Switch failed on Swarovski LRF

[Tim K]

Using it the other day I noticed the switch felt different. There was no detent feel anymore. It still worked, but it was obvious something was wrong.

I took it out today it it was completely inoperative. I replaced the battery and it came on, but the switch is stuck on. It never turns off. I assume the battery just got drained.

Back to Swarovski, I guess. I'm disappointed. It's a couple years old, but it gets very light use. I hope the repair is not hideously expensive.

[Tim K]

Spoke to Swaro today. It's on its way to Austria for what appears to be a repair under warranty. Gonna be 6 weeks. However, they're actually sending me a loaner to use in the meantime. Pretty dang cool. First thing to go right today.

[10mm-man]

All I can contribute....

_LPRA6MUH_I

Don't care for him anymore, since he is so Anti...

[Tim K]

My Swarovski came back Thursday. The switch is fixed, but now it hardly ranges anything. It's worthless past 400 yards, and it used to be 100% reliable well past 1,000.

Back it goes. Again.

[Tim K]

Props to Swarovski. They just sent me a new rangefinder. It's been aggravating to deal with, but they've done everything I could ask of them and more. I'd buy from them again if they made anything I wanted.

[Delfuego]

Nice! [Beer] That's how you retain a customer.

[Robb]

Can I ask a couple dumb range finder questions?
Would your RF work in an environment like Pawnee with little 'reflective surfaces'? It's just acres of almost nothing to laser off of except the ground or maybe the antelope you're hunting. I'm talking at rifle ranges like 250+ yards.
I have no RF experience but I think a little extra help could really be helpful if the rangefinder could still do it's job in that environment.

[newracer]

My basic Nikon RF will range off small tufts of grass. I have yet to have a situation where I couldn't find anything to range off. I am sure the better ones do an even better job.

[MarkCO]

I have the Bushnell 1600 ARC, it works okay out to about 600 in most conditions on rocks and trees. I have ranged deer to 700 and elk to 900, but in only ideal conditions. But with bright sun and snow on the ground, I could not range past 400 this past Saturday on my Pronghorn hunt. One of the guys I talked to out there had a Nikon, and he was having worse luck ranging than I was. However, inside 300, both could range clumps of grass, bushes, rocks and Pronghorn.

I ended up having to basically leapfrog range while I was out walking through the flats and valleys. FWIW, I will have a Swaro on the way once I save up enough in my shooting budget.

[Robb]

Okay, good to know you can range off clumps of grass etc. I think a RF could be a huge benefit.

[C Ward]

Rule of thumb is take what the laser is rated for and cut it in half for what it will do in poor conditions . Fresh batteries are a necessity for them to perform properly , at a big match the Geovid's get a new battery every morning . Also I've found that even though a battery is new if it has sat in my spare's bag for too long that it gives problems .

Make sure the lenses are clean as well .

The Bushy laser is damn good , ranged stuff to a mile before with one . Way better laser than my Geovid's but the glass is crap and the reticule washes out in bright light . I'd try a new battery first .

More than once on day's and spots that make for difficult ranging I've only been able to get 400ish yards reliably .

[MarkCO]

Had brand new fresh batteries in the Bushnell! It was so bright I even got sunburned on my forehead, and I was wearing a ballcap! But no worries, Buck is in the freezer, 680 yards...

[Tim K]

My old Swarovski would get past 1,900. I never saw 2,000+ come up, maybe they didn't program in the "2". It ranged anything under 1,000 with 100% reliability for me. By that I mean I could eventually get a return off anything at 1K and under. From time to time it might take two or three attempts, but I always eventually got a hit.

I haven't tested the replacement yet except on the front yard. It's rock solid all the way to 65 yards.

Next to a rifle, I think a rangefinder is the most essential tool a precision shooter can own.