Rangefinder

Kernowlad

Supporter
Supporter
I've been toying with getting one of these for a while as my range estimation is generally on the wrong side of "pants" but also to go with the air rifle.
I happened to get a £20 voucher from the big store for reviewing an item (all legit but they then asked me to review items I haven't got - NOT legit!) so put it towards one - BIJIA Rangefinder - 650Yards Multi-Function Laser Archery Rangefinder for Bow Hunting,Shooting, Golf,Camping with Slope Correction,Flag-locking with Vibration,Speed,Angle,Scan,Distance Measure: Amazon.co.uk: Sports & Outdoors
I can't justify anything high end but didn't want to go absolute bargain basement (£40ish) plus its camouflage so must be good.

Obviously I can't use it in tournaments but it'll be a training aid for both field archery and air rifle shooting.
 

dvd8n

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AIUK Saviour
I got one second hand and use it a lot when practicing on my own. I try to estimate the range then check it with the range finder before taking the shot. I also try not to memorize the distances on the range but rather estimate then from scratch every time.

I've managed to get my range finding abilities up from 'pants' to 'mostly pants'.
 

geoffretired

Supporter
Supporter
I'm trying to estimate how far apart the "pants" are from the "mostly pants". I'm guessing they are not THAT close otherwise the difference would not be detectable. Ball park figure of 27.2% better perhaps??
 

Kernowlad

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Supporter
I'm trying to estimate how far apart the "pants" are from the "mostly pants". I'm guessing they are not THAT close otherwise the difference would not be detectable. Ball park figure of 27.2% better perhaps??
I’d try and guess that too but my estimate would also be pants.
 

Kernowlad

Supporter
Supporter
This is tempting fate but I’ve never actually lost an arrow in field archery yet. Only broken a couple.
 
D

Deleted member 7654

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Mine cost about £90 about 6 years ago. It's been very good for measuring flight shots.
Del
 

AndyW

Well-known member
I've got a Nikon Prostaff 7i which is superb but I went through a series of "cheaper" range finders which were quite frankly not good enough. I had a higher end Bushnell which was good but the Prostaff came up at the right price so it got swapped.
IMO skimping on the rangefinder is false economy but you might get lucky. GL.
 

dvd8n

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I keep wondering about upgrading to a one that does equivalent horizontal distance. I always decide against it as the idea of having it is to train myself to not need it and it not telling me the true distance would be counterproductive.

But the call of new toys is strong...
 

malbro

Instinctive Archer
Supporter
AIUK Saviour
Pants is when you come home with 11 arrows instead of 12.

Mostly pants is when you occasionally come home with the full dozen.
What do you call it when you come home with all the ones you took with you and several that you lost on previous outings :D
 

dvd8n

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That does happen occasionally. That's a really good day.

A really bad day I when you come home with 11 1/2. You know that that arrow isn't ever coming home.
 

Kernowlad

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Supporter
Well I had a little go (not officially receiving it until Christmas but had to check it worked...it started badly when I held it the wrong way round....!) and it seems to be plenty good enough for me. Nice clear sight picture and the numbers look right.

I’ve seriously pushed my luck spending £1000+on the rifle and kit plus a fair bit more on the archery kit a while back; I have to draw a line on going for the “best” (or nearly) at some point to avoid a serious fall out so £200+ on rangefinder wasn’t an option. I’m plenty happy enough with this little thing!
 

dvd8n

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I've got a Nikon Prostaff 7i which is superb but I went through a series of "cheaper" range finders which were quite frankly not good enough. I had a higher end Bushnell which was good but the Prostaff came up at the right price so it got swapped.
IMO skimping on the rangefinder is false economy but you might get lucky. GL.
I've got a Hawke 600. It's not high end but it does the job. I've had it a few years and it's still soldiering on. It's been hung on my belt, dropped, used in all weathers and on it goes. And it's still only on it's second battery.

My only complaints are that it can't cope with severe weather and it won't read less than about 10m. But other than that it's been fine.

I do notice that the case designs are different now though - mine's sort of rubbery and the modern ones seem to be hard plastic. I don't know if that's good or bad though.
 
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Whitehart

Well-known member
Check it's tolerances accuracy +/- 1 yard! just about ideal for Golf like all these cheap ones from China. But hopefully with a compound you will be on the boss even at 80 yards.
 

AndyS

Supporter
Supporter
I do notice that the case designs are different now though - mine's sort of rubbery and the modern ones seem to be hard plastic. I don't know if that's good or bad though
My wife got a Hawke 700 last month and the case feels slightly rubbery, definitely doesn't feel like hard plastic.
It's not been used much yet, but she seems fairly pleased with it.
 

Kernowlad

Supporter
Supporter
Check it's tolerances accuracy +/- 1 yard! just about ideal for Golf like all these cheap ones from China. But hopefully with a compound you will be on the boss even at 80 yards.
It says up to 600 yards but I only need to to about 100.
I think pretty much all of them are made in China regardless of price or brand.

I’ve managed to buy both a British bow and rifle so fairly happy with that.
 

malbro

Instinctive Archer
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AIUK Saviour
I bought a WoSports one for around the £65 mark, says it works up to 600yds and is mainly meant for the golfing market but works OK and certainly within 0.5 yards on short distances, checked it out to about 40 against a tape but that ran out of material after that. I find it useful to get an idea of the range when practicing especially when the arrows land before getting to the target.

As for virtually all electronics these days they are chinese, hard plastic case but softer material on the top and bottom for grip.
 
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