that works at distances more than 500 yards is easier said than done. Over the years I have owned and used a number of the more common brands and they all were lacking. I was plan- ning a trip to Colorado at the end of February 2012 and was shooting longer distances at home in Pennsylvania, so I started looking at the higher quality rangefinders. After some research I purchased a Zeiss 8x26 and have now used it for about a year and a half. Dur- ing this time, I have had many different ranging situations which provided a thorough review. This rangefinder is designed
to be held with two hands. (Its size is 5.11" x 3.85" x 1.88" at a weight of 10.93 ounces.) It is comfortable to hold which reduces wobble and increases stability, allowing for good viewing and ranging longer distances. Another feature which improves stability is that the ranging button is pressed and then released when on the target. In some hunting situations we have only seconds to properly respond to an op- portunity, so simplicity and ease of use is primary to success. The battery life is very long, even with regular use. My battery lasted about a year and a half but be warned there is no low-battery signal so you should always carry a spare battery in your case. Now I will address the actual
ranging capabilities. When ranging vertical objects such as trees, shrubs, edges of cornfields, hillsides, slopes, boulders and the like it easily operates out to 1,200 yards or more. I ranged a white barn at well over 1,400 yards. At times it has trouble ranging where the terrain is flatter, or the target is very dark. This occurs only at longer distances. Most of my hunting is in the evening. During this time ranging directly toward but not into the setting sun (never look directly into the sun with any optic) may create just enough glare to prevent a reading but moving a little to the right or left of the target helps. When hunting out of a natural blind with branches or leaves as cover, the rangefinder will ignore the close clutter. But once away from the blind it will range the first object so you must have a clear path to your target. While hunting in Colorado one morning the temperature was in the single digits and the rangefinder would not work
so I placed it under my arm inside my jacket to warm it up. After a few min- utes it ranged without a problem. When temps were in the low 20s it worked slower. Checking the specs, the lower end of the function is 15 degrees. A new battery will improve performance. In warmer weather the rangefinder is very fast. I also have used it in the rain without any difficulty. It has a bullet drop component which I have never used because all of my calculations are in MOA and not in inches of drop to the target. The glass is absolutely crystal
clear. I no longer carry my binocular with me when hunting. I am able to view quite comfortably with both eyes open even at longer ranges and at very low light conditions. The clar- ity of the glass enables me to pick up small targets even at extended ranges. I would not use them for long periods of glassing but for spot and stalk walking and blind hunting. Fortunately, it has lightened the load and simplified my hunt, and that is good. CONCLUSION
The ability of this rangefinder to
comfortably replace my binocular most of the time because of the glass quality and ease of handling is a major plus. I never intended when purchasing the rangefinder to use it as a replacement but it works for me. The ranging abil- ity is very good but it has limitations. The inability of the unit to operate at temps below 15 degrees unless kept under the coat or some other method would be a major drawback for those who hunt in very cold conditions. It has one ranging mode which picks up the first target and it does not compensate for incline. All rangefinders will dif- fer in their options, ranging ability, ease of use, claims, and actual perfor- mance, but the challenge is to find the rangefinder that performs best in your hunting conditions and best meets your requirements. VORTEX 4-16X50 PST RIFLE SCOPE I was very committed to the Le-
upold brand. I owned seven Leupold scopes and still own five so switching brands from what I knew performed very well was not easy. My TC Icon 243 has a 6.5-20 LRT Leupold. I became very comfortable dialing in my ranges. This worked so well that I decided to make a change on my Savage 223.
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Mounted on the Savage was a 4.5-14 VX-III with a varmint reticle. This type of system is not precise enough for me because when bullets and velocities vary so do holdover calculations. I was introduced to the Vortex brand while preparing for a varmint hunting trip to Colorado. I had purchased a Vortex backpacking tripod for my Leupold spotting scope, and then a mishap broke one of the legs. Without any hesitation it was repaired and returned to me by Vortex. Upon researching their scope lines, I saw they offered the PST (Precision Shooting Tactical) line which included the 4-16 power with tactical knobs, the exact power setting for my 223. Researching this product, the only reviews I could find were on various retailers’ websites, so with the available information being all positive I sold my Leupold 4.5-14 and ordered the new Vortex. It arrived in December,
The Zeiss 8x26 Rangefinder comes with a padded case which works very well when attached to your belt. I also tether the Rangefinder to the case for added protection. This can be purchased for $649.95 plus S&H. At times there are also special manufacturers rebate offers.
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