The Paragon 7x25 Gen III is a very lightweight and compact laser rangefinder that is ideal for long-distance shooting, hunting, or golfing. The rangefinder can be connected via Bluetooth to a smartphone or a Kestrel Ballistics Weather Station, allowing for ballistic solutions to be calculated for distances up to 800 meters.

The Paragon 7x25 Gen III rangefinder was provided by VECTOR OPTICS for testing and review purposes, and the texts and images are courtesy of our friend Major Finding.

Packaging and Contents

In the cardboard packaging, you will find the Paragon 7x25 GenIII with a matching case. Also included in the package are a cleaning cloth, a strap, and an instruction manual in English. A battery is not included in the package.

Technical Specifications

The rangefinder has a 25mm objective lens diameter and a seven times magnification - allowing silhouette targets to be easily located and measured at a distance of 800 meters. With an accuracy of ±1m at 1,000m, it is very precise and its small size and weight of just 140 grams make it fit practically in any rifle bag.

The manufacturer's measurement range is stated as 5 - 2,194m, with the effective measurement distance to golf flags being 500m and the measurable distance to animals (e.g., deer) being just over 1,000m. In combination with the "Synapse - SORD" APP from the US company APPLIED BALLISTICS, ballistic solutions can be calculated up to 800 meters as a standard.

Operation

The entire operation is done via the two buttons on the top. Once the rangefinder is set to the desired mode, and the preferred output values like meters or yards and MIL or MOA are selected, only the "Power" button is needed. Pressing the "Power" button turns on the device, and with each subsequent press of the button, the distance is measured.

Applied Ballistics Synapse SORD

As mentioned earlier, the Paragon 7x25 GenIII can be connected via Bluetooth to a smartphone and paired with the "Synapse SORD" app from APPLIED BALLISTICS.

To allow the app to calculate the correct values, you need to enter a few key data and numbers. The most important thing is to choose between the metric or imperial measurement system so that you can interpret the displayed data correctly and make the appropriate adjustments on the riflescope. 

For our previous tests, we have extracted data such as Ballistic Coefficient and V0 from the ammunition manufacturer's website, as they test the ammunition in 24-inch barrels and our Strasser RS 700 also has a 24-inch barrel.

Once all the necessary data is entered, you simply need to measure a distance with the rangefinder, which will then be automatically transferred to the app, and the app will immediately display the corresponding value that needs to be set on the riflescope to hit a target at that distance. Assuming the app is correctly configured and the riflescope is mounted correctly, everything else depends on the shooter. 

We zeroed our Strasser RS 700 at 100 meters and then verified the app values at 200 meters. With the app data, the hits were in the 10-ring of the target, and no further adjustments were necessary.

Following that, we shot at two-thirds obscured human silhouette targets at 460m, and in this case as well, we hit the target by adjusting the riflescope according to the data in the app - no further adjustments were needed in this case either.

Using the "Range Card" function of the app, you can calculate a list of preferred distances in an adjustable increment, without having to measure the distances each time. Weather data can be directly imported from the smartphone.

The purchase of the Paragon 7x25 GenIII includes the "AB UltraLite" license of the Synapse SORD app as standard, so using the app does not involve any additional costs. However, the input options are somewhat limited and some specific values cannot be configured.

Conclusion

We were able to extensively test the Paragon 7x25 GenIII for over a month and tried it out at different shooting ranges. The measured distances to the targets always matched the known distances, and targets at unknown distances could be precisely hit in combination with the app. The small size and weight make the Paragon 7x25 GenIII the perfect companion for hunting or long-range shooting. Especially in combination with the app, the rangefinder delivers very good performance and is a great aid in hitting targets. The price-performance ratio is very good, and VECTOR OPTICS includes many features in the rangefinder.

Although there is an option to expand the license of the "Synapse SORD" app for a fee to enter some additional data - based on our previous experiences, the app also provides very accurate and useful results with the included license.
We tested the app on a Samsung A53 and an iPhone - however, the app could not be paired with the rangefinder on the Samsung A53 (even though the device was "visible"). This issue is related to the app itself and is outside the influence of VECTOR OPTICS.

The Vector Optics SCRF-S24 Paragon 7x25 GenIII Digital Balistic BDC Rangefinder is available directly from VECTOR OPTICS for approximately 385 Euros.

All links to MAJOR FINDING