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  #1  
Old 10-21-2024, 08:55 PM
schleprock schleprock is offline
 
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Default Rangefinder Binocular

For those that have them, what brand/model are you using that you would recommend?
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  #2  
Old 10-21-2024, 09:08 PM
elkhunter11 elkhunter11 is online now
 
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I have the 10x40 Geovid HDs, and they are fine for me, but mine are about 15 years old, so the new ones may be improved
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Old 10-21-2024, 09:42 PM
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If you’re a shooter, look for ones that have AB ballistic software installed. The best of all worlds.
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  #4  
Old 10-22-2024, 12:21 AM
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The Sig Sauer model. Get the scope and the binos and scope sync together to adjust the reticle to the ranged distance. Looks like a sweet setup.

A friend of mine just bought the Vortex bono/rf model, he likes it
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  #5  
Old 10-22-2024, 12:38 AM
Peppysan Peppysan is offline
 
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Default Sig Sauer

I would suggest the Sig line of Binoculars, they have several models.
I have a pair, (with the Ballistic prgm) and they can also bluetooth a shooting solution to the Sig BDX line of scopes.
Did I mention very good warranty system. No receipt, no explanation, no expiry.

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  #6  
Old 10-22-2024, 07:31 AM
Smokinyotes Smokinyotes is offline
 
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I have Leica Geovids 10x42 he-R 2700. If I was buying today I would buy the same thing with AB ballistics.
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  #7  
Old 10-22-2024, 07:37 AM
tallieho tallieho is offline
 
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Element Optics,has it all..
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  #8  
Old 10-22-2024, 09:41 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by schleprock View Post
For those that have them, what brand/model are you using that you would recommend?
If you are left eye dominant, none of them will work well for you, stick to the Leica CRF. If you a right eye dominant pretty hard to beat the Geovids.
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  #9  
Old 10-22-2024, 09:58 AM
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Jamie Black R/T Jamie Black R/T is online now
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dean2 View Post
If you are left eye dominant, none of them will work well for you, stick to the Leica CRF. If you a right eye dominant pretty hard to beat the Geovids.
As a left eye individual...i feel this.

I am on my 3rd pair of Geovids and every upgrade gets a bit better.

The first gen geovids were tough for me to see in daylight at all...add some snow and forget about seeing that faint red readout....my current pair of HD-B's are way brighter and better...totally manageable. But would be better in my left eye.
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  #10  
Old 10-22-2024, 10:12 AM
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Depends on budget and use. There are plenty of options for casual shooters/ hunters or fulltime hunters,guides that require maximum clarity and brightness at all visible hours of the day or options for people who shoot alot and with multiple rifles and ammunition combos.

I've owned 3 generations of the Leica geovid that were open box demos. They were great for 50%off but the glass lacked the clarity and edge-to-edge focus of swarovski. And you need to get the latest bluetooth generation to be able to get accurate angle compensation since all previous models assumed that sight-in elevation was sea level and couldn't be changed.

I bought the newest Swarovski HD range and the brightness and edge focus are much better than the Leicas. The app and ballistic calculator are easy to use, I have mine setup in MOA but it can do mils or inches of drop. The downside is that you can only hold 3 rifle/ammo profiles on the app so if you switch rifles or loads regularly it's not ideal. Glass-wise it's the best I've looked through in low light and low visibility conditions.

The Sig binos have more customizable ballistic calculators with more storage but I haven't really used them, just looked through a pair in daylight.

The vortex are decent but would be better if the glass was based on the razor line. They use the viper glass which doesn't compare to the HD European glass. And they aren't really cheap enough to justify the lack of clarity and brightness in my opinion.

There are others but I haven't looked through them.

Hope that helps

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  #11  
Old 10-22-2024, 10:18 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dean2 View Post
If you are left eye dominant, none of them will work well for you, stick to the Leica CRF. If you a right eye dominant pretty hard to beat the Geovids.
My Geovids have individual eye adjustments on both eye pieces, is there something I'm missing bout the eye dominance Den?
Cat
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  #12  
Old 10-22-2024, 10:20 AM
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Brodhead - what you say about Leica and Swaro clarity holds true for some users. For me, Leica is the better glass, for my brother, he finds Swaro clearer. Both are their top of the line Binos, with no RF. In the RF version I bought 6 or 7 years ago, I found the Geovids clearer than the Swaro. Wonder if that would change with the newer versions, but since I can't see the readout well in either, will stick to the Leica CRF. With high end Alpha glass, a guy really does have to try them out to know for sure which works for your eyes the best.
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  #13  
Old 10-22-2024, 10:46 AM
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These swaros are the newest model with HD glass just released a couple years ago. Older Leica and swaros may be more similar.

But I agree,as far as non RF binos go, any of the Leica, zeiss or swarovski top end models will be similar and up to the individual eye

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  #14  
Old 10-22-2024, 10:55 AM
GrandSlam GrandSlam is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Peppysan View Post
I would suggest the Sig line of Binoculars, they have several models.
I have a pair, (with the Ballistic prgm) and they can also bluetooth a shooting solution to the Sig BDX line of scopes.
Did I mention very good warranty system. No receipt, no explanation, no expiry.


Is there a specific model you recommend?
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  #15  
Old 10-22-2024, 11:48 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by catnthehat View Post
My Geovids have individual eye adjustments on both eye pieces, is there something I'm missing bout the eye dominance Den?
Cat
I can only speak for my personal experience but the individual ocular adjustments work great for clarity balance between your two eyes...but they do nothing for the red readout of the display.

I have a hard time seeing red as it is...yes, i suck and blood trailing.

I gifted my old Geovids to my kid...he can read them fine...in daylight I can't even read the display in them. The newer HD-B's have a much brighter readout so I manage with them.
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  #16  
Old 10-22-2024, 01:05 PM
wallz wallz is offline
 
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I have used several over the years.

I jumped onto the swaro RF band wagon shortly after they came out. Used the 10x42 model for several years.

Then they released all the ballistics calculation models, and I knew I had to upgrade.

I ended up trading the swaro model I had for a nice khales 525i scope, with the intention to upgrade to the newer ballistics model RF bino.

That year things didn't work out too well for the upgrade, so I ended up using the sig 3000 model RF bino. I ended up getting the wife the BDX scope that could hook up with the bino. These work out great for her, and her level of purpose. For me the sig 3000 model were just short of what I really wanted. They are nice, at the price point, but lacking to many features I was accustomed to in the swaro RF.

While I was still shopping I had a chance to hit up Precision Optics with a buddy that was purchasing, so we were outside with Omer and a few different bino's. The first time I was able to hold the new swaro RF model 10x42 with tracking assist, and compare them to a 10x32 Leica model we had outside with us. I don't even remember the exact model, but it was without the RF, as the new pro RF was still not on the shelves and was still due in a weeks. The clarity, color, to my eyes was better than the swaro's, and that is coming from a huge swaro fan.

That is when I knew I just needed the leica 10x32 model. I jumped on a great "overstock" deal later that spring on the new leica pro, 10x32 and quickly upgraded with the AB elite software.

The swaro models were limited to the profiles at 3, and I felt that was a HUGE drawback for me. The leica pro do not have that limited factor and allow me to have multiple rifle profiles. I have 8 right now, and still able to add more when needed.

I have now used these for 2 hunting seasons, and just love em. A bit smaller and more compact than the 10x42 swaro's I had, without any sacrifice for any real lighting. Yea, I know they are a little less light gathering than the 42 model would be, but I feel that is of no real consequence out in the field and actually benefit with the more compact 10x32 model.

In the end I suggest you go in to a store that carries a few different models and try them out if you can. Even if you have to drive a bit to be able to. The $$ you spend warrants the extra effort on your part.

I trully could not be happier with the leica pro model I have, and enjoy them all the time out hunting, or at the range. Temp, pressure, angle, distance all taken into account at a quick press of the button, and spits out a hold over.

Just remember, good info into the app, good info out. They are only as good as the info you input into the program.

Are the new leica pro AB+ worth the extra $$, that is what you have to determine. The sig 10K??? They have a gen11 now, as I guess the gen1 models had some issues. The new gunwerks/revic RF I hear are decent as well.
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  #17  
Old 10-23-2024, 01:18 AM
Peppysan Peppysan is offline
 
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Default My Sigs

Quote:
Originally Posted by GrandSlam View Post
Is there a specific model you recommend?
I myself have the Kilo 3000 BDX (10x42), I think it was the first model that had the BDX 2.0 Ballistics feature. Works very well for me I have been able to pick out Elk at a mile or more. A little heavier than the Compacts for sure.

They have since come out with 4 more models. The Kilo 6K-HD Compact 10x32 is near the same price point, lighter but sacrificing the larger Objective Lens. I am sure it works equally as well.

I also have had several Monocular Sig Range Finders from the 1600, 2200, 2400, and now use the Kilo 5K. Depends how far you want to range them.

Sig has an app for the phone that you use to configure all the above devices, (easily) and store all the Ballistic data for the loads/rifle that you use. I have 22 different data sets in it so far. But that's me, I have 6 of the scopes as well, and I have setup 5 more for friends.

It's also not that you need the Sig BDX scope because the range finders produce the ballistic solution that the specific data set requires. Ironically my longest kill shot, (on an Antelope) was at 580yds using a Millet Scope and the dope from the Sig Range Finder.

I often check Precision Optics for the latest models and prices. They often have the best SALE price on certain models. Not always in stock but . . .

www.precisionoptics.net/category_s/1043.htm

Hope that is helpful
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  #18  
Old 10-23-2024, 09:04 AM
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https://leica-camera.com/en-US/produ...d-pro-10x42-ab

Looks like Leica has the new geovids in a 10x42 and with upgraded AB+ ballistic software. I would be very interested to look through a pair.

If I was in the market for RF binos now instead of 2 years ago I think these would be giving the swarovskis a run for their money. The app and ballistic capabilities are far superior to the swaros and the curved body feels better in the hand than swaros weird half-moon bumps.

It would still come down to glass clarity for me though. If you are a long range shooter or have many rifles that you regularly shoot then the Leicas are probably the best option. I don't really need more than 3 profiles at one time and I don't have a kestrel or shoot past 600 yards so glass is the #1 consideration for me.




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  #19  
Old 10-26-2024, 12:04 AM
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McBain camera has a sale on the geovid 10X42 rangefinder bino's right now until the end of the month and are in stock.
Most of their locations do not stock them in-store, but if you give them a call and want to look at a particular model, they can have it sent to any of their business locations within a day or 2. I gave them a call yesterday to view a pair at a location close to my work and got a call today that they are there and available to view.
I don't personally own a pair of rangefinder bino's and am getting this pair for my wife, so can't really give any feedback other than what has already been mentioned.

For the terrain I hunt, the 7X leica crf rangefinder has been my go to whether I'm bow hunting or rifle hunting.
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  #20  
Old 10-26-2024, 09:44 AM
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MountainTi MountainTi is online now
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ice Fishing Maniac View Post
The Sig Sauer model. Get the scope and the binos and scope sync together to adjust the reticle to the ranged distance. Looks like a sweet setup.

A friend of mine just bought the Vortex bono/rf model, he likes it
I've got a friend who also bought a set of the vortex range finders. First time I looked thru them it was a nice sunny day. They ranged very well at quite the distance and optically they looked good.
Had a chance a month later to use them in low light conditions......you get what you pay for with optics. I would take a pair for free but I sure wouldn't buy a set
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  #21  
Old 10-27-2024, 01:14 AM
ctd ctd is offline
 
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I own a pair of the Bushnell Fusion 1 mile.
For ranging they pretty out to 700meters on animals. 1400meters on hard objects.

For the price and what the average person will use them for they are worth taking a look at.
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  #22  
Old 10-27-2024, 08:42 AM
wind drift wind drift is offline
 
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Default Nikon Laserforce

Bought these for my son. Good value and function well as binos and rangefinder. Good deal below:

https://www.visions.ca/nikon-laserfo...der-binoculars
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