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Author Topic: Rangefinder reviews  (Read 9054 times)

Offline SkookumHntr

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Rangefinder reviews
« on: August 11, 2024, 10:31:45 AM »
-im in the market for a new rangfinder, i have the old bushnell arc 1500 and works great but its huge, i have a vortex ranger 1300 its junk, it dont work on a animal, cant even range my dog at 30 yards. Looking for a compact one that will fit in my chest pocket that will actually work on a animal. Considering the bone collecter one by bushnell if it works as good as the other bushnell i have. Thanks for any imput 🍻
« Last Edit: August 11, 2024, 10:09:27 PM by SkookumHntr »
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Offline pickardjw

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Re: Rangefinder reviews
« Reply #1 on: August 11, 2024, 04:53:16 PM »
For archery or rifle? With or without ballistics?

My Sig BDX Kilo1600 has been great as my primary ballistics solver. That's an old model now, but I'd buy any of their current BDX models if I needed a new one. I believe some of them have archery mode now as well. 

Offline Sakko300wsm

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Re: Rangefinder reviews
« Reply #2 on: August 11, 2024, 06:05:26 PM »
I would go with Sig - their range finders are a very good product. I use them for archery. With that said I use Leica combos for rifle hunting

Offline bearpaw

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Re: Rangefinder reviews
« Reply #3 on: August 11, 2024, 07:07:48 PM »
If you can afford to get a good rangefinding binocular you may never use an ordinary rangefinder again. A few years ago I bit the bullet and bought the Leica 10x42 Geovid 3000, its clearer than my swarovskis and I have not used my rangefinder since getting the Leica's. I love them!
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Offline timberhunter

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Re: Rangefinder reviews
« Reply #4 on: August 11, 2024, 07:15:05 PM »
Upgraded a few years back from an old Nikon monarch to a vortex razor hd 4000. Mostly because the screen was not illuminated on the Nikon.  The vortex is a great rangefinder and is much brighter and clearer. I ranged an open meadow today with it at 1115 yards and would range instantly at that distance. I went vortex the last couple because of the warranty. The girlfriend had a Leupold that seen very little use and the illumination slowly faded until it was impossible to read. It might be worth a shot to send your vortex in for warranty. I had to use their warranty on a Pair of binoculars and they were easy to deal with.

Offline jrebel

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Re: Rangefinder reviews
« Reply #5 on: August 11, 2024, 07:21:49 PM »
Sig Kilo rangefinders are amazing.  I have owned three of them over the last 10 years and love everything about them. 

Offline zwickeyman

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Re: Rangefinder reviews
« Reply #6 on: August 11, 2024, 07:26:08 PM »
Sig Kilo rangefinders are amazing.  I have owned three of them over the last 10 years and love everything about them.

 :yeah:Love my Sig, had it 4 or 5 years and works flawlessly. Ranged out to over 1500 yards with it today. Auto brightness LED, angle comp etc
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Offline SkookumHntr

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Re: Rangefinder reviews
« Reply #7 on: August 11, 2024, 07:47:55 PM »
I ended up going with the new leica CRF-R, more then i wanted to spend but ohwell.  :)
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Offline follow maggie

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Re: Rangefinder reviews
« Reply #8 on: August 11, 2024, 07:50:49 PM »
I have an sig kilo 2200 bdx that I love. Awesome range finder. Whatever anyone gets, be sure to get a red display. Super important early/late in the day or in the timber.
« Last Edit: August 26, 2024, 06:09:21 PM by follow maggie »

Offline pickardjw

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Re: Rangefinder reviews
« Reply #9 on: August 11, 2024, 07:58:32 PM »
If you can afford to get a good rangefinding binocular you may never use an ordinary rangefinder again. A few years ago I bit the bullet and bought the Leica 10x42 Geovid 3000, its clearer than my swarovskis and I have not used my rangefinder since getting the Leica's. I love them!

I'm planning on going to the Revic's next year. I've heard, "regular binoculars are for looking at animals, rangefinding binoculars are for killing animals"

Offline jrebel

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Re: Rangefinder reviews
« Reply #10 on: August 11, 2024, 08:22:06 PM »
If you can afford to get a good rangefinding binocular you may never use an ordinary rangefinder again. A few years ago I bit the bullet and bought the Leica 10x42 Geovid 3000, its clearer than my swarovskis and I have not used my rangefinder since getting the Leica's. I love them!

I'm planning on going to the Revic's next year. I've heard, "regular binoculars are for looking at animals, rangefinding binoculars are for killing animals"

What are people doing when the electronics go bad inside their binoculars.  Most rangefinders last 5-7 years, in my experience.  So when the rangefinder goes bad inside the 3K dollar binoculars, are you just SOL??  I have a set of Swaro's that are over 20 years old and still have amazing glass.


Offline pickardjw

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Re: Rangefinder reviews
« Reply #11 on: August 12, 2024, 08:13:14 AM »
If you can afford to get a good rangefinding binocular you may never use an ordinary rangefinder again. A few years ago I bit the bullet and bought the Leica 10x42 Geovid 3000, its clearer than my swarovskis and I have not used my rangefinder since getting the Leica's. I love them!

I'm planning on going to the Revic's next year. I've heard, "regular binoculars are for looking at animals, rangefinding binoculars are for killing animals"

What are people doing when the electronics go bad inside their binoculars.  Most rangefinders last 5-7 years, in my experience.  So when the rangefinder goes bad inside the 3K dollar binoculars, are you just SOL??  I have a set of Swaro's that are over 20 years old and still have amazing glass.

I wasn't aware of that being an issue with RF bino's. The Revic's have a 2 year manufacturer warranty with a 3 year "goodwill" warranty on electronics from Revic on top of that for 5 years as I understand it. They've only been out for a year-ish, so no real longevity reviews beyond that.

Revic Optics, a subsidiary of Gunwerks LLC, warranties the mechanical and optical parts of their products to be free from defects in material or workmanship for a period of five (5) years, and the electronic parts for a period of two (2) years from the date of purchase.  After the manufacturer's warranty period, Revic Optics will, at it's sole discretion will cover the costs of labor and/or materials of repairs for mechanical and optical parts for an additional period of five (5) years, and for electronic parts for a period of three (3) years on a goodwill repair basis.

Offline jaymark6655

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Re: Rangefinder reviews
« Reply #12 on: August 12, 2024, 08:50:55 AM »
I love my Sig Kilo as well. I went to the store to buy a Vortex, but saw the Kilo at the counter. I stood there in store researching and comparing. Kilo seemed to have the better glass and better laser. Its laser was a true circle vs an ellipse shape. It spreads over range, so the ellipse might give returns off something you are trying to range past vs the dot won't have expanded enough to provide a return off a object near the laser's path.
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Offline mcrawfordaf

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Re: Rangefinder reviews
« Reply #13 on: August 12, 2024, 09:02:46 AM »
You can also pair the SIG Kilos with a Kestrel and get extended ballistics accuracy. Or go even further and pair it up with a SIG scope and get automatic ballistics data to your reticle.

SIG really seems to be the go to for range finding at the most affordable rate without having to worry about sending them in every year.

Offline Lowedog

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Re: Rangefinder reviews
« Reply #14 on: August 12, 2024, 09:27:13 AM »
If you can afford to get a good rangefinding binocular you may never use an ordinary rangefinder again. A few years ago I bit the bullet and bought the Leica 10x42 Geovid 3000, its clearer than my swarovskis and I have not used my rangefinder since getting the Leica's. I love them!

I'm planning on going to the Revic's next year. I've heard, "regular binoculars are for looking at animals, rangefinding binoculars are for killing animals"

What are people doing when the electronics go bad inside their binoculars.  Most rangefinders last 5-7 years, in my experience.  So when the rangefinder goes bad inside the 3K dollar binoculars, are you just SOL??  I have a set of Swaro's that are over 20 years old and still have amazing glass.

This is why I went with the Vortex Fury HD 5000 AB when I was shopping a couple years ago.   The fact Vortex has lifetime warranty no matter what was the deciding factor for me.  I haven't regretted my choice at all and at this point can't imagine not hunting with range finding binos.  It is so fast and easy. 
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