Have you looked at the Stanley 77-910 - TLM 100 FatMax™ Tru-Laser™ Distance Measurer:
http://www.stanleytools.com/default....TNUMBER=77-910
It sounds like what you are looking for and they sell for $100 just about anywhere online. It is a true laser measuring device not an ultarsonic with a laser pointer.
Are you just wanting something to buy to measure distance or something to use as a sensor on a robot or something? Maybe you can hack this Stanley unit?