Vortex Optics Ranger Laser Rangefinders

I looked everywhere on the internet for Vortex Ranger 1500 rangefinder reviews but couldn't find any. I was hesitant to buy it at first, but the ranger 1000 received positive reviews, had an excellent product warranty, and was significantly less expensive than comparable products, so I took a chance and am glad I did. br>br>I haven't had a chance to use it yet, but as soon as the brown truck dropped off my Amazon package, I started ranging everything I could see around my house. The sun was about 35 degrees off the horizon, directly behind a herd of cows, and the afternoon was extremely bright. I was able to range the farthest cow, which was black, at 641 yards. I ranged it several times, each time using the same distance measurement. When ranging the cow, the unit gave a reading three or four times out of five. Under the same conditions, I was able to range a red barn at 1161 yards with my deck rail as a rest, but I couldn't keep it steady enough to get a return without it. I was able to get readings on the ground out to 450 yards in the field of tightly eaten grass in front of my house. br>br>I took it out again as soon as the sun set behind the mountains. The herd of cows had moved closer this time, and I was able to get readings on the farthest cow at 475 yards without stopping; I was far from steady and hadn't expected to get a return, so I was pleasantly surprised. On white a building, I was also able to get a 1230 yard return. The Ranger 1500 surprised me with its size. br>br>I used a very steady rest for this reading. br>br> It's small enough to fit in the palm of my hand, and it's only 7 inches long. It weighs 7 ounces, which is significantly less than all of the comparable products I considered. Because I hunt over long distances with a heavy pack, the light weight is a significant benefit. br>br>I hadn't given much thought to the quality of the optics before, but if you have, you'll be pleased with the Ranger. They are extremely straightforward. br>br>I'll update this review as I use the Ranger 1500 in various conditions, such as snow and cloudy skies. I'll also provide an update if I get a chance to range smaller animals like deer and coyotes. Normally, I would have waited to write this review until I had had more time with the range finder, but since there aren't any, I'm sharing my first impressions to assist others who are considering purchasing this product. br>br>Based on the limited time I've had with it, I give the Ranger 1500 two thumbs up. It meets most of my expectations and exceeds the rest; for the price, I don't think you can beat the Ranger 1500, and it comes with a lifetime warranty with no questions asked. br>br>UPDATE 2/6/16br>br>I've had another chance to use the Ranger 1500, and here's what I've discovered: I was able to range a deer at 561 yards in a snow-covered field with the sun nearly directly overhead and a very thin overcast layer. To get a reading, I needed a complete rest and the deer had to be standing broadside, and I only got a reading about 40% of the time I tried. br>br>On a clear morning, I ranged black lava rocks at 550 yards about 15 minutes before sunrise. In the same pre-dawn, snow-covered plains, sage brush can be found up to 500 yards away. Conditions at sunrise. At noon, under clear skies, I was able to range my 80-pound German Shepherd at 350 yards in the snow. I'm not sure how much further I could have gotten a reading on him before he returned to the house, so I'm not sure. Despite my best efforts, I have never been able to range cows beyond 660 yards. I was able to range a lone juniper tree at 1060 yards after getting a good night's sleep. I was taken aback by how sparse the foliage was. br>br>And now for the bad news. I've had trouble getting the Ranger 1500 to turn on on occasion. The problem manifested itself twice while the unit was parked on the dash of my truck with the defrost turned on. The unit was warm but not excessively so. I kept getting low battery readings and the unit wouldn't give me a distance reading while hunting in mid-twenties temperatures. Before I left home, I was using a nearly new lithium battery that fluctuated between three and two bars on the unit's power meter. Because there is clearly a problem, I am returning it and replacing it with a new unit that works properly. The following is the second problem I'm having: Based on my experience ranging full-grown cows, I seriously doubt that I will be able to range a deer at 750 yards, as the company claims. Overall, it's still a great deal, but I'm downgrading it from five stars to four. If you're happy ranging deer-sized animals at 500 yards, I think the Ranger 1500 will be a great fit for you. If you want to range them further than 500 yards, the Vortex Ranger 1500 appears to be a stretch, at least in my experience. br>br>Recent changes: br>br> On October 9, 2018, I decided to replace my Vortex Ranger 1500 with a Leica 2000-S. It accomplishes tasks that the Vortex Ranger 1500 couldn't. The Ranger 1500 simply couldn't consistently range objects far enough to be useful for the long-range shooting I desired. If you only need to shoot within 500 yards, the Vortex Ranger 1500 should suffice, and with the warranty it comes with, it's probably a good choice; however, if you need to shoot further, it simply won't do the job.

Grayson Mann

| Sep 01, 2021

CHINA (nothing made by Vortex is made in the United States; everything is made in China, the Philippines, or Japan). With that said, it performs about as well as it was assembled and manufactured for the price. This is something I bought and used on two mule deer hunts in Montana and Nebraska. When I arrived in Montana, I checked my rifle scope zero at a 300-yard rifle range. At 200 and 300 yards, the rangefinder was incapable of ranging two foot targets. I tried to range several deer, elk, and cows standing still in open country on the first day of my hunt but was unsuccessful. Fortunately, my father and guide had rangefinders (Bushnell) that worked and cost around $100 and gave me precise ranges. This cheap piece of junk failed in open country again in Nebraska a week later. My friends had Bushnell rangefinders, which helped me a lot. Leupold) that functioned well and provided ranges. I couldn't get a range on many deer that was between 200 and 300 yards. At 300 yards, I couldn't get a range on a cow standing in the middle of a 400-yard-long river. To cut a long story short, do not purchase this product because it is unreliable in the face of adversity and is poorly constructed. I'd rather buy a Leupold or Leica rangefinder than this one because they're made in the United States and Germany, respectively, rather than China.

Averi Rollins

| May 14, 2021

I can't seem to go beyond 550 yards in range. I'm not sure because there's nothing to compare it to. I didn't anticipate the entire range mentioned, but I did anticipate a little more. br>br>6/10/2016br>Updated 6/10/2016br>After two weeks, Vortex sent me a brand new unit that they had thoroughly tested before sending. This is MUCH better, and exactly what I was hoping for from a rangefinder. It's fantastic to see Vortex stand by their products.

Jalen Collins

| Aug 23, 2021

It's small, sultry, and solid in the hand; add a clip to the side, and it's exactly what I want on my combat rig. except. In the daylight, it's useless. It has three brightness settings, but none of them are bright enough (I'd attach pictures, but that's not an option for some reason). My entire family has examined this item, and no one believes it is suitable for use during daylight hours. The display is also abysmal, resembling a dying 1980s alarm clock. Maybe it was just a bad day. It will be returned in any case.

Aarya Byrd

| Oct 26, 2021

After the reticle in my Leupold RX-70 broke, I bought this. 1000i suddenly degraded to the point where more than 50% of it has dead spots and is unusable; and after only four years of use (maximum of 25 hours). I made the decision not to buy it again. I've gradually switched to Vortex because of their high quality, which is backed by their VIP warranty, and I've never been disappointed. This applies to this particular unit as well. It has better ergonomics, clearer optics (if not clearer), uses the same CR2 battery, and is the same weight (8 oz) as the RX. When it comes to quality, functionality, performance, and warranty, this is unquestionably the best deal. br>br>Here are two noteworthy items: It only shows range in one-yard increments (no tenths), but for ballistics, one-yard increments are sufficient. In any case, a half yard is "in the noise. " br>br>In HCD (aka TBR) mode, the incline angle is not displayed - Only the LOS mode allows for incline. This is useful supplementary information, and since the algorithm needs to know it to calculate TBR, it would be nice if it was displayed. especially since the TBR's accuracy is limited to a specific incline based on target range.

Ian Brock

| May 08, 2021