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Leupold stands by their warranty.

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19 October 2001, 09:54
500grains
Leupold stands by their warranty.
I recently sent a 40 year old, faded, dinged up 3-9 Leupold back to Leupold for service b/c it did not hold a zero. They mailed me a brand new one.

How's that?

19 October 2001, 10:41
JohnTheGreek
DAMN I love that company! Very impressive customer service.
I also love the fact that people so rarely need their service department. I used a 3.5-10x VxIII on a 17 pound 50 BMG bullpup for over a year with no problems.

JohnTheGreek

19 October 2001, 13:41
Ku-dude
According to my gunsmith, the best scope you can have is one that is returned to you from Leupold's service department. They are better than new. Ku-dude
19 October 2001, 15:27
Atkinson
I had a horse roll on snap my leupold in half, now thats not there problem, guess what, they replaced the scope...

I had a hunter literally twist the eyepiece off of my binocs in his excitment...Yep, the sent me a new pair of golden rings...

the just fix them or replace them, no questions.....Now how can anyone not love that kind of customer service...Why would anyone use any other brand....

------------------
Ray Atkinson

ray@atkinsonhunting.com
atkinsonhunting.com

19 October 2001, 16:33
<Clint>
AND you can get an excellent assortment of reticles from Premier Reticle without voiding the warranty! The VariX-III is a great scope, but you can "shoot loose" the erector components, and it won't hold zero. Usually manifests itself as a perfectly horizontal error, or verticle error not both.
Safe Hunting.
19 October 2001, 16:43
JackM
I have a 8X that always had a bit of parallax, even though it's got an adjustable objective. Phoned them about it about 20 years after I bought it. They told me to mail it to their Canadian repair shop. The repair shop discovered that one lens element was out of a 7.5X ! It took a while to get the right element, but it was better than new when it came back.

Bye
Jack

19 October 2001, 20:40
Will
Ray & 500 Grains:

Sending back scopes that are accidentally damaged or as old as dirt seems questionable to me.

19 October 2001, 20:53
<Ozhunter>
As an non USA residnet I too have found Leup to be No 1 for service....I sent a faulty 3.5x10 AO back that wouldn't hold POA, they sent me a new 4.5x14AO.....love that.

Will,

What is your version of a lifetime warranty? Should it matter if its 40 years old? That they honoured the warranty is to be expected. The reason it was replaced is probably because they couldn't get the replacement parts for that era anymore.

I'm suprised about accidental damage being replaced, but heck you in some you loose some. I send back any Leup I buy used to be checked...they adjust the parralax clean and adjust everything and then I have a scope that may nto look new, but works like new.

Craig
Brisbane Australia


20 October 2001, 02:43
Recono
quote:
Originally posted by Will:
Ray & 500 Grains:

Sending back scopes that are accidentally damaged or as old as dirt seems questionable to me.



Will,

I understand your point and I am initially inclined to agree with it. However, when one buys a Leupold scope, Leupold is basing the price on maintaining a repair shop that occasionally does exactly those things. Kind of like renting a car where insurance is included, even when the accident is your fault. With all the Leupolds Ray has bought, I suspect that he has paid them for a client-f---ed one or two. And even you & I have paid what Leupold considered sufficient for this "insurance policy."

20 October 2001, 03:31
500grains
Will

In the past 10 years I have given away every non-leupold scope I owned (about 30 of them) except one and replaced them with Leupolds. I know that I pay more for the optics than other makers charge, but I like Leuopld's reliability and, when needed, warranty.

As for the 'old as dirt' scope, this old as dirt scope owner thought it should still hold a zero even it it was ugly. I would have no complaint if they had fixed it, or if they had told me it was not fixable and that I could upgrade to a new one for a reasonable fee. But Leupold cherishes its reputation for customer service, so they decided to just send me a new one. And I certainly cannot argue with that.

Two years ago a friend gave me a pair of 20+ year old Steiner 15 x 60 Senator rubber armored binocs. I used them one season and then sent them back to the Steiner repair center for the following problems: cannot focus (blurry), one scratched lens, cracked rubber armoring. I expected a bill for repairs. Instead, I received a brand new pair in the box. I would certainly buy Steiner again as well.

20 October 2001, 04:55
Stonecreek
500 grains: Glad you mentioned Steiner. I have a Steiner binocular which is missing the rubber eyepiece and I can't seem to locate a source. Where is Steiner's service department?
20 October 2001, 05:23
500grains
stone,

They were in New Jersey. I throw away all paperwork, so I cannot find them from my records.

However, the google search engine has been very good to me:

"Q. How do I get my binoculars serviced?

A. For Steiner Service, send the binoculars (by UPS if possible) to:

Steiner Service Center
c/o Pioneer Research
97 Foster Road
Moorestown, NJ 08057

Be sure to include your name, street address, phone number, and specify the problem.

Q. How can I purchase spare parts for my Steiner binocular?

A. Contact Steiner�s national parts distributor, Optic Options, at 1-800-872-0273.

Q. Where can I get accessories (i.e., case, floatation strap) for my Steiner binocular?

A. Optic Options also sells all parts and accessories. They accept VISA and Mastercard. Orders can be placed by calling 1-800-872-0273."

http://www.steiner-binoculars.com/steiner/steinerframe.htm

20 October 2001, 07:46
Atkinson
Will,
Why do you find something that is fact questionable????

I suggest you buy the worst Leupold you can find and send it to them....Their warranty guarentees all inside parts will be repaired free, but their policy is fix it and send it back at no charge regardless of what happened, or who is at fault...

If you are questioning my scope repair in my post, just have Leupold look them up....its a matter of record...

------------------
Ray Atkinson

ray@atkinsonhunting.com
atkinsonhunting.com

20 October 2001, 08:45
JohnTheGreek
All,
Got my 2.5x compact from premier reticle! Damn, you gotta love a custom scope shop that has their product to you in two days! German post reticle and coin-click adjustments just as ordered. Let the test firing commence!

500,
I am also glad you brought up Steiner's service. I have a pair of 7x35 military marines that I remember my father using when I was a kid. I think they could probably use a cosmetic and mechanical touch-up here and there!


JohnTheGreek

20 October 2001, 14:57
Oldsarge
Another company that still knows how to behave is Henckle Twinworks, the knife makers. I wore out the handle on a 10" Chef's knife after about 29 years of constant service. I didn't send them the knife, just asked where I could get a new handle. They sent me a new one . . . and those babies are $120 retail!
21 October 2001, 05:51
jsr
I aquired a leopold scope in a trade 7 or 8 yrs ago that had been tweaked and had lost the nitro charge.Took it into leopold as I live fairly close and yes I received a new scope just a few days later. Was told that they were happy to do this as the scope I gave them was an older model and they would use it for parts for the scopes they do repair. JSR
22 October 2001, 14:32
John Frazer
Not only are they thorough, they are fast.

I sent in two scopes I'd bought used -- one was a 2-7 Vari-X II that had a 1.5" POI shift from high magnification to low, the other was an old 4X that leaked when dunked in warm water, and I also wanted a different reticle and replacement of the ocular lens (it appeared to have been wiped dry with emery cloth). I paid in advance for the lens and reticle replacement.

I sent these to them in September, which has got to be the height of their busy season, and got a call warning me it might be 10 days before they sent them back and that the reticle replacement on the 4x might take longer. The 2-7 came back about 2 1/2 weeks after I mailed it (remember we're talking 3000 miles here), and the 4x showed up the next day.

23 October 2001, 16:21
mamba
Ive had the same experience with leupold they stand behind their product no questions asked. Ive looked at the german optics but the difference isnt worth the money as far as i can see. I say stick with an american company that makes its living selling to american sportsman. Swarovski for example is a jewelry company that got into optics and is spending big money in ads and endorsements to build a reputation quickly.
26 October 2001, 07:51
<Husky>
Dear Gentlemen
I have similar experiences as stated here with my Leupold 1-4 VarixII, good service etc from the people in Oregon...

But, the service of scopes manufactured here in the old world isn't bad either. Two weeks before my first safari to RSA broke my Schmidt & Bender 3-12x50 down (the reticle vent loose.)
My dealer send the scope to Germany and asked them to hurry up with the repair, and i got it back to Sweden after just one week -repaired. it didn't cost me a penny (or cent)

Buy quality!
Husky