The Bushnell Tour V5 is discontinued — Bushnell replaced it with the Tour V6 — and that is exactly why so many owners end up on forums looking for help with one. It takes a CR2 3V lithium cell behind a screw cap near the eyepiece, gives 6x magnification, and is rated IP54, which is water-resistant, not waterproof. On a V5 Shift, slope is switched off by sliding the Slope-Switch until the orange indicator is covered. This page covers the two faults that dominate V5 searches — a slope switch that stops working and a unit that shows the circle but no yardage — plus the battery cap everybody loses.
Bushnell Tour V5 at a glance
- Battery: one CR2 3V lithium, screw cap near the eyepiece
- Magnification: 6x
- Water rating: IP54 — resistant, not waterproof
- Slope: V5 Shift only; slide until the orange indicator is hidden
- Discontinued, superseded by the Tour V6
- Was around $290–330 new; used units list far lower
The slope switch moves but nothing changes
This is the most-reported V5 Shift fault and the one with the least useful information online — the top result for it is a forum thread, and Google builds its answer out of Reddit and paid Q&A. The symptom is specific: the switch slides back and forth normally, but the display stops showing the slope reading and the red ring stops flashing when you range.
What owners report, in the order worth trying:
- Fit a fresh CR2. A weak cell drops the slope indicator before it drops the distance reading, so the switch looks broken when the battery is the problem.
- Slide the switch fully, several times. It is a mechanical contact and it needs to travel the whole way; a half-position reads as off.
- Pull the battery for ten seconds with the switch in the on position, then refit.
- Check the switch has not been knocked out of alignment — this fault often follows a drop, and owners on GolfWRX have gone as far as asking how to open the unit.
Where the switch physically sits on every other model is on how to turn slope off on a rangefinder, and what the rules actually require is on are rangefinders legal in golf.
Circle but no yardage, and other V5 faults
| Symptom | First thing to try | If that fails |
|---|---|---|
| Target circle shows, no number appears | Fresh CR2; clean the objective lens | Reseat the cell and check the contacts are clean and springy |
| Will not lock on the flag | Brace against a bag; scan across the pin rather than stabbing at it | Cold weather makes acquisition noticeably harder on this model |
| Locks onto the trees behind the flag | Hold the button through the whole scan so PinSeeker can work | Range the front of the green as a sanity check |
| Display blurry | Turn the eyepiece dioptre | Persistent blur means the optics need service |
| Eyepiece glass rattles or feels loose | Nothing safe at home | A known owner complaint; this is a service job, not a DIY one |
| Fogged on the inside | Dry it out of the case at room temperature | IP54 does not cover immersion — a wet round can get inside |
The cross-brand version of this table is on rangefinder not working. If the unit is reading in the wrong units rather than failing, the button sequence is on meters to yards, per model.
The battery cap: the part V5 owners actually lose
The screw cap sits by the eyepiece and it is small, black and easy to drop in long grass. Bushnell sells a genuine replacement, and the useful detail is that one cap covers the Tour V7, V6 and V5 — so a listing for a newer model is not the wrong part. It has been out of stock on Bushnell’s own store, which is why third-party listings exist; if you buy one of those, check it says it fits the Tour V5 and V5 Shift, because caps from other Bushnell families do not thread the same.
A missing cap is not just a lost part — it is how water and grit get to the cell. Battery type across the whole Bushnell range is on Bushnell rangefinder batteries by model.
Cases, magnets and mounts for a Tour V5
The V5 has the BITE magnetic mount built into the body, so it sticks to a steel cart bar without an accessory strap. Two things follow from that: you do not need a magnetic strap, and you do need a case that closes around a body with a magnet in it.
- Bushnell cases by model — Bushnell sells a replacement carrying case that covers the Pro XE and Tour V5
- Rangefinder magnets — read this before buying one; the V5 already has a magnet
- Cart holders and cradles — for push carts, where aluminium and composite frames give a magnet nothing to grip
Tour V5 vs Tour V6: should you still buy a V5?
The V5 is discontinued, so buying one means buying used or old stock. That is a reasonable thing to do — it was a well-regarded unit and the optics have not aged — but there are two real differences to price in.
| Tour V5 / V5 Shift | Tour V6 / V6 Shift | |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Discontinued | Current model |
| Water rating | IP54 — resistant only | Better sealed than the V5 |
| Magnification | 6x | 6x |
| Battery | CR2 3V lithium | CR2 3V lithium |
| Slope | Shift models only | Shift models only |
| Magnetic mount | BITE | BITE |
| Spares | Cap and case still sold, stock permitting | Fully supported |
The honest summary: if you are buying second-hand and the price gap is meaningful, a V5 Shift in good condition does the same job. If you play in the wet a lot, the sealing difference is the one specification that should push you to the newer body. And if the unit you are looking at is a plain V5 rather than a V5 Shift, it has no slope at all — check before you pay a Shift price for it.
A used V5 needs the same inspection as any second-hand laser: the checklist is on buying a used golf rangefinder. If you are stepping up instead, the Tour V6 owner guide covers the current model, and discount timing is on golf rangefinder deals.
Where to find the Tour V5 manual
Bushnell keeps a support page for the V5 and a separate one for the V5 Shift, plus a legacy library for models that have left the current range. Both are linked in the sources below. We do not host a copy: manufacturer documentation gets revised, and a stale mirror is worse than no mirror.
How do I reset my Bushnell Tour V5?
There is no reset button. Unscrew the battery cap, remove the CR2 for about ten seconds and refit it. Use a fresh cell for the retry — a weak battery produces symptoms that look exactly like a hardware fault on this model.
Why is the slope not working on my Tour V5 Shift?
In most reports it is the battery, not the switch: a weak CR2 drops the slope indicator before it drops the distance reading. Fit a fresh cell, slide the switch fully several times, then pull the battery for ten seconds with slope on. If the switch still does nothing, the internal contact has failed and it is a warranty or service job.
Does the Bushnell Tour V5 have slope?
Only the V5 Shift does. A plain Tour V5 has no slope function at all, so there is nothing to switch off — worth checking before you pay a Shift price for a used one.
What battery does the Bushnell Tour V5 take?
One CR2 3-volt lithium cell, behind a screw cap near the eyepiece. Bushnell sells a genuine replacement cap that fits the Tour V7, V6 and V5, which is useful because the cap is the part owners lose.
Is the Bushnell Tour V5 discontinued?
Yes. Bushnell replaced it with the Tour V6. Support pages and some spares are still available, and used units are widely listed.
Is the Bushnell Tour V5 waterproof?
No. It is rated IP54, which means resistant to splashes and light rain rather than sealed against immersion. Internal fogging on an older V5 usually means water has found its way in, often through a missing battery cap.
Is the Tour V5 still worth buying?
Used and at a real discount, yes — the optics and the JOLT lock are unchanged from when it was current. Pay full price for one and you are better off with the V6, mainly for the better sealing.
How this page was made. Written by The Golf Rangefinder editorial team from manufacturer specifications, published manuals and aggregated owner reviews. We do not test rangefinders in hand and we never claim to. Last checked: September 2026. Prices change; the retailer page is the final word.
Sources
- Bushnell Golf — Tour V5 product support and FAQ
- Bushnell Golf — Tour V5 Shift product support and FAQ
- Bushnell Golf — product manuals and legacy device library
- Bushnell Golf — replacement battery cap for Tour V7, V6 and V5
- Bushnell Tour V5 user manual (Manuals+)
- Complete Golfer — Bushnell Tour V5 review, which records the model as discontinued
- Owner reports on r/golf and GolfWRX, used for reported behaviour only