Rangefinder help: Vortex4000hd, Leupold 2800, Leica

[nicholasjohn]

View attachment 155691 Pale, did you try a new battery? I ask because my rf degraded from early mulie hot weather hunts with a new battery to last week in single digit temps with 2 bars for the battery. Not sure if it is the battery, the cold or both. I know my iphone went from full charge to 1% in less than an hour while filming mulies in 11 deg weather. Would have got better pics of this guy!

You should just shoot that one and then you can get a real close-up picture of him.

 

[Mram10us]

Ha! I wish. We were after the wife's elk. She would leave me on the mountain if I touch her 28 nosler

 

[entoptics]

For your purposes, have you considered ranging binos? The extra magnification over monoculars might help you keep the beam on target better.

I recently got a set of used Vortex Fury 5000 binos, and they are legit. Good glass, and the rangefinder is astonishing. So far, the most impressive to me have been 3600 yds on a wheat stubble field in bright daylight and a little whitetail doe at 1400 yds. The doe was on a hillside, and I had no trouble telling the difference between her and the hill behind her 10 yds further. It works so well, that I'm actually limited by how steady I can hold it.

From my research, the Sig 3000 binos are just as good, and they have bluetooth and ranging solutions built in too.

Either can be found for just a hair north of your $800 budget, if you score a good coupon or deal. Black Friday is just around the corner too...

 

[DesertDweller62]

As Gr8ful Doug said... You won't go wrong with a Leica. Have been using one for years and have no problems ranging animals at the longer ranges. DD 62

 

[Defiance7mm]

I'm a big fan of the Leupold 2800. Ranges critters constantly past 1400 and trees to 2300. I've had Sig and Vortex rangefinders in the past. The Leupold is way faster and more consistent at ranging steel and critters. Just my 2 cents

 

[Aaron301]

Leica

 

[PredatorSlayer]

I had the Vortex 4000 for about a week. Brought it to the blood stripe sniper challenge in MT last may and ended up borrowing a Nikon to get through the match. I had a hard time getting returns on anything other than a cliff face. It struggled to get steel targets out in a cut field at 600 yards. It could have been just that individual unit but I was really disappointed. The only thing I really liked was the glass quality. The Nikon 4k worked great on targets out to 1400+ in bright sunlight. If the glass was a little better I'd buy one. I'm in the market for a new one as well as my wife will be getting my sig 2000 as I get it back from getting warrantied.

Bummer to hear about Vortex. I have been using a Leupold rX1000 for the last 7 years and decided I wanted to upgrade. Vortex is one of the only ones who offers a VIP lifetime warranty on rangefinders, so I have been leaning that way. I have read mostly positive reviews, but not from anybody who has really put one through the ringer.

 

[LeddSlinger]

I was in the market for a new LR rangefinder as well. Did a ton of research on the new 4k Vortex, Leica 2800.com, and Leupold rx-2800.

Owned Leica 1600 and it was great, but wanted more power and the Leica was rendered useless in any sort if precipitation (rain, snow, sleet, etc.)

Owned a Sig 2200MR, it was a total pile of junk. 1368 yards was the best I ever got while hitting a very large reflective target (steel buulding). Customer service blew me off and basically told me "too bad, that's good enough". Wouldnt even allow me to send it in for inspection. I will NEVER buy another Sig product again after experiencing their horrible customer service.
--------------------------
Currently own a Nikon Black 4K. Very powerful and reliable, but the glass is a little lacking with non-HD lenses and only 6x magnification. This is the rangefinder I gave to my son, so I still needed one.

After endless hours of review, I finally settled on the Leupold rx-2800. Has nice HD 7x glass, different reticle modes, ranges well beyond its stated rating even in normal daylight, and has an internal Ballistics calculator. The Leica 2800 also has all those features, but I don't need bluetooth and couldnt justify spending over double the money with the only gain being bluetooth functionality.

You cant find a bad review on the Leupold rx-2800 anywhere and it was the best performer at long range in all conditions when compared by others to different rangefinders. Its sitting at my house right now waiting for me to get home and review it. Excited to see if it lives up to the hype.

Heres a great and very thorough video review by "Rex Reviews" on YouTube. He really puts the RX-2800 through the paces. Extremely impressive performance in broad daylight. He even tests it in a heavy snow storm where it still return ranges up to 400 yards. My old Leica was great, but as stated before, it was completely useless in snow and rain. So that's another plus for the Leupold.

 

[26Reload]

I cwrry my rx2800 inside my outer shirt....keeps it warm..have had same battery for two years..although I do pull it when not used for extended time....
Had it out this year...saw some deer thru my switchpower bunks...ranged the trees next to the deer.....2680.....just a touch out of my range.....but any animal within realistic shooting is easily registered on the rangefinder.....i think the furthered I have had it range was 3100 yards....or so....

 

[lyotehunter]

my vortex 4000 works great,as good as buddies, nikon and luepold.the good thing about it is if it quits they have a great warranty .I have a sig 2200 ,and a leica, and a swaro. the vortex out performs them. range finders are a thing that can have lots of issues.

 

[AZHunting]

Leica, I have had 3 in the past 12 years and loved all of them. I have been running the 1600B for awhile however it doesn't have all the bells and whistles like the new ones...
Just remember you can't range something you can't see. The Leica glass is excellent.

 

[LeddSlinger]

Just remember you can't range something you can't see. The Leica glass is excellent.

Totally agree on the Leica glass. Probably the best glass in rangefinders. However, a person doesnt glass and scan the terrain for game animals with a rangefinder. While good glass is important in a rangefinder, it doesnt have to be the "best" because the animals have more than likely already been located with other optics.

I locate my game with 10x42 Leica Noctivid binoculars and a Meopta S2 HD spotting scope. No problem seeing and ranging animals with mid grade LRF glass once I know where the animal or target is located. Nonetheless, it is very nice having good glass in a rangefinder and I do prefer LRFs with top glass even though it is not really required. It is a little disheartening to go from Leica Noctivid and Meopta HD glass while searching for animals to non-HD Nikon glass when ranging. I'm hoping my new Leupold RX-2800 has glass as good as the reviews state. I dont expect it to be quite on par with the Leica 1600 I owned in the past, but if it's close I'll be happy. I definitely expect the Leupold to outshine my Nikon 4K optically. Will see soon enough.

 

[AZHunting]

I agree that you shouldn't have to scan the terrain for game however out here in AZ finding coues deer is one of the hardest things you can glass. Many times you find them in your Bino's and they disappear on you when you try and range them up. They aren't called the Grey Ghost for no reason. So having the best glass on your rangefinder in crappy conditions always helps. All the products you have listed I have tested. They all work great, nothing wrong with any of your choices. Good Luck...

 

[dfanonymous]

They would disappear on you all the same by the time you get behind the gun. Let's not mistake missed opportunity for glass quality.