I am reconsidering my original idea of a rangefinder and binocular combo and am looking at the Leica 1600-B. Does anyone on the Hide have a first hand account with this rangefinder? I am not concerned with the ballistic compensation features because I am looking at the Kesterel 4500 with Applied Balistics for that. I am also open for other ideas for some gear.
- Thread starter alman1531
- Start date
I'm not sure exactly what you're asking but will give it a crack... lots of people on here have experience with the unit in question. I'm sure they will also share...
I'm quite fond of my 1600B. The glass is great and if you don't use binoculars very often, you could get by. The rangefinding is top notch and you will be hard-pressed to do better until you get to the vectronix terrapin.
I'm quite fond of my 1600B. The glass is great and if you don't use binoculars very often, you could get by. The rangefinding is top notch and you will be hard-pressed to do better until you get to the vectronix terrapin.
I love mine. When I now hunt I don't need binos, I just it. You will really like them. Top notch glass. I like them better then the Swarovski one. I also have the 1200 model. The combo is nice but too big for me to bow hunt and to use at the range all the time. Money well spent
what distances will you generally be using the rangefinder for?
I'm happy with mine.
I range, then pull temperature, baro, and look angle for the ballistic ap. I have the simple Kestrel for wind.
I use it to shoot plates and scope out new shooting lanes. Gives good numbers to 1100-1200 yards on a steel IDPA target in all conditions I've been willing to shoot in. If I'm reasonably square to a large reflective target like a house, I've got numbers out of it a good deal further than that, but I'm not sure how accurate they were. Big tree trunks and rocks work pretty well too.
Dig my 1600. Reliably ranges 19x40 steel @ 1689 in normal conditions. I actually prefer the leicas 7x to my terrapins 5. Size is kickass too. I use my leica almost all the time except when shooting cheytac distances. Wish it had a tripod mount and its a little harder for me to hold steady than the terrapin. Great rangefinder.
Hunting shots out to 300ish, target shooting with my new AX 308MC and the .260 barrel. I would like to get out to around 1500 yards if I can find a spot out here in Pike National Forest west of the Springs.
Can anyone tell me if the leica 1600B gives you A True Line of sight Range or is it compensated in some way and when it gives you the solution does it tell you in MOA/MILS or does it tell you in clicks, as I am not to sure weather to buy one or not
Thanks John
Thanks John
The Leica 1600B is a great rangefinder. It's beam divergence is second only to the Terrapin, but 2x more magnification, with angle, barometric pressure and temperature data readings, in addition to a generalized balistic drop calculator in an extremely compact package. This latter feature is only approximate because it is based upon a comparable bullet trajectory, not necessarily your bullet's trajectory. I labored over my RF choice for about a year, concluding that I really didn't need the higher dollar ranging capability of the Terrapin and the MOA only and bulkiness features of the G7 didn't suit my wants/needs. I believe it's the best value RF for ranging targets out to 1000 yards.
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So you think the Leica is the best one or the G7, Over here the second hand price of the Terrapin is about $3400.00 and there is no way will I pay that for a used one and I would like the G7 but no one will sell me one So Im very limited to what I can buy, if I had the choice I would get the G7/Terrapin
My only other choice is to wait for the newer Bushnell Elite 1 Mile Arc , I hate being told what I can and cant buy because of ITAR,,,,I thought we were all on the same side.
anyway I will speak to my local shop and see what kind of deal I can get on the Leice.
Thanks Mate, John
I just recently got a 1600b demo from camera land that looks like it never had been touched and was $100 of the new price.. And my impressions are absolutely awesome with it! It does a great job of ranging tree lines and smaller targets compared to the leupold at least. And the size is perfect for being able to keep with you no matter what. I don't think you would ever regret buying one of them.
Thanks Derrick I will check it out as soon as I can get through on the phone, I have been trying since 09:15 UK time.
John
John
Don't get me wrong, the G7 is a great rangefinder too; however, it's calculations are in MOA, not mil, and it's not nearly as compact as the 1600B. If the G7 were more compact and calculated in mils, that'd be my choice, but it's not.
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That's one thing I don't like too, Its funny how the cheaper brands like bushnell can squeeze a lot more into the view finder like giving you CMs Inches MOA and MILs all in the one unit yet these Top of the Line Brands cant,
Anyway I might be ordering the 1600b early next week,
thanks again John
Leica - Camera Land NY
maybe this will help, they are off for the 4th of july I am certain but you can order and it will be sent out Monday I would imagine. they shipped mine very quickly.
After much research here, I made the jump and bought the 1600B. I have no regrets. I have used it in some comps, and out to its stated range it will hang in accuracy with the high $$$ units. There is no doubt in my mind that the Vectronix is a better unit, but for MY use, budget, and ranges I am shooting the Leica provides the best bang for the buck. Optics are crystal. Gets a little squirrely at long distance without a rest, but a simple rest on a pack can usually get the job done.
The OP was asking about rangefinding binoculars, not the CRF.
User accounts have the new Steiner rangefinding binos having the best rangefinder short of Vectronics offerings and a good deal better performance than the Leica 1600B binoculars.
The only reason I haven't considered selling my CRF and my binos to get the Steiners is the inclination, temperature, and station pressure functions of the CRF.
Joe
User accounts have the new Steiner rangefinding binos having the best rangefinder short of Vectronics offerings and a good deal better performance than the Leica 1600B binoculars.
The only reason I haven't considered selling my CRF and my binos to get the Steiners is the inclination, temperature, and station pressure functions of the CRF.
Joe
Actually he said he was second guessing binoculars, and asked about the leica 1600b which is a monocular.. They do make a Geovid series of binoculars though..
And yes the terrapin is much more capable but look at the size as well..
I know, like I wrote, I have a CRF-1600B.
"The only reason I haven't considered selling my CRF and my binos to get the Steiners is the inclination, temperature, and station pressure functions of the CRF."
Joe
I thought the OP was talking about the Leica 1600B, which is why I asked about it, or have I got this wrong,
Either way I still need to know about it as there is a fair bit of money involved.
John
I'm on the same page with you here..
But that line is where you lost me..
none the less we all agree the 1600B is a good choice.. we just have communication issues
No, you and Derrick called it correctly.
I passed on the CameraLand demo CRF-1600B, $100 off wasn't enough savings to justify a 90 day warranty.
Joe
Thanks to all the comments I am going to go after the CRF-1600b because of its narrow Bean and the Ranging ability and it is compact,
Happy 4th of July Everyone,
John
I meant the B version of the binos. Too much 4th of July cheer.
I went with the Leica over the Swaro Laserguide because of the huge beam of the Swaro. A lower percentage of no-reads courtesy of the Swaro is meaningless if those distances are for objects in front of or behind the intended target.
When I got the Leica I went out and tested it to make sure I didn't get one of the lemons that have been discussed here in the past. I ranged trees out to 1600 yards so it appears I got a good one (the suspect units wouldn't range past 1000 yards or so).
The impression I get from the research I've done is that somehow the LRF function of the B version binos is not as good as that of the monocular B version CRF. One thing the binos have that is really cool is the ability to create your own ballistic curves.
I sold my Kestrel after I got the 1600B. The Leica gives me all the atmospheric conditions that the Kestrel did except wind, and in my experience, the wind speed where I'm standing may not be representative of the wind I'm shooting through.
The reason I bring up the Steiners is, users have reported its LRF function to be very good, much closer to Vectronix performance than any of its competition. The porro prism and small objective design of the binocular don't thrill me, though. Also, there are times when I don't need a LRF, so I would still need separate binos for those times.
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