Rangefinders have gotten more capable in the past few years, yet they've become available in smaller packages. This Leupold RX III is shown with a .308 round.

The program assumes a 100-yard zero. Matching your load to one of the ballistic groups can be a chore if you have a taste for exotic calibers and bullets, but it is possible with provided software. The whole system is certainly much simpler than toting around an inclinometer and calculator on your next sheep hunt.

Because of the notable lack of mountains and canyons in central Georgia, I was only able to test the bow mode, which delivers the line-of-sight distance and the true distance in yards instead of the holdover in inches. The unit worked just fine, correctly spitting out the true distance out to almost 100 yards from a pine-tree perch.

The 7X magnification is adequate for finding targets at extended ranges but offers a field of view that makes it easy to find targets quickly. Aided by crisp, bright optical elements, the large eyepiece makes the Elite very viewer friendly, and there is little fatigue during extended testing sessions.

The Leupold RX III comes with a nylon carrying case with a pocket for extra batteries. The instruction manual is required reading to understand how the unit functions.

SPECIFICATIONS Leupold RX III
DIMENSIONS:	4x 2.75 x 1.5 inches
WEIGHT:	12 ounces
RANGING ACCURACY:	+/- 1 yard
RANGE:	3 to 1200 yards
MAGNIFICATION:	8X
FIELD OF VIEW:	230 feet @ 1000 yards
OBJECTIVE DIAMETER:	28 mm
EXIT PUPIL:	3.5mm
EYE RELIEF:	16mm
OPTICAL COATINGS:	Multicoated
DISPLAY:	LCD
POWER:	CR2 Lithium
WARRANTY:	Two-year limited
FEATURES:	Waterproof, case and strap included, tripod mount
PRICE:	$399
TEST RESULTS
RANGING:	Nilgai hide, 600 yards; white target board, 700 yards
HEAT TEST:	Pass
FREEZE TEST:	Pass
SHOCK TEST:	Pass
WET TEST:	Pass

Criticisms of the Elite 1500 are few and far between. The LCD display is difficult to see in low light. It is larger than the other units tested, but it delivers a lot of performance for the price. The modes are simple, and the features perform as advertised.

Leica Rangemaster CRF 900
For years, the Leica LRF 1200 was the gold standard for laser rangefinders. The only catch was it was a little bulky. Leica put the system on a diet and introduced the Rangemaster CRF 900, which is some 30 percent smaller than the LRF. It fits easily into a shirt pocket.

There are no functions or modes. You simply press the one operating button, and a red square appears. Press the button again, and the unit rings up the range. The Leica has the best optics of all the units tested, and it has the best and quickest ranging ability. The red LED display automatically adjusts to lighting conditions--a very nice feature when the sun slips behind the mountains. The size of the targeting square does make it difficult to pick out smaller targets at extremely long range.

The Leica is the most expensive of the four units tested--the price of premium components--but offers exceptional performance. It lacks frills and multiple features, but it can be counted on to deliver that all-important number.

Leupold RX III
My advice about the Leupold RX III is to read every single page of the instruction manual before you even take it out of the box. With that said, the rangefinder is not overly complicated; it just has an amazing range of modes and functions. If it is not set up correctly, or if you do not understand the different modes and functions, you could run into trouble. The RX III has the most bells and whistles, and it is a miracle of modern science.

There are functions for long-range shooting, taking readings in the rain, a first-target mode, and a last-target mode. There are even functions that change readings from yards to meters and from Fahrenheit to Celsius. The key is to understand how these functions work together and set the rangefinder up for your shooting situation. Once set up, you are on easy street.