Problem with my rangefinder. Could use some help or suggestions

[pburton]

I have a Leica 1600B that I have had for several years. It has always worked really well for me until last year. I was on an elk hunt and it stop ranging. I tried changing battery, but still nothing. After the season, I sent it back to Leica and they found that there was a problem, so they sent me a refurbished one. After receiving the new one, I have used it several times to make sure that it works.

I just got back from an antelope hunt and the rangefinder failed again. The evening before open day, I used my rangefinder at camp to assure that it was working and it worked great. We got up on the mountain (2000 feet higher than camp), it stopped working again. It would not range anything at any distance. The red square would come on, but that is it. Luckily my buddy had his and he was able to use it and filled his tag. Back at camp, I took it out and it was again working. This got me thinking about why this would happen. I have come up with two possible reasons. The common theme in both cases that they failed was that I was above 6500ft elevation. But that should not make a difference should it? On the elk hunt, the weather was pretty nice with sunny conditions. On the antelope hunt, we did have some smoke haze from a fire that is about 100 miles from us. But maybe the haze caused this problem this time. It was a little hazy at camp, but seemed a little worse up higher.

It is pretty frustrating that the rangefinder has failed twice when I needed it. Anybody else ever have this happen? Any other problems that it could be that I am missing? I am about ready to get rid of this rangefinder and look for something better. Open to suggestions. Thanks everyone!

 

[nwmnbowhunter]

That's why i always have 2 rangefinders with. Most important piece of gear for me.

Myself and family have had good luck with rx series from Leupold, no trouble so far.

Not sure what is going on with your. I know several people who have had Leica's for up to twenty years and not one failure.

Frustrating for sure, but I would be sure to have a back up from now on.

 

[Ken61]

I have had to clean the battery contacts on mine.

 

[FEENIX]

Have you contacted Leica directly?

 

[jimbires]

the smoke could be the problem . I have a sig 2400ABS . when it's hazy or light fog it really hinders it . yesterday it was hazy with spotty rain . it really didn't look to bad until looking through my scope and spotting scope . the longest target I could range was 1200 yards , it will usually go to 2000 without problems .this is a few times this has happened under these conditions . cleaning the glass and changing battery didn't help . I'm pretty sure it's the poor air causing my problem .

 

[Tgunz64]

Your diopter might be on the fritz. I had a sig kilo 2000 and last year it wouldn't read past 330. And it would not lock on all the time either. Even at closer distance. Called sig and he said it was my diopter. Emailed me a shipping label and I sent it in. They got it on a Friday or Saturday. Monday morning they shipped me back a brand new kilo 2200bdx model. There and back in under a week. If Leica doesn't figure it out look into the kilo models. Great range finders and great cs if you end up needing it.

 

[pburton]

I have not contacted Leica directly yet. I am hoping to see if anyone else has had similar problems before I do. I am in no way trying to bad mouth Leica. I have had very good luck with their products over the last 15 years. It's just the 1600 that has caused any issues. It's about time for me to upgrade anyways. Thanks for the responses.

 

[JAYgs8163]

I had this problem with a Zeiss. Sent it back and got a refurbished one from them in return. After about a year it started acting up as well. Very frustrating to say the least, I eventually just replaced it as I lost confidence in it. Not sure what the anticipated life of one of these is but I ended up getting a Sig Kilo 2400.

 

[JungleShooter]

That's why I always have 2 rangefinders with. Most important piece of gear for me.

Bowhunter,

you're onto something there!
Well said: "Most important piece of gear for me."


Just a couple of weeks ago I forgot my range finder.
(And no, this face palm is not enough to describe this lack of whatever it is that I needed in order not to forget to bring my range finder on that hunt).


My typical quarry is feathers at under 100 yards, sure.

But.... the projectile drop of my rig is so extreme that if I misrange 40y and it's really 44y — I miss my kill zone!
If I misrange by 2y at 60y — I miss my kill zone.


Thankfully, to that hunt I also brought another gun with a little more power (28FPE):
Point blank range 10 to 49 yards.
But misrange at 80y by a mere 3.5 yards — and I miss my kill zone.

Needless to say, the shots I could take that day had to be all pretty close....



So, Bowhunter's advice was right on — and I just bought another range finder to take along.

Matthias



● Note to self: Practice estimating range — then check it with the range finder.

 

[BrentM]

Weird. I have had vortex, leupold, and sig sauer fail but never a leica or a g7. I had 4 sig 2400's that would stop ranging past 400 and then eventually quit. Now I have leica 3200.com bino's.

One thing you may want to double check is the battery compartment contacts an ensure it's not loose etc.

 

[skipglo]

I have a Leica 1600B that I have had for several years. It has always worked really well for me until last year. I was on an elk hunt and it stop ranging. I tried changing battery, but still nothing. After the season, I sent it back to Leica and they found that there was a problem, so they sent me a refurbished one. After receiving the new one, I have used it several times to make sure that it works.

I just got back from an antelope hunt and the rangefinder failed again. The evening before open day, I used my rangefinder at camp to assure that it was working and it worked great. We got up on the mountain (2000 feet higher than camp), it stopped working again. It would not range anything at any distance. The red square would come on, but that is it. Luckily my buddy had his and he was able to use it and filled his tag. Back at camp, I took it out and it was again working. This got me thinking about why this would happen. I have come up with two possible reasons. The common theme in both cases that they failed was that I was above 6500ft elevation. But that should not make a difference should it? On the elk hunt, the weather was pretty nice with sunny conditions. On the antelope hunt, we did have some smoke haze from a fire that is about 100 miles from us. But maybe the haze caused this problem this time. It was a little hazy at camp, but seemed a little worse up higher.

It is pretty frustrating that the rangefinder has failed twice when I needed it. Anybody else ever have this happen? Any other problems that it could be that I am missing? I am about ready to get rid of this rangefinder and look for something better. Open to suggestions. Thanks everyone!

Lasers won't work in mist,rain or smoke. The particulate refracts the beam but I have gotten yardage readings in early morning fogs at times....just 8 different readings on the stationary target and differences of about 500 yards.. lol

 

[Greyfox]

Electronics by their very nature have a limited life, and are prone to failure. Carrying a back-up is wise. I have had issues with the Sig/Leica/Terrapin-X). Success with getting them permanently repaired by the factory has been spotty. Like BrentM's experience, my go-to G7's used VERY heavily for many years, have never failed, to deliver.

 

[LRNut]

My original Leica Geovid bought in 1993 still ranges. Have never had a RF fail to range except one of the cheaper Bushnell RFs - I was on my way to Scotland to hunt red stag and dropped it going through security; assume that that laser and receptor were no longer aligned. Have used various Leica RFs, SIG 2400 ABS, and G7 - never had a problem with them failing to range, except under snowy conditions (even the haze from CA fires hasn't killed my SIG).

Treat your RF like your rifle/scope combo - don't toss it around, and if you drop it on a hard surface, make sure it will still range.

 

[7Rum Slayer]

First off yes smoke will limit your ranging for sure, I live and hunt in Northern Ca I know this all to well. I have a few Leica rangefinders including the 1600B and most have been very reliable. I love my 1000R for bowhunting and have had if for years, also have an older LRF box 1200 that has been extremely durable. That being said I have had nothing but problems with my 1600B. The ballistic curves never matched anything so I use it as a stand alone, it quit ranging past about 600 yards in the first year. I sent back to Leica USA and they sent me a new one. It sat in my safe for a few years before I tried that one and It would not range accurate at bowhunting distances. Back to Leica and another one was sent out. So far the third one is working but honestly I have lost faith in it. I run my G7 BR2 for hunting and am currently waiting on the G7 BR4. Leica will make it right, but I am over that model. best of luck, Jason