Anyone run a Bushnell 1500 rangefinder.

[SamT1]

I bought a 1500 “Pinseeker” version off eBay. I’m not sure if it is broken, sucks, or I’m using it wrong. I read it’s the same as the hunting ones just with functions more trailered to golf. These guys have good reviews so I’m assuming something is wrong.

It will range a telephone pole to about 60 yards. Or a barn to almost 300. It’s crazy windy today, does that effect anything?
I put a new battery in it too.

Is there something I need to clean or anything?

 

[imashooter]

What are you saying the problem is and what is the advertised ranging distance and while I'm at it, the advertised +/- accuracy? Are you saying it won't range beyond 300 yards?

 

[SamT1]

Yes won’t range beyond 300 yards for reflective. Beyond 100 for stuff like trees.
Won’t pick up a porta potty at 100.

Specs are
5-1500 yards. +\- 1 yard.

I finally got it to lock on a road sign at 560 yards after trying lots of times. But it won’t pick up a house at what would be like 700.

Something rattles inside when I shake it.
I was expecting a solid 75% range on something like a barn and maybe 50% on non reflective.

 

[LoonWulf]

I would contact Bushnell and send it in. Sounds like you got a lemon. My gforce dx will pick up houses at 1200 and smallish game animals to 400.

 

[imashooter]

Regarding the house example, do you get nothing or do you get a bogus distance? Does it have controls such as what it would consider near field / far field? Of course the beam spreads as distance grows but surely they allowed for that (intensity / power) so you can easily range beyond 1000 yds. Otherwise, I'd say it's defective.

 

[imashooter]

Just curious. Does it have an integral "slope" function (gps) which can be disabled?

 

[SamT1]

It doesn’t return any reading.
It does have a slope function.
Slope+ pin seeker
Pin seeker (narrow beam that’s not supposed to get stuff in the background
And normal.

 

[SamT1]

If I send this back and buy say a kilo 2000 or vortex can I range a 12” steel plate at 1500?

 

[SamT1]

I did some further testing when the wind died and the sun was going down.
Yardage was up a bit. Street signs at 300-400 reliably. Shiny barns at 2-300. A dumpster at 180 half the time. Horses at 70 yards consistently. Couldn’t get the ones over 100.
Tried 3 batteries. None were a Duracell though. Is it worth any further testing or do I return to sender.

 

[imashooter]

Furry animals are not good reflectors, especially at longer distances. When hunting for example with a not so high end range finder, it's best to focus on a more solid, slicker surface in proximity to the the target. I would contact the manufacturer and attempt to get answers to your satisfaction. If they respond in a manner which indicates your long distance ranging is basically a no-go, I'd send it back to the seller for a refund.

 

[Varminterror]

If I send this back and buy say a kilo 2000 or vortex can I range a 12” steel plate at 1500?

Probably not, and damned sure not without a support/rest/tripod. The Vortex 1500 has a 1.5 x 0.3 mil oval beam divergence, whereas the Sig 2200 has a 1.3mil round beam. 12” at 1500 is a tiny target, a long ways out. Even with my Leica, it’s not easy to reliably ping targets that small at 1200, let alone 15. Ranging off-hand, forget about 12” past about 800. I can hit 12x20” IPSC’s reliably with any of the above out to about 1,200, and beyond that I use 2’x2’ or larger cardboard slabs as laser “reflector” targets. I gain a little ground using a tripod instead of resting on my elbows prone or on the bench. I pin my LRF to the side of my scope on the bipod, and bridge both elbows like a rear bipod and gain range that way too.

Portapotty should be a 1200-1500yrd target for that LRF. I have old, cheap Bushnell Scout and ARC 1000’s which would hit a portapot at 1,000, let alone 100. That thing is busted.