Laser Rangefinder Review

Some hunters aren’t looking for anything fancy, they just want a good reliable rangefinder that tells the distance to the target; linear distance is fine and target priority and angle compensation are luxuries they can do without. Some people use rangefinders more for practice than actual hunting, and these easy on the wallet budget rangefinders are great way for a hunter to practice judging distance, which is an important skill to have when there isn’t time to range an animal.

What to look for:

Price: People looking for a budget rangefinder are obviously looking for a economical rangefinder.  Fortunately, many manufactures have a simple entry level rangefinder in their product line. Recently there have been several new entrants into the budget rangefinder category.  Most rangefinders in this category will fall in the $100 to $200 price range, but to get a decent quality one expect to stay in the $150+ range as there is some real junk out there.

Magnification: The intended use of these rangefinders will determine what magnification is best.  However the six power models seem to be popular as it is a compromise for a rangefinder that might be used at close or distant ranges.

Small size: Many people who purchase a budget rangefinder will use it for hunting purposes, or take it along on hikes and practice estimating distances; therefore; a compact rangefinder is generally preferred.

Quality: As mentioned above these are entry level rangefinders, so look for the units that give you the most value for the money not necessarily the cheapest rangefinder on the market.

Budget Rangefinder Comparison Chart

Model	Redfield Raider	Leupold RX-600	Nikon Prostaff 550	Bushnell Sport 450	Bushnell Sport 600
Picture
Cumulative Review Score	98(19)	94(23)	90(73)	74(94)	71(9)
Estimated Price	$170	$200	$200	$150	$200
Mag.	6x	6x	6x	4x	4x
Weight	5oz	6.8oz	6.3oz	7.4oz	5.3oz
L x W x H	3.7 x 2.2 x 2.8	4.2 x 1.6 x 3.0	5.1 x 1.5 x 2.7	3.9 x 1.7 x 3.1	3.8 x 1.4 x 2.9
Reflective	550 yds	600 yds	550 yds	999 yds	800 yds
Angle Comp	N	N	N	N	N

Editors Choice: Redfield Raider