I've been using a friend's older Simmons laser rangefinder for a while, and it's great to get yardages, but wow, that unit weighs more than my full size Nikon binos. There's a whole crop of rangefinders out there, that I haven't had the least experience with.

What do you folks use and reccomend?

Thanks, and God Bless,

I've been using a friend's older Simmons laser rangefinder for a while, and it's great to get yardages, but wow, that unit weighs more than my full size Nikon binos. There's a whole crop of rangefinders out there, that I haven't had the least experience with.

What do you folks use and reccomend?

Thanks, and God Bless,
Marshall,

I've got a Bushnell Yardage Pro 500 that works well, but I was trying to go smaller,too.
Last week I tried a pair of 7X Leica that worked out to 900 yards. They were the best I saw at that time.
Bass Pro has them for about $400.
The beauty of these was that they fit in my pocket.
So would you please show some interest in buying my old pair so I can buy these?
Seriously, I think that with these Leicas, I could carry them alone instead of the binocs and rangefinder that I use currently use.

Good Luck,Tom

I bought a Leica 800 when they first came out, and it worked very, very well.
You need to keep in mind with ANY laser rangefinder, they work to maximum distance on things like steel barns, not game. For a soft/small target, like a varmint, figure that the max it's going to reliably work at is about half what the maker says.
The Leica 800 would range a woodchuck to about 450.
Traded it for a Leica 1200, which will range a woodchuck to at LEAST 650 - that's as far as I've tried it.
The optics in both Leicas is outstanding.

I've got an older Bushnell Yardage Pro 600. I've been able to range a coyote at 350 yards with it. Never had a problem with it, but I don't think there is a current Bushnell model that is comparable with it. It looks like the Yardage Pro 500, but only has 4x magnification. If I were to buy one now, the Yardage Pro 500 would probably do.

I've got an older Bushnell Yardage Pro 600. I've been able to range a coyote at 350 yards with it. Never had a problem with it, but I don't think there is a current Bushnell model that is comparable with it. It looks like the Yardage Pro 500, but only has 4x magnification. If I were to buy one now, the Yardage Pro 500 would probably do.
Thanks guys,

Over the last few years, I've gotten to where I take too much stuff hunting with me.
If those Leica900's will range me too about 450, plus work as binoculars, that's all I need. Then I'll quit taking both pair with me.
Will they still work as binocs if the battery fails?
Tom

The Leica 900 is a monocular, not a binocular.
Yes, you can still see thru it without a battery. The optics are typical Leica - excellent +, but I dunno if you'd find a monocular comfortable enough for extended viewing that you might do with binoculars.
Leica does (or did) make a binocular with a laser rangefinder in it. It's called the Geovid. Never used one. It's supposed to go to 2000+ yards, but costs 2000+ $'s.

The Leica 900 is a monocular, not a binocular.
Yes, you can still see thru it without a battery. The optics are typical Leica - excellent +, but I dunno if you'd find a monocular comfortable enough for extended viewing that you might do with binoculars.
Leica does (or did) make a binocular with a laser rangefinder in it. It's called the Geovid. Never used one. It's supposed to go to 2000+ yards, but costs 2000+ $'s.
JAck, you're right on the mono. It doesn't bother me. I still use a spotting scope once I'm in the stand. About 80% of my hunting is stand hunting, and I think it will do what I want.
Tom

Marshall;
Don't know about these other fellers but, I have trouble making recommendations when experianced w/only one item. It's a Nikon 800 somthing or other. I've had it about 4 or 5 yrs. Its been loaned out and survived. Have found it to be reasonably accurate. It' VERY light tho. Hard to keep from wobbling w/o a brace. I'm satisfied.
Pepe Ray

Have had several of the Bushnell type laser rangefinders. They all seemed to work well for their intended purpose.

Presently have the Yardage Pro Compact 600, mainly due to the size. Still forget to take the danged thing with me most of the time!

I would think all the moderately priced rangefinders will be about the same quality and value. Never had or used one of the higher end units, so can't judge them.

Have had several of the Bushnell type laser rangefinders. They all seemed to work well for their intended purpose.

Presently have the Yardage Pro Compact 600, mainly due to the size. Still forget to take the danged thing with me most of the time!

I would think all the moderately priced rangefinders will be about the same quality and value. Never had or used one of the higher end units, so can't judge them.

I've got the yardage pro 500, is the compact 600, pocket size?

Pretty much, Tom - it's a lot smaller than the other Bushnells. Comes with a soft case so you can sling it like a binocular, anyway.

I got the Bushnell Yardage Pro 1000. Weighs 13.5 oz. I'm not sure how that stacks up against other models/manufacturers. It certainly weighs a lot less than my bincoulars.

I got this one as I didn't want to buy a smaller (shorter range) one for general hunting and and a 1000 yard model for varmint hunting.

By the way, an interesting use for these is estimating various yardages when I'm out and about and then verifying with the rangefinder. Definitely sharpens the range estimating skills.

Ka6otm

I've been using a friend's older Simmons laser rangefinder for a while, and it's great to get yardages, but wow, that unit weighs more than my full size Nikon binos. There's a whole crop of rangefinders out there, that I haven't had the least experience with.

What do you folks use and reccomend?

Thanks, and God Bless,

Marshall I have the Bushnell 800 range finder, it is ok on things close up (big game animals) however I don't like the batteries that came with the unit. It is a must that you carry extra batteries along with you, as cold weather will indeed take them down fast. I keep the unit under my coat when hunting else it will not function in the field. Sometimes the other modes would get out of sync, that takes more time to adjust for also. If trying to get on an animal at that time, it would be a NO GO situation!

Since my last elk hunt, I have looked at several other models, Bushnell has one with a different battery system (one battery) however the Lieca is the top of the shelf as far as I am concerned. I used a friends at the at the shooting shooting range, on targets out to 800 yards. It has a much smaller window that I really like over the Bushnell. I have since gave my Bushnell to my son and purchased a Leica range finder.

I use a nato RF reticle and my brain

the important thing is to keep the rangefinder steady whilst ranging over a long distance. I have a Leica LRF1200 rangefinder and this model does not come with a built in threaded receiver for a tripod. I found that the company did make a bracket (which was threaded for a tripod).. this holds the rangefinder in place with 2 sturdy rubber bands and stainless steel clips. Its doesnt weigh much, but does make the unit bulkier. I have been able to range egyptian geese out at 635 meters at about midday, when rangefinders are supposed to be at their least effective.

You got to realize Marshall their are some real drawback to using a range finder. I have one that reads out to 800 yards. I found that all those three and four hundred yard shots I used to make were actually much shorter. I know for sure that a good range finder sure can put a crimp in my bragging. Got to the point now that I am almost ashamed to use it.

Dug it out of the safe yesterday to take coyote hunting. It is a Tasco. It's as big as my digital camera though a lot lighter. Seems to work pretty good. Like is said before it was an eye opener when I use it to verify my range guesses.

Well now, I am using a rangematic 1000. (but then again I still listen to 8-track tapes also) . I only target shoot so weight is not a factor. Never having to buy batteries is good though and checking against a friends laser finder, at 600yards it was only off by 10 yards.

I'm using a Bushnell Yardage Pro Legend (#20-1319) (http://www.bushnell.com/products/rangefinder/specs/20-1319.html) and love it. Fits in my pocket, easy to use, and extremely accurate. While building my rifle range I've used it a lot against a lot of different objects and it is right on the spot against a tape.

I use a Lieca 1200 scan and love it .also have a Bushnell Yardage Pro 1000 I like the Lieca best better optics more magnification and smaller. the Yardage Pro has a little more range but not much

nikon laser 600. it's been very good for me.

Newcon, don't touch! I'm from Canada and that's made here and wait 4-5 month to recieve it from the company because of a defect. Customer service=:mad: Don't know about the Leica but i'm Land Surveyor and they made precision instruments that we use and it's very good and no problem with it.
Good luck!

Don't know about the Leica but i'm Land Surveyor and they made precision instruments that we use and it's very good and no problem with it.
Good luck!
Leica just declared bankruptcy is my understanding.

the important thing is to keep the rangefinder steady whilst ranging over a long distance. I have a Leica LRF1200 rangefinder and this model does not come with a built in threaded receiver for a tripod. I found that the company did make a bracket (which was threaded for a tripod).. this holds the rangefinder in place with 2 sturdy rubber bands and stainless steel clips. Its doesnt weigh much, but does make the unit bulkier. I have been able to range egyptian geese out at 635 meters at about midday, when rangefinders are supposed to be at their least effective.

I too use the LRF 1200 Scan. The Swarovski glass may have a little more magnification (7x versus 8x), but it costs nearly $300.00US more than the Leica LRF. I also keep a Leica 10x25 BCA binocular in my shirt pocket. Both units are very lightweight, and have outstanding glass.

One friend has a Leica 900 LRF, and another has a 1200 LRF. Both very nice, and they've never failed to take a read when I've used them. Another friend had a rather old (5 years or so) Bushnell, I think it was, and it was chronically failing to read. I might be mistaken, but don't the Leica's have "filter" setting on them when it's raining or snowing so they can still take accurate reads?

I don't have one myself....it's better when friends buy it and you get to use it...ha ha!

May sound STUPID, but....I use stakes pounded into the ground at 50 yard increments. When the target wanders within the staked area, I can range it, and rain fire upon it. When it retreats past the end of the marked zone, the critter is again safe.... (if you kill em all, there aint no more to shoot, and what fun would that be?.....)

May sound STUPID, but....I use stakes pounded into the ground at 50 yard increments. When the target wanders within the staked area, I can range it, and rain fire upon it. When it retreats past the end of the marked zone, the critter is again safe.... (if you kill em all, there aint no more to shoot, and what fun would that be?.....)

I tried this in the national forest, but I ran out of money buying stakes, and was too exhasted by the end of summer to even go hunting where I drove all of the stakes :-)

Marshal - I had an older model Bushnell 600 with a 4x eyepiece for several years that was a bit larger than the new ones (like Jackfish refered to). It was excellent to use, but just a tad on the bulky side. My wife bought me a new Nikon 600 Buchmaster this Christmas that weighes less than 8oz and will fit in a shirt pocket. The eyepiece is 6x and is bright and steady; I really like the unit except for the color, camo (don't leave it in the woods for you might not ever find it again). I sold my old unit to a very happy varmint hunter. Riley