Has anyone used this rangefinder?
11-15-2013, 01:06 PM
#11
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Kansas
Posts: 3,905
I have been through a few different rangefinders over the years, and from a budget-friendly sense, the Bushnell Scout 1000 is the best value for the money.
Defending the Wildgame XRT by comparing it to a Tasco is laughable, neither of them are worth owning.
The Bushnell 1000's are great, I have two of them (one branded as a Cabelas 1000 by bushnell) that my wife and I have used for years. On a moderately overcast day, I can hit a deer to 500ish yards with these (or at least the ground beneath the deer). It seems that on trees or non-reflectives on clear days, I can get to about 600yrds, as published. Buildings or large hill faces will ping to 1000yrds.
You can get the Bushnell Scout for $130-150 almost any time of year on sale one place or another. I wouldn't waste my money on any lower quality, lower priced model. Been there, wasted money on that...
Defending the Wildgame XRT by comparing it to a Tasco is laughable, neither of them are worth owning.
The Bushnell 1000's are great, I have two of them (one branded as a Cabelas 1000 by bushnell) that my wife and I have used for years. On a moderately overcast day, I can hit a deer to 500ish yards with these (or at least the ground beneath the deer). It seems that on trees or non-reflectives on clear days, I can get to about 600yrds, as published. Buildings or large hill faces will ping to 1000yrds.
You can get the Bushnell Scout for $130-150 almost any time of year on sale one place or another. I wouldn't waste my money on any lower quality, lower priced model. Been there, wasted money on that...
11-15-2013, 01:19 PM
#12
Spike
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 6
I have been through a few different rangefinders over the years, and from a budget-friendly sense, the Bushnell Scout 1000 is the best value for the money.
Defending the Wildgame XRT by comparing it to a Tasco is laughable, neither of them are worth owning.
The Bushnell 1000's are great, I have two of them (one branded as a Cabelas 1000 by bushnell) that my wife and I have used for years. On a moderately overcast day, I can hit a deer to 500ish yards with these (or at least the ground beneath the deer). It seems that on trees or non-reflectives on clear days, I can get to about 600yrds, as published. Buildings or large hill faces will ping to 1000yrds.
You can get the Bushnell Scout for $130-150 almost any time of year on sale one place or another. I wouldn't waste my money on any lower quality, lower priced model. Been there, wasted money on that...
Defending the Wildgame XRT by comparing it to a Tasco is laughable, neither of them are worth owning.
The Bushnell 1000's are great, I have two of them (one branded as a Cabelas 1000 by bushnell) that my wife and I have used for years. On a moderately overcast day, I can hit a deer to 500ish yards with these (or at least the ground beneath the deer). It seems that on trees or non-reflectives on clear days, I can get to about 600yrds, as published. Buildings or large hill faces will ping to 1000yrds.
You can get the Bushnell Scout for $130-150 almost any time of year on sale one place or another. I wouldn't waste my money on any lower quality, lower priced model. Been there, wasted money on that...
Sure, if you can find me a Bushnell Scout for that price range that will ship to Canada buyer, I'm in, that was the price range I was looking for, but I'm not having any luck. Btw, the Tasco model I have and returning is the same as the Simmons 600, it's the exact same thing just branded differently which actually got some good reviews for a budget rangefinder.Bullcam, wow, buy a good rangefinder or don't use one at all because of extra weight, makes no sense. Buy a Porsche because a Ford won't do, so might as well not drive at all. Not a pliable logic, something is better then nothing even if it's cheap, my money went to my bow and setup, rangefinder is a good "helper" tool in any environment. It's a totally different story if the rangefinder was wayyy out of range, that would defeat the purpose. Why not get the Leica Rangemaster, it's $800 wouldn't that be better then a Nikon?
Trust me, I'm already carrying a backpack, my bow and hunting clothing, I'm sure a small rangefinder weighting half a pound won't make a difference. I rather be a yard out then take wild guesses at distance to what I'm shooting.
Last edited by Damenc; 11-15-2013 at 01:24 PM.
11-15-2013, 01:37 PM
#13
Spike
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 6
anyways, we can all argue til we turn blue, I will put the XRT to the test next week and return with a "in field" review. Who knows, it could be good or bad. I've had it for a couple of days and been using to shoot at a 20-30 yard range and this thing seems to be doing it's job and it will range properly through glass which the Tasco/Simmons had issues with. If it doesn't work the way it should then back it goes and the hunt continues, there's always after season sales
11-15-2013, 01:47 PM
#14
Typical Buck
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Buffalo, WY
Posts: 992
You missed my point. What I meant was that if you are willing to pay 100 bucks for cheap why not pay a little more for quality? You buy a rifle or bow, binoculars, boots, clothes, knife, ATV, etc. Buy good stuff and be happy with it. Not bargain basement stuff and be frustrated when it fails in the field.
In other words don't be penny wise and pound foolish.
In other words don't be penny wise and pound foolish.
11-15-2013, 03:52 PM
#15
Spike
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 6
You missed my point. What I meant was that if you are willing to pay 100 bucks for cheap why not pay a little more for quality? You buy a rifle or bow, binoculars, boots, clothes, knife, ATV, etc. Buy good stuff and be happy with it. Not bargain basement stuff and be frustrated when it fails in the field.
In other words don't be penny wise and pound foolish.
In other words don't be penny wise and pound foolish.
I spent my money on a decent bow plus all the hunting gear, this was not even on my list but I thought for the price. There's always better stuff out there and more money to spend, it's where each individual draw the line is what counts. You suggested Nikon, why not get the Leica one? it's better, and three times the price. You have your budget, I have mine. Don't write it off so quickly because it's "cheaper", have you taken this particular unit out in the field and actually hunted with it? no, so how can you base your judgement just on price? Ya, it's not a brand name, whoopie doo, I can give you a lot of generic name products I have that works just as good if not better and lasted.
Who knows, this may work fine for me, really how better do I need it to be. If it gives me the distance, that's all that matters. Like I said, it may not work out but so far it's been good on the range and that's all I'm saying. I've used "lower" end products and the past and yes some are not worth it but the handful do what it says it does at a fraction of the price, works for me.
Last edited by Damenc; 11-15-2013 at 03:58 PM.
11-15-2013, 04:58 PM
#16
Typical Buck
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Buffalo, WY
Posts: 992
I didn't miss your point at all, I think you missed mine. A budget is a budget is a budget. If we pay a "little" more for everything that word would not exist. Also, it's barely a "little" more as I've already stated in previous post, big difference between $75 and $250 more, that's the next one up where in price range. If it was under $150 then I would consider it of course, not when its more then twice the price.
I spent my money on a decent bow plus all the hunting gear, this was not even on my list but I thought for the price. There's always better stuff out there and more money to spend, it's where each individual draw the line is what counts. You suggested Nikon, why not get the Leica one? it's better, and three times the price. You have your budget, I have mine. Don't write it off so quickly because it's "cheaper", have you taken this particular unit out in the field and actually hunted with it? no, so how can you base your judgement just on price? Ya, it's not a brand name, whoopie doo, I can give you a lot of generic name products I have that works just as good if not better and lasted.
Who knows, this may work fine for me, really how better do I need it to be. If it gives me the distance, that's all that matters. Like I said, it may not work out but so far it's been good on the range and that's all I'm saying. I've used "lower" end products and the past and yes some are not worth it but the handful do what it says it does at a fraction of the price, works for me.
I spent my money on a decent bow plus all the hunting gear, this was not even on my list but I thought for the price. There's always better stuff out there and more money to spend, it's where each individual draw the line is what counts. You suggested Nikon, why not get the Leica one? it's better, and three times the price. You have your budget, I have mine. Don't write it off so quickly because it's "cheaper", have you taken this particular unit out in the field and actually hunted with it? no, so how can you base your judgement just on price? Ya, it's not a brand name, whoopie doo, I can give you a lot of generic name products I have that works just as good if not better and lasted.
Who knows, this may work fine for me, really how better do I need it to be. If it gives me the distance, that's all that matters. Like I said, it may not work out but so far it's been good on the range and that's all I'm saying. I've used "lower" end products and the past and yes some are not worth it but the handful do what it says it does at a fraction of the price, works for me.
11-24-2013, 03:19 AM
#17
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Eastern wv
Posts: 3,650
not a bowhunter, and you could very well get by with about any LRF for ranging targets to 30-40 yards.
I tend to use a rangefinder to the max capabilities just because I normaly shoot at long distance. My first rangefinder was a bushnell yardage pro compact 600, the bushies will normaly range a deer sized soft target at 1/2 its published range (Nikons are about the same. The best thing that ever happened was the day I lost the bushy in a 40 acre thicket on top of south branch mountain in hardy county wv, I came home and ordered a leica 1200 and I have ranged a deer with it at 1210 yards. not gonna say about bowhunting but for rifle hunting, decent LRF's start at leica and go up.
RR
I tend to use a rangefinder to the max capabilities just because I normaly shoot at long distance. My first rangefinder was a bushnell yardage pro compact 600, the bushies will normaly range a deer sized soft target at 1/2 its published range (Nikons are about the same. The best thing that ever happened was the day I lost the bushy in a 40 acre thicket on top of south branch mountain in hardy county wv, I came home and ordered a leica 1200 and I have ranged a deer with it at 1210 yards. not gonna say about bowhunting but for rifle hunting, decent LRF's start at leica and go up.
RR
05-19-2014, 04:49 AM
#18
Fork Horn
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Martinsburg, WV
Posts: 125
anyways, we can all argue til we turn blue, I will put the XRT to the test next week and return with a "in field" review. Who knows, it could be good or bad. I've had it for a couple of days and been using to shoot at a 20-30 yard range and this thing seems to be doing it's job and it will range properly through glass which the Tasco/Simmons had issues with. If it doesn't work the way it should then back it goes and the hunt continues, there's always after season sales
05-19-2014, 10:26 AM
#19
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Alberta Canada
Posts: 1,081
I would definately go with the Bushnell. Their warranty is great, and I have had an 800 for years. It works great, and has been no problem at all. As for the battery life in them, I have forgotten to remove it a few times, and after sitting in the rangefinder all year, it still works when I get it out.