For background:  I've been getting into long range shooting the past few years.  I've shot a few informal matches and have been out to ~1200 yards a few times.  I almost had a chance to shoot to a mile, but recently moved for work and haven't found a similar place to shoot yet.  I'm planning to keep at it.  I want a rangefinder, something that'll range out to a mile.  I may not be able to shoot that far, due to skill and facilities, but my rifle probably can and I figure I'll grow into it.

I saw some of the surplus Litton Mk VII rangefinders on the market and they seem like they did everything I wanted.  10km range, sturdy, waterproof, tripod mount, elevation reading, night vision (I've been getting into that too), and a bunch of other features I'll never use.
The common recommendation that a rangefinder will do half the rated distance under poor or non-perfect conditions says this should be reliable to 5km-ish.  I'm willing to adapt to meters, and I've got no plans to pack it all over creation, so the weight isn't a huge downside.

I bought one, took it outside around noon, and couldn't range past 200m.
I took it out again that evening, found a convenient parking lot, put the thing on a tripod, and tried lasing buildings, cars, and whatever other shit I could see.
At least half the time, I'm not getting a number out of the thing.  Nothing past 200m.

The seller worked with me and I exchanged it for a different unit.
The new unit is giving similar performance, maybe reading 100 yards further.  
The seller has agreed to take it back and refund me, so I'm only mildly pissed (shipping these isn't cheap), but he left me with the comment that the thing has been tested, is fully functional, and these things won't meet my expectations.

I have no other rangefinder experience.
I was expecting it to be a point & shoot sort of thing.  Aim, click the button, read the range.  Maybe try a few times for difficult, longer range targets (like 1000yards+ on commercial units)

The manual gives some instructions on the first/last pulse ranging modes, and I've tried both with no obvious difference.
Outside of "they've been tested and work", I don't have anything else on it.

I've checked the battery voltage, and it's good.
The sun is at my back for these first two videos.  The far building is perpendicular to me at about 560 yards (~512m) per Google Maps.  I figured it should be a great target for testing this.
The square to the right of the readout is the "charged/ready-to-fire" indicator for the laser.  The clicks are the unit firing.  I've attempted holding the button longer with no notable difference in performance.  I've attempted to lase a lot more that I didn't record.



For these I'm pointing southwest, the building is about 550 yards (~500m) away, depending on where you look.  

The tank is south at about 360m, and that's the farthest range I was able to get with the thing, and the only time I saw a difference between first/last pulse modes.


What should I expect out of a rangefinder?  Is this typical performance?  Am I doing something wrong?
Would a Vortex or Sig Kilo 253245xyz give readings for these same targets/ranges?  Is the lighting really bad for this?  
I'm here for a sanity check.  I want to write this off as "these things were surplussed because they're worn out and don't work", but am looking for a second opinion.

I see this is an "eye safe" device so I removed my comment.
Nothing like the unit I was thinking you had.

See this EE thread.
https://www.ar15.com/forums/Equipment-Exchange/Litton-Mark-VII-Laser-Rangefinders-with-Night-Vision/172-2159864/

Yes.  One of those.
"Eye safe", but I still won't lase people or near them.  I stopped ranging when I saw someone outside or anywhere near the target or driving nearby (at either end).

My preference would have been the rifle range,  but it'll be a few weeks before I can be there with my current schedule, and I needed to sort this out sooner.

I missed your comment, but do you have any thoughts on the unit's performance?  I'm at a loss as to what's going on.

Do you have or have you used any rangefinders, and would they have gotten you numbers for the side of that building or similar usage?
I'm trying to reconcile what I'm seeing, what I expected, and what im being told about the thing.

Thanks

My decade+ old Leica Geovids will do those distances without any difficulty at all. Triple plus, with ease.
To me, having the laser rangefinder integrated with high quality binocular optics seems a "no-brainer."
Even though their performance has been eclipsed by newer units I've never found them insufficient for my "envelope."
An integrated unit with NV seems very attractive, but if the actual performance barely equals a budget hunting unit, well.
Try for some feedback on the NV forum under Armory.





NEVER LEAVE HOME WITHOUT THEM

Thanks guys, I appreciate the feedback.
I was confident something was wrong, but with no real experience with these, I was hesitant to come right out and say it was broke.
I sent the thing back.

My kilo 2400 will easily do a mile even in shitty conditions..furthest hit on a bush has been  past 1800 yards, on reflective I have had hits out to 2500 yards(some see hits past 3000 yards), as far as I have tried so far...


Here is a rock at 1500 yards...

Attached File


Here is a bush at 1735 yards in bright sunlight...

Attached File


Attached File