Nikon Black 4K LRF

[mpk1996]

here is a review of the new Nikon Black 4K LRF. Anyone have any updates or comparisons vs the Leica 2700 or any of the other new LRFs? seems like a pretty good LRF, especially for the price

https://www.gunsamerica.com/blog/nikon-black-rangex-4k-review/

 

[Niles Coyote]

Good find, I am interested to see how this and the 2700 would compare as well.

 

[Canuck525]

It is an absolute piece of junk

 

[mpk1996]

It is an absolute piece of junk

care to elaborate, although I would like to just take your word for it, I live by the "trust buy verify". what makes it a piece of junk? specifically?

 

[christopher.dow]

In my experience (one match, some field shooting, and testing in an urban area), the Nikon 4K works, but it’s a bit tricky. We had best results in the match by ranging the ground at the foot of the targets. We got good ranges (meaning ranges that generated elevation that resulted in hits when put in to AB mobile) from 440-1300 yards. It’s less forgiving than the Sig 2400 as far as getting a good reading. Overall, I’ve found it works better at distance than the ConX Elite 1 Mile. However, it doesn’t connect to a Kestrel, and that feature can save time.

I think it’s good in the price range, but it’s certainly not on par with a Terrapin or even a Sig 2400, and if time matters and you’re going to be inside 1k, the ConX + Kestrel may be a better solution for you. For what it’s worth, after the match I bought a Sig2400 when Arm or Ally had them on sale for $900.

 

[steve123]

It is an absolute piece of junk

Or at least falls short, pun intended.

Friend got one and brought it to our shootfest last Wednesday. It'd range a 21" steel at 1155Y "only" if we hit it just right, like one in 10 tries. It would range the large juniper just to the left every time but the cinders hill in between them never.

Plus it was DOA on arrival, my handy friend bent the leads that were supposed to contact the battery, then it worked.

With my PLRF05 it didn't matter what I ranged, yes I know, not in the same class of RF.

 

[Canuck525]

A Leica 1600B kills the Nikon Black 4K easy. I couldn't get the Nikon to work to even 1000 yards without multiple tries. I returned it and told Cabelas to expect a lot of returns on those units.

 

[MilDot1960]

One day they will release an LRF that does what they claim, Until then I am staying with the ConX because it is a damn good all-rounder, I am sick of wasting money and time checking out these LRF's just to find what I already have just works better for what I need.

 

[Stpilot12]

If someone wants to send me a Nikon 4k to test with my Leica 2000, 2700 and Terrapin, I'd be happy to do so.
Looks like I'm gonna be getting a Leupold 2800 to play with soon also... Although, not feeling that one is gonna be a strong player. Beam Divergence is around 1.2x1.2.

 

[mpk1996]

I had the Bushnell ConX and was very disappointed. I bought it with the kestrel and really liked the way they talked with each other, but the performance of the LRF was horrible. I couldn't reliably hit 66% IPSC steel past 600 or our huge barn door piece of steel at 1000. My leupold 1600 does it each and every time.

What I am really wanting is a pair of binos with good glass that will range out to 2000-2500 reliably and talk to the kestrel. but alas, no one is making that yet

 

[MilDot1960]

I had the Bushnell ConX and was very disappointed. I bought it with the kestrel and really liked the way they talked with each other, but the performance of the LRF was horrible. I couldn't reliably hit 66% IPSC steel past 600 or our huge barn door piece of steel at 1000. My leupold 1600 does it each and every time.

What I am really wanting is a pair of binos with good glass that will range out to 2000-2500 reliably and talk to the kestrel. but alas, no one is making that yet

This is what I mean, My ConX is Awesome and quite a few folks have done well with theirs, yet others have had issues and it is the same with the sigs and lieca's and Leupold and vortex being among the worst, There seems to be a massive lack of QC testing, Picking the odd one off an assembly line is not good enough, they need to test a lot more of them before they are shipped out,

I think that Vectronix and the G7 BR series are the only brands that have a fairly good strike rate and even they have had a few issues which is passable, But all these other brands are dropping like flies.

 

[magtech]

I range a prarie dog size steel target at 1048 yards, consistently, with the ConX. Although, I do use it on a tripod for that. I hope you can find a way to get it working right, or replace.

 

[MilDot1960]

I range a prarie dog size steel target at 1048 yards, consistently, with the ConX. Although, I do use it on a tripod for that. I hope you can find a way to get it working right, or replace.

Yep stability is the key with the ConX, first couple of days I had mine I could not range past 1300, The I realized that it was the fool driving the thing, I have never used a tripod with mine but I have got a few readings past 1677 in bad conditions and also on dark non reflective targets which is why I am not impressed with any of the other brands where they fail on good targets, I have even used mine in dense fog and while it was snowing.

 

[Big Bo]

Mildot1960, because of your confidence in the Conx, I ordered one. I have an old Bushnell Elite 1500 that ranged a LARGE oil tank at 1600 yards, but will not range a cow at distance. I hope the Conx works for me.

 

[R_Swanson]

This is what I mean, My ConX is Awesome and quite a few folks have done well with theirs, yet others have had issues and it is the same with the sigs and lieca's and Leupold and vortex being among the worst, There seems to be a massive lack of QC testing, Picking the odd one off an assembly line is not good enough, they need to test a lot more of them before they are shipped out,

I think that Vectronix and the G7 BR series are the only brands that have a fairly good strike rate and even they have had a few issues which is passable, But all these other brands are dropping like flies.

I have been doing research on LRF's (the info is sparse) and it seems like this hits the nail on the head. The reviews from users are all over the place. It blows.

 

[MilDot1960]

Mildot1960, because of your confidence in the Conx, I ordered one. I have an old Bushnell Elite 1500 that ranged a LARGE oil tank at 1600 yards, but will not range a cow at distance. I hope the Conx works for me.

Well not meaning to be Rude but the 1600 was a step up from the 1500 and then the Elite 1 Mile was a lot better than the 1600 due to the faster processor, I know of someone who was ranging a Coyote at 1416 yds in the Snow and I have ranged animals way past that, I think if you got on well with your 1500 then you will do even better with the ConX, A lot of folks who came from using the vertical type have issues aiming the ConX, "Me Included" took me about 2 or 3 days to get use to aiming it.

I like every thing about it, In good hands it can range as far as most Guns can Shoot and it has a smaller beam that the older models,

Good luck and let me know how you get,

 

[catorres1]

I had the Bushnell ConX and was very disappointed. I bought it with the kestrel and really liked the way they talked with each other, but the performance of the LRF was horrible. I couldn't reliably hit 66% IPSC steel past 600 or our huge barn door piece of steel at 1000. My leupold 1600 does it each and every time.

What I am really wanting is a pair of binos with good glass that will range out to 2000-2500 reliably and talk to the kestrel. but alas, no one is making that yet

You should be able to pick that up in September from Sig. Sig 3000 BDX. Dunno how good the glass will be, certainly not in the Alpha range, but might meet your needs, and the workflow of the BDX line is IMO, the best.

I suspect you will see this capability from Leica quite soon as well, though not sure how it will play out just yet.

 

[Big Bo]

Mildot, I ranged a cow at 1026 yards with the Conx. Sweet. Nice glass too.

 

[4sfed]

Nikon also has a new Monarch 3000 yard LRF on the market with Image Stabilization technology. I believe it came out a in March of this year. However, reviews on that unit are not nearly as favorable for ranging non-reflective targets. Reviews regarding reflective targets are good and the unit will reach it's stated rating of 3000 yards. The Image Stabilization feature would be awesome on a compact LRF, but if the unit doesn't like to range over 1200 yards on every day field objects, I personally don't have much use for it. The Black RangeX 4K appears to be a lot more capable on non-reflective targets in it's initial reviews which make it more applicable for field use.​

​

I ordered the Monarch 3000. The stabilization is incredible, but I was sadly disappointed in its ranging performance. Handheld on a clear sunny day I had trouble ranging a barn past 800 yards. It was promptly returned. YMMV

 

[CUBUFF89]

Nothing listed on the Nikon website about beam divergence. At least that I can find. I have a friend who was ready to pull the trigger on one but I cautioned him to take a closer look.

I too wish these things lived up to the marketing hype in real world conditions. We shot at a range with steel out to 2100m this past weekend and the ability to get a reading even off a berm in the 1800 yard range would have been nice.

 

[Nate O.]

I range a prarie dog size steel target at 1048 yards, consistently, with the ConX. Although, I do use it on a tripod for that. I hope you can find a way to get it working right, or replace.

How have you verified that?

 

[magtech]

How have you verified that?

At MTC in Michigan the "Holy Grail" Steel Prarie Dog is on the range sheet at 1048 yards. When I ranged it I came up with something right around there....... So theres that.

 

[Nate O.]

At MTC in Michigan the "Holy Grail" Steel Prarie Dog is on the range sheet at 1048 yards. When I ranged it I came up with something right around there....... So theres that.

I dont know what the beam divergence is on the conx and a pdog target at 1050 is tiny. I'm just kinda skeptical of its capability to range a piece of steel that size, at that range. How do you know you're not ranging everything around it? Put that dog on a post with blue sky behind and see what happens

 

[Pbjunkiee]

Well not meaning to be Rude but the 1600 was a step up from the 1500 and then the Elite 1 Mile was a lot better than the 1600 due to the faster processor, I know of someone who was ranging a Coyote at 1416 yds in the Snow and I have ranged animals way past that, I think if you got on well with your 1500 then you will do even better with the ConX, A lot of folks who came from using the vertical type have issues aiming the ConX, "Me Included" took me about 2 or 3 days to get use to aiming it.

I like every thing about it, In good hands it can range as far as most Guns can Shoot and it has a smaller beam that the older models,

Good luck and let me know how you get,

I have been having issues with my conx, guess i should try a tripod haha

 

[JayB]

I had exactly the same experience with Monarch 3000 and returned it too. It could not range a steel plate at 850 yard but the Sig Kilo 2000 next to it could.

 

[bwahl]

My monarch 3000 has been ok. Ranged a clay face in the badlands at dusk at 1700+ consistent 1 press returns. Grassy meadow 800+ no issue. Steel sign 900+ first press.

Stabalizing feature works well... Concerned about durability of the stabilization system though... Time and use will tell.

My only gripe is the glass. Dusk and dawn produce a horrid "flare" and it can be difficult to get a full picture without losing portions to light glare.