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Pros - Angle Range Compensation takes the guesswork out of distances - Accurate to within half a yard - Rugged enough to survive a 20-foot drop Cons - Dark image is almost useless in low light conditions - Uses hard-to-find CR2 battery

Welcome to our review of the Bushnell Scout DX 1000 ARC Rangefinder. This pocket-sized laser rangefinder comes with Angle Range Compensation optimized for bow or gun hunting, but how well does it perform? That’s what we are here to find out.

What’s the Range of the Bushnell Scout DX 1000 ARC

This rangefinder will quickly obtain the range of highly reflective objects out to 1,000 yards. When checking the distance to trees, the Bushnell Scout DX 1000 ARC is accurate out to 650 yards, and it will give you the range to a deer from as far away as 325 yards. Accuracy is superb on this rangefinder, because it will return ranges that are accurate to within half a yard.

How Easy is the Bushnell Scout DX 1000 ARC to Use?

With its single operational power/mode button and the focus mechanism built into the eyepiece, this rangefinder is exceptionally easy to use. Bushnell advertises “Easy arithmetic: one button, four hooves in the air,” and they couldn’t be more right. I’ve used this rangefinder side by side with several others of varying makes, and the Scout DX is the easiest to use out of all of the rangefinders I’ve owned or tested.

How is the Bushnell Scout DX 1000 ARC Powered?

The Bushnell Scout DX 1000 ARC is powered by a single CR2 battery, which is included in the box. The unit shuts off after 10 seconds of inactivity, so it is highly efficient when it comes to battery drain. I’m still unhappy, though, with the growing tendency to use CR2 batteries in rangefinders. These specialized batteries are getting easier to find, but they’re still a rare catch in the rural areas I tend to hunt in.

What Features Can I Expect From the Bushnell Scout DX 1000 ARC Rangefinder?

The Bushnell Scout DX 1000 ARC provides Angle Range Compensation out to 99 yards, giving you an accurate “shoots like” reading. The ARC modes are selectable between Bow and Rifle modes, so the rangefinder is equally useful to bow or gun hunters. The device does not have Bushnell’s Clear Shot technology, though, so you still have to be mindful of obstructions when you are taking the shot.

This rangefinder features three targeting modes for different types of shooting:

• Bull’s Eye mode is intended for close-range shooting. It acquires the distances of small targets and game without inadvertently measuring background targets further away. When multiple objects are acquired, the rangefinder displays the closer of the objects on the LCD display.
• Brush mode ignores the foreground objects, like tree branches and bolders, providing distances to the background objects only.
• Finally, scan mode provides continuous ranges of all objects that you pan across.

The Bushnell Scout DX 1000 ARC also has a built in inclinometer, providing true horizontal distance out to 99 yards for bow hunting. When in Rifle mode, you get bullet-drop/holdover in inches, MOA, and MIL.

The rangefinder also features diopter adjustment for use without your eyeglasses.

In the box, you’ll find the rangefinder, a carrying case, the CR2 battery, and a neck strap. The rangefinder has a tripod mount, and is compatible with Bushnell’s Magnetic Attachment System.

What’s the Light Gathering Capability Like on the Rangefinder?

Light gathering on the Bushnell Scout DX 1000 ARC is mediocre at best. During low light conditions, the LCD readout is easy to read, but the target image is extremely dark and it is difficult to make out darker-colored animals against the background. It’s best suited for daylight conditions, and works fine during the later daylight hours even in overcast conditions.

How Are the Optics and Focus on This Rangefinder?

The optics are decent, presenting a clear, crisp image across all zoom magnifications. The 21mm objective lens provides 6X magnification, letting you get a close view of your target before you range it. Focusing is easy, with a twisting eyecup focus ring that rotates smoothly but with just enough resistance to keep you from twisting it out of focus by accident.

How Durable is the Bushnell Scout DX 1000 ARC?

Bushnell has made the Scout DX to last, with rubber armor surrounding the entire unit. It’s small and lightweight, but durable enough to have survived being dropped out of a deer stand. The stippling on the top and bottom of the unit make it very “grippy,” but I would not stake my life on Bushnell’s Magnetic Attachment System (that’s how it got dropped from the deer stand.)

Bushnell has O-ring sealed the lenses and nitrogen-charged the optics chamber. This means the rangefinder is waterproof and fogproof, essential features for a rangefinder you are going to take with you on a hunting trip.