I don't know if this is the best forum for this, but here’s my quick review of the Bushnell Elite 1500 Laser Range Finder.

I’m a recreational shooter looking to get into long range shooting. On my list of stuff to get is a laser range finder. I wanted something that could read out to 1000 yards or so. When you look around at what models can do that, brands like Leica, Zeiss, and Swarovski consistently pop up. All of them are excellent, but carry hefty price tags. The Bushnell Elite 1500 was a promising alternative that may not offer the performance of the high-zoot euro brands but didn’t carry the price tag either. The downside is it appears the Elite 1500’s have been discontinued. Rumor has it that they are being purchased by the military and all production will go to .mil for the near future. I saw it on the interwebs so it must be true, right?

Normally, the Elite 1500’s are around $350-500 depending on where you get it and if it has the ARC feature (which is the Angle Range Calculator, or Compensator, or something). I finally found the regular non-ARC model at Joe’s for $240. Couldn’t pass up that price.

It has most of the standard features like scan mode, brush mode, meter and yard measurements, etc. There are two buttons, and it’s relatively ergonomic for two hand use. It’s bigger than the one hand hunting models that I’ve played around with in the past, so you need to hold it horizontally like binoculars, and not vertically like the smaller models (or the Leica). It has a tripod mount, but I’ve only used it by hand so far. It comes with a nice carry case, and a mediocre neck strap. It features a 7x26 view window that was good optically; not a replacement for binoculars but enough to aim the laser. The display is an LCD type with black numbers and cross hairs. It works fine in daylight but the green LED that automatically illuminates the reading after you laze something is pretty useless. If you really need to laze in low light or twilight conditions, a bright red reticle like the Leica is a much better option.

The only other range finders I’ve had access to were hunting models that went out to 400-500 yards. My hope was to range trees and large boulders out to 1000 yards or so. I got that and more.

Under bright conditions (direct sunlight on range finder and target) it’s a no brainer to range a tree at 1000-1300 yards. I had to rest my elbows on a deck railing but didn’t have to resort to a tripod. Once the sun went behind a hill and the range finder and target trees were no longer in direct sunlight, I could easily get to 1500 yards and even ranged a tree at 1636 yards.

I didn’t have a lot of animals to range, but I did spot a deer and was able to range it at about 700 yards. I was also able to range some garbage can sized rocks at about 600-700 yards.

The acquisition time was good. The readings were repeatable. The scan feature worked pretty well, but I worry about battery life with it in operation.

Overall, I’m very happy with it. It’s not a Leica or Zeiss, but it only cost about a 1/3 of what those models go for. If you are looking to laze stuff out to 1000 or 1200 yards, and don’t have the funds for one of the super-duper ones, the Bushnell Elite 1500 is worth a look.