Well, I just got my new Leica 1600 in the mail today, and it happens to be a perfect day for rangefinding. The crops around here aren't in or growing yet, so I can see for miles and miles. Also, it's overcast today, which I believe is perfect conditions for lasing.
The first thing I noticed is that the glass is above average for a rangefinder. It is better than the leupold and bushnell rangefinder glass I have looked through. The image is definately dim, which is understandable due to the small lenses. Overall, the glass is good, but won't take the place of a set of small binoculars.
The ballistic calculation feature is pretty well useless for me, and most likely for readers at snipershide, because it is not a precise bc and muzzle velocity calculation, but rather a curve that you can choose and use to get you close.
The range of this rangefinder is very disappointing. It has trouble at 1,000 yards on houses, tractors, grain bins, cedar trees, and every other thing I tried. When I say trouble, I mean it may or may not give you a reading. It routinely gives ranges to 800.
Accuracy of the beam in relation to the aiming box in the rangefinder is horrible. At one point, I was trying to hit a house at one mile. I was shooting the laser approximately 3 feet above a fence post that was 130 yards away. The rangefinder kept giving me the range to the post.
All in all, I'd say the 1600 was a fail. I have a Leica 900 I use for archery hunting and have been very pleased with. It's been through all sorts of torture and keeps on ticking. It reliably gives me ranges to 600 yards on cedar tress, black cattle, deer, and anything else I shoot it at.
The first thing I noticed is that the glass is above average for a rangefinder. It is better than the leupold and bushnell rangefinder glass I have looked through. The image is definately dim, which is understandable due to the small lenses. Overall, the glass is good, but won't take the place of a set of small binoculars.
The ballistic calculation feature is pretty well useless for me, and most likely for readers at snipershide, because it is not a precise bc and muzzle velocity calculation, but rather a curve that you can choose and use to get you close.
The range of this rangefinder is very disappointing. It has trouble at 1,000 yards on houses, tractors, grain bins, cedar trees, and every other thing I tried. When I say trouble, I mean it may or may not give you a reading. It routinely gives ranges to 800.
Accuracy of the beam in relation to the aiming box in the rangefinder is horrible. At one point, I was trying to hit a house at one mile. I was shooting the laser approximately 3 feet above a fence post that was 130 yards away. The rangefinder kept giving me the range to the post.
All in all, I'd say the 1600 was a fail. I have a Leica 900 I use for archery hunting and have been very pleased with. It's been through all sorts of torture and keeps on ticking. It reliably gives me ranges to 600 yards on cedar tress, black cattle, deer, and anything else I shoot it at.
