Is someone have use mechanical rangefinder? and how accurate it is (approx.) because it's less expensive and more reliable than electronic models.
Thanks!

I have one of them, "Ranger 1000." They are accurate enough, but their accuracy can change by a few feet with temperature changes, and are very heavy, too. I have only used mine a couple of times, and don't like it very much. To adjust it, one has to "range" something at a pre-measured distance of 200 yards. I just take it to the shooting range and adjust it there.

What I did last Christmas was to tell my wife what range finder was in my wish list, and she bought me a Leica LRF1200 Scan laser range finder.

That's the way to go if you want a range finder. This range finder is accurate within a yard a 1,200 yards. I would not worry about the battery, since you can use it for at least 1,000 times or more before having to replace the 9-volt battery. It only weights 13 ounces, and the body measures approximately 4" wide x 4" deep x 2" high, so it fits in your pocket. It comes with a carrying case. I paid $459.00 or so for it, but the LRF900 is cheaper.

I used a mechanical rangefinder years ago, it was only about 39% less accurate than guessing.
The big artillery rangefinders are accurate, but not prtable- and not cheap, either.
A laser rangefinder is the way to go- i agree with Ray about the Leica.

Stay away from the mechanical range finders. The laser finders are more accurate and lighter. They can now be bought that fit in your pocket. I've had a couple of the mechanical type and both got throwed in the river at one time or another. Nothing like frustration to see how far you can throw one. Didn't even need the rangefinder to see how far it was.

I had a Ranging 1000 mechanical rangefiner. It worked ok if you were stationary for a while and could recalibrate it there and then on a known distance, say by pacing out 200 yds. But I would never rely on it for an accurate eading without going through those motions. It was a very fragile yet bulky system.. the laser rangefinders are more expensive , but worth every cent.

My mechanical range finder works very well and is extremely accurate however getting the animal to hold the end of the tape can sometimes be difficult. :D

My mechanical range finder works very well and is extremely accurate however getting the animal to hold the end of the tape can sometimes be difficult. :D

That's funny :D

You walk to the moose, tape-measure on one hand, and a sledge hammer on the other hand?

You must have known my daddy. His idea of a rangefinder was a ball of string. After he shot the deer he'd tie the string to a tree and walk to the deer. When he got to the deer he'd cut the string, gut the deer, tell me to drag it outta the woods and he'd retrieve the string and have my little brother measure it with a yardstick when we got home.

He didn't care how many feet or yards away the deer was, he just said: "That deer was a hundret ,n sixty sticks away when I shot him." Maybe that's why I see bullet trajectory like it was a piece of string running out of the muzzle and ending up on the point of impact desired on the animal.

Bluesman

That's funny :D

You walk to the moose, tape-measure on one hand, and a sledge hammer on the other hand?