Western Hunting Journal, Premiere Issue whj001_premiere | Page 36

GEAR REVIEW
Simmons
VOLT 600 Tilt
$149.99
Redfield
Raider 650A
$249.99
6 x 23mm
WEIGHT: 6.1 OUNCES
MAX REFLECTIVE RANGE: 650 YDS
ILLUMINATED DISPLAY: NO
Accuracy VVVV
Clarity/Brightness VVV+
Features VVV
Construction VVV+
Overall VVV+
The Raider 650A by Redfield™ may seem like
a bit of a no-frills, simplistic rangefinder, but
is exactly the beauty of its design; a nice six
point bull on my wall that will attest to the
effectiveness of its ranging capabilities.
Designed for one-button easy use with
an effective range covering the majority of
hunting situations, the Raider 650A turned in
solid, accurate readings on elk sized targets
at ranges beyond 400 yards. In fact, when I
spotted my bull, it was still too dark to even
see antlers. I clicked on the yellow dot on the
dark, pre-dawn hillside and was amazed to get
a reading of 594 yards on my first try. Closing
the distance, the next range I received was all I
needed to fill my tag. During testing, the maxi-
mum yardage read was 749 yards. While the
Raider 650A automatically adjusts for slopes
and provides the shoot-to distance in the dis-
play, it also shows the reading for the slope
in degrees, so you can double check drop
charts or other info you may have. Holding
the activation button down allows scanning
for quick ranging of multiple objects, or a
moving animal.
Overall brightness and clarity was good
in daylight, but degraded a bit with low light.
The black LCD display is also a bit difficult to
see in low light and on dark backgrounds. The
plastic body keeps weight down, but dimin-
ishes durability a bit and is not waterproof.
redfield.com
34
WESTERN HUNTING JOURNAL
4 x 20mm
WEIGHT: 6.3 OUNCES
MAX REFLECTIVE RANGE: 600 YDS
ILLUMINATED DISPLAY: NO
Accuracy VVV
Clarity/Brightness VVVV
Features VVV
Construction VVV
Overall VVV
The desire for accurate, well placed shots
reaches far beyond the world of long range
shooters. Bowhunters and those hunting
with shotguns or muzzleloaders are just as
dependent on knowing the range to a target;
they just don’t need quite the firepower in a
rangefinder when it comes to doing so. Enter
the VOLT600 Tilt from Simmons®.
This no-fuss no-muss simplistic rangefind-
er does just what hunters need it to do: mea-
sure yardage, and adjust for slope. There isn’t
a bunch of features to set up, or modes to
choose from. Just point, click, measure and
shoot!
The 4x magnification is great for thicker,
brushy conditions and allows for good image
brightness in low light. TILT technology cor-
rects for slope and shows shoot-to readings
as THD (True Horizontal Distance) out to 99
yards on the non-illuminated LCD display.
The use of a 9v battery saves a few bucks
over CR2 styles when it comes to replacing
batteries.
Accuracy on smaller targets, targets par-
tially obscured by brush, and in rainy/foggy
conditions was a bit limited at longer ranges,
however in situations inside of 200 yards,
performance was good. The average variance
in a twenty-reading group at 200 yards was 8
yards, which will still keep you on target with
a slug or muzzleloader. The VOLT600 Tilt is
not waterproof, and the diopter does not ad-
just to increase clarity. The Velcro closure on
the carry case can also be a bit noisy in close
range bowhunting situations.
simmonsoptics.com
Athlon Optics
Midas 1200Y Grey
$419.99
6 x 23.5mm
WEIGHT: 6.8 OUNCES
MAX REFLECTIVE RANGE: 1,200 YDS
ILLUMINATED DISPLAY: NO
Accuracy VVVV
Clarity/Brightness VVVV
Features VVV+
Construction VVVV
Overall VVVV
The combination of multi-coated lenses and
a generous 23.5mm objective allows the Mi-
das 1200Y rangefinder from Athlon Optics to
provide good clarity and target contrast, even
in low light. A plastic housing helps to cut
overall weight, and is waterproof for peace
of mind on even the wettest of hunts. Tex-
tured rubber exterior is secure and comfort-
able when wet and a protective case further
guards against wear and tear.
Accuracy was good, especially on targets
from 200 to 600 yards, with an average
variance of less than three yards at all rang-
es tested. The longest target ranged during
testing was 1,021 yards. Overall operation is
relatively easy and straight forward. Pressing
the range button will display the true distance
on top of the viewfinder and the bottom of
the viewfinder will show the elevation, slope
angle, or slope correct shoot-to distance,
depending on what mode the unit is set to.
Scanning is also possible by holding down the
range button.
While the field of view was quite bright,
the dark readout of the LCD display was dif-
ficult to see on dark backgrounds. The mode
button is located on top of the unit near the
range button. A single click of the mode but-
ton will change the settings, so if accidentally
pushed when ranging, the wrong data could
be displayed. It would also be nice if the carry
case had a belt loop.
athlonoptics.com