Rangefinders for Rifle Hunting

[Sewall]

So I'm wanting to invest in a nice rangefinder for long range rifle hunting and I've narrowed it down to Leica, Sig, and Vortex in no particular order. I like the Leica but not the price tag. Vortex has a great warranty but I've heard it's not the greatest and my local shop says they have heard nothing but good things in the sig. What are you guys thoughts?


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[realunlucky]

There has been a few threads on here about this very subject. I'll sum it up for you. Sig is best value going but durability is unproven being fairly new to the market. Leica has better glass better display and is proven field worthy but you pay for all that. Vortex has a lifetime warranty. Ranger 1000 had drama and was slow 1500 is supposed to be improved but still more money than a sig. After my experience with the ranger 1000 I'd avoid vortex. I currently have a leica and my hunting partner the sig. I feel the leica does everything a little better. He feels that the sig does everything well enough it's a non issue. I tried his sig a bunch this past elk hunt fast and accurate, butI liked the leica display better of course that's what I'm use to now. I'd try them both size and wieght and reading speed very similar. His sig does a scan mode when you move it my leica 1000r you have to push the button everytime. I'm not sure that maybe how they each adjusted in settings but I've never looked into it as I like the single number. His is the sig 2000 mine is leica 1000R

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[realunlucky]

Oh and we each had a vortex ranger we used in Alaska and learned there had to be something better

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[SpannerAK]

I have ranged caribou out to 800 on my Vortex 1000 and have used it successfully in 0 degree snow temps to typical Alaskan spring rain with no issues.

 

[TheCougar]

I have Leica and it is the inly rangefinder I have used that performs as advertised, and the glass is excellent. Have you considered Leupold? My buddy has one and it seems like a solid performer.

 

[wind gypsy]

I have a leica 1600B that works well, is light and compact. Based on reviews the sig would be a good choice as well. Leica has a new model right now so the proven previous model is on sale at various places.

 

[Firehawk]

I have and still use an older Leica LRF 1200 scan. It is nearly bullet proof and the only time it acted weird, turned out to just need a new battery.

That said, it is too bulky for bowhunting. So...I started down the path to find a better one for archery. Started with a Nikon Rifle Hunter 1000 (liked to pull double duty for ML, Archery and rifle) and it was pretty good, but the display left a little to be desired. I sold the Nikon and went with the Vortex Ranger 1000. I loved the display, but it was sooo slow and it had real issues in the cold weather for me. Eventually, after a few seasons, I sold it and bought the Sig Kilo 2000. That one is a keeper. It works terrific and i like the display and especially how fast it works.

So...I still have and use the Leica when rifle hunting, but the Sig is smaller, lighter, just as fast and ranges just as far. And the Sig has angle compensation that my older Leica does not do.

Regards,

FH

 

[AGPank]

I've owned an older Leica LRF 800 and I still have it. Still has excellent optics and works very well.

A couple years back I upgraded to the Vortex Ranger 1000. It worked well despite the extra button push. I liked the warranty on the electronics, which others don't offer. It is compact and feels rugged with the armoring. For some of my target archery it would read 1-2 yards off. Not a big deal for hunting or rifle, but not good enough in some instances. It does have tripod threads if needed.

This year I picked up the Leica 1600B when they were on sale on Overstock. Awesome optics and I've ranged just over 1600 yards. I don't like that it doesn't perform angle compensation inside 100 yards, but determined where I hunt that my max angle is 25 degrees or about a 10% reduction, which I can figure out when needed.

It's not as compact as the Ranger and it isn't armored. I would like to find a better way to carry it. I do like the optics and performance, but doubt I will ever figure out the ballistic tool.

There is a good review on the Sig on the website here.

 

[vanish]

I have a Nikon Riflehunter that I've used for the last 10 years. Its fine for archery, but when it came to rifle hunting pronghorn, it didn't cut the mustard. I picked up a Sig Kilo 2000 for this season and it is incredible. I've ranged buildings at 2400 yards and had no trouble with pronghorn at 500 yards.

 

[7stw]

I'm in the same spot except I have a vortex 1000 that isn't accurate enough to really trust past 450 yds and can not get ranges past 600 on animals unless you mount it on a tripod even then it's iffy. I'm torn between the Leica and sig. The Leica is tried and true with limited actual time on the sig's they seem promising but so did the vortex when I upgraded from the Nikon I previously had. I'm most likely going to sell the vortex and get something else.... Maybe I can find a used Leica 1600 b


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[bates]

I'm holding out for the sig 2400 i believe is the model

Has AB built in

 

[16Bore]

I had a 1200 Leica and now a Vortex Ranger 1000 and Sig Kilo 2000 both in my hands at the moment. Took them out for some side by side comparison and found they were both on the money to 1,000 yards. Longest read on the Sig was 1,719 and Vortex 1,040. Sig reads faster in scan mode. Animals to 631 were no problem for either in the rain/fog or clear weather.

Only reason I plan to keep the Sig is that it reads way out there. Guys have been claiming over 2K, but I couldn't get it to go. But it's 3X longer than I shoot so either will work.

Vortex can be yours for $270 TYD.

 

[Tinbanger]

I just returned a brand new sig 2000, because it would not range over 950 yards. I wanted to just try another one but there were no others in stock. So i ended up with the ranger 1500, went outside and ranged a car on the freeway at 1100 yards.

 

[16Bore]

I've heard several people with similar stories. Rumor has it that replacing the OEM battery helps. I'm still using the one it came with.

 

[Justin Crossley]

So I'm wanting to invest in a nice rangefinder for long range rifle hunting and I've narrowed it down to Leica, Sig, and Vortex in no particular order. I like the Leica but not the price tag. Vortex has a great warranty but I've heard it's not the greatest and my local shop says they have heard nothing but good things in the sig. What are you guys thoughts?
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I wouldn't use a Vortex Ranger 1000 personally (nor the 1500 until I get a chance to test it) and I've had to send in my Leica 1600B a couple times due to weird issues (first one would eat through a battery in a week and the replacement had display issues after a while). Both times Leica sent me a new rangefinder without question, so I would say their warranty is as good as you could expect. I owned a Leupold 1000 that never had an issue in over 5 years of hard use. The only negative with it was the max range sucked almost as bad as the Vortex 1000. I've had my SIG KILO2000 for most of this year and haven't had a single problem with it yet. I heard of one guy who had issues with the battery cover which was causing a kind of short circuit but I haven't heard about any wide spread issues. Personaly I think the SIG is still the way to go unless you want to go with rangefinding binos from Swaro or Leica, or you want to spend over $3k on a Vectronix.

Here is the link to the article I wrote on the SIG KILO2000 SIG SAUER KILO2000 Rangefinder Review

 

[Justin Crossley]

Also as a side note, I'm going to try and get a hold of the Vortex 1500 to test side by side with the SIG KILO2000 and Leica 1600B.

 

[16Bore]

How far do you shoot and what's the furthest you ran the Vortex before it quit?

 

[huntnidaho]

I have had the Leica 1600B for two seasons and it has been great. Small, light, superfast reads, temp/atmospheric data, good battery life, nice glass. Lack of angle comp at <100yds is not an issue for me. The only thing that messes with it is fog, which I presume will screw up any laser rangefinder. I feel it's been a great tool for the money.

 

[missjordan]

I own both a Leica 1000 and the Vortex 1000 and the Leica is worth the extra coin. I've had to send the Vortex back for warranty twice in 3 years and the Leica that I've owned for 5 is still going strong with zero issues. Vortex is also slower to respond as well. Very impressed with our Leica and will probably upgrade to the new model coming out


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[Tinbanger]

I took the new Vortex 1500 out this weekend, and it's fast. I was Also ranging 1100 yards with ease. I believe it's a fast as the sig was and the lieca my buddy has.