Virginia Gun Owners Forum - VGOF

I am interested in a medium priced 'rangefinder'. There seem to be way too many with varied reports. I figure you guys can steer me in the right direction. I would like to stay under $200... primary use would be for crossbow and some short range pistol and occasionally some rifle shooting. Low light capability and accuracy are of course paramount. Advice is welcome. thanks.

Go to ebay and check out american tactical. The 200.00 mark is realistic if you want a rf for less than 300 yards. People sell theirs there all the time. Hope this helps.

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I've got one, and have found in general the 'usable' range on darker objets is about 1/2 to 1/3 the stated range. I've got one that claims to be a 550 yard range, but I have NEVER seen it report more than 200 yards when used on a tree in the woods. I have gotten some > 200 yd ranges when used on brighter color objects across an open field.

I would think for archery uses, any of the range finders would probably do for that.

jdonovan wrote:I've got one, and have found in general the 'usable' range on darker objets is about 1/2 to 1/3 the stated range. I've got one that claims to be a 550 yard range, but I have NEVER seen it report more than 200 yards when used on a tree in the woods. I have gotten some > 200 yd ranges when used on brighter color objects across an open field.

I would think for archery uses, any of the range finders would probably do for that.

The listed range is the max range under ideal conditions. The higher end products typically do a bit better (I've ranged trees out past 1000 yards), but never to the max spec. Of course those the OP $200 budget out of the water.

When you find the ideal range, let me know and I'll come test my LRF.

Well, I looked at Nikons, Bushnells, Tasco, Simmons, Leopolds and a few more, ranging in price from $50 to over $1000.... I stood in several stores and compared and frankly, for my application... the two that I am considering are one: a little "Simmons" for a bit over $100.... the accuracy was exactly the same as the $500 dollar ones... the only other one I liked was a Redfield, MossyOak, Raider 550... which the best price I could find on that one was around $175... I really only need the readout in yards and around 250yds is about all I really need... actually under 100 is probably the limit since I am probably going to use it during archery and black powder.... I still hunt with a crossbow (max I think I would try on that would only be around 25yds or so) and black powder more than regular gun season... lot less headaches with other hunters in the woods and during regular gun season it is really starting to get crazy out here.... besides, I have found that hunting early on during these seasons is easier to track and find the deer... they don't seem as spooked... anyway, I think the Redfield may be the ticket, I think it may be a little better quality than the Simmons and I have a bunch of old Redfield scopes that have never let me down... thanks for the info.