hopefully with a little more research and member input I can make a decision.
The top 3 under $1000 are the Leica (now available in the CRF 1600 and what I would buy) The Zeiss and the Swaro Laserguide. I have owned many many RF's and have studied them in actual field conditions for several years. There is tons of info on this forum testing these units that goes back a few years anyway. I have owned 4 or 5 Swaro's (lost count) 4 Leica's, and had the pleasure of testing a Zeiss along with them for a day in Wyoming hunting antelope. They all have the power to range to 1000 yards plus in good conditions. The question is what are you ranging? Many users are fooled buy the fact they see a number come up and are convinced that it is a distance to the subjective target they picked. Not always so. An RF beam is like that of a flashlight. The further it goes out the larger it gets. Now lay that flashlight on a table and look at the beam. Its reflective path gets very loooonnnngg. The larger beams are more apt to return a number. But with, for example the Swaro, that beam is 6 feet in all directions at 1000 yards. So if there is a bush 50 yards closer that the beam reflects off of, that is what you get. Using an RF at long distance becomes a lot like shooting long range. You need a good rest!! Especially with the RF's that have the smaller beams. But they are the most precise and accurate. Remember that distance is the most important part of any shooting correction. If you are off 30 yards at 1000 you will miss or wound.
I now own two RF's. A Vectronix PLRF10 and a Leica 1200 CRF-Y. I shoot yotes and antelope on flat ground at distance of 1000 yards plus. I insist on the smallest beams available. I have seen the effects of large beams and could not take the shot on a true trophy Kansas WT deer because of it. Two days later I took a small doe at the farther distance of 1137 yards to fill my tag.
Here is how these units rank in beam divergence size listed smallest to largest.
Smallest, Leica, then Swaro, and the Zeiss is the largest.
The Vectronix is the smallest I have found and by far the most powerful. But I will leave it out as it is in a much higher price range.
I use an RF alot I doubt a week goes by I dont use one. What ever you decide on, I would suggest you go out and practice with it. Get it on sand bags in different conditions and learn to use it. Learn its strong points as well as its weak points. Then when the time comes to range that trophy you will have an edge.
JMHO
Good Luck!
Jeff gun)------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
