19th Century Range Finder

[Cowboy]

Looking around some of my favorite sights and seen a Ted Cash 19th Century Range Finder. It looks pretty neat! It is solid brass with a sliding bar that measures distances from 50 to 800 yards.( So they say? ) It sells for around $30.00. Does anyone own one of these? I really have no need for one of these so I will save my money. They are pretty cool though. :thumbsup: Respectfully, cowboy

 

[DOUBLEDEUCE 1]

I just saw one listed on Ebay for $16.00 and some change. I haven't the faintest idea how to use one. :idunno:

 

[Obi-Wan Cannoli]

I haven't the faintest idea how to use one. :idunno:

I found one new for $17 on the first site I clicked on?

I also found the instructions that come with the range finder:

"This range finder is based on an object height of six feet, and is incremented 50 to 800 yards.
To find the yardage hold the range finder in one hand, place the knot at your lips or hold between your teeth, (moving the range finder outward) pull the string tight and move slide until your object touches the top and bottom of the window. Then read the yardage from the scale"

 

[Khufu]

I own one, use it with my Sharps 45-120, they work pretty good, I think I have the factory instructions for it, but its pretty simple, if the string is still on it and the knot is intact

 

[Cowboy]

I haven't the faintest idea how to use one. :idunno:

I found one new for $17 on the first site I clicked on?

I also found the instructions that come with the range finder:

"This range finder is based on an object height of six feet, and is incremented 50 to 800 yards.
To find the yardage hold the range finder in one hand, place the knot at your lips or hold between your teeth, (moving the range finder outward) pull the string tight and move slide until your object touches the top and bottom of the window. Then read the yardage from the scale"

I would have no need to have one but it caught my eye and I thought that was pretty cool! When I was in the 82 Airborne I was a (FO) Forward Observer and I was trained to call in Mortar/ Artillery and Air strikes on the bad guys. We used Laser Range Finders to get exact distances, way before GPS was invented. Saw this 19th Century Range Finder and I thought, How Cool Is That! Respectfully, cowboy

 

[Artificer]

On one of the many UnCivil War books I used to own and loaned out, so I never got them back, there was a period description of how to tell how far away a man was by whether you could distinguish his legs, then his arms, then his hands, etc. as one got closer.

I typed that info up and gave it to the Scout Sniper Instructor School Instructors to try out. They stopped by the next day and said it worked VERY well and "WTH did I get it?" I told them once again we had forgotten something that people used to know and informed them where it came from.

Gus

 

[Calum]

'morning,

I have the version sold by Dixie. I'm not good at judging distance, but I've been told by those who can that it's pretty accurate. Never actually confirmed it with a laser or anything however.

Given that my primary impression is USSS, I put it out on my display table at LH's. Get some good conversation started with it.

Calum

 

[Artificer]

Though it has been about 30 years, so I don't remember exactly, the information I gave above may have come from USSS manuals/instruction.

Gus

 

[Loyalist Dave]

"This range finder is based on an object height of six feet, and is incremented 50 to 800 yards.
To find the yardage hold the range finder in one hand, place the knot at your lips or hold between your teeth, (moving the range finder outward) pull the string tight and move slide until your object touches the top and bottom of the window. Then read the yardage from the scale"

So..., if one was facing hostile Ghurka's the caveat would be, "DANGER: Objects in the window are closer than they appear"?

:haha:


LD

 

[Cowboy]

Does anyone own one of these? I really have no need for one of these so I will save my money. They are pretty cool though. :thumbsup: Respectfully, cowboy

Well, I broke down and bought one of them! This disease that inflicts all of us isn't just buying muzzleloaders. But the symptoms carry on to everything else as well! No hope for me! Im a sick, sick, man! :idunno: Respectfully, Cowboy :thumbsup:

 

[pab1]

I've been wanting one of those for a while. Just don't shoot long range enough to break down and buy one. I know of a survival axe/blade that has a built in 200 yard rangefinder that works the same way. Let us know how you like it. You might convince me I need one! :thumbsup:

 

[Coot]

Look up "stadimeter" - a optical/mechanical rangefinder. Enter the known or estimated height of an object (smokestack, ship's mast, building), line up the object in horizontal hairs & read out the distance.

 

[Stumpkiller]

You can see a deer's eyes and nose at 100 yards
Can't make out the face - 200 yards
Can't make out the tail - 300 yards
Can't make out the head - 400 yards
Can't make out the legs - 500 yards.

If you can hit further than that with an iron-sighted muzzleloader you've got natural ability beyond mortals; but lack reliable energy from the projectile probably anyway.

 

[Grumpa]

Coot's "Stadimeter"! Ted Cash 19th century Range Finder, Artificer and Stumpkiller's range estimation by piecing them out...this is one fascinating, informative thread you started, Cowboy. I will stash it away. :wink:

 

[S.Kenton]

I didn't even know these were in existence ....buying one for sure. I also agree...very informative thread!

 

[tenngun]

I had a book on the battle of waterloo, that had simular instructions for artillery in a side bar. Used cross belts added in as a reference.

 

[Cowboy]

Coot's "Stadimeter"! Ted Cash 19th century Range Finder, Artificer and Stumpkiller's range estimation by piecing them out...this is one fascinating, informative thread you started, Cowboy. I will stash it away. :wink:

Thankyou Grampa, The range I shoot at starts with the first berm being exactly 50 yds out, then there is a berm every 50 yards out from that out to the farthest being exactly 300 yards. All the berms are known distances. I will check the distance of every berm with the range finder and see how accurate it is. I will take it out the next time I go to the range, when the weather gets a little warmer of course. I will report back the results then. Respectfully, Cowboy :thumbsup:

 

[larry wv]

Looking forward to your report Cowboy.

Larry

 

[Stumpkiller]

Another great trick that works on the same principal is that you can estimate sunlight remaining by holding your arm straight out with the fingers bent at 90° in front of you and every finger width is 15 minutes of light remaining above the horizon.

I forget what the name for such things are. If it uses a dowel instead of a string it's called a "Jacob's Staff". Sea captains/navigators would mark a card to hold up towards a rock or lighthouse on shore that was a known height so they could judge distance off.
http://arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/papers/1205/1205.2078.pdf

 

[Cowboy]

That is excellent reading! I sure appreciate that. It was very educating! Thankyou. Respectfully, Cowboy :hatsoff: