Bushnell has featured a slew of new optics models at SHOT Show 2020 in Las Vegas, Nev., including riflescopes in its Banner, Prime and AR Optics series, and the Powerview 2 line of binoculars, but among the most interesting are a trifecta of economical new 6X 24 mm laser rangefinders—the Prime 1300, Prime 1700 and Nitro 1800. The Kansas-based company is already recognized as a leader in high-performing hunting optics at reasonable price points, and these new additions should serve to further cement Bushnell’s reputation for value.
Prime 1300 and Prime 1700
Essentially identical, except in regard to their maximum ranges, the Prime 1300 and Prime 1700 rangefinders are compact units, both boxing 4.27”x2.75”x1.47” and weighing just 5.9 ozs. As is often the case, their names are indicative of their technical capabilities. The Prime 1300 is advertised as being able to accurately lase reflective targets out to 1,300 yds., trees out to 800 yds. and deer out to 600 yds. Extending that range a bit further, the Prime 1700 can indicate ranges on reflective targets out to 1,760 yds., trees out to 1,000 yds. and deer out to 700 yds. Both units feature Bushnell’s ARC (Angle Range Compensation) technology, which factors in the angle of the terrain, providing the true distance to the target on uphill and downhill shots.
Bushnell engineers claim to have designed the new Prime laser rangefinders to utilize all-glass optical systems with 40 percent larger objective lenses than other models in their class, for a viewing experience twice as bright as their competitors can provide. Fully multi-coated optics with ultra-wideband coatings are said to provide bright, true-to-life colors, and the company’s Exo Barrier coating shrugs off the elements by repelling water, oil and dust. The Prime 1300 and 1700 also incorporate enhanced LCD displays with three reticle options: circle and dot, circle only and dot only. The two rangefinders also boast impressive speed, updating the displayed range four times a second while in Scan mode.
Externally, the housing of the new Prime rangefinders have been contoured to better fit the hunter’s hand, and overmolded rubber provides a sure grip in wet conditions and protects the optics from accidental falls. Both the Prime 1300 and Prime 1700 laser rangefinders ship with an owner’s manual and a quick-start guide, a carry case and a lanyard. The Prime 1300 retails for only $170, while the slightly more capable Prime 1700 will sell for $200.
Nitro 1800
The Nitro 1800 not only benefits from all of the advances and features listed above in reference to the Prime 1300 and Prime 1700 rangefinders, but also includes the Applied Ballistics Ultralite ballistic calculator built right into the device. Straight from the box the rangefinder can provide a ballistic solution on shots out to 875 yds., and this capacity is upgradable to over 2,000 yds. Bluetooth connectivity also allows the unit to pair with either a smartphone running the Bushnell Ballistic app or any Link-enabled Kestrel weather meter.
Roughly the same size as the above Prime models, the Nitro 1800 measures 4.19” long, 2.79” tall and 1.62” wide, with a weight of only 5.7 ozs. It can render ranges on reflective targets out to 2,000 yds., trees out to 1,200 yds., and deer out to 800 yds.—and is advertised to be accurate to within 1 yd. Despite its internal ballistic problem-solver, the MSRP on the Nitro 1800 is only $350.
For more information on any of Bushnell’s new 2020 products, or the rest of the company’s product line, visit bushnell.com.
