range finder
 

well i'm wanting to buy a range finder i'll be using it for bow hunting and moneys definatley an issue since i'm 15 and dont have a job. i'm looking at the leupold RX-II because i know if its leupold its gonna be nice (i own 3 leupold scopes) and i also like the true ballistic range feature. but 300 bucks ouch! thats alot of money for me so should i save up and get it oris there another cheaper one that would be justas good? o and i have120 bucks saved up.

RE: range finder
 

I'm a huge Leupold Fan......
But,my suggestion is to wait...Even though you don't have a job..
Nows a time to think about getting one....
Your only young once, and with no financial responsibilties, like a family to feed and monthly mortages
and no taxes to pay,you can probably have one by April or May June at the latest.......
Save up and by the Leica,(you won't regret it ...FAST AND ACCURATE)
or wait until Leupold has got their quality control figured........
I don't think Leupold has hashed out all the problems with the RX series yet..
And don't read too much into the bells and whistles that Leupold and B&L
claim to have....
It really isn't going to serve you well in the field...
Whenyou hunt, you've I got maybe if your lucky)ten -15 seconds to identify the animal with either your naked eye or optics and range it, before the animal is on the move or is at least alerted to your presence..
You need something fast and the biggest complaint with Leupold is that they are too slow, and many don't range non reflective targets as far as the Leicas seem too....
Getting the distance is the most important thing, the decision to get closer to your target is up to your shooting skills...
And that can be cured with lots of practice at the range.....

RE: range finder
 

I own the Leica CRF 1200, and couldn't be happier.

If I couldn't afford the Leica (although I would just go without for a few more months until I could!), then either of the Nikon Monarch Gold Rangefinders (800 or 1200) would be the only other rangefinder I would buy.

RE: range finder
 

I own the Nikon 440 and I am happy with it. 200.00 and no shipping @ www.durhamoutdoorsupply.com . I know a lot of other guys here have the same model, and are very happy also. You don't really need all the bells and whistles that some of the models have, but that is up to you.

God Bless

RE: range finder
 

shew that leica is expensive! i wont be able to get a job because baseball season start feb. 15th. o well i got untill nexthuntinseason to save up.

RE: range finder
 

I own a bushnell trophy and it work fine. I has everything except for the angle shooting. Just got to practice with it. 200$ can't go wrong, served me well.

RE: range finder
 

If I was in your shoes I would get a Bushnell Sport off e-bay !! I have seen them go for around $110 !!

Then I would wait till I could get a Leica when I could afford it !! I actually picked up a great Leica LRF800 off e-bay for $250 and it is much better than the Bushnells I owned prior !! Why........because the Leica has a smaller beam and is less effected by brush, branches, etc. , it also has a red LED that can be seen in low light, the glass is much better and clearer and it's a lot faster !

The Bushnells you can't see the read out in low light, they are slower, have a wider beam, don't work in fog , don't work in rain , ............but and a huge but..........they work fine in most bow hunting situations !! Bowhunting you usually are only ranging 50 yards or less , most of the time you can get you ranges while scouting and your not doing it right at the break of daylight on a deer, after daylight on a normal day you can get all the ranges you need with a cheap bushnell, so for the money they are about all you need !!

You go out west or somewhere on a big trip, hunting unfamiliar land, hunting in all conditions, you need the best RF possible IMO !!

RE: range finder
 

They make a leica 700PM, new for this year. Cabelas had them for $350, a steal, same optics as on the others. There is no comparison!!! Well, Swarovski and that will set you back $800!!! Do yourself a favor and save a couple more bucks and get the Leica, you won't regret it!!! Blows away the NIkons, all you have to do is a side by side comparison.......

RE: range finder
 

Leupolds have gotten a lot of bad reviews due to compilacted user interface(to many buttons for an LRF).

I agree with the others; Lieca. I havea Bushnell Scout which works butdoesn't hold a candle tomy lieca 900.I admit for bowhuntingI use the Bushnell due to size, which has been adressed by the new CRF Liecas! I would suggest saving up to buy one vs a get by unit now and lieca or similar later. 1 is cheaper then 2...learned this the hard way;)!

RE: range finder
 

If you are going to use it only for bowhunting one of the lower end Bushnells like the ranging 400 will fit your needs as well as your pocket book. Myself i use a Leica 1200 but then again i also use it for rifle hunting also.

RE: range finder
 

Do you guys think the TBR is worth it?

I am waiting for the money to buy the Leica Geovid 10x42 Rangefinding binos. I think that would be the best of both worlds.

RE: range finder
 

A whole lot of money though! The optics on the LRF's are extremely impressive and 1/2 the cost.

RE: range finder
 

I had the Nikon Buckmasters which I used for many years and was completely happy with ....until...

I saw a very nice buck in low light. I could see it with my scope (leupold V-X lll 2.5-8) and my binos Steiner Predators 8x42. BUT... my range finder would not pick it up in low light... Sooooo. I bit the bullet and bought the CRF 1200 Leica, which almost ranges objects in the DARK! They have a new model out, CRF 900 at Cabelas for $500. I cannot say enough good about the Leica. COMPLETELY SATISFIED!!

RE: range finder
 

Jack couldn't agree with you more, had same senario play out this year, had a 150" 13pt. come out, just out of shooting range during archery season. Watched him in total darkness with a pair of LRF 900, I don't know of any other maker with that quality of optic, beside Swarovski....

RE: range finder
 

I have the leupold RX-II, I like it very much.

RE: range finder
 

I like the Nikon 440s. Paid $190 shipped off of ebay. I never did have a situation where I needed to range an animal in the dark, but I could see how that could be a problem. Anyway, I'm happy with the 440. I sold my Bushnell, not because it didn't work for most situations, it just wasn't as compact, and also, I found it didn't range black targets very well (foam bear on 3D course). Of course, ranging a tree right next to the black target was a good work around, but the Nikon seems to work fine.

RE: range finder
 

Buy a Bushnell unless you can fine the funds to buy a High end Range Finder. Lieca or Swaro.
I have seen all over the net about The Leupolds , people are just not happy with them you can find them for sale all over the net. Long range shooter are not happy at all with they say they don;t pick up targets well out a very long ranges 800 to 1000 yrds.