Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Vortex Rangefinder

I've been looking for a moderately priced rangefinder to back up my Leica CRF1200, and wanted something that would go 1000 yards if needed. I consider a rangefinder to be an indespensible piece of equipment, enough so that I have really felt uncomfortable without a back up unit.

Enter the Vortex Ranger 1000. Got mine this morning, and all I can say is that it flat out works. I spent about an hour and a half running the Vortex side to side with my Leica CRF 1200 out to 1100 yards, and could find no difference whatever in the ranging capabilities of the two units. Both worked flawlessly on livestock at 750 to 900 yards, and vehicles as far as 1122 were acquired with the Vortex.

The Vortex is a bit smaller than the Leica unit, and will fit easily into a coat pocket. The display is red,easily seen, and uses an open crosshair for targeting. The unit has a mode that gives the angle to the target and is easily changed from yards to meters. All in all, I like the Vortex 1000 a lot, and it has glass as good or better than the Leica. Street price is around $380, and at that, it is a steal.

My two shooting buddies and I have 6 riflescopes and one spotter. Vortex products are, in my opinion, good values. Glad to hear their RF's are working out good.

From the reports I've read on other forums, the Vortex will get you about 600 yds max on deer. Please let us know, will ya?

Over the weekend, I was able to get out and about with the Vortex. I managed to get a reading on deer at 722 yards, which is the farthest I have tried on an animal other than livestock. In South Africa, I have used the Leica CRF 1200 to get readings of 800 yards on kudu and 527 on springbok. I killed the springbok with my Sharps at that distance. I haven't taken the Vortex to Africa yet, but that is in the works for 2013. Based on my side by side comparisons on livestock with the Vortex and the Leica, I feel the Vortex will easily meet any requirement I might have for a hunting rangefinder. I am glad the Vortex is available, as it works as well as I had hoped, and frankly, better than I expected. It is also reasonably priced. Vortex customer service behind it doesn't hurt either.

It sure looks a lot like the the Leupold RX-1000i TBR and shares a lot of specifications. I would expect it to work similarly.

Except the TBR isn't waterproof but rather "weatherproof"=deal breaker for me over the vortex which is waterproof.

The Vortex website says nothing about being "submersible". It says "O-ring seals prevent moisture, dust, and debris from getting inside for withstanding harsh weather conditions". That would leave me to believe the Vortex is actually "weather proof" just like the Leupold. They are so close speck wise, I'll bet they come out of the same Chinese factory. Street price is nearly the same too. I think the only real difference would be long term service, as I doubt Leupold is going anywhere soon. However, at the rate this technology is improving, by the time you wear one of these out you'll probably want a new one anyway.

Lots of speculation there for sure. Leupold says nothing about o-ring seal, nor does it claim to be waterproof. Just going by what the companies list. One clamis waterproof with an o-ring seal the other just says weatherproof....I own a Leica 1200 but if I had to pick between a Vortex Ranger and a Leupold TBR I'd go vortex just based on the o-ring seal and waterproof, but to each their own.

From many binoculars that I own, the Leupold's seem to have better quality control than Vortex.

How many Vortex bins do you own?

And are you comparing comperable price points?

I contacted Vortex, and they said their rangefinder was subjected to a five minute water spray test should be ok if dropped in shallow water and promptly retrieved, but is NOT submersible. If it's not submersible, it's not water proof. So it is in reality weather proof and not really water proof just as I suspected.

I am in the market for a new rangefinder and the Vortex is at the top of my list. I went to Sportsmans and started ranging things within the store and then got out the Leica and ranged the same items. There was a 3 yard variance at 50 yards between the two units. I then got out the Leupold rx-1000i and a Nikon version and both were spot on with the Leica. This concerns me about the Vortex and I am a Vortex guy. I own a razor hd spotter, a pair of kaibabs and a pair of razor binos

Is there a plausible explanation as to why that unit was off by 3 yards?

I remain very impressed with the 1000i DNA TBR {and all that stuff }. Very accurate and fast so far, as verified by dead hogs and a CDS dial.

Right on! The non TBR model is about $50 less, do you think the TBR is worth it?

Probably just a defective item and I doubt they are all that way. Ask to try another and see how it does.

I don't use the TBR since, as you well know, elevation is not a factor where I go. I wouldn't worry about that feature, but the one I got cheaply just so happened to have it. I'd be willing to bet the RX1000i and the Vortex are made in the same plant. The specs are very, very close IIRC. I sent you a PM as well Drum.

I have read very few reports of the Vortex actually ranging correctly. Most report 3 yards off.

After much research and debate, I end up getting Leupold rangefinder. Nothing against Vortex. But Leupold has been making rangefinder for many years. I would try to stay away from the new product the company just start learning how to make it. Maybe after 5 years, I will reconsider the Vortex rangefinder