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Can a decent laser range finder be had for $125?

Clamber

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Mar 13, 2010
235
0
34
Utah, USA
I'm on a real small budget for a laser range finder. I doubt there are many out there in my small price range, but maybe you guys know of some.

I found the Bushnell Sport 450 for $125 and I was wondering if that would be an alright one until I can afford something better, or is there another one you would recommend?

Edit: I'm looking on the Bushnell site for the Sport 450 and I'm kinda confused about what hte range is. It says 5-999, but does it depend on what surface your aiming at?

http://www.bushnell.com/products/rangefinders/sport-450/201916/

Thanks,
Coby
 
Re: Can a decent laser range finder be had for $125?

In a word...NO (unless you are ranging aluminum/steel aircraft hangers, tractor trailer convoys, or other VERY large, reflective objects)!
 
Re: Can a decent laser range finder be had for $125?

Range finders are like woman, the name an spec's may imply one thing, but until tried out you just don't know for sure. I've a Leica 1200 that sucks past 500 in fog, a buds old 900yd Swarovski kicked my leica like a dog. Another buds 1600 yd Swarovski won't keep up with my Leica, drive test them all before you buy, or take a chance.

I've seen 1200 Leica's go for $200 up at gun shows in Bama.
 
Re: Can a decent laser range finder be had for $125?

before i knew better i got a bresser 800 for $100 and if u luck up and get it to hit what want to range it does pretty good all the way to 1000 on huge targets (3 story mirror glass building on a clear day) accurate too. problem is the laser just never seems to hit what you want it to even at 100 yds ranging a 6" fence post a task. try 10 times and you might hit it twice so if you try it around 500 you don't know if you're hitting your target or something else.

in short keep saving. going cheap will just lead to wishing you had kept saving.
 
Re: Can a decent laser range finder be had for $125?

Well, just got off the hill, hunting for white tail and had 3 different range finders, with me.
My old 1200 yd Leica went to shit past 315yds
A friends 1200 yd Swarovski died at 405 yds
And a 1000 yd Leupold went tits up past 225

Weather was 47*F, very, very slight drizzle an Foggy. Visibility per the trucks odometer was about 6-7/10 of a mile. Time was 30mins before sunset, an overcast.
 
Re: Can a decent laser range finder be had for $125?

I don't know about $125 but the Bushnell Yardage Pro 800 can be found for under $200. I've used one for well over 5 yrs. and it will resolve and accurately range an elk size animal to over 600yds in most conditions short of really heavy rainfall. The unit has a number of operating modes and the close yardage mode quit after a couple of years. I use it to measure fencelines and it seem to work fine at shorter meassurements using the regular mode.
 
Re: Can a decent laser range finder be had for $125?

I found a Nikon 800 LRF in a friend's pawn shop for $90 out the door. So far, Ive hit telephone poles a bit past 700 yards with it. When it gets a bit warmer, I'm going to try it out on steel plate targets in a huge pasture that will let me try it to it's max range of 999.9 yds and see how it works.