Best Rangefinders Under $500

Verdict

Both rangefinders we've evaluated so far come in under $500 at MSRP, and on the published specs the cheaper one is the stronger pick for most hunting use. The Leupold RX-1400i TBR/W Gen 2 ($199.99 MSRP) ranges deer-sized targets to 900 yards versus the Vortex Ranger 1300's 600, weighs 5.1 oz versus 7.7 oz, and adds True Ballistic Range/Wind holdover calculation plus a Flightpath archery mode. The Vortex Ranger 1300 ($449.99 MSRP) makes sense if Vortex's unconditional VIP lifetime warranty matters to you, or you prefer its 6x magnification over the Leupold's 5x — its headline 1300-yard figure applies to reflective targets only, and is slightly below the Leupold's 1400. Neither rangefinder's real-world performance has been independently field-tested here — see how we test.