Thread: Educate me on rangefinders

I have been very lucky to have had the lend of a rangfinder whenever needed for the last few years but the time has come for me to buy my own.

I dont really know anything about them and have practicly only ever used the one set I have been borrowing. In an ideal world I would like something that works both in close for air rifle work and something that works at 1500m+ for long range shooting with 300 win mag and 338 lapua.

I have been using a set that is built into binos, is this the best way to go? it does seem on the face of things to be a good idea.

Yes. Unless the monocular built into the rangefinder meets your needs. We all get to carry our decisions.

I recon the bino / range finder combo is the better way to go. I have had the monocular type in the past but I find them more difficult to hold on target while you range. My current combo is the Bushnell Fusion 1 mile and I like it a lot. There are some that claim that they tend to accentuate a green colour on the outer edges of the lenses whereas the likes of Ziess don't but I have never detected this alleged phenomenon.

I can't remember who it was, but somebody I know bought a 1500m one off of Ali express and thought it was awesome. No difference in readings between top brands and these cheap ones. I think they were ranging out past 2k with it. @BRADS was it you?

For the price it's probably worth a try.

I was lucky enough to get given a Sig Sauer 2000m one, however it only ranges out to about 800, I've been meaning to email them about it.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/SNDW...ceBeautifyAB=0

I have bino range finder Leica 50th present to myself I find it easier to find animal and range it without losing it (wallabies especially) when off binocs onto range finer bigger field of view to get reference points to get scope onto target. Also one less thing to pack or lose when out hunting great piece of kit in my opinion

A decent set of binos will pretty much last forever if you look after them, an electronic rangefinder less so. I prefer to keep them separate but I am probably in the minority.

Once again it depends on how much coin you want to throw at it. You can get the top Leica bino's with built in range finder for around $4500 or if you just want the range finder on it's own I payed $1400 for the Rangemaster 2700-B which I find does everything I need but I will never need to use the distance it rangers out to. As @berg243 said you shake too much to range out to those extreme rangers and I will never shoot past 500 m anyway even though my range finder will do 2700 yards. Buy quality and you can't go wrong (piece of mind) buy cheap and it may be ok but who wants to take that chance if you only get out for a hunt now and then you don't want things to stuff up. Good luck with your choice as there are plenty to choose from, the bino range finder combo does make sense tho if you can afford that option.

I use the Leica Geovid HD-B and before that used the little leupold monocular rangefinder.
For hunting I find it far more practical to have the rangefinder built in with the binoculars. It was a common issue with having the Binoculars separate to the rangefinder, to spot a deer in Manuka etc and spend 20 odd minutes trying to find it in the little range finder. As the light is fading.
With the Geovids you spot the deer, range it, and you are pretty much good to go. As the Geovids have a ballistics compensation in MOA or yards. They also tell you angle, temp and pressure. Although a really important thing to note is that the older HD-B’s MOA correction is in clicks which is quite annoying, I just taped a conversion chart on the back of the binos so I can divide the clicks by four to get the actual MOA value. I think I read somewhere that the new model has resolved that.
I haven’t used any others to compare, but I really appreciate the ease of my HD-B’s.
They are not cheap though.

Originally Posted by Shamus

A decent set of binos will pretty much last forever if you look after them, an electronic rangefinder less so. I prefer to keep them separate but I am probably in the minority.

I'm with you on this one. I opted for separate items because electronics die and get superseded much faster than the optics.

Originally Posted by Savage1

I can't remember who it was, but somebody I know bought a 1500m one off of Ali express and thought it was awesome. No difference in readings between top brands and these cheap ones. I think they were ranging out past 2k with it. @BRADS was it you?

For the price it's probably worth a try.

I was lucky enough to get given a Sig Sauer 2000m one, however it only ranges out to about 800, I've been meaning to email them about it.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/SNDW...ceBeautifyAB=0

Think it was Dougie.

I have the same rangefinder and ranged this tree over 2k when I walked back to the next lamp post for a steady.

I much prefer to keep the binos and the rangefinder separate for the same reason as the other posters, the rangefinder becomes obsolete an eon before the binos. However, I like the best possible glass in the rangefinder; I don't want to be looking through the bottom of a milk bottle. So, Leica, or Zeiss or Swarovski will do.

Nikon have brought out a new RF this year I think it was that has the same tech as their DSLR camera's that basically gyroscopically stabilizes the aiming reticle on your target.

Originally Posted by gadgetman

Think it was Dougie.

I have the same rangefinder and ranged this tree over 2k when I walked back to the next lamp post for a steady.

Attachment 91874

man must be a good hunting spot with that amount of traffic

Originally Posted by bigbear

man must be a good hunting spot with that amount of traffic

So busy they had to put in lights.

Actually, I did pick up a good red just round the corner.

Originally Posted by gadgetman

So busy by the red lights.

Actually, I did pick up just round the corner.

Edited for you