Gunworks BR2?

[polarbear431]

I am looking to upgrade my rangefinder. Does anyone have any experiance with the BR2? I am pretty much set on the Terrapin, but I have had several people say the BR2 is better because of the additional features.

I'm thinking that the Terrapin + a Kestral and ballistic computer would give me the same info in addition to be able to range further distances. This method would also allow upgrades to the individual instruments without having to replace everything. I mainly just shoot steel, so I dont mind packing the seperate instruments.

Is there some benefit to the BR2 that I am overlooking? The price difference between the two is not a big concern for me.

Thanks for your help.

 

[bh-ltr]

I don't have much in the way of information on the BR2 but I do use the Terrapin and a Kestrel 4500. I then use an old android phone and the Applied Ballistics application for my shot calculations. I also have ballistic cards created from Holland's ultimate data card software. When I need to run things quick I use the cards. When I have a bit of extra time and want to make sure that I've got the best to the minute solution I use the phone. The great thing is that I can use the phone and I have all my different loads and they are all configured with and without suppressor. I find the user interface on the touch screen phone a lot simpler to change all these things around. I find the Terrapin user interface one of those that whenever I need to go into configure something I have to grab the manual again. However the only time I've ever had to go into the menu on one is when one of my friends uses mine and they want me to configure the one they bought in the same manner. Once you buy a Terrapin your search for a ranging device is over. There just is no reason to continue looking.

~Brett

 

[polarbear431]

Thanks, the Terrapin seems to be the official rangefinder of the Hide, so I know I won't be disappointed in the least. I have not seen any reliable reviews for the BR2, and was just curious.

 

[msmith64]

I'm about to pull the trigger on one and so far I am leaning towards the Leica 1600b, it seems to be a great range finder out to 1200 yds and also has many of the kestrel features including built in ballistic software. I figured instead of doing a terrapin and a kestrel this would give me one tool that does 90% of what the two tools would do. Plus it even saves some money even though that is really a secondary consideration for me.

 

[Bounce]

Thanks, the Terrapin seems to be the official rangefinder of the Hide, so I know I won't be disappointed in the least. I have not seen any reliable reviews for the BR2, and was just curious.

The G7 BR2 has been thoroughly reviewed on the Longrangehunting.com's product review forum with about 162 posts. It's pretty nifty, but it's MOA, not mil, you still need a wind gauge, it's divergence beam is fair, not great, its comparatively large, and it's ballistics program still falls short of what a smart phone ballistics app will give you. It's a great, virtually essential, read for those looking for some LRF research.
Skip

 

[Bounce]

I'm about to pull the trigger on one and so far I am leaning towards the Leica 1600b, it seems to be a great range finder out to 1200 yds and also has many of the kestrel features including built in ballistic software. I figured instead of doing a terrapin and a kestrel this would give me one tool that does 90% of what the two tools would do. Plus it even saves some money even though that is really a secondary consideration for me.

This is what I felt too until the new Kestrel 4500 was announced for release and that's the route I'll prolly go with the Terrapin range finder. That combo is about $1K more spendy than the G7 BR2 and about $1700 more than the Leica 1600B. The problem with the Leica, in my view, is that its ballistic program is based on generic bullet drops rather than bullet specific coefficients and it is only good out to about 800 yards, although it ranges farther than that. For a monocular RF, however, the Leica is second only to the Terrapin in beam divergence size, and if you can live with its compromised ballistics program (generic shot drop & 800 yd range), it's prolly the best bang for the buck!

 

[polarbear431]

Thanks for the heads up on the long range hunting forum. I had assumed that the output on the BR2 would be selectable (MOA or mil). The MOA only output is a deal breaker for me.

 

[msmith64]

Bounce I don't know whether to thank you or curse you you bring up some good points to consider, just when I thought I had it all nailed down. But I guess there is a reason I didn't hit checkout on the leica yesterday.


thank you for the input it really was helpful

 

[jonthomps]

I'm looking at rangefinders as well. Having used a Leica 1600 for a couple years and a 1200 prior to that it's hard for me to change. The new Kestrel/Vectronix combo sounds like a winner. I think the BR2 would be a great piece of kit for MOA users. And to be honest, I was seriously considering it until I found out they only make an MOA version - that killed it for me. Anyone know if the BR2 is Mac compatible? Someone's bound to ask sooner or later.

If you're considering it, the BR2 review on LRH is definitely worth the read.

 

[6.5x47]

I started with the Swaro Laser Guide. Sold it after testing the Leica 1600. Sold the 1600 after testing the 1600B. Selling it any day now, now that I've been running the Gunwerks G7 BR2. Just finished the Challenge at Altitude here in Utah. I've found nirvana!

I was concerned about the wide beam the BR2 throws but it has a "near" and "far" setting that allows one to ignore any near or far bounce backs you don't want. Many of the COF we shot had the ranges already marked down on our COF maps. My BR2 was right on for every target I ranged. I was hitting targets, without any issues over 1100 yds. The proof was in the pudding (I was hitting when I got the wind call right.) Several times, I wanted to check the BR2 dope. So, I'd take the data (temp, baro, incline) off the BR2 (it does allow this) and input it into my Shooter app on my DROID and it always matched up within .1 moa. Since we started early am, we experienced rising temps and eventually decreasing baro pressure as some clouds rolled in. If I were using another range finder, Kestrel, Shooter app combo, I'd have to keep track of the changing shooting conditions and then input them into the app. With the BR2, it's does everything automatically and all I need worry about is changing wind. The BR2 gives precise dope out to 1400 yds. If ever I need to shoot further, I can still range the target, then pull the data off the BR2 and, again, enter the data into my Shooter app for precise dope.

I did talk to a fellow competitor who was using his Terapin. Precise and accurate laser. Great. He still had to TAKE THE TIME to pull data from elsewhere and enter it into an app.

Just my thots.

Alan

 

[bh-ltr]

I'd still have to have the kestral and the data cards. I've been in some courses where they have laser free zones and when they're really getting strict they call for battery free zones. All ranging is done via reticle and only target sizes are provided. At this point in time the mildot master becomes a life saver as you can't even have a calculator.

~Brett

I should clarify about the Kestral in this comment. You ARE allowed to read the DA and figure out what card to take onto the course with you.

 

[msmith64]

I started with the Swaro Laser Guide. Sold it after testing the Leica 1600. Sold the 1600 after testing the 1600B. Selling it any day now, now that I've been running the Gunwerks G7 BR2. Just finished the Challenge at Altitude here in Utah. I've found nirvana!

I was concerned about the wide beam the BR2 throws but it has a "near" and "far" setting that allows one to ignore any near or far bounce backs you don't want. Many of the COF we shot had the ranges already marked down on our COF maps. My BR2 was right on for every target I ranged. I was hitting targets, without any issues over 1100 yds. The proof was in the pudding (I was hitting when I got the wind call right.) Several times, I wanted to check the BR2 dope. So, I'd take the data (temp, baro, incline) off the BR2 (it does allow this) and input it into my Shooter app on my DROID and it always matched up within .1 moa. Since we started early am, we experienced rising temps and eventually decreasing baro pressure as some clouds rolled in. If I were using another range finder, Kestrel, Shooter app combo, I'd have to keep track of the changing shooting conditions and then input them into the app. With the BR2, it's does everything automatically and all I need worry about is changing wind. The BR2 gives precise dope out to 1400 yds. If ever I need to shoot further, I can still range the target, then pull the data off the BR2 and, again, enter the data into my Shooter app for precise dope.

I did talk to a fellow competitor who was using his Terapin. Precise and accurate laser. Great. He still had to TAKE THE TIME to pull data from elsewhere and enter it into an app.

Just my thots.

Alan

That's what attracted me to it in the first place it's one piece of gear and it does it all automatically for you. The problem, it's MOA and my scope is mils

 

[6.5x47]

My BR2 is my primary system. I still have my Kestrel, Leica 1600-B, Shooter ap, dope chart, etc., "just in case"! Oh, and I was comparing lased ranges of the BR2 with my Leica 1600-B. Spot on!

On my squad this weekend were a father/son team who also had the BR2. They were new to the BR2 and only had the Father's dope entered. I took a few minutes and quickly entered the son's dope and showed them how to quickly switch back and forth between the two. The BR2 will hold five/5 different sets of dope. Might make the $1600 entry cost a bit easier to swallow if you share the cost with a reliable shooting companion.

Alan

 

[bh-ltr]

That's what attracted me to it in the first place it's one piece of gear and it does it all automatically for you. The problem, it's MOA and my scope is mils

Oh dear god only MOA? Yea thats a major deal breaker. I can't believe that someone would release a product and not have a way to divide the output down into mil increments.

~Brett

 

[aaldape]

Oh dear god only MOA? Yea thats a major deal breaker. I can't believe that someone would release a product and not have a way to divide the output down into mil increments.

~Brett

To be fair, it seems to me that the purpose of the BR2 is to simplify. So with that in mind, having to do the (simple) conversion of MOA to mils is an annoying step when you've dropped so much $ on a device that was built on the premise of simplification.