Has anyone bought scopes off of Ebay? Thanks

Yes.

George

Bought and sold. Just look for good feedback, and be sure of what the description says.

I have bought several from ebay, some good, some mediocre. It is a mind game, read description carefully and ask specific questions before you bid. Try to pick an auction that does not end on Sunday for your best bid chances. Best buy I have made so far was a poorly described Unertl BV-20 that turned out to be primo for $425, it was described as a variable (not!)

Yup, more than a few. I never had any problems (yet, touch wood). Our very own gr8fuldoug (from Cameraland NY) also sells on eBay.

- mike

I have bought a few scopes on ebay.

But lately there's too much sniping going on there for my tastes.

I don't have the time to monitor that stuff down to the very end, and so I seem to get outbid by a few bucks at the last minute.

They need a 15 minute rule like Gunbroker has put into place.

mrlexma

I'll agree on that, the fifteen minute rule like Gunbroker has in place makes buyers make an honest offer, not raise the bid by a dollar with three seconds left. that said, I have bought several scopes there, particularly right after Christmas when everyone is broke and the hunting seasons are closed.

Just like all ebay items. Ya gotta watch out for who is selling.

I hope you don't have any problems with ebay themselves because you won't get any satisfaction all they are worried about is there money.
I've been fighting with them for 4 weeks on an item that they pulled of mine because the person who won it had stolen the account. They now want me to pay to relist the item that should be listed for free on ebays relisting procedure.

I bought a couple NIB 3-9x40 ziess conquests for @ $350 shipped.

Ebay is a pretty good place for optics. You have to be careful as some of the used optics go for ridiculously high prices.

I picked up a new 4.5-14x44 Conquest for $455 shipped off ebay a couple years back and picked up a new 4.5-14x40 VX3 for $400 this past spring.

If you watch for deals, they have some descent ones ever now and again.

Good Luck

Reloader

a couple times...

I got a Simmons long eye relief "pistol" scope a year or so back. it works, but if someone stole the rifle it was on and tried to adjust it they'd go stark raving bonkers.

the turret assembly was installed backwards, so the adjustments also work backwards

I've been meaning to send it to simmons to see what they have to say about it, but it works fine on the rifle it's on

The other more recent item was an older aimpoint, an aimpoint 2000 to be specific. it was "known dead" when I bought it, but I'm familiar with their most common failure, the jamb knut that locates the rotary switch works loose and when the entire switch rotates it breaks the power wire
for me this is an easy fix (it took me 20minutes from when I cut the tape on the box to have it working)

Not bad for a $20 "broken" used scope.

Sniping? the only problem most people have with sniping is that they aren't doing it, they are having it done to them.

Sniping is about paying the lowest price possible for something, and the way sniping works to achieve that is to give the other guy no time to counterbid.

Sellers hate sniping because it probably lowers the final price.
Ebay should hate it, because in lowering the price it also lowers their final value fees.

When I bid to "snipe" on something the ONLY bid I'll place on that item will be placed within a second or two of the auction end time.
Often the time of my bid is IN the last second.

Yes, I mistime my bids, placing them a tick or two too late.
yes I also get outbid.
No, I don't feel bad when this happens

Auction buying is about NOT getting "married" to a particular item, If you lose then there'll be another one soon enough.

Ebay is like a whorehouse, you go there to get rapid gratification CHEAP, not choose a mother for the parents of your future grandchildren and future president of the local country club/PTA.

If you want to marry a purchase item, buy a Ferrari or an Aston-Martin, not some small mass produced item on ebay.

AD