BigSwede
Well-Known Member
How far you guys Gettin with the Swarovski laser rangefinder???
How far you get with Swarovski Laser guide range finder?
- Thread starter BigSwede
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ZSteinle
Well-Known Member
binocular combo or the old laser guide?
Just the old rangefinder i got to 1999, pretty sure that is as high as the display will read.
Just the old rangefinder i got to 1999, pretty sure that is as high as the display will read.
trebark
Well-Known Member
don't remember exactly but have gotten 1800+ out of mine.
BigSwede
Well-Known Member
Great! so farther than I can shoot
trebark
Well-Known Member
Remember, the Swaro has a known issue. The issue is beam divergence. The beam on the Swaro is 2.5mils wide. This can be a problem when you are prone on the ground. With a beam that big, it sometimes reads something in front of or behind your intended target. A buddy and I experienced this issue:
http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f17/2-va-lrhers-eastern-wy-78874/
The flip side of this issue is the Leica 1600. It has a beam only 1.5mils wide. So it does not have the 'prone issue' that the Swaro has. The trade off is ranging distance. On the same day, in the same conditions, the Swaro will range much farther than the Leica. Keep in mind, the Leica does easily range out to 1000+ with ease.
Both the Swaro and Leica are top rated RFs. It's just a matter of choosing the one that is right for you.
http://www.accurateshooter.com/gear-reviews/laser-rangefinders/
http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f17/2-va-lrhers-eastern-wy-78874/
The flip side of this issue is the Leica 1600. It has a beam only 1.5mils wide. So it does not have the 'prone issue' that the Swaro has. The trade off is ranging distance. On the same day, in the same conditions, the Swaro will range much farther than the Leica. Keep in mind, the Leica does easily range out to 1000+ with ease.
Both the Swaro and Leica are top rated RFs. It's just a matter of choosing the one that is right for you.
http://www.accurateshooter.com/gear-reviews/laser-rangefinders/
Broz
Well-Known Member
I had five of them. The best of them would go 1900 + under perfect conditions. Now the question is , how far accurately? With that large Beam divergence not that far at all.
I would go Lica 1600, and I did.
Jeff
I would go Lica 1600, and I did.
Jeff
kbaerg
Well-Known Member
I ran three rangefinders this evening, my leica 1600B, Swarovski laser guide ( I'm selling these for a friend) and the Swarovski El binos which were borrowed from a friend. I wished I had an area to test farther and find the weakness of them but right now with all the crops still in its difficult in my area. All three were matching out to 1070 yds. on my neighbors cattle. Ranges were takin multiple times for consistency with each rangefinder.
Get a Vectrnics PLRF15 and don't look back. You will cry once but you will not regret it. I had a Lieca 1600 and it was pretty good but would not pick adeer up in the middle of the field over 450-500yds especialy in low light conditions.
Nimrod
Well-Known Member
Mine sure will, I can also get 1100-1150 on pronghorns in bright sunlight if the mirage isn't too bad.
That's pretty darn good considering it's reflective properties.
I have range beyond 2K on mine.
http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f18/leica-rangemaster-1600-crf-initial-test-80522/
In 2013, I range the herd of elk at 1830 before starting my stalk. Ended up harvesting a MT bull elk at 931 yards.
yobuck
Well-Known Member
Ive had 2 swarovski lasers and for me, they werent satisfactory. I found that they
would work better in open terrain than in wooded terrain especially at longer distances. Quite often they would not repeat a reading on the same target a few minits later especially beyond 1000 yds. Up to about 900 yds i would say 90% of the
time they worked fine. Be carefull when someone claims how far theyve gotten readings. Its how consistant they will do it that really counts. Nothing worse than having a tool that wont work when you really need it right now.
would work better in open terrain than in wooded terrain especially at longer distances. Quite often they would not repeat a reading on the same target a few minits later especially beyond 1000 yds. Up to about 900 yds i would say 90% of the
time they worked fine. Be carefull when someone claims how far theyve gotten readings. Its how consistant they will do it that really counts. Nothing worse than having a tool that wont work when you really need it right now.
Nimrod
Well-Known Member
Mine is actually a 1600B. I have never made it past 2K but I have ranged out to 1995 on rocks at sunset from camp across Alcova Reservoir. To get good ranges out past 800 yards or so I almost have to use a stout tripod (My SIL has the tripod adapter). When I was ready to get serious about a rangefinder I looked at the Swaro, Leica and Zeiss the Swarovski had some good points but I ended up with the Leica and would make the same choice again. After the fact I was able to compare the Leica, Swarovski and Zeiss, outdoors on the same targets, the latter wasn't even in the same ballpark as the other 2. My very limited testing pretty much confirmed what I read here.
yobuck
Well-Known Member
Well no doubt using a tripod is necessary on the longer distances.
But the swaros i had couldnt be counted on to repeat readings on the same targets
even from a tripod. Frankly i recently had the oppurtunity to try a G7 on a tripod and
couldnt range a 1600 yd steel target in a field and neither could 3 others who tried.
And another G7 also on a tripod wouldnt either. My old Wild shows up for work every
day rain or shine near or far. I wont spend $3000 on a lazer in order to match what i
already can do with the Wild. But i am going to try a Leica 1600 as they seem pretty
reliable.
But the swaros i had couldnt be counted on to repeat readings on the same targets
even from a tripod. Frankly i recently had the oppurtunity to try a G7 on a tripod and
couldnt range a 1600 yd steel target in a field and neither could 3 others who tried.
And another G7 also on a tripod wouldnt either. My old Wild shows up for work every
day rain or shine near or far. I wont spend $3000 on a lazer in order to match what i
already can do with the Wild. But i am going to try a Leica 1600 as they seem pretty
reliable.
For years my Swaro Laser Guides were excellent... Excellent as in repeatable readings out to and past 1900 yards in the right conditions (not in direct sunlight and against a steep mountain/hillside). I could get to 1000 yards consistently in just about any conditions, even antelope in a sea of sagebrush on a sunny day... All of this was hand-held and I've never used the tripod attachment. But after years of hard use their ranging ability started to diminish, and they began to give false readings (verses 'no reads'). When they would no longer get me to 1000 yards consistently, I called Swarovski and inquired about repairs. They said send them in and they would get an estimate to repair... The got back to me and said all of the lenses would need to be replaced and that they could do that and 'make them like new' for $175. Sounded like a good deal for repairs and new lenses (the old ones were scratched, but they ranged fine with the scratches for years).
When I got them back the new lenses looked awesome, but they wouldn't range past 700 yards even under ideal conditions. So back they went again, only this time it was hunting season. When I asked if they could expedite repairs, they just sent me a loaner unit to use while I waited (another Laser Guide 8 x 30). Well, the loaner unit barely gets past 1000 yards and I don't think it has read anything further than 1100 yards for me. Had to push the button 20+ times to get one reading on the elk I shot last week at 727 yards.
Now I'm beginning to wonder if my original unit was an exception, verses the norm... I guess I'll see how they work when I get them back.
I really didn't like being without a rangefinder for a couple weekends of hunting season (before getting the loaner). It made all of my high-end longrange rifles/optics and 1000's of rounds per year of practice about as useful as having a Winchester 30-30 topped with a 3 x 9 Redfield. Based on lots of research and getting time behind numerous rangefinders while at the Snipers Hide Cup this Spring, I pulled the trigger on a set of Steiner Military 8 x 30 range-finding binoculars. The Swaro Laser Guide will become my back-up unit and coyote hunting rangefinder.
When I got them back the new lenses looked awesome, but they wouldn't range past 700 yards even under ideal conditions. So back they went again, only this time it was hunting season. When I asked if they could expedite repairs, they just sent me a loaner unit to use while I waited (another Laser Guide 8 x 30). Well, the loaner unit barely gets past 1000 yards and I don't think it has read anything further than 1100 yards for me. Had to push the button 20+ times to get one reading on the elk I shot last week at 727 yards.
Now I'm beginning to wonder if my original unit was an exception, verses the norm... I guess I'll see how they work when I get them back.
I really didn't like being without a rangefinder for a couple weekends of hunting season (before getting the loaner). It made all of my high-end longrange rifles/optics and 1000's of rounds per year of practice about as useful as having a Winchester 30-30 topped with a 3 x 9 Redfield. Based on lots of research and getting time behind numerous rangefinders while at the Snipers Hide Cup this Spring, I pulled the trigger on a set of Steiner Military 8 x 30 range-finding binoculars. The Swaro Laser Guide will become my back-up unit and coyote hunting rangefinder.
