range finder

[gillettehunter]

Several years ago I bought a Leica laser range finder on E-bay. Used it a year and then put it up. Didn't have a set of directions with it. Apparently they don't like to be stored with the batteries in them... So got it out 6 mo later to take to the shooting range [just empty property behind a friends place]. Didn't work. So i went to the internet to see where to send it. Found several articles where people felt like Leica was, shall we say, very difficult to work with. I decided to put it up for the year as I really didn't want to put more $ into it and it sounded lie it could be a lot. This past spring one of the major hunting magazines had an article in it that quoted Leica. The comment was made that customer service had been sup-par and they were planning to improve it. So in early summer I sent it in to see how much a repair was going to cost me. About 3 weeks went by with no contact. Then a box showed up from Leice. In it was a BRAND NEW CRF 1200 range finder at NO CHARGE. They list in Cabelas at $699! Its only half the size of the older model that I sent in. I thought others might find this interesting. By the way it was a lot of help this year. My 6X5 whitetail buck was at 345 yds with no way to get closer. Was able to make the shot. Had a great rest, no wind and plenty of time. If anyone is looking to buy one I can highly recommend the Leica's. Bruce

 

[Skyline]

I do not use a range finder a lot when I am hunting myself. Most of the time I manage to get close enough that I do not have to concern myself with that, but when I am guiding caribou up north and sometimes when hunting speed goats or deer in the flats or across coulees I do find them handy.

The Leica is about $740 where I live. I ended up getting a new Leupold RX 1000 TBR which provides the true ballistics range as well as straight line distance. I have found this to be really handy when guiding archery hunters who are sitting in elevated stands (and miss and wound way too often for my liking..LOL) and in up and down country. I have used it a lot this year when guiding up north and locally. It is a handy little unit and quite a bit cheaper than the Leica. Plus I have never had anything but a good response from Leupold any time I needed info or had an issue with one of their products................and I should add that the few times I had issues they were damage I did in the field that was not the fault of the manufacturer. Like dropping a rifle on a goat hunt when I was sliding down some icy covered rocks in a freezing rain storm. Broke the stock on the rifle at the pistol grip and munched the scope.

I sent it back to them for repair and they sent me a new scope free of charge. That was unexpected as it sure as heck was not their fault............but that is the sign of a good manufacturer with good customer support and how you build loyalty in your client base.

I think most of the better brands do what they can when they can, and I would expect that from Leica. (Sure wish I could afford one of their little digital cameras......they are excellent.)