Rangefinder for rabbit hunting

[jamie_blue]

Hi All,

I'm hunting rabbits with a 22lr, taking shots from between 20 to 50m. At this stage I've been sighting in at a set distance, placing it out then staking out.

Any recommendations for a decent quality range finder (around $300-450). I'm doing some searching but feel like I'd be paying overs for something that will range up to 1400 yards when I have no intention of shooting that far.

Cheers

[deye243]

For the short-range you are talking about I would just get one of the eBay rangefinders work perfectly fine for that sort of thing.

Now I have a Leupold 1400 tbr think it is for the money very good value I also have a Leica 2800.com but very pricey comparing the two out to 1500 yards they both measure within 1 m of one another so I can attest to the Leupold accuracy.

This is within your price range
https://magnumsports.com.au/leupold-rx- ... oled-.html

[Oldbloke]

Consider Aldi. Usually abt $130. I was impressed with mine. Unfortunately it was stolen and has now been replaced with a leopold.

[jamie_blue]

For the short-range you are talking about I would just get one of the eBay rangefinders work perfectly fine for that sort of thing.

Now I have a Leupold 1400 tbr think it is for the money very good value I also have a Leica 2800.com but very pricey comparing the two out to 1500 yards they both measure within 1 m of one another so I can attest to the Leupold accuracy.

This is within your price range
https://magnumsports.com.au/leupold-rx- ... oled-.html

This was the top of my list

[in2anity]

Must say, with some experience, estimating distance under 100m becomes straight forward. When estimating distance, imagine placing objects that you know well, within your picture, for example "how many swimming pools between me and my target?" or perhaps "how many football fields?" (in the case of centerfire).

I zero my 22 sporter at 40m, defining its maximum point-blank range. Burned into my memory (from RMS shooting) is 3moa@60m, 6moa@80m and 11moa@100m, so I use the CCI segmented hollow point (match speeds) on rabbits.

A reticle with subtensions may become useful combined with this knowledge - perhaps a moa FFP? Without holdover subtensions, you'll need to take the time to extrapolate and then dial, which may take too long in practice...

Honestly, if you're getting serious about culling wabbits, a better option is to pick yourself up a 17hmr, limit yourself to 100m, and never worry about trajectory again. Or just get a 223; if you aren't too close to town.

[deye243]

Honestly, if you're getting serious about culling wabbits, a better option is to pick yourself up a 17hmr, limit yourself to 100m, and never worry about trajectory again. Or just get a 223; if you aren't too close to town.

Why limit to just 100, maximum Point Blank Range with my 17 HMR 1 inch above and below line-of-sight is 160 yards just too easy Point shoot bang flop.
And as for estimating range since the eyesight in my right eye has deteriorated I have lost the ability to estimate range and years ago I was pretty bloody good at it out to 400 yards it served me very well while spotlighting not anymore to estimate range you need good eyesight in both eyes.
Maybe the OP just needs a rangefinder

[Lazarus]

Honestly, if you're getting serious about culling wabbits, a better option is to pick yourself up a 17hmr, limit yourself to 100m, and never worry about trajectory again. Or just get a 223; if you aren't too close to town.

Why limit to just 100, maximum Point Blank Range with my 17 HMR 1 inch above and below line-of-sight is 160 yards just too easy Point shoot bang flop.
And as for estimating range since the eyesight in my right eye has deteriorated I have lost the ability to estimate range and years ago I was pretty bloody good at it out to 400 yards it served me very well while spotlighting not anymore to estimate range you need good eyesight in both eyes.
Maybe the OP just needs a rangefinder

I have similar issues Deye, I used the range finder to develop scope notes for the Lithgow, from my 50m zero, every 10m out to 150.
That way I don't have to guestimate, range, clicks, pop.

[in2anity]

Ok fair enough. But say you are out on foot in daylight, and you stumble upon some rabbit. The rabbit and you will likely observe each other simultaneously. The rabbit will stop for a brief moment, to observe you, and then retreat. Like a skittish deer, it's that brief window of time where you get only a moment guess distance, raise your rifle, holdover, then break. That's where developing aforementioned technique will pay.

Camping a warren - yeah sure, different story. Suppose it depends on how you intend on hunting.

[Lazarus]

Ok fair enough. But say you are out on foot in daylight, and you stumble upon some rabbit. The rabbit and you will likely observe each other simultaneously. The rabbit will stop for a brief moment, to observe you, and then retreat. Like a skittish deer, it's that brief window of time where you get only a moment guess distance, raise your rifle, holdover, then break. That's where developing aforementioned technique will pay.

Camping a warren - yeah sure, different story. Suppose it depends on how you intend on hunting.

That is very true, however, I'm old and f*cked up from losing a high speed argument with a semi trailer.

I only hunt from a seated position in my vehicle lurking about warrens with the .22 or set up at ~300m off bags on the bonnet with the .223.

If I'm scouting the sheds I use the 12g for snap shots.

[deye243]

Anyway if you are serious about ridding a property of rabbits you don't do it by walking around during the day taking pot shots you actually do it over the Burrows at long-range and get 10 of 15 instead of one or two for me it starts at 200 250 yards with a 22lr then a centerfire at longer ranges then it is Spotlighting you can never eradicate but you can keep numbers bloody low

[Lazarus]

Until calici I was getting ~600/year doing just that, Deye.

One of my favourite spots below, from there I could cover over 800m of warren filled creek and hill without moving from my cup of tea.

20200920_151938_25.jpg (261.83 KiB) Viewed 4269 times

[in2anity]

Varminting like that absolutely warrants a range finder. But I would argue that a range-finder goes hand-in-hand with a caliber a bit more capable than the humble 22.

[JohnV]

I have never used a range finder on such a small target . I would think that getting a good bounce back off a fury Rabbit would be difficult . I just sight my 22 to be on at 90 meters and if it looks over 100 then take a back line hold . If you want to cull rabbits then spotlighting them will give good results using a 22 rimfire but shooting from a fixed position during the day I would want something with a bit more reach .

[Lazarus]

I have never used a range finder on such a small target . I would think that getting a good bounce back off a fury Rabbit would be difficult . I just sight my 22 to be on at 90 meters and if it looks over 100 then take a back line hold . If you want to cull rabbits then spotlighting them will give good results using a 22 rimfire but shooting from a fixed position during the day I would want something with a bit more reach .

I use a cheap as chips Aldi range finder and have had no problems ranging them out to 450m.
If it won't range on the rabbit, you just need to range on something in its close vicinity, like a stump or a tree.

[deye243]

It is all about Beam divergence my leica it's a very easy read on something a size of a rabbit or a hair a long way out

[JohnV]

I have never used a range finder on such a small target . I would think that getting a good bounce back off a fury Rabbit would be difficult . I just sight my 22 to be on at 90 meters and if it looks over 100 then take a back line hold . If you want to cull rabbits then spotlighting them will give good results using a 22 rimfire but shooting from a fixed position during the day I would want something with a bit more reach .

I use a cheap as chips Aldi range finder and have had no problems ranging them out to 450m.
If it won't range on the rabbit, you just need to range on something in its close vicinity, like a stump or a tree.

I do the same thing if there is a better reflector nearby . You can never be sure what it has reflected off , the Rabbit or the ground but usually good enough .

[SCJ429]

Not a reason to not get a cheap range finder but for 50 to 100 metres you can use the focus on your scope to give you an idea. Check it at the range but most decent scopes give you a pretty good indication on the focus ring.

[Oldbloke]

You can use your scope reticle to range.

https://youtu.be/EpS7iWplQZI

https://youtu.be/D9gfaM6cB4M

[Nucopia]

I use a BOBLOV NK-1000 Waterproof Range finder with 6.5X Magnification , cost me $95 off ebay its basic but does the job well enough for me..

[Peter988]

Hi All,

I'm hunting rabbits with a 22lr, taking shots from between 20 to 50m. At this stage I've been sighting in at a set distance, placing it out then staking out.

Any recommendations for a decent quality range finder (around $300-450). I'm doing some searching but feel like I'd be paying overs for something that will range up to 1400 yards when I have no intention of shooting that far.

Cheers

Surely this is a gee up? Shooting between 20 - 50 metres and needing a range finder? Aim at the bloody thing and shoot it.

[in2anity]

Surely this is a gee up? Shooting between 20 - 50 metres and needing a range finder? Aim at the bloody thing and shoot it.

I agree. A 22 is really a 50m caliber in my eyes. Sure they will fall onto the target if you have the elevation- but past 50m a strong wind simply wrecks your group beyond a rabbits head. Grab a cheapy 223 and run classic 55grs and you’ll get you rabbits, no range finding needed.