My IDEAL rangefinder

[Litehiker]

I currently own Bushnell's 10 x 42 ARC 1 Mile laser rangefinder binoculars which are, with no angle compensation for rifle and only 9 trajectory categories for programming your cartridge, barely adequate, only giving me holds at "minute of deer" accuracy for level firing solutions.

My ideal LRF has the following:
1. All that the current Leica "HD-B" series has ->programmable micro SD card for ballistics, pressure and temperature sensors, angle sensor
2. PLUS I want these binoculars to have Bluetooth to send the distance to a device like the Kestrel/AB 5700 weather meter & ballistic computer.

With this setup I can use the binoculars alone to glass, range and get a pretty good firing solution, especially under 400 yards. Or use them in tandem with the Kestrel/AB 5700 for longer distances I can get my FFP wind and virtually all other environmental factors in my firing solution such as Corolis effect at any compass heading, true altitude density reading (which includes humidity) and virtually all my precise internal and external ballistics factors.

**This ability of LRFs to "talk" to a Kestrel/AB type ballistic computing device must become the industry standard. Even LRF rifle scopes (Burris Eliminator III) should have the ability to talk to external devices via Bluetooth. Currently only Kestrel and Bushnell have done this with Bushnell's "Sportsman" LRF monocular but the distance for a firing solution is limited. (Of course the military may have already done this but usually they follow civilian technology in this area.)

Technology speeds ahead rapidly so here's hoping that by this time next year this LRF-to-ballistic computer communication will be the "industry standard". And MAYBE we can see most higher end rifle scopes sporting reticle-based digital level indicators like SIG's Tango 6 riflescope. A boy can wish...

Eric B.

 

[Bravo 4]

I think that all this will come about soon since the technology already exists. It's just gonna take someone to put it all together. It will probably be out of most folks price range, but as the technology gets more widespread the prices will become acceptable to we common folk. Lets say 5 more years.

 

[Litehiker]

Bravo, I agree, the technology is here and it will become more common.

Thankfully (according to a "law" of some computer guru) computer speeds rise at a certain exponential rate every so many months. And in general, electronics technology across the board follows along at a bit slower pace but still very fast.
If the Bushnell/Kestrel 5700 combo sells well you can bet other brands will follow soon.

My nephew recently worked for a digital electronics company that supplies the military with battlefield "hardened" computer tech. They have been Bluetooth linking things like the Kestrel/AB 5700 to battlefield small digital pads which in turn are linked to battalion HQ so the CO can see what the soldiers & snipers see. This also applies to hand-launched optical drones operating on frequency jumping algorithms. All very high speed. Hope it works in the real world. He says the drones are vital in Afghanistan's rough terrain to avoid Taliban ambushes.

Eric B.

 

[Bravo 4]

Yeah there are so many things coming down the pipeline that it's hard to keep up. Technology is great except guys rely on it solely (too much), and when it goes down they don't know what to do!
As for range finders the military has been leaps and bounds ahead of civilian, kinda. The tech was there just not the common sense to issue us what we need. As an example: our grenadiers are issued Bushnell 1500 LRF, that is for a weapon with a maximum effective range of 350 meters. Guess what the last range finder was that I had issued...was $83,000 and weighed about 10 pounds more than the Viper Vector II we also had. They basically give us the same thing that Artillery Forward Observers get. Don't get me wrong it's an amazing piece of equipment but not we thought was ideal for teams that already carry a lot of weight and need to stay clandestine.
I had used my own money to buy a Swarovski Laser Guide about 10 years ago.
I've said it on here before but I would like a spotting scope/LRF combo, think it'll be better for ELR work.