Are you a tech-savvy hunter and willing to throw in with the newest tech to help you bag that trophy buck? We don’t judge, we use rangefinders too but this one is in a whole other league. If you want the best technology on your side when you go into the field, the ATN Laser Ballistics 1500 is sure to satisfy.
Optical Quality | 7 |
Range | 6 |
Accuracy | 10 |
Weigh | 8 |
Ease of Use | 8 |
Features | 10 |
Overall Rating | 8.5 |
What is it?
As I previously said, the ATN is the most technologically advanced rangefinder on the market. It provides a solid background in traditional rangefinder features with the added ability to connect to your phone via Bluetooth to provide you with sold ballistic data.
Of course, technology alone isn’t going to make a good rangefinder, much less a great one. You have to start with the basics. You have to have good glass! While I wouldn’t say that the ATN glass is the best on the market, it is surely satisfactory and up to the task. This scope can range well beyond a thousand yards and that would be a challenge for any glass at only a 6x magnification.
After the optics you have to have a powerful laser like the ATNs class 1 laser which is the industry standard for quality lasers. The ATN laser is certainly up to par with any of the many high-end rangefinders. If you can see it, you can get a solid reading on it within +/-1 meter. What more could you ask for?
What Does it Do?
Let's talk software and this is where the ATN begins to shine! This is the market they are coming to define after all. ATN started out in the smart device business and have been industry leaders with some of the most amazing ranging products on the market. I would consider this rangefinder to be among their most advanced products to date.
It all starts with the ability to calculate exact bullet drop from a large dictionary of ballistic data and communicate that to the user in either Mils or MOA. You are free to make the adjustments and fire when ready. All of that should take less than 10 seconds from the moment you touch your rangefinder till you depress the trigger.
But it can get even better! If you pair the device with your smartphone and the ATN app, it will it will show you approximately hold-over to drop your bullet right into the target if you don't use an adjustable scope. Sure, that's a little guesswork but it’s a whole world away from old-fashioned Kentucky windage.
You can still opt for the MOA or Mil readings if you have a turreted scope and use the bullet drop guide to double check you are on target. Not good enough? You could do what this rangefinder was meant to do and pair it with one of ATN’s smart scopes. You do that and you have a setup that will put you on target every time in less than 5 seconds!
The way the whole setup works is the rangefinder ranges a target and sends the data to your smartphone which calculates your range and ballistics. It doesn’t need to worry about Mils, MOA or holdover, it simply tells you how much to adjust your scope in clicks and off you go. From range to shot in record time with record accuracy.
If you are a rifle shooter, whether hunting or not, this is the rangefinder for you. It will do everything you could possibly want and more. This the shining pinnacle of modern rangefinder technology. If anything can put you on target, it’s the ATN.
What Doesn’t it Do?
If you are a bowhunter, you may want to look elsewhere. This scope was designed for rifle hunters and long-range shooters. While you could still get the raw range data and could use that, it wouldn’t be a cost-effective option for you. You could get more for your money elsewhere.
The glass could also use some work. The clarity is less than optimal and could use a good multi-coat to bring it up to par with other rangefinders in its price range. This is not to say that it has bad glass, just that I would expect a little more out of such a quality unit.
The Final Word
No matter which scope you use, the ATN has your solution. If you use a traditional scope without Mils or MOA, you can choose the holdover. It won’t be a huge difference in the way you normally shoot, it just takes the guesswork out of the range.
If your scope is adjustable, it will give you the turret adjustments you need to get you dead on. This also removes the guesswork and once you have things dialed in, there is no more accurate way to use a rangefinder.
Well, unless you opt to use one of the ATN smart scopes. The process for those is the same as for a traditional turret scope but you will get instant results and adjustments that you know are spot on.
So, if you want a feature-packed rangefinder that still won’t set you back a fortune, the ATN Laser Ballistics 1000 is just about the perfect option. It is a masterpiece of technology that uses your smartphone’s processing power to give you the most accurate and detailed ballistic calculations of any rangefinder on the market.
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