I am interested in a range finder for FT

[oldsparky]

I went out in the desert yesterday and set up my shoot to reset targets to practice FT. My wife went with me so she set up most of the course so I wouldn't know the distances. I would range with my parallax knob and shoot. After I took the shot she would tell me what she read the range with my old range finder. I have had that old Bushnell for thirty years it ranges 20-400 yards. It was great for archery hunting. It won't read under 20 most of the time. I was wondering If their may be range finders out now days that read accurately at 10 yards. And I wouldn't spend a ton on one for my limited use. Any suggestions?



thanks, Sparky 

 

[AirShot]

I use the "Bone collector" model and it has worked well. Holding it steady on small field targets can be difficult! This could be the reason for false readings. If needed I rest my rangefinder on my tripod to eliminate some of the shaking. My first read is usually the most accurate, holding it in position for repeated readings usually gives more false ranges. 

 

[Danethebold]

I use the sig sauer kilo 800 and I absolutely love it. Lighting quick readings out to 800 yards with decent optics and will range down to 10 yards. When I compared it to my buddy's vortex rangefinder, I really appreciated how quickly it gave me readings, almost instantly. When I tried to use the vortex it still gave the same readings but you had to try and hold it still for a few seconds which can be kind of a pain sometimes. The vortex had brighter and clearer optics however. 

 

[bigHUN]

.....for thirty years it ranges 20-400 yards. It was great for archery hunting...........

I have also one Nikon archery range finder a little younger in mid twenties, the angle compensation was a great feature playing Field games and also something like 4-500 meters ranging, and it could recognize the short/far distance branches in a bush. And Nikon will not overkill the valet.

 

[davecole]

If you’re only shooting out to 55 yards, one of the things my shooting buddy and I do is to roll out a measuring tape we have pre marked from 10-55 yards in one yard increments. We take turns setting out targets and shooting.
How this works is, he puts the target at a distance unknown to me along side the measuring tape. I range it making note of the distance. I take the shot and tell him what I ranged it at. He will then tell me what distance he set the target at. This allows me to make any necessary changes to the ranges on my wheel or to my range card. We do this in rotation of near and far targets and typically use a Troyer scale concurrent to the upcoming match we are going to attend. 
we have found this to be very helpful and has improved our scores in the last year.

the white line on the ground is our tape. About $15 at Harbor Freight.

 

[Cannonball]

If you’re only shooting out to 55 yards, one of the things my shooting buddy and I do is to roll out a measuring tape we have pre marked from 10-55 yards in one yard increments. We take turns setting out targets and shooting.
How this works is, he puts the target at a distance unknown to me along side the measuring tape. I range it making note of the distance. I take the shot and tell him what I ranged it at. He will then tell me what distance he set the target at. This allows me to make any necessary changes to the ranges on my wheel or to my range card. We do this in rotation of near and far targets and typically use a Troyer scale concurrent to the upcoming match we are going to attend. 
we have found this to be very helpful and has improved our scores in the last year.

the white line on the ground is our tape. About $15 at Harbor Freight.

I could do the same thing you and your shooting buddy are doing by myself. By the time I set up a few targets and walked back to my gun, I will have forgot what distance I placed them at. It’s a perk of getting older. 

 

[oldsparky]

Thank your the reply. I will look at those range finders. I use a tape at home to set my parallax wheel. We were out in the desert, our targets were spread out and not in the same direction. I need to do this more often. It is real practice for me that I don't get much. When I shoot at home I pretty much know the distances. I still miss but my ranging is almost cheating.

 

[Motorhead]

Learning how to fit and understand in which direction ranging errors occur can pay huge dividends is ones score. In many instances such as SUB zero range shots where what you range at has a likelihood to perhaps be closer ? .... shooting at the center of targets KZ may not be the best POA At the distance end most target will error further away.

Come end of the day if you compete in FT ... laser, or twin lens mechanical range finding IS NOT ALLOWED ... PERIOD !!!! You either use distance and width of a viewed element of target such as the cinder block or target plate with your scopes retical scaling & a chart .... Or trust the scope Parallax focus and a self created distance scale of the parrilax focus wheel and a DOPE sheet.

FT shooter experienced ...

Scott S

 

[Therealld]

Thank your the reply. I will look at those range finders. I use a tape at home to set my parallax wheel. We were out in the desert, our targets were spread out and not in the same direction. I need to do this more often. It is real practice for me that I don't get much. When I shoot at home I pretty much know the distances. I still miss but my ranging is almost cheating.

The type made for Golfers is just right, as they range down close, and they also have a setting that compensates for up or downhill distances.

Not sure where you shoot … out here in Ca., most club matches allow a “freestyle” class that ok’s use of rangefinders, and even higher power scopes in Hunter

class in lieu of a rangefinder if you don’t have one. But official AAFTA rules disallow lasers for any purpose, and I hear some clubs adhere to this for all their events.

 

[Blejda]

I use the sig sauer kilo 800 and I absolutely love it. Lighting quick readings out to 800 yards with decent optics and will range down to 10 yards. When I compared it to my buddy's vortex rangefinder, I really appreciated how quickly it gave me readings, almost instantly. When I tried to use the vortex it still gave the same readings but you had to try and hold it still for a few seconds which can be kind of a pain sometimes. The vortex had brighter and clearer optics however.

 

[rob_g]

I have a Nikon Laser 30. It will range down to 7 yd. It reads in .1 yd increments but is accurate to +/- .5 yd. Things to watch for when shopping for a rangefinder:

- accuracy of the unit. A lot are only accurate within +/- 1.0 yd even though they might read in .1 or .5 yd increments

- check the minimum distance it will read. Kind of important when we are shooting 10-55 yd.

- some of the other features have questionable value such as angle, true horizontal distance but they might be nice to have

- how easy is the screen to read? There is some variation there. Mine lights up my data in red so it's easy to see.

To find some of this information you may have to download the manuals in question from the manufacturer's site.

 

[Therealld]

Thank your the reply. I will look at those range finders. I use a tape at home to set my parallax wheel. We were out in the desert, our targets were spread out and not in the same direction. I need to do this more often. It is real practice for me that I don't get much. When I shoot at home I pretty much know the distances. I still miss but my ranging is almost cheating.

The type made for Golfers is just right, as they range down close, and they also have a setting that compensates for up or downhill distances.

Not sure where you shoot … out here in Ca., most club matches allow a “freestyle” class that ok’s use of rangefinders, and even higher power scopes in Hunter

class in lieu of a rangefinder if you don’t have one. But official AAFTA rules disallow lasers for any purpose, and I hear some clubs adhere to this for all their events.

to add, Those withy adjustable focus keep the target morfe clearly discernable, and the “near-far select” feature allows selection of the target if a bush or rock is close enough in the view to make it difficult to pick the target up reliably. Also, a nice tight aiming reticle crosshair or circle helps aiming.

To improve scope ranging, these devices help “teach”. Your eyes to guess distances more accurately, and if you do as I, and some others in always guessing the distances before even entering the lane to shoot, then setting the scope wheel before looking before even looking for the target, you will get better and better at ranging by eye, plus save time when locating targets by pre-focussing.

 

[Aimright]

I also have a Sig rangefinder, this one: https://www.sportsmans.com/hunting-gear-supplies/optics-binoculars-scopes-rangefinders/rangefinders-nightvision/sig-sauer-kilo1800bdx-6x22mm-laser-rangefinder/p/1504471

I got it on a Black Friday sale last year for around $200. I have seen it below $200 a few times too, keep an eye on the Sportsman website. It ranges down to 5 yards and I like that the reticle can be set to be seen easily by my aging eyes. It has a ballistic program that I don’t need, but so far it has been a great rangefinder and has been a trooper on 4 big game hunts this year in inclemnt weather, dropped, etc.

 

[oldsparky]

Reading Motorheads post made me think. Ranging with my scope parallax is very reliable on the close shots. After 40 not so much. Could be me and not the scope. Anyway the ranging errors I had after 40 were mostly hit because of some other advice I got here. I shot for the top of the kill zone and hit most of them. And all of my ranging error "yesterday" were short. I don't think I hit high on any of them. 

I shoot hunter and don't plan to change or use a rangefinder except during practice. It is nice to confirm the actual distance at this point in my game. And its a fun game between my and my wife with me judging wrong. 

 

[Motorhead]

Reading Motorheads post made me think. Ranging with my scope parallax is very reliable on the close shots. After 40 not so much. Could be me and not the scope. Anyway the ranging errors I had after 40 were mostly hit because of some other advice I got here. I shot for the top of the kill zone and hit most of them. And all of my ranging error "yesterday" were short. I don't think I hit high on any of them. 

I shoot hunter and don't plan to change or use a rangefinder except during practice. It is nice to confirm the actual distance at this point in my game. And its a fun game between my and my wife with me judging wrong.

Well done ... understanding which direction ranging errors generally go ... pays dividends.



Scott S

 

[Garrettkq]

Quite honestly, We have used many rangefinders setting up courses, and frankly we only rely on them as a suggestion. If you are basing anything off them that you require accuracy, a tape measure is best hands down.

We did testing on a number of surfaces, all getting different answers. Lasers are not perfect. 

Garrett

 

[beerthief]

I use a "BOSCH blaze" from my wood working , measures to 165 feet and very accurate . inexpensive too 

 

[oldsparky]

At the last FT shot I shoot in. I was lucky enough to shoot with a guy that used a pretty cool method. He didn't care or know the yardage. I am still having a rough time with My Ares scope ranging past 40. On a few long shots after we were through with that bay I would ask, "What did you range that target at" He explained he didn't know the yardage. What he does is just has his dope set according to his scope graduations. As I think about that that may be something good for me. It seems anymore I forget pretty fast. I can range a target and think "that is 53 yards" then look at my dope card and say ok I need to use my 5 MOA graduation. Sometimes by the time I load and get set to shoot I think was that 4 or 5? Then look again to confirm. I think I may do better without translating from yards to MOA marks. And take the attitude, who cares what the yardage was. 



Sparky

 

[ToddGeddes63]

Quite honestly, We have used many rangefinders setting up courses, and frankly we only rely on them as a suggestion. If you are basing anything off them that you require accuracy, a tape measure is best hands down.

We did testing on a number of surfaces, all getting different answers. Lasers are not perfect. 

Garrett

Another consideration for measuring distance is a measuring wheel and sprinkler head marking flags. I use these in construction for layout and such. I used it for lane distances when I set up my range. then use a range finder to compare. As Garrett said they are not perfect. Off topic, my issue is getting the reactive targets up at the heights I have set in trees. That takes some work! packing a 12' ladder and 20 targets in the forest sucks. 

 

[Cloud9AG]

Thank your the reply. I will look at those range finders. I use a tape at home to set my parallax wheel. We were out in the desert, our targets were spread out and not in the same direction. I need to do this more often. It is real practice for me that I don't get much. When I shoot at home I pretty much know the distances. I still miss but my ranging is almost cheating.

The type made for Golfers is just right, as they range down close, and they also have a setting that compensates for up or downhill distances.

Not sure where you shoot … out here in Ca., most club matches allow a “freestyle” class that ok’s use of rangefinders, and even higher power scopes in Hunter

class in lieu of a rangefinder if you don’t have one. But official AAFTA rules disallow lasers for any purpose, and I hear some clubs adhere to this for all their events.

Oldsparky,

I haven't shot at any clubs in Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, North Carolina or Ohio that allow range finders or have a freestyle class, so maybe it is not very prevalent in the USA. I do know that there was much talk about it on the forums, but I haven't seen it in my shooting experiences. My club adheres directly to the AAFTA rules at all times, FYI.



To the OP, dont use a range finder too much, because you will get addicted to it and not practice your ranging skills. One thing to note, beyond 40 yards at 12x-16x, no scope ranges well, which is why the top shooters have "bracketing" charts for the size of the KZ hole or the size of the brick the target sits on, that help them determine the proper distance.

Jeff Cloud

ASC FT Director

AAFTA BOG Member