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Pros - Budget-friendly rangefinder - Outstanding image with 6X magnification - Comnes with a battery, wrist strap, and carrying pouch Cons - Display isn’t backlit - Lacks slope adjustment - Button operation isn’t intuitive

Welcome to our review of the Ragu LR600 Rangefinder. I’d never heard of Ragu before, other than the spaghetti sauce, so I was definitely interested to see how well this new name in rangefinders could compare to the competition. Read on to see what I think about this budget-friendly laser rangefinder.

Anytime you buy a hunting or sporting accessory, you should know what you get for the money. When you open the box, you should find the following items:

• The Ragu LR600 Laser Rangefinder
• A carrying bag
• A wrist strap
• A microfiber cleaning cloth
• A CR–2 battery
• Instruction manual

The carrying bag is decent quality, with a hook and loop system for securing the top of the pouch closed. It offers adequate protection for your rangefinder, but isn’t anything terribly special. You can thread your belt through a loop on the back, though.

What’s the Maximum Range of the Rangefinder

Ragu says the rangefinder can identify distances from four to 656 yards, and it offers an accuracy in the ±1 yard category. I found it to be fairly accurate, for large or highly reflective objects, and it was even good for smaller targets. The trick is making sure you have the reticle precisely on what you want the distance to, and not on something larger beyond that.

How Easy Is It To Use?

This rangefinder has two buttons for operation, and you have to study the instruction manual pretty closely to figure out how to make the most out of the device. The operation is not as intuitive as I would have liked, unfortunately, but with a bit of practice it becomes quite easy to use.

The Ragu LR600 has a 21mm objective lens, and it’ll give you 6X magnification. The field of view of 378 feet at 1,000 yards is quite wide and generous. Unfortunately, the device doesn’t provide a diopter adjustment ability.

How is the Rangefinder Powered?

Here we go again. Rangefinder manufacturers really seem to love the CR–2 lithium battery, even though they can be notoriously difficult to find in more rural areas. The device comes with one, which is nice, but you should probably make sure you pack a spare if you’re using it for hunting. Battery life is exceptionally good, though, and you should be able to get about six months to a year out of a single battery.

What Features Can I Expect From this Device?

With the push of a button, you can identify your target and get its range. The rangefinder offers a First Target Priority mode to get a distance reading from the closest object in a group of things, and that works reasonably well. You can also use Distant Target Priority to get the furthest target in a group, and the scan mode is great for gauging the distance to moving targets or multiple objects.

How Well Does the Rangefinder Gather Light?

Ragu has used multicoated optics, on the LR600, so it gathers light pretty well. It could be better, of course, if they’d used fully multicoated lenses. The rangefinder works pretty well in low light conditions, still providing you with a great view of your subject. Unfortunately, the display isn’t backlit, so in dark lighting it really becomes little more than a 6X monocular.

How Are the Optics and Focus on This Rangefinder?

The multicoated optics are quite good, offering a clear, crisp view. Focus is manual, and the wheel moves smoothly but with enough friction to keep you from accidentally moving it out of focus. The eye relief is a very comfortable 16mm, making the rangefinder a pleasure to use with or without eyeglasses.

How Durable is the LR600?

The model I received is encased in rubberized armor, so it should offer plenty of protectioin against bumps and falls. Even though it’s an inexpensive rangefinder, it looks and feels like it’s well made. Even better, the device is both waterproof and fogproof, with the lenses O-ring sealed and the optical chamber nitrogen purged. I’ve used this rangefinder in some pretty lousy weather conditions, from hot and rainy to cold and snowy, without a hitch.