Standardized ranging measurements FTW

[deusXmachina]

I've noticed a LOT of posts in which people toss around range numbers without very much to back it up. "My ball valve pneumatic fires 1.25 miles as the crow flies" sorta thing (not literally but I've seen equally silly claims). I was curious as to what kind of techniques you guys use to measure range, and what your thoughts are on some sort of "universal" system perhaps.

I've heard of people using Google Earth to look for impacts and splashes in lakes, which baffles me because it isn't a live service. Is there some sort of active-update satellite feed (I highly doubt it due to homeland security issues but it'd be interesting to find out. )

[paaiyan]

I think it's more landmarks and guestimating for most people. Usually when I go to the lake I'll bring a map and find the distance between two points and just estimate.

[Blitz]

I have a measuring wheel -- it's basically a wheel on the end of a pole that you wheel down and it has a counter to tally up how far you went based on how many revolutions the wheel went. Quite handy, light, portable, and accurate as long as you walk straight.

Caution: using while drunk will yield skewed measurment due to excessive weaving.

[joannaardway]

Whenever I do it, I borrow a high quality laser range measurer. Spot-on for accuracy, no accidental mistakes.

[Blitz]

I've always wanted a laser rangefinder. But I always keep thinking of something I'd rather buy instead. Next on my list is a lathe...

Would you happen to know what brand your rangefinder is? I'd be interested in checking that out.

[joannaardway]

It's borrowed from a "friend".
But as far as I remember, it's a Leica Disto, or something spelt very similar to that.

[sjog]

Google Earth is so easy.I use it at a job site I am working at. I'm a carpenter. A large salt pond is behind the house.There is a dock that is shown by google.I aim low to keep the gb in the pond. I can see the splash at the edge of the pond in a cove so I know that is 400 yds.When I bring the barrel to 35 to 45 degrees my Higher Power only knows where it lands.
I've thought of spotters because on the back of the pond is a sand dune then the Atlantic ocean, that is where gestamation would come in.
On a calm day a spotter, from the shelter of the dune, should be able to see a splash at 2-3 hundred yds.Not that I'm saying that L7 gbl can shoot that far. Golf ball launcher #7 is the name of my newest.
I ca'nt wait to show it off in the build off. L7 gbl very different. There is'nt a hose clamp or wire tie on it.Clean.

[judgment_arms]

I just guess, after shooting on a thirty yard range for nearly two years I pretty much know what thirty yards looks like, so I just look down range. I can tell how many sets of thirty yards there are between me and the target. Not the most accurate way of measuring distance, but I’ve even surprised my self on how close I’ve gotten.

[PAspuder]

My friends and I also use a range finder that we use for archery hunting. We have objects in our shooting range that we have measured out for quick range estimations. It works pretty well and to find the projectiles we paint them with bright orange spray paint.