Okay I have put together a .223 Wylde which I'm aware is not for extreme long ranges, I plan on learning basics with this rifle and then build a 6.5 Creedmore or more capable rifle. However when researching about range finders I've read that people don't really use them for long range hunting, this could have been faultt info but what do you guys use to find the range of your target in an unkown target distance, or hunting scenario?

Lieca or Swarovski

Chevrolet or Nike. I get closer.

Long range hunting should come after significant (and I mean really significant) success at long range target shooting in general. The animal you harvest deserves to be killed humanely.

Apart from that, outside of some pretty uncommon sorts of hunting, long range shots just are really not common. In my experience, they're about |   | that close to being pure fantasy. Most people will not see a deer or even an elk or bear that far away. You're vastly more likely to run into it within 200ish yards (likely a LOT closer) which is well inside the holding-on-hair range of most bottleneck high power rifle chamberings.  If you use a range finder on a deer you'll probably not get a shot at it so if you're going to use one at all it should be to range bits of the landscape so you have reference points when the deer comes out and don't have to fiddle with gizmos before taking the shot.

EDIT: Many will disagree with me but that's 30 years of hunting experience in more states than I have fingers.

I use a Lecia 1600B. If you don't know the range involved you're going to fail at shooting anything at range (over 500 yards probably less).

I have a vectronix, very expensive but really has no peer outside of the military.

I have a Newcon2200 si. I reliably ranged my 100% IPSC plate to 1800 yards. Reflective targets like signs to 2400 yards(confirmed with GPS and Google maps)

The only animal I could confirm was a horse at 713yds.
I don't hunt so I am not interested in how far I can range an animal otherwise I would put in more effort testing it on animals at distances.



http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_16_5/2685_Newcon_2200SI_LASER_Range_Finder_video_.html

SIG Kilo.  People are selling off their Leicas and other $700-$2000 LRFs before everyone finds out.

Are we talking about the Sig Kilo 2000? Looking at the wholesalers there are a few cheaper models but do we get the same range finding engine or do we need to purchase the 2000 to get the full benefit?

When I was first shopping for LRF, I had it limit down to the Swarovski EL and Leica, then later I got to demo them and I wasn't able to laze anything past 800 yards
Luckily at that time I saw a group buy for Vextronix and picked up the PLRF05 and Manfrotto tripod. I haven't looked back since.  I can range 1500+ meters easily (and I'm sure I could laze 2x further and more).  Also, I am very happy with Vectronix when using with PVS-14 stacked behind it.