I started out with the Bushnell 440. Decent for the money but very poor optics at low light. I worked well close up, but once you hit 200yrds it was not very consistent and in the rain it didn't range past 100yrds. I will admit that I loved the 4x though. For archery and close ranges the field of view was so much better than higher powers.
I then bought the Nikon Monarch 800. The $359 seemed like a lot but I wanted a good one. I have always been pleased with my Nikon scopes so why not. It is a good range finder, absolutely idiot proof and always gave great ranges up to about 450yrds. BUT....the optics were horrible IMO. Very bad in the low light crunch time when critters come out to play. I expected better from Nikon optics.
I then acquired a Leupold RXII. Again, I have been very happy with my Leupold scopes. And this thing has that True Ballistic(angle compensation) technology. Unlike the Nikon, this one is not idiot proof. DO NOT lose your owners manual:wink:. The optics were about the same as the Nikon, thus disappointing in low light. The True Ballistic....well it's quite the gimmick here in the midwest. Maybe rifle hunters in the mountains could find it useful but I ranged all kinds of distances from heights up to 35ft and never saw more than a 1-2 yard difference between laser line distance and horizontal(what you should aim for) distance. Simply not needed IMO.
This week I bought a brand new soon to be discontinued Leica CRF900. WOW!! For less than $100 more than my Nikon I now have GREAT low light optics. Truly idiot proof functions..push button get range.
I got it off the UPS truck the other morning before it even left the terminal(amazing what you can do with a gun and uniform
). I worked that day and drove around ranging things for fun. It works fast and perfect. In the past with the above range finders I found that I was lucky to range about 60% of the max range on non-reflective targets. So, let's see what this baby can do.
Did you know that from 1st & Green St to the Lafayette Life Building is exactly 900yrds? Wow, 900...didn't know it would do that. It then began to drizzle rain. I drove around a bit and then parked and in the rain I found that it is 923yrds from Ferry & Perrin to the Lafayette Bank & Trust tower. WOW again, in the rain over 900yrds. But are these buildings(old limestone) considered reflective targets?
I drive home to the country and pick a 1/4 section hay field. I range a fence post across that field(1/2 mile). 881yrds is what it read off a fence post. Holy crap! This thing is the real deal.
I then waited for low light and began playing again. My woods is very mature with a heavy canopy just leafing out. Thus it gets very dark very early in there. I could range and see things later than I've ever been able to in the past. It was like looking through a rifle scope that can add 20 minutes of hunting light. Very impressed with the low light optics.
So, IMO....don't waste you money on a top end Nikon/Leupold/Bushnell etc...pay the extra $100 and pick up the Leica CRF900. You won't be sorry. I am only sorry it took so long to figure this out. As far as the CRF1200 that Rodney talks about. Great item also, but about $150 more and I'm not familiar with what it does that the 900 doesn't other than 300 yrds. And for me, I am not capable of taking 900yrd shots, much less 1200. Sorry for the long winded reply and good luck in your decisions.