Very happy with leica so for

[bigngreen]

The cow was a dark red but at 800 the dam thing should work every time. i give up on range finders. my next one will be a Vectronix PLRF10. But i fill leica has really dropped the ball on this one. I main three of them and the last one hand picked and it won't range a cow at half of its advertised working distance is bull crap. i sent a long email back to the guy i was talking to but i bet i don't here another thing being it did range out to 1700 plus. Guess I'll try it on the tripod and if it works OK then ill keep it and save up for a Vectronix PLRF10. Because all of the other stuff setting in the safe is useless with out a good range finder.
o well that's the way it goes but leica will not ever see another dollar of my money

I've not gotten a range on a dark cow at 200yrds in full sun, they are made of laser absorbing material I think. I've literally tried to range dark cows at a few hundred yards then drove a little way down the road and ranged elk at over 900yrds with my 1200 I don't base much on cows.
I'm very disappointed about the Leica, every one I know runs Leica other than one guy with a Swaro, a couple even run the 1600 with no issues, maybe our air is thinner or something

 

[SBruce]

I've been able to say that my 2nd 1600 works as it should (based on using a 1200 for about 7 years prior). However, I can't get black cattle very far at all either, especially in bright sunlight. Leica knows that dark round objects in bright light don't reflect back the beam, they mention all those parameters in the owners manual. They say they wont range as far in bright light, round objects, angled objects, dark objects, non-reflective objects ect.
I am guessing that if we want to range cattle at 1000, then we need the Vectronix........I haven't heard if Swarovski will do it or not.?

I agree with BignGreen, cattle absorb the laser like a sponge!! I couldn't get angus heifers at 600 yds off of sandbags, but I could get the flake of hay they were eating and the grass they were standing in out for a few hundred yards past that. I've gotten deer out to around 1000 +/- quite a few times, and the grass behind and in front of them also, so I am fairly certain it was hitting the deer. Cattle are very tough to range with any rangefinder I've ever owned...2 Bushnells and 3 Leicas now.

I hope that as you play around with it more, you will feel better about it. All rangefinders I've had only work to the maximum advertised distance on Reflective targets, IME they only go 1/2 to 3/4 on "normal" small natural objects. I believe the big V is rated for 3500 or 4000 yds (something like that). But I kinda doubt it will range angus cattle at 2000 yds.? I'd be interested to hear if it would or not, or hopefully I'll find out first hand in October.

 

[Broz]

None of the 5 swaros I had or the Leica's for that matter would range black cattle at 1000. But the first week I had my PLRF10 I was carrying it along daily. I would stop and range all sorts of stuff. I remember seeing a small herd of black cattle diagonally across a section from me. They were at the line fence so I knew they were right at a mile. I tossed a sand bag on the hood and tried them. No problem for the Vectronix at 1700 and change, (dont remember exact distance) I could go from cow to cow and get farther readings on the ones behind. Bright sun and it never missed.

Jeff, I know you are frustrated and have reason to be. I don't want to imply that you are doing anything wrong either. But I think you should use that 1600 a while longer and learn what it likes. Toss sand bags on the hood and hold her steady for the longest shots. Also I have many many times let my big hands or little finger block the laser on a CRF, or part of it so you might want to watch out for that.

Jeff

 

[Broz]

hopefully I'll find out first hand in October.

Prepair to be spoiled. And you may want to start a Christmas fund for yourself.

Jeff

 

[Pdvdh]

Well I talked to Camera Land today regarding the CRF 1600 that I returned. Believe it or not, the fella there said he tested some of their Demo CRF 1600 units for ranging distance. I didn't think they'd take the time to do something like that. He said most of the CRF 1600s he tested were ranging out to 900 yards on a buildings in the city. So he waited until some additional Demo units were received for further testing. Finally came upon one that ranged out to 1600 yards. So I told him to ship that one to me and I'd try it out.

I've crossed my fingers, in case hoping has any influence on fate. I'll report back on the ranging performance of this replacement unit after I've had a chance to test it out. I'll probably run it against my Swaro Laser Guide and see how they compare. If it can range 1400 yards on evergreens and grassy terrain, I'd be content - even though my Swaro usually ranges out to 1600 yards pretty reliably.

 

[Broz]

If it can range 1400 yards on evergreens and grassy terrain, I'd be content - even though my Swaro usually ranges out to 1600 yards pretty reliably.

Paul, I have my fingers crossed for you too. I really hope you get to see a good one work. Please remember the ranges you get from the Leica will be more precise than the Swaro. So if they range close to the same distance in my opinion the Leica will server you better. At the 1400 yards you mentioned the Swaros beam is over 8 feet in diameter. Ths is how the Swaros return more numbers at farther distances. The problem is you could be ranging something that you are not intending to. I know you hunt in steep terrain but I truely feel the large beam of the Swaro will bite you sooner or later. Mine did because it would not range a deer at 950~ 1000. The deer was in a picked cornfield and the beam kept catching stocks. When I lifted up to try to get just the deer it would only range the tree line behind. I worked at it until it was to dark to shoot. This was my one and only chance ever at a 200" Whitetail. two days later I was out of time and took a doe at 1137 yards to fill my tag. That was when I started the search for a better RF with a small beam divergence.

Good luck man!!

Jeff

 

[Pdvdh]

Paul, I have my fingers crossed for you too.

This was my one and only chance ever at a 200" Whitetail. two days later I was out of time and took a doe at 1137 yards to fill my tag. That was when I started the search for a better RF with a small beam divergence.

Jeff

Thanks Jeff. Now I know why you bit the bullet and purchased the LRF that will range objects 2 miles away! Visions of that B&C whitetail buck haunting your memory. That had to be very disheartening! Big time bummer...

 

[jeff 300]

I will have to keep this one for a while cause i don't have a extra couple thousand dollars right now. Thanks to the love economy my business is really slow. But i will have a PLRF10 before hunting season just have to work a little extra. I think with the tripod i can make this one work and here in texas it will not be hard to have a tripod. But when i go out west to hunt some elk i don't want to have to carry a tripod.

But heres the guys name ,email,and number for any one else that is having trouble with leica. I don't usally give this info out but thats what leica needs is to here from every one that has trouble. may be they will work harder at taking care of use a little better. He was a nice guy and tried to work things out for me.

Hamilton Boykin
2072 cheraw dr
Charleston, sc 29412

843-532-2472

[email protected]

 

[208rooster]

I just read the reviews from you guys on the Leica 1600, I was just getting ready to buy one, but I don't think so now. Anyone know where I can get one of the 1200 ?

 

[Pdvdh]

Re: My Leica CRF 1600 Experience - The Conclusion

Hi guys,

I've updated my Thread on the Leica CRF 1600. It finally turned out good for me, and as they say... "All's well that ends well".

Here's the link to my Thread: http://www.longrangehunting.com/for...-leica-crf-1600-rangemaster-73650/index7.html