Estimated reading time: 9 minutes
Choosing a rangefinder is always a game of balancing capabilities, needs, and cost. Leupold’s brand-new RX-5000 TBR/W is loaded with capabilities for any need. It comes in at a price that should put it on your radar. The RX-5000 can range beyond 3 miles and will communicate with three popular map applications, including OnX Maps, to place a pin on the map at the exact place where your target is located. This is not the first rangefinder I have used that can place a pin on the map at a location that is being ranged. But it may be the best executed and most capable.
Table of contents
The RX-5000 At First Glance
The Leupold RX-5000 TBR/W comes in a box exactly like the boxes I’ve always received Leupold rangefinders in. But, who cares about the box? This rangefinder comes with a lanyard, CR123A battery, tripod mount, instruction manual, ballistic profile card, and an access code for a free 3-month trial subscription of OnX Hunt Elite, all at an MSRP of $699.99 The RX-5000 TBR/W will play nicely with Apple Maps, Google Maps, and OnX. If you are a hunter, you may find that OnX has the most to offer you in the woods.
As someone who has used the RX-2800 TBR/W, the controls of the new rangefinder came rather easily. The RX-5000 TBR/W has a power button, and “1” and “2” buttons that can be used to control all functions/settings of the rangefinder.
Or, you can adjust settings and remote in to take measurements on your phone through the Leupold Control app. Like my older rangefinder, the RX-5000 also uses one of the 25 available ballistic profiles to provide a firing solution for targets ranged inside 800 yards. It can also provide a 10 MPH crosswind deflection solution, putting you on target quickly without using a separate app or equipment in the field.
Leupold Control App
The Leupold Control app is brand new and very important to unlocking the full potential of the RX-5000 TBR/W. The first thing you should do after receiving this rangefinder is download the Control app and pair the rangefinder to your phone. This is an easy and painless process that you are walked through step-by-step. In less than a minute, I had my phone paired to my RX-5000 and could begin ranging things.
In the app, you can change any rangefinder settings, remote trigger, and pin the next location ranged. However, you can still change any rangefinder settings using the buttons on the rangefinder. For example, you can change the primary mode (TBR, LOS, Long Range) by simply pressing “2” on the side of the RX-5000 TBR/W.
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Functions
If I’m not careful, this could take forever to explain and become convoluted, so I’ll keep this as simple as possible: The RX-5000 TBR/W has 3 primary modes, TBR, LOS, and Long Range. Of these modes, TBR and LOS use a lower output to provide a range and will provide maximum battery life while also working well off-hand. Long Range mode can only be used when the rangefinder is mounted on a tripod and takes more battery to give a measurement. However, the rangefinder’s capabilities are practically doubled in this mode.
LOS simply shows the line of sight measurement between you and your target. TBR is much more tailored for shooting since this mode provides the “true ballistic range”, or the horizontal distance between you and your target that you need for an accurate firing solution. In TBR Mode, you can choose the CDS, MIL Trig, or MOA display. CDS gives the true horizontal range that you’d need to dial your CDS turret to (or any distance-based turret system), MIL and MOA provide the line-of-sight distance, look angle, and a firing solution appropriate to your selected measurement and ballistic group.
Finally, Trig will cycle through the true mathematical horizontal range and the true mathematical vertical range to your target. Regardless of these settings, you can ping any ranged location on the map using the Control app.
Specifications and Key Features
- Model: RX-5000 TBR/W
- Type: Laser Rangefinder
- Maximum Range (yds):
- Reflective: 5,000
- Trees: 3,100
- Deer: 2,000
- Objective Aperture: 22 mm
- Weight: 9.7 oz
- Length: 4.4 inches
- Linear Field of View: 315 ft @ 1000 yd
- Part Number: 184681
- UPC Code: 030317039318
- 8x magnification
- High light transmission
- Red OLED display
- +/- 1/2 yard accuracy up to 125 yards
- Last Target mode
- Built-in inclinometer
- True Ballistic Range with Wind (TBR/W) technology
- Ballistic compensation system up to 800 yards
- Wind hold outputs
- Fully armored body
- High-performance DNA laser engine
- Rugged aluminum housing
- Uses 1 CR123A battery
- Three selectable reticles
- Waterproof
- MSRP: $699.99
Experience in The Field
The RX-5000 TBR/W has traveled with me through many different weather conditions now. It is IPX4 rated which makes rainstorms a non-concern. However, as with any rangefinder, the performance of this one is hurt by rainy/foggy conditions, but negligibly in my experience. In these low-visibility conditions, I could reliably range trees at 2200 yards and dirt/rock at 3100 yards without using the higher-output Long Range Mode.
In these same conditions and “Long” enabled, I ranged as far as 3400 yards, which was about as far as I could see. On other days, in ideal conditions, I could range 3800 yards without using Long. In the higher output mode, I could routinely range 5600 yards on dirt/rock! To use Long Mode you must have the rangefinder mounted on a tripod and the measurements drain the battery much faster than in other modes. Still, the capabilities are substantially increased.
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It is worth noting that I have had two different RX-5000 rangefinders, the first being the second pre-production model that was made. This is because I found an issue with my first unit where every compass heading was 0-degrees, regardless of the direction being ranged. This was an anomaly and the unit was deemed defective. Leupold overnighted me a new unit, which has performed flawlessly. I’ve had to work with Leupold’s warranty services previously and had almost identical experiences. On the slim chance that you have issues, you can trust that they will be resolved promptly and properly.
Final Thoughts On the RX-5000
Overall, my time with the RX-5000 TBR/W was great. The clarity of the glass is fantastic, the adjustable brightness of the display allowed me to keep my visibility to a maximum in any light, and the rangefinder performed fantastically. I highly recommend recalibrating the compass before any map pinning for the most accurate results, but this is easy. With the proper ballistic profile uploaded for the gun I was using, I was happy with the DOPE provided out to 800 yards. And of course, the ability to ping a ranged target on a map is incredible.
This would rid the hunting scene of conversations of “I think he was right here when I shot.” Other functions of the rangefinder, such as Trig, are also handy. Trig can measure vertical distances, such as the height of a tree or mountain you might want to climb. For the $699.99 MSRP that the RX-5000 TBR/W has, I think you’d be hard-pressed to find a rangefinder with the same capabilities and solid reputation.
Learn more at Leupold’s Website!
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