bstomper
Well-Known Member
Me too.
Range Finder Advice
- Thread starter bocajnala
- Start date
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yobuck
Well-Known Member
What you need to be asking yourself is, (What are my goals? )
If your goals are to be very profficient at hitting targets at various long distances, well thats one thing. If on the other hand your interest lies in extending the range of your rifle while hunting deer from the (same) locations every year, you really dont need (any) rangefinder. Thats not to say you dont need to know how far it is.
Or another way of saying the same thing is, (How much elevation do i need to add
to my scope to hit that deer?) There are different approaches one can use in order to get that information.
One would be by ranging the target, then adding the required elevation to the scope.
That of coarse requires having a rangefinder at your disposal.
Ill stop right now, right here, and say that sounds easier than it sometimes actually is.
For one thing, the rangefinder (must) give you a reading (every) time you ask it to do so, no excuses accepted.
And you know what? NONE, with the possible exception of the Vectronix will do that.
Most will work well some of the time, and some will work most of the time. And the latter also includes the more expensive ones like the G7.
This fall i was planning on buying a new laser after selling the Swarovski id owned for about 5 years.
Because id grown to hate it for not showing up when i needed it. I was shooting in Oct. at a reclaimed strip mine where we could shoot to some hellish distances. The property owner had been setting up some steel targets at various distances with the furthest at that time being 1600 yds. He and another guy there had both recently aquired G7 rangefinders and both were set up on tripods. When we were finished shooting i asked if i could try the
rangefinders. Neither would range the 1600 yd 2'x4' steel target even though i tried numerous times and so did others. Thank you, dont call me ill call you were my thoughts. The sun was blamed and so was the angle of the sun as to how it shined on the target.
Knowing the distance to a specific spot like say a rock is actually a better method for those using the same locations year after year.
Another way is to know how much scope elevation is required to hit those type tatgets and have notes you can use for a quick reference. We have a book showing every location we hunt giving that type information. I killed my only PA black bear at 700 yds without taking a range before i shot. And i hit and killed it on the first shot. My old Wild military rangefinder had been carried to that spot years earlier and that information gathered.
We could have done it by shooting at various targets also.
If your goals are to be very profficient at hitting targets at various long distances, well thats one thing. If on the other hand your interest lies in extending the range of your rifle while hunting deer from the (same) locations every year, you really dont need (any) rangefinder. Thats not to say you dont need to know how far it is.
Or another way of saying the same thing is, (How much elevation do i need to add
to my scope to hit that deer?) There are different approaches one can use in order to get that information.
One would be by ranging the target, then adding the required elevation to the scope.
That of coarse requires having a rangefinder at your disposal.
Ill stop right now, right here, and say that sounds easier than it sometimes actually is.
For one thing, the rangefinder (must) give you a reading (every) time you ask it to do so, no excuses accepted.
And you know what? NONE, with the possible exception of the Vectronix will do that.
Most will work well some of the time, and some will work most of the time. And the latter also includes the more expensive ones like the G7.
This fall i was planning on buying a new laser after selling the Swarovski id owned for about 5 years.
Because id grown to hate it for not showing up when i needed it. I was shooting in Oct. at a reclaimed strip mine where we could shoot to some hellish distances. The property owner had been setting up some steel targets at various distances with the furthest at that time being 1600 yds. He and another guy there had both recently aquired G7 rangefinders and both were set up on tripods. When we were finished shooting i asked if i could try the
rangefinders. Neither would range the 1600 yd 2'x4' steel target even though i tried numerous times and so did others. Thank you, dont call me ill call you were my thoughts. The sun was blamed and so was the angle of the sun as to how it shined on the target.
Knowing the distance to a specific spot like say a rock is actually a better method for those using the same locations year after year.
Another way is to know how much scope elevation is required to hit those type tatgets and have notes you can use for a quick reference. We have a book showing every location we hunt giving that type information. I killed my only PA black bear at 700 yds without taking a range before i shot. And i hit and killed it on the first shot. My old Wild military rangefinder had been carried to that spot years earlier and that information gathered.
We could have done it by shooting at various targets also.
Last edited:
bocajnala
Well-Known Member
Great info yobuck. I know the ranges out to 400 at the main field I shoot at. But I want to expand my options in the LR world. I'm just starting out and this is going to be multiple years worth of learning. Both due to practice time and money that is available. I have places that I can shoot much farther than 400, which is why I think I'm ready to use a range finder to help me get to the next step. The sig is sounding and looking really good. With my current rifle set up I believe I can get to 600, and possibly farther with practice. But I want the range finder to help me do it in the field. I'm going to look into the nikon 7 too.
-Jake
-Jake
