Rangefinder for flat lands

[Rick Richard]

My 1600 has trouble ranging prairie dog mounds past 400 or so, the 2700 has no trouble on a good dirt mound to close to 1000. And that is just braced on the quad or truck door, no tripod.... The 2700 has ranged a single antelope at 2200 from a tripod. My 1600 and Sig 2000 struggle on antelope much past 8-900....

Don't disagree with you, but my 1600b has not trouble ranging way past what you experienced with yours. Maybe you got a bad one....just saying.

 

[jrock]

I do lots of ground squirrel hunting and ranging them at LR would be nice.

 

[naja302]

The only thing that works across the flats is the Swarovski dS. Truly amazing. Put the crosshairs on it and hit the button and you'll get the same # +/-1 or 2 yards every time. All hand held rangefinders tend to be + or - a couple hundred yards

 

[jrock]

Just 10 time more than I budgeted for.

 

[naja302]

Once you use one your ruined...seriously it's worth selling your car/house/kidney/all other guns/ whatever it takes. Truly an amazing tool for a hunting rifle. Only real problem is then you'll want one for your 17HMR, muzzle loader and everything so it probably is advisable to just get rid of all other guns to eliminate that possibility...you can only sell one kidney after all...

 

[jrock]

I have this problem with nice optics. Really have to try hard to limit my exposure to better things.

 

[naja302]

In all seriousness, probably the best advice for you is to put a tripod adapter plate on your rangefinder and use it on a tripod whenever necessary to get the best reading

 

[mpayne]

My 1600-B ranged a 20"x 20" steel at 1522 without a tripod.

 

[Monkeywerench1973]

My nikon 4 k does better than my sig 2200
My Leica 2200 geovids so better than both
But the Sig 2200 will give me 1000 on a rock
Chuck Size target The sig and nikon both do better in the fog than my 2200 Leica geovids

 

[J E Custom]

A few tips when looking for a laser range finder that might help.

I have owned quite a few and continually had to up grade for many reasons and this was what I found wrong with many different range finders.

First = none of them will work to the distance unless it is perfect conditions. (It is rare to have even good conditions). Most of them worked well all the time at half the advertised distance.

Next = Targeting was way off on most and on distant targets, they would miss the intended point of aim. the way to prove this is to find a single target above the skyline with no back stop and target something small. (I found the tail on a wind mill to work by moving the point of aim around to get a return signal) Top to bottom and side to side to side. Each range finder has a rectangle size that it needs to return the signal/laser. you must this size before testing targeting.

Some range finders have to large of a reflective area needed to be accurate and some have to small an area to find the target. Research the specifications for each range finder that fits in your budget and has close to double the advertised distance you actually need and you will be ok.

The one that I have settled on is a 2,000 yard model and it is very dependable to 1700 to 1800 yards under hunting conditions. it handles the snow, rain and objects very close in line with my intended target.

If I had bought a top end range finder in the first place, I would have saved more that twice the cost of my current ranger finder.

A range finder is like a rifle, Better to have more than you need than to have less when you really need it.

J E CUSTOM

 

[jrock]

Thanks. Iv'e upgraded as my skills have improved. My first RF was for bow hunting. I've followed the "double the number" rule and that is why I was wondering if the 1600 would be worth getting over 2k+ model. My Bushnell actually does pretty well in the mountains. I've ranged elk out to 900 and rocks to 1300. It just doesn't work in the flat land.

 

[villagelightsmith]

I like the convenience the Russian tank/sniper/sapper coincidence rfdr, the optics of the Swedish Nife, and for varmints, the utility of the big German military units. I have a Swarovski, and it's nicest to carry. It takes some fiddling. Find something about the same range as my intended target that will give me a reading, and maybe do some interpolation. Lacking a theodolite, a tripod, tape, time and a helper, (don't we all dream?) the most satisfying way I've found is to do a nice long stalk. If the game will hold still. Some critters are just naturally on the move all the time. Maybe that's why we call it hunting.

 

[TexSavage]

A few tips when looking for a laser range finder that might help.

I have owned quite a few and continually had to up grade for many reasons and this was what I found wrong with many different range finders.

First = none of them will work to the distance unless it is perfect conditions. (It is rare to have even good conditions). Most of them worked well all the time at half the advertised distance.

Next = Targeting was way off on most and on distant targets, they would miss the intended point of aim. the way to prove this is to find a single target above the skyline with no back stop and target something small. (I found the tail on a wind mill to work by moving the point of aim around to get a return signal) Top to bottom and side to side to side. Each range finder has a rectangle size that it needs to return the signal/laser. you must this size before testing targeting.

Some range finders have to large of a reflective area needed to be accurate and some have to small an area to find the target. Research the specifications for each range finder that fits in your budget and has close to double the advertised distance you actually need and you will be ok.

The one that I have settled on is a 2,000 yard model and it is very dependable to 1700 to 1800 yards under hunting conditions. it handles the snow, rain and objects very close in line with my intended target.

If I had bought a top end range finder in the first place, I would have saved more that twice the cost of my current ranger finder.

A range finder is like a rifle, Better to have more than you need than to have less when you really need it.

J E CUSTOM

J E, which rangefinder did you end up choosing. You can PM me if you'd like. Thanks in advance.

Tex