I’ve got an old (at least 30 years) 2-7x28, Vari X, II that I was going to put on my M-600 Remington Mohawk I just rebarreled to .358 Winchester. The light little Leupold would be perfect size and weight for the carbine, as well as perfect for the medium-range caliber.

Trouble is, when I took it out of the safe, I noticed it had a small internal blurry spot right in the middle of the optics (fog maybe?). It also had what looked like small amounts of debris stuck to the internals. The debris looks a little like rust flakes that might have broken free from the tube and made a home on the glass.

So I shipped it off to Leupold to see what they say about it. I've always heard great things about their customer service, so I decided to find out first hand.

Then yesterday afternoon, I got a call from a lady who works for Leupold "I have bad news, and some good news, and some more bad news (that turned out to be good news).

The bad news was the scope could not be repaired. Apparently, somehow over the course of the last 30 years, the scope tube became cracked and let the gas out, and moisture in (no, I don't have a clue how). When the tube's no good, the scope is no good.

"But," she said, "we're going to send you a new VX-2, free of charge, under your warranty. Unfortunately, (more bad news), what we're sending you is in a matte finish and it won't match the glossy scope you had."

Hmmm, let's see now. The rifle I just had built that the scope goes on is bead-blast matte blue. The new metal trigger guard is matte -- as are my rings. In fact, the only part of the rifle that is not matte was the scope, and the glossy Weaver one-piece base. Not being a fashionista, it really did not bother me (much) that a glossy scope topped my matte rifle. But given my druthers, I'd rather have a matte scope to match the rest of the rifle.

I explained to the lady that her bad news was really very good news (of course I didn't mention to her that her first bad news, coupled with her good news represented the best outcome for this entire episode), and with that, our business was complete.

There are better scopes out there with better optics. In each grade scope Leupold sells, there are other manufacturers that sell just as good a product for about the same price as Leupold. But I double-dog guarantee you that there is not one of these other manufacturers that stands behind their product like Leupold!

You'd think that after 30 years, they would say something like, "well, you had a good run with this old scope, but you really don't think we're going to replace one this old free of charge, do you?"

Well, they did.

GAHUNTER,
I too, had a similar experience with Leupold. In the late 60's I bought a used VX 11, first generation. While hunting goats, I fell on some lava rock and crushed to tube by the adjusment knobs. This allowed the inert gas to escape and the humid air to enter. Mildew coated the inside of the lens. I retired the scope in a drawer of my gun cabinet for over 20 years.

A friend reminded me of Leupolds lifetime warranty which I did not think would cover such a situation. I sent the scope asking for repair and offering to pay for the repairs as I wanted to keep the scope for sentimental reasons as it was my first Leupold.

The service dept. contacted me advising that the scope was unrepairable is it was long obsolete and replacement parts were unavailable. They sent me a new VX11 of similar power and apologized!!

Honoring warranty and service cannot get better than that. I have since purchased over a dozen Leupolds.

Geoff

I just had the same results with Leupold on 20+ year old binoculars. They asked if they could not repair them, may they send me a new pair of comparable quallity? Such a deal.

And other companies pay tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars to get the same kind of advertising that Leupold just received here. I'd day that everybody came out way ahead.

I've had very similar treatment by Leupold for years (purchased my first in 1976) and am a fan for life. Their customer service is unchanged in 38 years of dealing with them.
Truly the best. .

Not the same story since my cousins 35+ year old scope was repairable - but it came back with much clearer lenses than it left wearing. Makes me say Leupold VX 1,2,3 or whatever model when asked about a best value scope.

quote:

There are better scopes out there with better optics. In each grade scope Leupold sells, there are other manufacturers that sell just as good a product for about the same price as Leupold.

Really? Just try buying a scope as compact, as light, with as generous an eye window, and as resistant to water and weather as that 2-7x28 you sent in. Good telescopes are cheap and easy to build these days. Good telescopes well adapted to use as an optical gunsight on a hunting rifle are much scarcer, and Leupold is often the only source of scopes that truly match a hunter's needs.

Although it was a newer scope at the time (newer than 20 or 30 years haha) I had a similar experience with Leupold. Back in high school I ended up with a 3rd hand Leupold VX-II 3-9 on my .30-06. The previous owner had stripped the windage screw trying to use it on a side-mount for a Winchester 94 so I send it to Leupold to see if it could be repaired. I included a note asking them to contact me before repairs were made so I knew I could afford it (I was in HS remember). A few weeks later the scope showed up in the mail, never got a phone call or anything. I dont even remember that I paid return shipping though I may have. They got a customer for life right then and there. The only scopes I've ever looked through that compared to quality Leupold glass was high end European stuff that had just as hefty of a price tag.

Leupold will always have my business!!!!



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I've got an old Leupold Mountaineer 4x that I would,like to put on a custom .22 but it is all scratched up on the lenses. Does anyone know if they will replace the lenses on this old relic for me?

quote:

Originally posted by touchdown88:
I've got an old Leupold Mountaineer 4x that I would,like to put on a custom .22 but it is all scratched up on the lenses. Does anyone know if they will replace the lenses on this old relic for me?

I know that Leupold will not address a scope's cosmetics (external finish, scratches, etc.) but the scratched lenses might be a different story. It will only cost you the postage to send it in to see what they say. If the old scope has sentimental value to you be sure to let them know that you don't want to exchange it for a new model.

Well after smacking my scope on the last hunt and breaking the glass from the impact on top of the scope I will be sending it back to check out their warranty. I just ordered a new one and a pair of binos as well.