Vortex ranger 1800 vs sig kilo 1600bdx

[Ivanmania]

Im looking to buy one or the other. Which one is more preferred? I just do archery and want a red reticle and these two are in my price range. Thanks for the help

 

[TheBootBowhunting]

I only bowhunt/3d shoot as well.

Probably not going to be popular opinion, but I like just about everything about the Ranger 1800. I’ve had the Ranger 1800 since it was released. I keep a few different set ups, and have owned a sig 1800bdx and a leupold rx1600i. I currently have 2 1800s and the 1600i. I have never had any issues with the vortex. I think the range button is the easiest/quietest to press out of the 3 so it’s very easy to stay on target and not shake up the image. Doesn’t sound like a huge deal but for me it was why I let go of the 1800bdx.

I had no complaints about the 1800bdx other than that. I dont think you can go wrong either way.

A 2nd trivial issue is the tether loops. The Ranger and Sig have tether loops on both sides. The Leupold only has it on 1 side, and not the side I prefer. The way I put the RF in my rf pouch I need the lanyard loop on the left side so the tether doesnt get it the way when I go from pouch to eye. Just makes it much smoother while ranging an animal up close.

The Sig and Leupold do 1/10th yardages, the vortex just gives yards. I do use the 1600i for 3d shooting where you are trying to hit a 12 ring and a few tenths of a yard might be the difference. But for hunting and just regular practice, I do prefer the Ranger 1800.

Warranty, vortex wins easily. Lifetime warranty. Sig has a 5 year warranty on electronic components and Leupold is dead last at 2 years. I have warrantied the 1600i within 6 months. I bought the 1800bdx while waiting on the 1600i to be warrantied. Leupold is apparently pretty strict about the 2 years from what Ive gathered doing some research on it.

 

[Ivanmania]

I only bowhunt/3d shoot as well.

Probably not going to be popular opinion, but I like just about everything about the Ranger 1800. I’ve had the Ranger 1800 since it was released. I keep a few different set ups, and have owned a sig 1800bdx and a leupold rx1600i. I currently have 2 1800s and the 1600i. I have never had any issues with the vortex. I think the range button is the easiest/quietest to press out of the 3 so it’s very easy to stay on target and not shake up the image. Doesn’t sound like a huge deal but for me it was why I let go of the 1800bdx.

I had no complaints about the 1800bdx other than that. I dont think you can go wrong either way.

A 2nd trivial issue is the tether loops. The Ranger and Sig have tether loops on both sides. The Leupold only has it on 1 side, and not the side I prefer. The way I put the RF in my rf pouch I need the lanyard loop on the left side so the tether doesnt get it the way when I go from pouch to eye. Just makes it much smoother while ranging an animal up close.

The Sig and Leupold do 1/10th yardages, the vortex just gives yards. I do use the 1600i for 3d shooting where you are trying to hit a 12 ring and a few tenths of a yard might be the difference. But for hunting and just regular practice, I do prefer the Ranger 1800.

Warranty, vortex wins easily. Lifetime warranty. Sig has a 5 year warranty on electronic components and Leupold is dead last at 2 years. I have warrantied the 1600i within 6 months. I bought the 1800bdx while waiting on the 1600i to be warrantied. Leupold is apparently pretty strict about the 2 years from what Ive gathered doing some research on it.

Why do people have such a big problem with vortex optics?

 

[TheBootBowhunting]

Probably because of them moving most of their production from Japan to China some years ago. The razor line I believe stayed in Japan. The Viper line moved to China and then to Phillilpines a year or so ago. Just about everything else is China.

The Ranger 1800, sig 1600bdx and Leupold 1600i are all made in China. All my Binos are Leupold, which carry lifetime warranties. But 2 year warranty on their RFs (ive already warrantied the 1600i once) when sig offers 5 and vortex for life, Ill never purchase another Leupold RF again. Leupold is basically telling the consumer that their RF is good for 2 hunting seasons, just seems unacceptable in comparison to others.

 

[Mountain_Life]

Biggest advantage to the Sig in hunting situations is that it automatically adjusts the red back light. Which is a big deal in the first and last hour of light, the most crucial time you need a range finder. Also, the sig gives readouts much faster.

As mentioned, the Vortex is gonna hold a warranty after 5 years while the Sig will not.

I've had both plus Leupold and now only have the Sig.

Edit: one other advantage to the Vortex is the belt clip. It can be removed if using the RF in a pouch, but its handy when shooting arrows around the yard.

 

[ZDR]

Lots of great usability info in this thread...thanks amigos.

 

[TheBootBowhunting]

Biggest advantage to the Sig in hunting situations is that it automatically adjusts the red back light. Which is a big deal in the first and last hour of light, the most crucial time you need a range finder. Also, the sig gives readouts much faster.

As mentioned, the Vortex is gonna hold a warranty after 5 years while the Sig will not.

I've had both plus Leupold and now only have the Sig.

Edit: one other advantage to the Vortex is the belt clip. It can be removed if using the RF in a pouch, but its handy when shooting arrows around the yard.

Cant argue with the sig led auto adjust display advantage. And I’d say the sig did seem to read much faster than the Ranger 1300 or 1500 (I can’t remember which of those 2 I had previously) but I do remember that whichever one I had having a slight delay in readout. But I havent used the 1800 and thought I was waiting for a readout. But I also only bowhunt so I’m not ranging hundreds of yards for a shot. Maybe if the OP is planning to rifle hunt, the sig may be the better choice. For archery, I didn’t see any advantage of one over the other really. I simply preferred the ergonomics of the Ranger and the lifetime warranty.

 

[Bendejo]

Biggest advantage to the Sig in hunting situations is that it automatically adjusts the red back light. Which is a big deal in the first and last hour of light, the most crucial time you need a range finder.

Does the ranger 1800 have an adjust for the brightness or always one level?

Sent from my Pixel 4 using Tapatalk

 

[TheBootBowhunting]

Yes, the Ranger has 3 brightness settings. If you do it a few times, it’s relatively easy to adjust through settings, but the sig does have auto adjust. Fwiw, Leupold isn’t auto adjust either.

 

[dannysanch94]

Lots of great usability info in this thread...thanks amigos.

No kidding, lot of very good information about the three brands

 

[doc holiday13]

Why do people have such a big problem with vortex optics?

once you've used something from S&B, NF, Steiner, Swaro, and a couple others, you'll realize there is better glass out there. For the price, vortex is a great product. I even run a couple vortex optics but I'm slowly phasing them out of my regular use

 

[dannysanch94]

Better glass outside of the razor line but I would take the gen III 1x10 razor glass AND turret systems over NX8. The razor line is no joke, especially the new LHT line of it geared towards lightweight pursuits. Would also like to mention the UHD line of binos just got huge upgrade with the 10x50. However swaro is undeniably the industry leader in glass, and interesting side fact, a buddy of mine was flying to Alaska for sheep hunt and baggage checker scanned bag, immediately asked if he had swaros, confused he said, yes why? Baggage guy then told him they are the only glass that will go through and glow a an actual color under X-ray consistent with crystal not glass.

 

[Deerbuster21]

Anything bad about the 1800?

 

[Steves29]

Better glass outside of the razor line but I would take the gen III 1x10 razor glass AND turret systems over NX8. The razor line is no joke, especially the new LHT line of it geared towards lightweight pursuits. Would also like to mention the UHD line of binos just got huge upgrade with the 10x50. However swaro is undeniably the industry leader in glass, and interesting side fact, a buddy of mine was flying to Alaska for sheep hunt and baggage checker scanned bag, immediately asked if he had swaros, confused he said, yes why? Baggage guy then told him they are the only glass that will go through and glow a an actual color under X-ray consistent with crystal not glass.

I really like the looks of their 1-10 I just can't get with the weight, any thoughts on another direction for something similar but lighter?