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Failed Scope

Rooster52

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Feb 18, 2014
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Who has ever had a scope fail ?
I have several rifles with scopes on them,mostly Leupold and Nikon with some low dollar others.i have never had a scope that I have bought new myself ever fail.
Had a couple I purchased used that would not hold zero but sent them in and got a new replacement.
 
I've had two. A Nikon Monarch UCC and a Burris Fullfield II. I bought them back when I didn't have as much financial freedom and when I didn't subscribe to the 'buy once, cry once' philosophy. Lesson learned. Both scopes were new when I bought them and I've had to send both back to the factory twice. The last optics I bought from those companies. Oddly, that $35 Tasco Pronghorn my dad put on my first deer rifle still shoots fine today. Go figure. I should add Nikon and Burris handled the repairs both times no questions asked.
 
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I had a Leupold VX2 3-9x40 that shot high left and would not change not matter what I did right out of the box. I sent back to Beaverton, OR and it works just fine now. Just goes to show that not all scopes are the same coming out of the factory. I won't lie, it made me very Leary to buy Leupold products, but I have more Leupold products now than ever before.
 
I've had 2 that fogged, a burris compact 2-7 and a very old k-4 weaver.

Burris warranty covered the one, and I had the k-4 rebuilt by an outfit from Texas for like $30 (early 90's).

I still use the k-4 and its crystal clear...
 
I bought a Savage Model 10 package gun with a Nikon Prostaff on it, the one everyone says is so great for the money. I went to sight it in and it wouldn't adjust, just click after click. It was brand new!

So I sent it back to Nikon, it took them weeks to return it, and I paid the freight to them. Upon it's return it went on ebay and I bought a Zeiss conquest for that gun.

Sorry Nikon, that was the first and last.
 
I've had 3 Bushnell, 2 Tasco, and 2 Burris and 1 Simmons fail. I no longer buy any of the four brands with the exception of higher end Bushnell's Elite series. Even then, it's only 4200's or 6500's. I have not had any of my Leupold's fail. There were some tough lessons there and I hope to never repeat any of them. I pretty much stick with Leupold and Bushnell Elite's now. If I had the money they would all be Schmidt and Bender's.
 
I've had a swift scope fail. Crosshair broke. Over the counter warranty exchange.
 
I had a Leupold VX II, 1-4x that crapped out during a below zero temp muzzleloader hunt. I had the gun shouldered & zoomed the scope. It didn't feel right at all and I could see the reticle dancing all around inside the scope!

I sent it back and it was repaired for free & shipped back by Lweupold. Nonetheless, Leupold is my go to brand and is on ALL the guns that I seriously use!

I know of friends back in the 80's and 90's that liked Redfield Widefields. Mostly 1-5x. Every one of the had to go back due to fogging and some, more than once! I eventually got one of those guys to get a Leupold 2-7 shotgun scope. Problem solved!
 
Not exactly hunting optics, but I have had seen lots of Aimpoint M2 and M3 Comps fail. M4s seem better. Still wouldn't use one on my service rifle. They just don't hold up to the abuse that EoTech and Trjicon sights do on AR platforms.
 
Not exactly hunting optics, but I have had seen lots of Aimpoint M2 and M3 Comps fail. M4s seem better. Still wouldn't use one on my service rifle. They just don't hold up to the abuse that EoTech and Trjicon sights do on AR platforms.

Eotech may have been my 1st true love...:D
 
That would have been the year i fell in love, different country though...

I've purchased a couple of my own since mine didn't get to come home with me.
 
Back in the day, I used cheap scopes and they have all failed...mostly they were NcStar, Bushnell, and Simmons. Burris & Pentax so far haven't failed me but they are on lighter recoiling rifles
 
A few years ago tried the Bushnell Elite 6500, first one had issues out of the box, at that time their customer service was truly a dis-service and nightmare to work with, ended up going through 3 of their 6500s to get one that worked. I've heard better things of them lately, but it pushed me away from trying their scopes anymore.
 
I had a Tasco World class I bought for my first deer rifle, a .270, fail after 20 years of use. It would adjust for elevation, but the windage was stuck about 6" right of the bulls eye and wouldn't go back left no matter how many times you spun the turret.
 
I sent back two Burris scopes over the years. I still have them many years later and they are both fine. It seems like about all scopes have quality control issues at some point. The Leupold failure rate-especially on the turret spinners-has really gone up. I think quality control is becoming a lost art everywhere.

I used to buy some Simmons junk on sale etc. Every one of them has failed. New Tasco is not worth buying and low-end Bushnell is not great either.

With scopes, you kind of get what you pay for, for the most part.
 
I`ve had a Fontaine 3-9x40 that the reticle came loose on, and a Bushnell sportsman that suddenly would not hold zero. The first two scopes I`ve ever owned. I also thought I had a Swarovski break on me, but that turned out to be the mount, not the scope.
 
I have 3 Nikon Buck Master (old style) scopes and one Leupold VXI that is about 20 years old an I haven't had any fail so far
 

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