ISO - Range Finder

Dave Diefenderfer

Dave Diefenderfer

Well-known member
Sponsor
Looking for an inexpensive range finder that is capable of at least 800 yards. Not looking for a top of the line for shot placement... just looking to have something that tells me how far is that shore line or that blind over there.... Waterproof prefered but required. I plan on using it to establish distance lines on my GPS. New or used is fine.

Thanks, Dave
 
Dave,

I have a used Nikon that will do 400-600 yards under decent conditions. They start getting expensive to do much more than that. The bushnell line is the most cost effective. I've got a swarovski that will hit 1700 yards but that one is not for sale:)

Let me know if you are interested in the Nikon. A Bushnell 800 may fit your wants better though.

You will find marsh conditions a bit tough to get good reading in though, not a real reflective environment.

Call if you want to discuss them. A bit of a vice of mine:)

Gene
 
I have a bushnell 800 and I'm lucky to get 4-500 yards on a very reflective surface like a house, so be warned.

T
 
Tod/Gene, what happens that you can't get the long range? Is the reading you get back false, or does it fail to lock on and give a reading? Does ranging over water make it better or worse? If I want/need 800 yards should I be looking at 1200-1500 yard units?

Dave
 
Tod/Gene, what happens that you can't get the long range? Is the reading you get back false, or does it fail to lock on and give a reading? Does ranging over water make it better or worse? If I want/need 800 yards should I be looking at 1200-1500 yard units?

Dave
Click to expand...


In my experiance and what I have read confirms it the 800 won't do it. When I got bushnell 800 I was dissapointed and read up and found out that yep - that is what you get. Things may have changed in teh few years since then or different brands may me better, so I'd read up. I'd want to try one outside on a far away target before you drop the cash on a new one.

With mine, when you exceed the distance it gives you nothing (I've tried all the fancy settings too). My longest attempts were over water and marsh on houses along the shore. I've always assumed that you aren't going to find a target much more reflective than a two story house???

I'm going to buy a new Nikon before bow season, so you are welcome to my bushnell for a nominal fee :).
 
Tod how does it work inside 100 yards? Do you need a new one because it doesn't give short distances you can trust?

Tim
 
Tod how does it work inside 100 yards? Do you need a new one because it doesn't give short distances you can trust?

Tim
Click to expand...


It works great under 100, but not less than 20. The optics in it suck and it is big, which are the reasons I want a new one. Mine is the earlier generation that you almost need 2 hands with, rather than the newer tiny ones.
 
Dave,

Having done a fair bit of research before buying my swaro unit, there seems to be a lot of variance even among the high end units from one individual unit to the next. With lower end units the advertised max seems to be just that MAX under very good conditions. I had a Bushnell 800 and it would read to 800 on targets such as a house or sign to 800 most of the time. My swaro has read to 1700 yards shooting a bulldozer with the evening sun behind me lighting it up. Tod is right that you can get long readings in the marsh and over water IF you have targets such as a house or sign to shoot, marsh grass and sedge island banks don't always register well.

The Leica and swaro units are the best but you pay for it. I have two units currantly and I am nervous about taking them in the boat, this from a guy who had to fish his shotgun out of the the river :)

If you are willing to put the money up for a used swaro unit you can usually get most/all of it back depending what kind of a deal you find if it doesn't do what you want. Check out the classified section on www.longrangehunting.com and see whats available.

Gene
 
While I don't have any experience with the units being discussed here, one suggestion I can offer that I use frequently in my line of work (I use small laser rangefinders and occasionally survey grade units in forestry applications) is to set up a crude reflector target. I find Scotchbrite (sp?) reflective tape stuck on the back of a clipboard or small wood panel on a stake allows you to do better at the extreme ranges, and definitely helps in the rain. Obviously, this may not be practical if you're looking to cruise along in a boat and set a line 800 m off shore on your GPS, but if you just need a one-time distance and you can get to the target to place the tape reflector there, it may allow you to get more range out of the unit or at least have it perform to the manufacturers claims. Just another trick to have up your sleeve. It also allows you to be more certain that the laser is indeed reflecting off the target and not something else.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top