Sam Vimes
07-08-2006, 11:21 AM
Leupold RX series rangefinders. (http://www.leupold.com/products/rx/main.html)
A proper boys toy:) . Happily funded by the sale of a much underused pistol.
This review is only first impressions after an hour or two of playing outside and in. I haven't used it in anger yet.
After having a look through an RX-I a few months ago (thanks Bri;) ) I developed a serious hankering for one of the new Leupold rangefinders.
I did a bit of research, priced them up and predictably found them much, much cheaper in the States.
I went for the RX-II purely because the price hike over the RX-I was only about twenty quid (from the USA). The only feature it has extra to the RX-I is TBR, True ballistic range. TBR gives the correct equivalent horizontal range as well as line of sight range. Handy when shooting up or down (more of this later).
Other features include
Rotary menu. - Quick and easy as they suggest. With only two buttons to play with it couldn't be much easier!
Long range mode - >150yards, not a lot of use with air rifles but it does allow use with (or progression to) firearms.
Rain mode - No chance to try yet. Supposed to limit the detrimental effects of rain on performance. Hopefully it does as intended!
1st and last target mode - Eliminates false returns from clutter before or after the intended target. Does what it says when looking through branches or long grass.
Metres, Feet, Yards - Gives you the choice. I chose yards despite me being too young to have been taught the Imperial system at school!;)
C or F digital thermometer - Still can't think of any situation that I'll use this.
13 selectable reticles - Certainly work but strikes me as a little gimmicky. I have set one and I can't see me changing it at all. I suppose at least I've got the option!:D
Range - 3yards-750yards. Comes down lower than anything else I've heard of but the longer range capability will be seriously underused. Handy if I ever go the full firearm route though.
TBR, True ballistic range - Set up with firearms and bows in mind. I eventually settled on a low powered bow setting to give as close an approximation to airguns as I could find. This function can indicate the MOA to adjust a scope or the holdover to be given (depending on calibre and load). In bow mode as I'm using it shows both the line of sight range and a corrected equivalent horizontal range. For example, a target showing 45 yards line of sight but up a tree at about 45 degrees will show a TBR of about 42 yards. I'm not entirely convinced by this feature yet. It could be useful but the jury is still out. I'm awaiting an answer from Leupold as to their suggested "best fit" setting.
I thoroughly recommend the RX-II but I'll concede that there is a little overkill for airgun use. The RX-I is perfectly good.
If I was buying from a UK supplier I doubt I'd pay the fifty quid premium over the RX-I for air rifle use. As I bought from the States it ended up being only a twenty quid premium over the RX-I and I thought "what the hell!". My RX-II was a whole ninety quid cheaper than the cheapest UK source and forty quid cheaper than the RX-I from the cheapest UK supplier.
This is where I got it mikesarchery.com (http://www.mikesarchery.com/). I can't recommend them highly enough. The sale was via the dreaded auction site;) (archconnection for those interested). From the end of the (buy it now) auction to delivery was nine days. They informed me of despatch, the item arrived six days later!
I hope this helps someone!
Chris
A proper boys toy:) . Happily funded by the sale of a much underused pistol.
This review is only first impressions after an hour or two of playing outside and in. I haven't used it in anger yet.
After having a look through an RX-I a few months ago (thanks Bri;) ) I developed a serious hankering for one of the new Leupold rangefinders.
I did a bit of research, priced them up and predictably found them much, much cheaper in the States.
I went for the RX-II purely because the price hike over the RX-I was only about twenty quid (from the USA). The only feature it has extra to the RX-I is TBR, True ballistic range. TBR gives the correct equivalent horizontal range as well as line of sight range. Handy when shooting up or down (more of this later).
Other features include
Rotary menu. - Quick and easy as they suggest. With only two buttons to play with it couldn't be much easier!
Long range mode - >150yards, not a lot of use with air rifles but it does allow use with (or progression to) firearms.
Rain mode - No chance to try yet. Supposed to limit the detrimental effects of rain on performance. Hopefully it does as intended!
1st and last target mode - Eliminates false returns from clutter before or after the intended target. Does what it says when looking through branches or long grass.
Metres, Feet, Yards - Gives you the choice. I chose yards despite me being too young to have been taught the Imperial system at school!;)
C or F digital thermometer - Still can't think of any situation that I'll use this.
13 selectable reticles - Certainly work but strikes me as a little gimmicky. I have set one and I can't see me changing it at all. I suppose at least I've got the option!:D
Range - 3yards-750yards. Comes down lower than anything else I've heard of but the longer range capability will be seriously underused. Handy if I ever go the full firearm route though.
TBR, True ballistic range - Set up with firearms and bows in mind. I eventually settled on a low powered bow setting to give as close an approximation to airguns as I could find. This function can indicate the MOA to adjust a scope or the holdover to be given (depending on calibre and load). In bow mode as I'm using it shows both the line of sight range and a corrected equivalent horizontal range. For example, a target showing 45 yards line of sight but up a tree at about 45 degrees will show a TBR of about 42 yards. I'm not entirely convinced by this feature yet. It could be useful but the jury is still out. I'm awaiting an answer from Leupold as to their suggested "best fit" setting.
I thoroughly recommend the RX-II but I'll concede that there is a little overkill for airgun use. The RX-I is perfectly good.
If I was buying from a UK supplier I doubt I'd pay the fifty quid premium over the RX-I for air rifle use. As I bought from the States it ended up being only a twenty quid premium over the RX-I and I thought "what the hell!". My RX-II was a whole ninety quid cheaper than the cheapest UK source and forty quid cheaper than the RX-I from the cheapest UK supplier.
This is where I got it mikesarchery.com (http://www.mikesarchery.com/). I can't recommend them highly enough. The sale was via the dreaded auction site;) (archconnection for those interested). From the end of the (buy it now) auction to delivery was nine days. They informed me of despatch, the item arrived six days later!
I hope this helps someone!
Chris