Range Finder Advice

I'm going to be shopping for a range finder soon, or asking for one for Christmas ;), but I've never used one before. I'll mainly be using it for practice, out plinking, and to verify distances as I learn to range with a mil dot reticle. It seems like a small, lightweight, pocket sized handheld model would suffice, but I don't know anything about them and how to use them. I'm starting my research now, but I thought I'd ask around here too.

What should I be looking for? What features should I consider a must, and or unnecessary? What are the brands, models, and price points I should be looking at? Ofc I want the most bang for my buck, but I like quality and believe you get what you pay for, so won't skimp for the sake of a few bucks.

Any and all input is welcome and appreciated.

What are the longest ranges you anticipate lazing??

I do a lot of long range shooting and hunting and have used a lot of rangefinders (Bushnell, Leica, Gunworks, Vortex, Sig, Terrapin, Vectronics, etc), and I would say the best bang for your buck would be the Sig Kilo 2200MR. It will range out to 3,000 yards in perfect conditions (I've hit 3,340 with mine once), but will regularly range out to a mile with ease. It also has a fast scan mode and angle range compensation. You can get them for around $400.

Unless you need a rangefinder that will tie in all of your ballistic data and output your drops in MRAD/MOA, this is the best bang for the buck by far, in my opinion.

https://www.sigsauer.com/store/kilo2....html?___SID=U

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Originally Posted by markm

What are the longest ranges you anticipate lazing??

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I'd say 2500 meters or so. Mostly in the 300-500 meter range currently, but I do have a standing invite to joint a long range shooting team, so a Ruger Precision Rifle may be in my near future, and then we're talking a mile plus.

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Originally Posted by B Cart

I do a lot of long range shooting and hunting and have used a lot of rangefinders (Bushnell, Leica, Gunworks, Vortex, Sig, Terrapin, Vectronics, etc), and I would say the best bang for your buck would be the Sig Kilo 2200MR. It will range out to 3,000 yards in perfect conditions (I've hit 3,340 with mine once), but will regularly range out to a mile with ease. It also has a fast scan mode and angle range compensation. You can get them for around $400.

Unless you need a rangefinder that will tie in all of your ballistic data and output your drops in MRAD/MOA, this is the best bang for the buck by far, in my opinion.

https://www.sigsauer.com/store/kilo2....html?___SID=U

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I've got a Romeo 4T that I like a lot, and was looking at the Sig offerings as a starting point. Sounds like possibly a finish line too.

Friggin Sig has it together... between the Romeo sights, range finders, and really nice suppressors... MPX sub guns, they're killing it.

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Originally Posted by markm

Friggin Sig has it together... between the Romeo sights, range finders, and really nice suppressors... MPX sub guns, they're killing it.

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I tend to agree. And don't forget about the P365, awesome little pistol!

If you are just plinking and setting up targets, consider the BallisticsARC app. It has a map feature that uses GPS coordinates to calculate distances. It also calculates angles.

This could also work if you are hunting from a stand and research your shooting lanes in advance.

For $15 it’s a cheap way to get started.

More info: https://geoballistics.com/#x-content-band-2

I also have a kilo 2200mr and it works well. Definitely a good purchase.

Leica and Vortex are GTG.

I just got a Sig Kilo 1400 BDX for my walking-around gear, and it is also GTG. The Bluetooth app interface works okay, and it’s suggested dope is pretty close.

Leica 2000

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Originally Posted by Mr McSimon

I'd say 2500 meters or so. Mostly in the 300-500 meter range currently, but I do have a standing invite to joint a long range shooting team, so a Ruger Precision Rifle may be in my near future, and then we're talking a mile plus.



I've got a Romeo 4T that I like a lot, and was looking at the Sig offerings as a starting point. Sounds like possibly a finish line too.

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Some good suggestions here already from members. But if you are going to be ranging 2500 meters, you will need some expensive kit to make anything happen at that range. A RPR rifle won't touch that distance. You will need a ChevTac or something that will really reach out and touch. 1609 meters is a mile.

What it sounds like you need in my opinion is just a sig kilo2000. It will range anything you will be able to shoot with 308, 6.5, 300 win, etc, etc. If your going to actually be needing to range and shoot targets farther, you will need to put it on a good tripod, etc. I think a kilo 2000 is perfect, cost effective and works for 99.999 percent of shooting. And you can find lightly used ones pop up sometimes for 200 bucks. The sig 2200 as mentioned is a really good rangefinder also.

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Originally Posted by Mr McSimon

I tend to agree. And don't forget about the P365, awesome little pistol!

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Sig has pistols??? ;)

I have a Vortex Ranger 1300. I'd sure like one that goes to 2200 just for fun but have no actual use for that..... for now 1300 is a good range for me to work within. The Ranger is also a dang good 6X monocular at the same time.

Another Sig here. I have the 2000 and it has been very reliable.

I have a SIG2000 that I’ve used for the last year and love it. Ranges much faster than most others on the market and I’ve ranted things out past a mile (can’t remember exact yardage but I think it was close to 1800).

I also just acquired a second unit that I don’t really need, so I was planning on listing it soon. PM me if interested.

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Originally Posted by Ned Christiansen

I have a Vortex Ranger 1300. I'd sure like one that goes to 2200 just for fun but have no actual use for that..... for now 1300 is a good range for me to work within. The Ranger is also a dang good 6X monocular at the same time.

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I’ve wanted this one for a while, glad to hear it’s solid.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

There are guys always “upgrading” their range finders for the latest and greatest. You can likely pick up an awesome used LRF for a great deal. Something like a lica 1600B would be a great find.

Another vote for the Sig 2200. I’ve hit 1600 with mine pretty regularly, and hit 1760 once of twice. Awesome unit for the $$ spent. You can get more, but the next jump is s big increase in $$.

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Originally Posted by Mr McSimon

I'd say 2500 meters or so. Mostly in the 300-500 meter range currently, but I do have a standing invite to joint a long range shooting team, so a Ruger Precision Rifle may be in my near future, and then we're talking a mile plus.

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Vortex range finders are great ranger finders but none of their offerings are going to give you a 2500m read.
What RPR are you looking at with that kind of range?

Another vote for the Sig Kilo2000 or Kilo2200MR. Add a tripod adapter (or just gently clamp the rangefinder in something like a hogsaddle) for lazing longer ranges and you'll be able to range anything you're likely to hit with an RPR.

I've also had good luck with the Bushnell Elite 1 Mile ARC range finder (I prefer it's horizontal profile and it has a built in tripod mounting point on the bottom), but the Sig is just as capable for less money.

For the price, I’ve been very happy with my Sig Kilo2000 as well. I’ve also got quite a bit of time behind a Leica and was never overly impressed with it.

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Originally Posted by RobertTheTexan

Vortex range finders are great ranger finders but none of their offerings are going to give you a 2500m read.
What RPR are you looking at with that kind of range?

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Yeah I haven't seen anything on Vortex like that, and based on everybody's opinions in this thread, it looks like I'll be going with a Sig K2000 or 2200. Part of the learning experience for me has also been about the distance itself, and really 2500 meters was a nice round number in my head to start with, with no real basis in application. It's obvious to me now that if I'm in a position to reach out that far, I'll know a whole lot more about things, and I have no need for that kind of power at the moment.

Thanks for all the input, this thread has been very helpful.

What about the new Nikon's with the anti-vibration tech that helps you hold it study wwhile lasing longer ranges?

For years I had a Leica 1600. I lost it. I replaced it with the Sig 2200. About a month after getting it I got out my favorite hunting coat.....something heavy in the pocket....Leica 1600....So, I took both out to the field for a couple of weeks and honestly, they returned the exact same readings across a wide spectrum of targets and light conditions. Sold my Leica on Ebay. To me, electronics are a consumable item, you can't realistically expect them to last forever so the newer unit was better to me even if identical in ability.

Some popular brands known for producing quality rangefinders for shooting sports include Vortex Optics, Leupold, Nikon, Bushnell, Sig Sauer, and Leica. Models like the Vortex Ranger, Leupold RX-1600i, Nikon Monarch, Bushnell Prime, Sig Sauer Kilo, and Leica Rangemaster are worth considering within your budget range.

I bought a Sig Kilo 2000 that was made just of Cabelas to sell. Super good price around $200-. I tested it ranging out to 900 yards easily looking at cow sized mounds of dirt in a field across the freeway. Only had 6x magnification but that actually worked just fine. You won't find it on the Sig website as it is a made for Cabelas item.

When shopping for a rangefinder for your purposes, there are several factors to consider to ensure you get the most suitable option:
1-Maximum Range
2-Accuracy
3-Ease of Use
4-Durability
5-Additional Features:
Consider any extra features that may enhance your shooting experience, such as angle compensation, scan mode, or target priority modes. While not essential, these features can be beneficial depending on your specific needs.

Some popular brands known for producing quality rangefinders include Vortex,(https://wildhuntinggear.com/vortex-rangefinder-review/)
Bushnell, Leupold, Nikon, Sig Sauer, and Leica. Prices can vary widely depending on the brand, model, and features, but you can find reliable rangefinders in the $200 to $500 (https://wildhuntinggear.com/best-rangefinder-under-200/ ) range that offer excellent performance for recreational shooting and hunting purposes.

This rangefinder is definitely not for everyone, but if you want IMHO the best lightweight hand held ballistic rangefinder that can do all kinds of things and works in extreme cold weather, then as they say buy once and cry once and get the Revic BR4 rangefinder. Mine has been outstanding in every way.

https://www.revicoptics.com/br4-ballistic-rangefinder

https://youtu.be/euA8NnjaAFI?si=b6VrwiybNNvR2UEu

https://youtu.be/s2PhZK8Q-d8?si=7wn-pgG03TvA5xPN

https://youtu.be/GQTNjPsbV4w?si=cxLj37Z4NXqMo0OK

https://youtu.be/ustDGGqCPAc?si=HGv6m6hmzCBYzfHg

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Originally Posted by Biggy

Buy once and cry once and get a Revic BR4 rangefinder if you can fit it into your budget. Mine has been outstanding.

https://www.revicoptics.com/br4-ballistic-rangefinder

https://youtu.be/euA8NnjaAFI?si=b6VrwiybNNvR2UEu

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$1285.00 worth of Revic rangefinder. My budget is not big enough and never will be. I don't need a 4,000 yd range finder when 2000 yds will do nicely.

Try one of these.....https://mavenbuilt.com/products/crf-1-6x22-5-2400-yd?avad=194130_c377ff71d&utm_source=avantlink_www.pewpewtactical.com&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=bb_affiliate&utm_content=Easy+Link&utm_term=194130_www.pewpewtactical.com

Pew Pew Tactical Review of the same: https://www.pewpewtactical.com/best-rangefinders/

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Originally Posted by mareena

Some popular brands known for producing quality rangefinders for shooting sports include Vortex Optics, Leupold, Nikon, Bushnell, Sig Sauer, and Leica. Models like the Vortex Ranger, Leupold RX-1600i, Nikon Monarch, Bushnell Prime, Sig Sauer Kilo, and Leica Rangemaster are worth considering within your budget range.

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lol, yeah...This is a 6 year old thread. I think OP probably has it figured out by now...

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Originally Posted by Biggy

buy once and cry once and get the Revic BR4 rangefinder.

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Shit, if you're gonna "cry once" might as well make it count.

PLRF25C

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Originally Posted by kerplode

lol, yeah...This is a 6 year old thread. I think OP probably has it figured out by now...


Shit, if you're gonna "cry once" might as well make it count.

PLRF25C

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I hear a good cry is cathartic. So buy me one of them Vectronix, and you can have a "good cry".......:cool:

Ive been very happy with my Vortex Razor 4000. Here is a video I did behind my house ranging various mountains. Not the greatest video quality but shows the lasers capabilities well.

https://youtu.be/1A2VzeixGnk?si=j0WnJg_xB5VWdjEc