the first thing I would try. I have found many "new" batteries to be the culprit on many battery powered lock mechanisims that I work with.

Buy the batteries from the rack closest to the cash registers at the store. They are the newest ones in the store. Dont buy them off the rack at the back of the store near the clothing department or the plumbing supplies.

Good luck.

One last thing. Cold temps will suck the life right out of most batteries. I don't know if this is a factor for you but I thought I would mention it.

 

[marketello]

What I can add is a few things I found make a difference. The color of the object makes a big difference, and the angle of what you are shooting. Blacks and greys give a lousy reading. I actually couldn't get a reading one day off a black mailbox that was fifty yards away. Shot the white one next to it, no problem.
If you shoot a house at 1000 yds, but you are at a wrong angle, I think the lazer deflects away. I have to shoot at a part of the house that is squared to me to get a bounce back..

 

[3sixbits]

[ QUOTE ]
What I've found is that to range the longer distances, is that it has to be held steady, not moving. To get accurate reading beyond 600 yds, I usually set it on something, use a rest, to steady it. It's sort of like shooting from the standing position, a lot of movement. So for longer distances I'll either rest the rangefinder on something or use somthing to support my elbows to help steady the range finder. Remember to get a return signal one must hold the laser on the object continually. I hope this helps, it took me a while to realize this myself when I first got the range finder, LRF1200, I find it works very well out to about 1100 yards. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[/ QUOTE ] Once upon a time, I watched as three fellows stood side by side and with the same model range finders aimming at the same target got three different readings. I asked them to all take a rest and give it a try, what a suprise when they all had the same readings. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[wapiti13]

I have a Leica 1200 and love it also. Remember that the laser beam is a very narrow beam.. It reflects off the intended object at the same angle it strikes (if you hit at a 45 degree angle, it reflects off at a 45 degree angle away from you). To get a good reading at longer ranges, the squarer you are to the target, the better your chances of getting a good return and a solid reading. That is why a hard surface reads easier than a "soft"(animal) return, which tends to defuse the beam. Live critters don't tend to bounce the beam back unless they are fairly square to you. Try shooting a round fence post and your beams goes everywhere except back at you often. Hit a rock face, etc. fairly square to you and readings are consistent. That is why at longer ranges I try to bounce off a hard reflective surface near my target. Not always possible, but much better consistency! Leica has a tighter beam than other models like Bushnell. The beam on a 1200 is stronger than say on a 900, which allows further readings, but beam must be tighter to travel to the further object and reflect back. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Cowman]

I had a 1200 that was defective..not much good past 400 yards unless the target was larger than a barn. Sent it back and Leica promptly replaced with the then new scan model at no charge. Can't say enough good about that one, will range past 1000 no problem, if you can hold it steady. Cowman