Swarovski Laser Guide vs Leica CRF 1600 vs Bushell 1600 Elite ARC Monocular

[GBMaryland]

Ok,

In the last several months I've been on the hunt for a non-$4000.00 2000 yard laser range finder.

I've been attempting to find something that is rated for 1600 yards, but eeks our a little bit more.

My first purchase was a Leica CRF 1600 Rangemaster, which turned out to have no ability to range in daylight past several hunred yards. (...and sometimes as close a 40 yards)

I returned it to Bass Pro.

I then looked at the Bushnell 1600 Elite ARC Fusion Binoculars. Man, compared to the Leica the glass was horrible, and they were big.

So I settled on the Bushnell 1600 Elite ARC MONOCULAR version, which interestingly does VERY well up to 1600 yards in almost ANY conditions. However, it doesn't seem to make it past 1600 yards, so I'm starting to wonder if it's software limited to 1600 yards.

Unlike the Binocs, the Monoc is made an China... the Binocs in Japan. So I'm not as happy about the China thing. ...but the glass is clearer.

Lastly, I picked up a swaroski Laser Guide 8x30, and started to play with that. I was able to get the unit to range an object (in about 30 tries) that was 1876 yards away. (Google Earth reports it at 1879 yards, so I'd say I got a good reading.) However, it appears the Laser Guide is REALLY sensitive to objects near the aiming recticle.

All attempts to range this white object were from a tripod mounted system, with micrometer adjustments. ...and the Laser Guide loved to pick up the trees UNDER the aiming reticle, not the target I was aiming at.

For $1000.00 I wouldn't expect this.

Likewise, it appears that Leica has a number of bad CRF 1600 units floating out there, but they will send you a new one without question.

So far the real suprise is the Bushnell 1600 Elite ARC Monocular. (At least to me....)

Can anyone else comment on their experiences with the use of the Swarovski, Leica CRF 1600, or Bushnell 1600 Elite ARC MONOCULAR...

I'd love the input.

[USAFSP]

I use 2 different Leicas at work, the LRF1600 and the Vector models.

The vector is too expensive to buy unless you have your own goldmine, but it'll measure 2K, no problems. And give you grid coordinates. :P

The LRF 1600's have worked fine, but they barely hit 1600 yards. I'm very shocked you have had issues. Shoulda called Leica and told them to fix it. At the price point the sell products at, I doubt they would have told you to pound sand!

[GBMaryland]

USAF eh? I'm ex-AF myself...

So, I've been ranging from the top of a building in order to be able to get out past 1600 yards.

For giggles, I took another shot at ranges a white object 1800+ yards away.

I dicovered that there was something that I had not considered:

The roof is covered with white rock, which would naturally reflect a fair amount of white light.

I move the bushnell over the edge of the building, turned on the brush mode, and started nailing the "white object" from the edge of the roof.

1801 Yards..
1803 yards...
1800 yards....

Went to google eather, ranged the distance. Guess what, it was dead on.

The issue appears to be a combination of heat mirage (sp) and near reflection of white light via a brightly immulinated surface.

So the Bushnell Elite 1600 ARC MONOCULAR, on a tripod, works without issues over 1600 yards.

Neat.