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Post by Junior on Jan 14, 2021 0:21:41 GMT -7
I had to run to the big city today to get some inventory for my business. Per usual, when I go to Fairbanks by myself, I had to hit all the gun shops and see what kind of deals they have, and see if they have something I can’t live without.
The first couple shops were a bust. Some cool stuff, but all over priced. I made sportsman’s warehouse my last stop. Sportsman’s has recently been acquired by Bass Pro, so the place has been a disaster lately while they rearrange the store. Today was no different, with shelf’s scattered every which way, and carts full of everything parked all over. I decided it wasn’t worth trying to check stuff out, and headed back out. As I passed the optics display, a bright yellow sale sign caught my eye.
Looking closer revealed that they were having a sale on SIG range finders, which were 60% off. They had one left, a KILO1800BDX, usually marked at $399, but was on sale for $179. I decided it was better to ask forgiveness from the lady of the house, and I bought it in a moment of weekness.
I’ve actually been needing a range finder. My old one was a ancient Bushnell given to me by Dad, that was probably as old as I am. It was big and bulky, and a really picky about what it would pick up on. Last season I pulled it out of my backpack to range a couple points around a stand I was checking out during moose season, and it wouldn’t turn on. I changed the battery, but apparently it had decided to no longer wanted to be in the world of the living.
This SIG is very impressive so far. The thing fits in the palm of my hand. I turned it on, and even though it was nearly dark, I was able to get good readings on snow banks out to about 1100 yards.
It has a couple different modes. Basically it will give a straight line range, or it can compensate for angles and blah blah blah and give readings for that stuff too.
The part that really interest me is that the thing can connect to my phone, and I can program my load and ballistics to it, and once that’s done when I range something, it will also show me the adjustments I need to make to land a round on target at that range in either MILs, or MOA.
It looks like it’s gonna be. Pretty impressive little range finder. I’m pretty excited to start playing with it.
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Post by Junior on Jan 14, 2021 1:07:31 GMT -7
Photo of the offending range finder.  |
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Post by Junior on Jan 14, 2021 2:35:49 GMT -7
Ok, I did some more reading on this thing. There are three range modes.
Default is AMR which is is Angle modified range, and then we have LOS which is line of sight. He following was taken from the owners manual.
Angle modified range is the equivalent horizontal range to the target and is comparable to the “horizontal leg” of a triangle. AMR is also known as “rifleman’s rule” and uses the LOS range and angle of incline to calculate the horizontal distance the projectile travels between shooter and target. AMR is very accurate for shorter distances (i.e. < 400 yards) and archery.
Line of sight is the range to the target independent of angle. It is comparable to the “hypotenuse” of a triangle. When ranging in LOS mode, the distance is displayed in addition to the angle of incline. This method is preferred for those long range shooters and hunters wanting to use the LOS range and angle of incline to calculate a very precise holdover using a ballistic calculator smartphone application and/or wind measurement device.
For example, if the rangefinder is in LOS mode the line of sight range of 500 yards would be displayed along with the angle of -30 (degrees decline). Use LOS in combination with a ballistic calculator to calculate an exact holdover in minutes of angle or milliradians.
If the rangefinder is in AMR mode the angle modified range of 433.0 yards would be displayed. This is the equivalent horizontal range and can be used in combination with a ballistic / holdover reticle or with the SIG Ballistic Turret SBTTM dial.
The last mode is ABU which stands for Applied Ballistics Ultralite. This is the node where I can program on my ballistics and it will give me hold over and windage. I can also use my phone as a screen to get more details, and adjust windage and things like that, which the rangefinder will then calculate. The maximum range for this mode is 800 yards, but that’s plenty for most things, especially here in Alaska.
The app will actually let me program 25 separate loads, and then it actually has 8 preloaded charts that are good for a wide range of loads.
From what I’m reading online, the ballistic and windage calculators in the range finder are very good, and accurate. I’m hoping this thing works well. I’ve used a dope card taped to the side of my rifle for way too long.
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Post by Bullshop on Jan 14, 2021 9:51:29 GMT -7
Working in conjunction with your phone is a bonus because your phone can get you real time atmospheric conditions at your gps location. The one thing I am not sure of is wind speed and direction but adding a wind speed meter to your system is no big deal. There are many on the market in a wide price range. Mine is a Kestral and it gives all pertinent atmospheric data needed to calculate sight adjustments.
The newer Kestral units are a ballistic calculater combined with the weather station so can give all the atmospheric and gps data as well as all the ballistic calculations for sight corrections all in one unit but those are quite expensive. They can be programed for G-1 or G-7 BC data so very precis to extreme range.
Apparently the gov sees this type of equipment as a potential threat because they have import restrictions in place.
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Post by Junior on Jan 14, 2021 13:28:24 GMT -7
Yeah, there is a way to pair a kestrel to this range finders. Unfortunately, I don’t have one. I haven’t been into long range shoot for awhile so am not geared up for it as much as I should be.
Playing with this range finder I’m learning that I am very bad at judging range, always thinking everything is further away then it actually is. I’m just shooting some stuff around my yard with it. I’m hoping this evening to take a drive out to Donnelly and put it to the test and see how far I can get good readings.
I’m guessing all the older range finders I’m used to gave a line of sight reading, so that’s the setting I’m going to leave it on for now. I have all big bores and lever guns right now, so I’m not reaching out and touching stuff far away.
I should build a 280 Askley. I do have like 1500 various 7mm bullets....
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Post by Bullshop on Jan 14, 2021 14:23:57 GMT -7
The old interarms MK-X that I got as a 35 Whelen Imp. then went through several barrels one being the 25-06 you had for awhile is now a 280 Ackley. I haven't done enough with it to have gained any appreciation for the cartridge yet. I have been using the 6.5/06 Ackley and the 6mm/06 for long ranging so the 280 the more recent addition is neglected. Maybe this year, Lord willing!
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Post by Junior on Jan 16, 2021 0:45:58 GMT -7
I went out and did some scouting today for my bear bait station in the hills across the river from my house. Being up in the mountains, I wasn’t able to get super far readings with the new finder, due to trees. The furthest opportunity was 980 yards and I was easily able to get a good reading on a free trunk at that range.
Per usual when I go out, I can’t decide on a gun, so I grabbed 4, my 1911, my Ruger 223, my marlin 32-20 and my 458 win mag.
The range finder with 8 common ballistic charts built in to it that are kind of like the old Sierra Maximum point plant range. If your load fits the perimeters of the chart, it will hit within 5” above and below the point of aim out to 400 yards. My 223 fit one of these profiles, so I programmed my custom slot to my 458. 500 grain Hornady solid at 2300 FPS. During my wandering I found a good size stump, and stopped the truck. I took a educated guess on range, aimed way over the stump and touched off the shot. Big splash of snow about 20’ short of the stump.
So then I hit it with the range finder. 427 yards, and I needed to come up 19.2 MOA. Multiplying 19.2 x4.27 gave me 82 inches of elevation. So then I changed it up again. I grabbed the 223 which has a mil-dot scope on it. A mil is 3.4 MOA. More math, but I came up with a number of 5.65 mils I used the scope on the 223 to find 5 and a half mils, and found a aiming point up in the trees that I could identify with the irons. Back to the 458, I line the front bead up on the Snow clump in the trees I had picked out, and touched it off. Snow splash right at the base of the stump. Good enough for me.
I’m pretty happy with this range finder. It should handle anything I need from a range finder.
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Post by Bullshop on Jan 16, 2021 7:20:33 GMT -7
That was clever using the 2213 mil dot to locate your aiming point for the 458.
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