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Don’t Buy a Sig KILO8K Rangefinder Before Reading This Review
February 21, 2025
Problem #1: Firmware updates can brick the KILO8K and Sig disables the unit if you don’t update the firmware.
You’re heading out for a day of shooting, you connect to the App, and suddenly you’re forced to either update the firmware, or Sig disables the rangefinder. It’s mandatory update or your rangefinder stops working. This is a problem that many Sig users have reported. The forced updates have also been known to brick rangefinders, potentially disrupting a planned day of shooting or hunting trip. What we most object to is Sig disabling the devices until the firmware update is complete. It’s bad enough to do this to any customer, but it’s especially bad when you consider that these are mission critical tools. Someone’s life could depend on their Sig rangefinder or riflescope working properly, but Sig feels at that exact moment, a firmware update is more important. And the user cannot simply decline the update or defer it to a later date. And it’s also disturbing and concerning that Sig can remotely disable their rangefinders and scopes. All it takes is for the device to be connected to the BDX app on your mobile device via the built-in Bluetooth interface. We have spoken repeatedly to Sig about this problem, but they are adamant that the forced updates are a “benefit” for the user.
Problem #2: Actual range is up to 4000 yards, half the claimed 8000 yards
While the KILO8K boasts a range of up to 8,000 yards, real-world performance is often less impressive. Users report effective ranges around 4,000 yards under ideal conditions. This range is usually adequate for practical use, but expectations should be managed regarding advertised capabilities.
Problem #3: Total dependency on smart phone
Under normal circumstances, where you have well-charged modern smart phone with a recent operating system, a functional internet connection, and you’ve installed all the firmware updates that Sig wants to ram down your throat, usually everything works as it should. However, these technological pieces must be kept modern, updated, and charged. For example, what if the battery dies in your phone? Well then you’re stuck. You have no way of updating the ballistics profile in the rangefinder. Or what if your phone OS is a couple years old? Well, then the latest BDX app can fail to install or become incompatible with your phone, or worse, the firmware update can brick your rangefinder. And again, if the rangefinder connects to the BDX app and Sig discovers you’re not using the latest firmware, they will disable it until you manage to successfully update the firmware. There’s a lot of potential pitfalls when you rely on mobile electronics to manage a device that your life may depend on. In a SHTF scenario, things don’t always work out beautifully. Excessive reliance on technology can pose a risk in our opinion. If you can cope with the limitations, then you’ll likely find the KILO8K-ABS to be fine.
Problem #4: Easy to “lose” critical ballistic profiles, and there’s no way to back them up
Say you update or re-install the BDX app in your phone. In either case, you lose all your ballistic profiles in your phone. Then, when you sync again with your rangefinder, the rangefinder will “lose” all your ballistic profiles. What if you spent 15 hours out in the field truing your ballistic coeffient? Well, need to go do it again, because the KILO8K lost your info. This can be a major problem, obviously, since the user isn’t expecting that they will need a backup of this information. If you use this unit, be sure to get a notebook and write down any ballistic profile information you need so that it cannot be lost by this unit in a glitch.
Overview of the Sig KILO8K Rangefinder
Now, to cover more general information about the Sig KILO8K Rangefinder, this is a premium tool with a premium price, and best of all, it eliminates the need for the very expensive Kestrel 5700 Elite Wind Meter, but at a steep price between $1,400 and $1,700.
What’s Included in the Package
When you buy the Sig KILO8K, you get:
– The rangefinder
– A wind meter (eliminating the need for a Kestrel)
– A carrying case
– A holder for the rangefinder
– A tripod mount
Main Features and Advantages
All-in-One Solution
For those into long-range shooting, the KILO8K takes the place of multiple pieces of gear:
– Kestrel Wind Meter: Measures wind conditions.
– Ballistic Solver: Normally used through a smartphone app.
Advanced Ballistic Features
A key highlight of the KILO8K is storing custom ballistic profiles. Users can download the Sig app to add specific details about their guns, allowing the rangefinder to give accurate holdover and ballistic solutions customized for them. This is a big step up from older rangefinders that used generic ballistic charts.
Easy to Use
The KILO8K is made for quick access to important information. Once the ballistic data is entered, users only need to aim the rangefinder at the target, and it will give them the shooting solution immediately. This is especially useful for military, law enforcement, or hunting where time is crucial.
Another great feature of the Sig KILO8K is its compatibility with the Sightlok RF-1. This mount allows the Sig KILO8K to function as a weapon-mounted laser rangefinder (WMLRF), which brings a whole range of benefits.
WMLRF Options
While it’s possible to purchase a dedicated WMLRF, a more economic and arguably accurate approach is using a Sightlok RF-1 mount with your existing handheld rangefinder, which looks like this:
The advantages of using a Sightlok RF-1 mount in conjunction with a handheld rangefinder versus a dedicated WMLRF include:
– Approx 1/5 the price of a dedicated WMLRF.
– Superior ranging performance & functionality
(Premium handheld rangefinders like the Sig Sauer KILO5K offer longer ranging, a better ballistic engine, and integration with the Kestrel wind meters for real-time windage calculations).
– Eliminates the need the scope mount / scope ring combination which typically add up to $500 to the total cost of a dedicated WMLRF ownership
– More flexible mounting options
– Eliminates the problem of illumination from the rangefinder display shining on the shooters face, which can reveal the shooter’s position during night-time engagements
– Enables more fully integrated electro-optic systems such as the Sig Sauer BDX rangefinder/scope system which automatically calculate the firing solution and display a holdover point in the scope reticle, eliminating the need to dial the scope’s elevation turret.
Concerned about recoil damaging your rangefinder?
Sightlok RF-1 clamps use a specialized anti-shock rubber that is specifically designed to help isolate and protect rangefinders from recoil-related damage. While we don’t guarantee every rangefinder will stand up to the recoil of every rifle, here’s a documented test of the mount with the Sig Sauer KILO1000BDX rangefinder versus .308 rifle recoil:
Here’s a test of the mount with the Sig Sauer KILO1000BDX rangefinder versus 6.5 Creedmoor:
If you don’t need a ballistics calculator, the Laserworks LE-032 is another low budget WMLRF that works with the Sightlok mount, cost is about $160 instead of about $2000 for a dedicated WMLRF. The mount that comes with the Laserworks LE-032 is floppy and unusable, but the rangefinder itself is functional enough when combined with a Sightlok RF-1 mount, which stabilizes it. Looks like this:
To learn more about the Laserworks LE-032, click here.
To learn more about the Sightlok RF-1 mount, click here.
Or watch an independent, uncompensated review of the Sightlok RF-1 by the famous long range shooter MarkandSam AfterWork here.
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Keywords: Kilo 8K