Laser Range finders...

[CWLONGSHOT]

Last summer I was gettin ready for "deer season" and I discovered my ol Bushnell 600 range finder gave up the ghost... it comes on but wont read ranges. I was just gonna grab something but as we got closer the seasons where ruined because of the "rona". So I kinda didnt need it as hunting here abouts is close/short ranges. Only PA & VT offer me any distance shots. We didnt travel to hunt last season.

Well unsure this season will be drastically different... But Im thinking things will calm with the "shots". So Im again looking at range finders.

I would like small slim and I dont require thousands of yards readings. Hunting or on game 500 is PLENTY! Also, I dont want to invest allot here 150 ish aughta get me what Im asking.

What have you used what do ya like and what might you buy if you needed?

CW

 

[dale2242]

I have an old Bushnell 600 that is as accurate as any high dollar range finder I have compared it to.
The only problem with it is that it needs a fairly bright object to range on.
If the object is anywhere near the color of the background it won`t range it.

 

[Winelover]

Old Nikon Laser 400 range finder. It's 8x and measures from 10.5 yards to 437 yards with + or - half yard yard accuracy. Compact, weighs 7 ounces and fits in your pocket. Has a continuous ranging option. I purchased it for bow hunting. Arrows drop much faster than bullets.

 

[Brad]

Vortex has a few nice rangefidners.
Mine is a very old Bushnell 600 that did all I ever asked of it.

 

[Ian]

Vortex's is super nice and fits in a shirt pocket. The short range version is all you need.

 

[david s]

In last weeks mail was the SPORTSMANS GUIDE catalog. In it they had Swedish surplus rangefinders. These are either about one yard long (1 meter) or four feet long I cant remember and sit on a tripod. But there accurate as heck and I've always wanted one for no particular reason, They also range out to 12.5 miles. A bunch of these went on the market 20 or so years ago and that was the last time I noticed them. Nowaday's you can get accurate range finding that fits in the palm of your hand for 1/2 the $500 surplus price, doesn't mean I don't want something silly though.

 

[waco]

I use this older Leupold. It’s good to 6-700 yards.

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

Good info!!!

My bushnell was bought in the mid 1990's and has been great. Not any idea how and what happened. I never stored it with a battery (9v) I put new batt in and buttons just do not do anything... :17:

It was "600" and was everything I needed. Having this new height compensation is nice addition. But as I read more most seem to have now.

Most all I see are listed as 12-13-1500 yards BUT dont work on game that far. Sometimes only HALF the advertised number. So they do play games with the numbers. Usually the "number" is a reflective surface in plain site.
Also not many are water proof!!!
Mine was a bit of a chunk. Like a 2/3'd size binocular. Id like a thinner one this time.

Whats the deal with the "golf" versions??? These are cheaper but colored and many water proof where hunting models are camo but only resistant to water

 

[Hawk]

My old company gave me a Bushnell G Force DX when I retired.
5 to 1300 yards and has a slope/elevation change to target.
I like it. It's small and compact.
My old Bushnell had a rubberized "armor" coating that started to break down and got so sticky, I didn't want to use it.
I contacted Bushnell and they said they couldn't repair it.
It was very old and I didn't expect they could fix it, just hoping.

 

[Tomme boy]

Check out the brickseek web site. I saw Nikon and Bushnell ones on there last fall when I was getting the remington 700 for 79$. The rangefinders were 29-49$

 

[BBerguson]

Did you check the battery connections to make sure they weren’t corroded? When these get corroded, they still may get enough electric to run your display but your laser requires a lot more and it may not be getting it. I haven’t seen that with a range finder but lots of other battery operated devices.

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

Did you check the battery connections to make sure they weren’t corroded? When these get corroded, they still may get enough electric to run your display but your laser requires a lot more and it may not be getting it. I haven’t seen that with a range finder but lots of other battery operated devices.

Ill double check that tomorrow.
I did try a couple batteries.
I feel its LONG out of warrenty...

 

[Mitty38]

I have a Simmons volt 4x . I bought it 6 years ago because I needed to lay out and mark some yardages for yote hunting.
Plus it was the only one the local gun shop had in stock. Was like 60 or70 bucks. Gives both meters and yards.
Says it is good and accurate out to 600 yards. Found out, past 400 yards is stretching it, as far as an accurate within 1 ft reading goes.
Have not been easy on it, but is still going strong.
Only issue I have with it, sometimes from sleep, It will not take on the first time.

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

Looks like Im gonna try this one.. I just bought a Muddy LR850X. Its a brand New model.

Not many reviews but Muddys seem to be well Liked. Some on previous models negative but might be personal likes dislikes more then instrument problems.

Fingers crossed. Also paid 104 shipped. Retail was closer to twice that. Yes, it is brand new.
CW

EDIT; I am out of 9v batts so later Ill have to pick some up. Need them for fire and CO monitors soon anyhow!

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

I ordered a New Muddy LR 850X HD this AM. Was 104 shipped.
CW

https://shop.gomuddy.com/muddy-range-finder-850-w-hd/

 

[Mitty38]

IMHO
I personally think that the technology has gone far enough on range finders. Long as you get one set up for your sport, and it costs more then 70 bucks, it is pretty much going to do what you need and for a while.

 

[Petrol & Powder]

CW, I think you made the right call.
It is nearly impossible to economically repair most consumer grade electronics of that class. The type of failure you describe was likely the failure of the processer or maybe the display. In either event, there's no cheap way to repair it. Tossing the old one and replacing it is best course.

If the new one lasts 25+ years like the old one, you're money ahead.

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

The unit came today! Light small and thin. JUST AS i hoped!!

I installed the included battery and went outside. The unit came on I scrolled theu the settings & ranged the neighbors house. 000.... Press....blink.... 000. OOH NO!!!

Back in the house and read the directions. I did everything correct. Then I saw the battery symbol blink. Reading directions showed a pic of a deleted batt symbol and said it will blink before it completely dead. Only mine showed "full" but blinked when turned on??? I found a new battery in the battery bag and BINGO! It was doing all it was supposed to. Kinda strange but it was a supplied no name battery. In any event it seems fine now with a brand new bunny battery.


Thanks for the advice!

CW

 

[Winelover]

Exactly, the same thing happened when I purchased my Sig P-320 RX subcompact. The Romeo1 red dot came supplied, with a unfamiliar named battery. Wouldn't operate the unit, until I went out and bought a new Energizer battery.

 

[smokeywolf]

Wouldn't surprise me if the battery manufacturers get rid of old overruns by selling them to manufacturers of "batteries included" electronics devices.