Rangefinder Help 1000+ yards Replacing my Leica 800

[NMPaul]

I know this is not posted in the right spot, but, I put it in optics and got no responses.



My Leica 800 is at least 4 years old. It works the same as it always has.
However, in bright sunlight it is hard to get a reading past 500 yards. Also, it is not very ergonomic.

I would be interested in a rangefinder that considers incline, but, I do not believe that they work out to 1000-1200 yards.
Is there such an animal??

I do not shoot at 1000-1200 yards, but, many times it would be beneficial when stalking to know how far a hill, rock or stalking destination is to the animal when I am 1000 yards away.

It would have been helpful just last weekend on a hunt.

I am currently looking at the

Zeiss 8x26 PRF

Leica CRF 1200

Important features to me are quality. Ability to actually work as advertised.
Work to 1000 yards in most conditions
easy to hold in one hand
Would like to use for bow hunting also. Do not want to own 2 rangefinders.
Would like the incline compensating feature.
Needs to be able to be held in one hand and range something (big tree side of hill) at 1000 yards with some consistency.

I am leaning against Leica due to their very very poor customer service and warranty that I have personally experienced. I just do not want to give them any more of my money.

Is Zeiss better when it comes to warranty??

I am not opposed to Nikon, Bushnell or any of the other brands if it is good quality and works.

 

[pirogue]

I have the Leica CRF 1200 and have ranged more than 1000. I had the 800 before and upgraded for the distance and ergonomics, not the performance. I'm also in the construction industry and have seen a lot of survey and distance measuring equipment. Leica is world class, and I would never consider anything else.

 

[maxxbob1]

RE: Rangefinder Help 1000 yards Replacing my Leica 800

NMPaul, I'm looking for the same thing as you -- probably like others on here also.
"My Leica 800 is at least 4 years old. It works the same as it always has.
However, in bright sunlight it is hard to get a reading past 500 yards. Also, it is not very ergonomic." -- my Leica 800 may be a little older (?) but also won't range an elk past 500 yards or an antelope past 400 most of the time. I had a cheaper brand that was not reliable and needed a fresh battery every couple days. My Leica is great on battery life, I replace it once a year even though it doesn't seem to need it. I'm leaning toward getting the Leica CRF 1200 since my current Leica 800 works great to around 400 yards. I'm hoping the CRF will work on animals, antelope to elk, out to 600 yards, plus. I would really like the 1200 yard capability for stalking also. I also want something that will work with one hand for bow hunting. I've thought about buying a Leica CRF 1200 from Cabela's, then sending it back if it doesn't perform to my expectations. I have friends that like Bushnell, so I'm also considering that option. I have heard bad things about Nikons and Leupolds from one guy. As far as the Zeiss goes, they seem to have excellent customer service. I bought a $700 Zeiss rifle scope in March 09, and in a couple months it broke (parallax adjustment); I sent it in and they sent me a new one right away; three months later, it broke again (parallax adjustment); I sent it in and they overnighted a new one so I would have it before my Wyoming hunt. I haven't even mounted it yet since I need a reliable scope on my rifle and my $100 Sightron is absolutely reliable. So Zeiss has great customer service, but I'm not too impressed with their engineering (wish I would have put that $700 in a Leupold). I hope you get some good responses with some useful suggestions; you aren't the only one looking!

 

[maxxbob1]

RE: Rangefinder Help 1000 yards Replacing my Leica 800

Pirogue - any idea how far out you could range an elk, deer or antelope under normal conditions, like standing broadside with most of the body exposed?
Thanks,
Bob

 

[NMPaul]

RE: Rangefinder Help 1000 yards Replacing my Leica 800

Maxxbob, sounds like we are looking for the exact same thing.

I really am hesitating on Leica because their service is horrible and warranty the worse that I have come in contact when it comes to optics.

Nikon???

Anyone have experience with the Zeiss??

Have rangefinders gotten better in the last 5 years as far as ranging an animal over 500 yards, poor conditions??

Should I just stick with my Leica 800. I think I have replaced the battery 2x since I got it. It works like it always has which is not that great.

 

[jwassell]

RE: Rangefinder Help 1000 yards Replacing my Leica 800

I have the leica 1200 and no promblems with it and range stuff between 800 and 1100 all the time and it is small enough to fit in your shirt pocket for quick access.

 

[NMPaul]

RE: Rangefinder Help 1000 yards Replacing my Leica 800

There is a vote for the Leica 1200. Anyone use the Zeiss or any other rangefinder that consistently does the job??

 

[Lawrence]

I have the Leica 1200 CRF. Frankly, I'm not very impressed with it. It is performing so poorly past 350 yards that I am going to send it back to Leica to see what the problem is. Because of its compact size, it is difficult to hold on small targets at longer ranges. It also does not have a provision for attaching it to a tripod which would help steady it for longer ranging. It does not perform well in bright sunlight either. The optics are great but the jury is still out for me as far as the ranging is concerned.

 

[NMPaul]

Thanks Lawrence. That is what I was afraid of.

 

[mtmuley]

I used a buds Leica 1200 on an antelope hunt. Ranging was sporadic. EXTREMELY hard to hold on target. Why the trend to cigarette pack size? I always prefered models held binocular style. They seem to be a thing of the past. mtmuley

 

[marley]

I have the 1200 crf and absolutely think it is the best rangefinder on the market right now. I've had a bushnell and leupold before this. This last year on a dall sheep hunt I ranged a sheep at 1251 yards. I ranged a house up the mountain from mine at 1442 yards. Those were both in daylight. This past elk season on my buddies elk hunt we could see some elk on the skyline well before light and I ranged them at 450 yards in the pitch black. The only reason we could see them is because they were on the skyline. my friends bushnell 800 wouldn't get a reading in the dark at all.

 

[Cahunter805]

I have the bushnell elite 1500 and have had great success with it. I know its not a leica but for the money it works great for me. I have consistently ranged targets out to 1200 with it. Deer sized animals up to 550 easily. Good luck with whatever you choose. I heard the long range store was coming out with a new rangefinder also. Might hold off and see what they come up with!

 

[NMPaul]

I will look into the bushnell also.

Does anyone own the Zeiss 8x26 PRF???

Experience with it??

 

[JDElec]

I also have the Leica 1200 and have had problems as close as 300 yard on speed goats I have had some ranges past 1000 it worked at least once last year that far. I don't hate it but 1200 yards bring your vice and pray. By the way I brought my first one back to Cabelas thinking it was broken the second one worked the same

 

[pirogue]

Be sure and evaluate what you are trying to accomplish here. Expecting a handheld instrument with 7X magnificatin to pinpoint an animal size target at 1000 yards is leaning toward user error and not the instrument. This ain't no 40X spotting scope on a tripod. I've always got good readings on differing terrain at far distances whether or not the animal was the real reading or not.

 

[JDElec]

Just to be clear I've had about 0.00% success +/- 0.02% at ranging any animals, always had to range a bush or tree nearby. It may be operator error but if it is, it's not just me.

 

[JDElec]

Don't get me wrong. I do like my Leica rangfinder, and have no problem on a regular basis, with good batteries, ranging out to 800-900 yards if there is a tree or something near the animal. I love the size of it. During my antelope hunt I think I had the batteries going dead.

 

[maxxbob1]

RE: Rangefinder Help 1000 yards Replacing my Leica 800

I had noticed that on the Best of the West TV show that they used a rangefinder that didn't look familiar to me. So I looked at their on-line store and saw that they sell the Leica CRF 1200. I called and asked why they sell the Leica but use something else on the TV show. They said that the one on TV is a prototype and that they plan to start selling their own new one within the next 6 months. They said Arron Davidson (the product guy on the show) knows the details, but he is on vacation this week. So, I'll call next back week.
I called Outdoorsman's in Arizona, where I bought my Leica 800 and my binoculars. They have been helpful in the past. I talked to Will. He said the best rangefinder available on the civilian market is the Swarovski at $1000. He said it ranges farther in any conditions, but it is quite large. He said the second best is the Zeiss at $700 and that Zeiss doesn't have any problems with the rangefinders. (He said the Zeiss rifle scope problem I have is limited to the Conquest rifle scopes.) The Zeiss also has a ballistic calculator which he hasn't used. He said the Zeiss is worth the extra $100 over the Leica in his opinion. He said the Swarovski and Zeiss have much, much better customer service than Leica. He said the Leica works well, but it is harder to aim at the target because it is smaller and lighter.
I then went on the Cabela's site and read all the customer reviews for the Swarovski, Zeiss and the Leica.
The Leica has a 24mm objective lens (area = 75 sq mm); Zeiss has 26mm (area = 82 sq mm); and Swarovski has 30mm (area = 94 sq mm). They probably all use the maximum size laser that's eye safe, so the difference in performance is probably proportional to the area of the receiving aperature. IF (note: big IF) that's true, the Leica would give 80% of the performance (75 vs 94) of the Swarovski at 60% of the Swarovski price ($600 vs $1000); and the Zeiss would give 87% performance at 70% of the Swaro price. Of course the Swaro is 100% performance and price. Don't know that that helps anything.
-- Bob

 

[NMPaul]

RE: Rangefinder Help 1000 yards Replacing my Leica 800

Maxxbobb, thanks. Did not think to check Cabelas customer ratings.

I have pretty much ruled out Leica due to my poor experiences with their customer service and warranty. With what you researched they are 2nd behind Zeiss in Value, and Swaro may be the best.

 

[NMPaul]

RE: Rangefinder Help 1000 yards Replacing my Leica 800

Just looked at the swaro. Had not considered it. It looks very compact as well.
Does anyone have direct experience with them.

If I do decide to get one, gonna try to find one used, demo, or ebay. Price.

 

[downsouth]

RE: Rangefinder Help 1000 yards Replacing my Leica 800

I know that when we did a side by side comparison a while back with the swarovski and the lieca at over a 1,000 yrds the swaro won easily. Just my .02.

 

[bragabit]

RE: Rangefinder Help 1000 yards Replacing my Leica 800

Have you thought about the Leica Geovids. I bought a pair from Gr8tfuldoug here on monster muleys in October and love them. I have ranged trees at over 1300 yards. Animals at 1200. Great pair of binoculars also. $1300 delivered after the Leica rebate. Money well spent.

 

[NMPaul]

RE: Rangefinder Help 1000 yards Replacing my Leica 800

Just got a used Swaro on ebay for $689.

Hope it works out.

 

[mtmuley]

RE: Rangefinder Help 1000 yards Replacing my Leica 800

I read some stuff on another site about the new BOTW rangefinder. There was talk of incorporating temp and wind sensing features for ultra long range. Pretty useless stuff up to about 1000. mtmuley

 

[Gator]

RE: Rangefinder Help 1000 yards Replacing my Leica 800

I have the a lecia and it works good, BUT I do want a new one(which one I don't know yet) with the ARC in it because we do alot of Over the cliff shooting and will like to do away with the kentucky windage thing.


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