Check Today's Price

Pros - Simple, one-button operation - Compact and lightweight - Comes with Bushnell’s Bulletproof 100% Money-Back Guarantee Cons - Not waterproof or fogproof - Only accurate out to 850 yards - Accuracy is only within plus or minus one yard - Poor light transmission and dark display makes it difficult to use in low-light conditions - Only 4X magnification

Howdy, and welcome to my review of the Bushnell Sport 850. This is an extremely compact and lightweight laser rangefinder in a vertical orientation. Of all of the models of rangefinders that Bushnell produces, this is one of the few that comes with the manufacturer’s Bulletproof 100% Money-Back Guarantee. That’s one of the best warranties in the market, so I’m excited to see how well this model performs. Let’s have a look.

First things first, let’s see what we get for our money. When you unbox your new rangefinder, you’ll find the following items:

• The Bushnell Sport 850 Laser Rangefinder itself
• A soft carrying case
• A neck strap
• A CR-2 battery
• The user’s manual
• The warranty card

That’s everything you need to pack up your rangefinder and use it in the field, and the included accessories are quite well-made.

What’s the Range of the Sport 850

This model is only effective out to 850 yards, and the accuracy is mediocre at plus or minus one yard. Remember, that 850-yard range is only for large, highly reflective targets. You should be able to get an accurate range on trees from up to 600 yards, and deer from 200 yards or less.

How Easy is the Sport to Use?

Since this is a pretty simple rangefinder, there aren’t many options to wade through in the menu. With one-button operation, all you have to do is press the power button to turn on the device, acquire your target in the viewfinder, and then press the button again to activate the laser and get the range to your target.

The device is manufactured with fully multicoated optics, and the objective lens is 20mm. With just 4X magnification, you won’t be able to see very well from far away, but you should get a generous field of view. Bushnell doesn’t specify how wide the field of view is, but I have estimated it at around 400 feet from 1,000 yards.
There’s a diopter adjustment wheel, and the eye relief is around 19mm.

How is the Rangefinder Powered?

This model, like most rangefinders these days, is powered by a single CR-2 lithium battery. Power consumption is quite good, so you should be able to get at least a year’s use out of the battery. However, since these particular cells are often difficult to come by, I always recommend carrying a spare.

What Features Can I Expect?

Not many, to be honest. This is a barebones rangefinder without any ballistic modes or even simple slope compensation. It does have a rain targeting mode, which is great for getting ranges when the weather’s not so great.

What’s the Light Gathering Capability Like on the Bushnell Sport 850 Laser Rangefinder?

Since it has a smaller objective lens, this rangefinder doesn’t have the best transmittance. On top of that, the viewfinder’s LCD display can be very difficult to read in low-light conditions. I wouldn’t recommend this device for use during twilight hours, to be honest.

How Are the Optics and Focus on This Rangefinder?

This rangefinder’s optics are okay, but not the greatest. As I’ve previously stated, the lenses are fully multicoated, but light transmission still seems to be a problem. Focus is pretty good, but could be a bit faster. This is a budget model, and isn’t as feature-rich or powerful as more expensive rangefinders.

How Durable Is It?

This is a pretty low-budget model, so it’s not designed to be highly durable even though Bushnell covers it with their Bulletproof Guarantee. The lenses are not O-ring sealed, and the optics chamber isn’t nitrogen-purged. With that said, it does seem to be fairly shock-proof, even though it’s not fogproof or waterproof. It’s also designed to be rain resistant, so you can use it with confidence during poor weather.