Rangefinder for actual horizontal distance

[mcseal2]

I just got back from a Wyoming mule deer hunt and want to upgrade rangefinders for my next trip. I am using the Bushnell 1500 elite, and it works very well but doesn't compensate for angles. I made a 403yd shot to finish a deer another hunter had hit in the lower leg at longer range. I ranged the deer and held for 300yds due to the angle and the bullet went where intended.

Does anyone make a rangefinder that will give a simple true horizontal range and compensate for uphill or downhill angles? I don't want it to show holdover inches or anything else, just show the actual horizontal range and have as simple an operating system as possible.

Thanks!

 

[gunpower]

I just got back from a Wyoming mule deer hunt and want to upgrade rangefinders for my next trip. I am using the Bushnell 1500 elite, and it works very well but doesn't compensate for angles. I made a 403yd shot to finish a deer another hunter had hit in the lower leg at longer range. I ranged the deer and held for 300yds due to the angle and the bullet went where intended.

Does anyone make a rangefinder that will give a simple true horizontal range and compensate for uphill or downhill angles? I don't want it to show holdover inches or anything else, just show the actual horizontal range and have as simple an operating system as possible.

Thanks!

Leupold makes a range finder that does what you want, not sure as what yardage it will range, my son has one.

 

[AlaskaIsGodsCountry]

I just got back from a Wyoming mule deer hunt and want to upgrade rangefinders for my next trip. I am using the Bushnell 1500 elite, and it works very well but doesn't compensate for angles. I made a 403yd shot to finish a deer another hunter had hit in the lower leg at longer range. I ranged the deer and held for 300yds due to the angle and the bullet went where intended.

Does anyone make a rangefinder that will give a simple true horizontal range and compensate for uphill or downhill angles? I don't want it to show holdover inches or anything else, just show the actual horizontal range and have as simple an operating system as possible.

Thanks!

I am looking for the exact same thing. Only one reply? With all the long range shooters here, can somebody please state their opinion on a system like this. How are you adjusting for angles in your long range shooting?

I have the one by Leupold (RX_IV if I remember correctly) and not happy with it nor could get it to work with any level of confidence. I would leave it out in the hopes that somebody would steal it, but I am afraid they would just bring it back by throwing it through my window or something.

 

[eyeballjr]

Leupold || RX-750 TBR Digital Laser Rangefinder

Had one of these, here in OKlahoma there never was a steep enough angle that it made a difference much. 5 or 10 yards here or there. I am sure in the mountains it would work better.

 

[Michael Eichele]

For several reasons that are long and hard to explain, shooting for the actual "horizontal" distance is not the best choice. At closer ranges it works fair. The further the shot and/or the steeper the incline, the more error you will have.

A MUCH better method is to take your bullet drop in either inches, MOA or MILS and multiply by the cosine of the angle. Use that value as a correction. This is called the advanced rifleman method.

The absolute most accurate method is neither but it is a long lengthy proccess to do the math. For most real world hunting situations, the advanced riflemans method is a fairly accurate solution unless you are talking about small varmints.

Advanced riflemans method example:

675 yards, 25 degree slope, bullet drop for 675 yards is 91.75 inches, cosine of 25 degrees is 0.906. Take 91.75 * 0.906 = 83.125"

The reality is though that to do the formula correctly you would find that the actual bullet drop is 80.5" and not 83.125". However, 2.675" off is not too bad for a deer size target when aiming for the lungs.

To shoot for the horizontal range you would be shooting for 611 yards. The bullet drop with my example load at 611 yards is roughly 72". That is roughly a 10" margin of error. A 10" error is too much for a clean shot. The best policy? DONT shoot for the horizontal range.

M

80.5"

 

[AlaskaIsGodsCountry]

For several reasons that are long and hard to explain, shooting for the actual "horizontal" distance is not the best choice. At closer ranges it works fair. The further the shot and/or the steeper the incline, the more error you will have.

A MUCH better method is to take your bullet drop in either inches, MOA or MILS and multiply by the cosine of the angle. Use that value as a correction. This is called the advanced rifleman method.

The absolute most accurate method is neither but it is a long lengthy proccess to do the math. For most real world hunting situations, the advanced riflemans method is a fairly accurate solution unless you are talking about small varmints.

Advanced riflemans method example:

675 yards, 25 degree slope, bullet drop for 675 yards is 91.75 inches, cosine of 25 degrees is 0.906. Take 91.75 * 0.906 = 83.125"

The reality is though that to do the formula correctly you would find that the actual bullet drop is 80.5" and not 83.125". However, 2.675" off is not too bad for a deer size target when aiming for the lungs.

To shoot for the horizontal range you would be shooting for 611 yards. The bullet drop with my example load at 611 yards is roughly 72". That is roughly a 10" margin of error. A 10" error is too much for a clean shot. The best policy? DONT shoot for the horizontal range.

M

Thanks for this reply, this is great information!!! So, I assume you run a angle cosine indicator on your rifle and just do some simple math to correct for angle? Do you find this practical for hunting? I guess if you are making a long shot, you will probably have the time to get everything dialed in and setup.