range finders.

All the time at the dairy. Can't afford to shoot high or low. I'm a terrible judge of distance.

Indispensable to me, pesting from patio requires ranging of trees for accurate shots. Surprised by how off my dead-reckoning can be. Bought a rechargeable one (less than $50) few years back from Amazon, still going strong. Can't imagine going without. WM

Gives confidence, removes guess-work of shots. For example, Wildcat MK3 Sniper .30 consistently put JSB 44.75s in dime-size circle @ 50 yards. From ground blind ranged a crow-preferred pine @ 48 yards. One day large crow landed with thick branch blocking front half. Placed shot just left of branch, crow glided to crash landing, DRT. Rangefinder was key. WM

You've been a member here for a long time. I assumed you would have had one by now. How have you been measuring distance all this time? Counting paces? Tape measure? Pre-determined distances? Me without a range finder is like me without coffee. Can't function.

I have two. When I started with PCP-s I ordered cheaper, golf rangefinder. Up to 800 yards as they claim. Works just fine.
When Element Helix 1500 rangefinder came out, I ordered one to be paired with my Element Helix scope. After setting it up (with Element ballistic app) it's game changer. Just measure range and it tells Your hold or clicks to dial. Helix 1500 can be used as regular rangefinder as well.

I am much less serious than most, but I find my inexpensive range finder indispensable.

Cant remember what I paid for mine but have had it for 8-10 years? and sure it was under 100. I think they are worth it.

I purchased a range finder a couple of years ago and it has a spot in my "range" bag (get it son, that was a joke!). It also has a nice 6x reticle that helps a lot. Instills a lot of confidence for a very moderate fee.

I have a rangefinder but I’ve gotten used to using the parallax wheel on my scope as an analog rangefinder that works pretty well. Find target, zoom in, use parallax wheel to get it perfectly in focus and then I can almost approximate distance using that, as the parallax adjustment on my rifle is usually pretty darn close.

I can set up my paper target at a random distance and get it perfectly in focus with my wheel and then look at the value on the wheel and it’s generally pretty close. Definitely not a replacement for a rangefinder, but could probably be a pretty good judge of distance in a pinch.

I use a range finder Every time I set up targets on the winter range. When I setup the f/t range in the spring. I use the range finder wa more than the chronograph.

I've had this for 2 years and have left it in the car in the Florida heat and it still functions as it should. I have the 700yd model

I use mine all the time on the golf course

When I did not want to spend the $80 that most rangefinders cost awhile back, I got a Mildot Master slide rule. Then found a 30 dollar golf range finder, that works just fine for typical airgun distances. Now use a Halo 450 when I remember I have one. I mainly use the FT parallax system dial to get close enough.

Yes, a range finder is indispensable, especially using the 7x as a scanning scope to find critters. I use it every time I venture into the wilds with my air rifle.
I had one that was a 1:1 ratio, non-magnification, that worked okay. But the 7x works fantastic and has an adjustable focus when needed. The focus is normally not needed, only when closer than 16 yards for instance. Some times also at long ranges such as 1,000 yards (I don't use it for shooting at that distance of course) when checking something out at long range, like a Golden Eagle on a power pole that inhabits my permission.

mike

Indispensable to me as I mainly hunt. Many aspects of my skills have improved over the years but judging distance is not one of them. The $60 "economy" range finder I bought about 8 years ago is still faithfully functional & gets me within 2 yards of more expensive ones I've compared it to.

Revoman said:

Yes, a range finder is indispensable, especially using the 7x as a scanning scope to find critters. I use it every time I venture into the wilds with my air rifle.
I had one that was a 1:1 ratio, non-magnification, that worked okay. But the 7x works fantastic and has an adjustable focus when needed. The focus is normally not needed, only when closer than 16 yards for instance. Some times also at long ranges such as 1,000 yards (I don't use it for shooting at that distance of course) when checking something out at long range, like a Golden Eagle on a power pole that inhabits my permission.

mike

Click to expand...

We're on the same wavelength Mike!

Vortex due to the lifetime guarantee.

All the time.

As a monocular when not range finding, and as a range finder a lot.

Often I would estimate a range, then check with the range finder.
This help keep the skill sharp.

I also use my Element range finder with the ballistic app and Element scope very successfully.

I have a 6x rangefinder that gets enough use to justify carrying it around.

I don't trust the ballistic apps. Figure that between the assumptions the app makes, the (dubious) accuracy of the numbers we provide the app to use, the supposed precision of the scope turrets and the current weather conditions, there's a lot of room for discrepancies

I calibrate my scopes empirically, by ranging the target and applying the turrets stickers. Later when pesting, I know for sure that 60 in the rangefinder equals 60 on the scope and I dial to take the shot. This may not be a perfect solution but it minimizes the variables and most of all I have confidence in it. Works for me.

Whether "60" is a real and accurate number doesn't matter as within the repeatability of the whole system (rifle, scope, projectile and ME...mostly me ) we are all in synch.

So, the short answer is that when shooting at unknown distances, any shot beyond "point blank" (45ish yards) is "ranged" if time permits.

Cheers!