Laser rangefinder options????

Joined
Sep 21, 2008
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10
Location
Clarkston, WA
What are the options other than the leica or the swaro?? I keep hearing about a "russian submarine rangefinder" but they are hard to find and not eyesafe which makes them illegal. were can a guy find one of these, i heard they range to 12 miles
 
I personally like the Nikon Monarch 800. I think that it is a great all around rangefinder for not a lot of money.
 
+1 on the nikon. I have an older buckmaster 800 and a new Leica 1200 and I've looked through the nikon monarch 1200. I feel the ranging ability is very comparable between the leica and the new nikon. The leica has much better glass however.
 
Will the Nikon get you to 1K under very bright sunny days in the Desert? I known that the Leica will not.. The Swarovski will.. Any others?
 
The Bushnell Arc 1500 is great for the money but my Swarovski will range to 1998 yards. Either go farther than I care to shoot at game. The 800 yard models i have tried including the Nikon and Lieca rarely would approach 800 on anything but the most reflective surfaces.
 
I wouldn't fool with a lazer that wasn't eyesafe. You might be seeing permanent spots for the rest of your life by just one good reflection. Some things are just not worth it.
 
I picked up a Bushnell 1500ARC recently and have been carrying it around trying it on the longest views I can find. On bright sunny days I can fairly easily get to 1000 on a round hay bail or cow. Under perfect conditions I have gotten it to 1600 yards. A tree or rock out to 7-900 yards is easy under any reasonable conditions.
 
What about the X20 laser rangefinder? Never used one myself, but it looks identical to the model John Burns used on Best of the West. Website (x20 long range laser rangefinder) says it will range to 2,200 meters with accuracy of +/- 1m. Not something you can just stuff in your pocket: weighs 2.2 lbs and is 6 X 2.5 X 5 inches.

Just curious if anyone knew anything about 'em or had used one. Not cheap, by the way - $1,679.
 
I've personally used and compared the Leica 1200 Scan and the Bushnell 1500 Arc side by side. Evidently the Bushnell's don't all have the same ranging capability. I've read a number of posts where some Bushnell owners get more than 1500 yd ranges. Others have trouble ranging 1000 yds. I never got more than 1000 yds from of the one I used. My Leica could get about 1100 under ideal settings and targets. The Leica glass is much much better than the Bushnell.

I currently own a Swaro. Ranges out to 1700 yds, possibly farther on ideal targets. It blows away either the Leica or or the Bushnell, both in range capability and optical clarity. I often use the Swaro RF as a monocular. The Swaro RF optics are as good as my Swaro 8x30 SLC binoculars, but in monocular form.

From my experience, if you want to range objects past 1100 yds, the Swaro is the only option of the three I've mentioned and used. If you get one of the good Bushnell 1500s, you might get past 1100. If you get one like my neighbor has, you'll be stuck at 1000 yd or less.
 
If anyone is serious about long range shooting and hunting, for the money there is only one way to go; that's Swarovski
I have a Bushnell Elite 1500 that's been pretty good for targets, rocks, mountain sides up to 1200 yards and some times more, but when I tried to range an antelope just over 500 yards... a total disappointment; tried to range an elk at 800 yards and it was a total pain.
Again if you're going to be hunting at those ranges don't waste your money buying the 1500, I did. If your going to be ranging rocks, big bushes, trees etc. then a Bushnell 1500 will do.
 
I agree, the Swav is at the top, but I'm still waiting for the field data on the Zeiss Victory. I've heard it's just as good, but for less money. We'll see.
 
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