Leupold Scope Warranty Service

[300 PRC CUSTOM SAKO]

My former career afforded me the opportunity to have as many as 200+ Leupold optics under my control at one time. I do not say this to brag, but the only guys who have seen more failures of their products is their own customer service. Their customer service and representatives have been really easy to deal with, was actually on a first name basis with a few. Normally I would have a scope (rifle or spotter) back within a few weeks. In the past 15 years I've had two of my personal rifle scopes crap the bed within a week of leaving for out of state elk hunts. Both times they overnighted me scopes, one a loaner. The other half dozen times I sent in personal scopes the turn around was pretty fast, 2-3 weeks.
My last dealings was earlier this year:
I sent back an upper end scope that wouldn't hold zero when I returned from an elk hunt. Took over a month (probably closer to two) once they received it, and that was with one of their tactical reps pushing it through.
Same thing with my buddy's new VX5 he got for Christmas. When in the process of checking function/mounting/zeroing, one of the turrets literally fell off guts and all. He received a new one.

It is worth buying from a company THAT WILL ACTUALLY DO A REPAIR. Most throw the return in the trash and then offer a rebated credit calculated at a "used" worth.

 

[Mike D Texas]

The only Leupold product I've ever sent in for warranty was a rangefinder several years ago. I've owned around 30 Leupold optics over the years and have never had to send one in for repair.

I've sent a few in for custom shop modifications when they were open and had usually less than 2 week turnarounds.

 

[BachelorJack]

Leupold doesn't warranty their rangefinders. Period. They offer a discount off msrp on a new one and customers later find out it's more than Cabelas every day price.

Their scopes are all eventually headed back to service. Day 5. Day 100. Day 800. Doesn't matter. They aren't durable. And their initial and repair QC might as well be done in China.

I won't own another. If I get one on a trade or whatever it's immediately sold. It's not worth the hassle.

Keep buying them though. I can get them for half off and won't. But you guys keep paying more then that. And keep posting about your eventual repair experiences and how well they went. How many weeks it took.

It's a delightful read and the humor is appreciated!!

 

[Shubey]

I've had to send one leupold scope in due to what appeared to be black specks on the internal lens. After about three months it was returned. Less black specks but still several. Called cs and returned it again.
2-3 months later I called to see when my scope might be finished and returned. The guy I was speaking with found my scope and said it would be repaired soon. If memory serves me, it was another month or more before I got my scope back. Specks included.
I own several Leupold scopes and never had an issue with the others but I wasn't impressed with my cs/qa experience.

Sorry to hear that!

 

[floyd kittrell]

Just another story that confirms my choice to switch to exclusively Nightforce.

Me also!!

 

[floyd kittrell]

My former career afforded me the opportunity to have as many as 200+ Leupold optics under my control at one time. I do not say this to brag, but the only guys who have seen more failures of their products is their own customer service. Their customer service and representatives have been really easy to deal with, was actually on a first name basis with a few. Normally I would have a scope (rifle or spotter) back within a few weeks. In the past 15 years I've had two of my personal rifle scopes crap the bed within a week of leaving for out of state elk hunts. Both times they overnighted me scopes, one a loaner. The other half dozen times I sent in personal scopes the turn around was pretty fast, 2-3 weeks.
My last dealings was earlier this year:
I sent back an upper end scope that wouldn't hold zero when I returned from an elk hunt. Took over a month (probably closer to two) once they received it, and that was with one of their tactical reps pushing it through.
Same thing with my buddy's new VX5 he got for Christmas. When in the process of checking function/mounting/zeroing, one of the turrets literally fell off guts and all. He received a new one.

 

[floyd kittrell]

Night Force !!

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

It's been well over a decade since I've had a Leupold on a rifle.....there was a time when I had close to 100 on rifles I owned many on rifles over 338 caliber even a few 50 caliber....
When they were my preferred scope I had at least 6 new or repaired sitting on the shelve ready for the switch....always when going on a hunting trip would have an extra sighted in to go with me....at least once a year 4-6 scopes were sent back to Leupold to be repaired....
One thing I found with a Leupold they will not last long dialing them....if you sight them in and don't touch them they could live a long life....

This right here...I've owned a few Leupy's . The only one I still own is an eer m8 4x on a bolt action pistol. It's been great for 25 years or so. The pistol it's on (Savage in 7-08) just shot a .44" group at 100yds off the bipod the other day. I've traded a couple with rifles over the years and it seemed like the Elite series were a better fit for me so I never re-bought the Leupy's. Now that Nikon and Elite are pretty much off the table I own a couple of Burris and a couple of Vortex also. I never really dial a scope it seems (and I haven't fallen with one) so I have never really had any issues with scopes.

 

[Brad Norman]

It's been well over a decade since I've had a Leupold on a rifle.....there was a time when I had close to 100 on rifles I owned many on rifles over 338 caliber even a few 50 caliber....
When they were my preferred scope I had at least 6 new or repaired sitting on the shelve ready for the switch....always when going on a hunting trip would have an extra sighted in to go with me....at least once a year 4-6 scopes were sent back to Leupold to be repaired....
One thing I found with a Leupold they will not last long dialing them....if you sight them in and don't touch them they could live a long life....

I believe you made a good point, not mentioned previously in this thread. Leupold scopes seem to be very rugged and reliable if you don't need to dial them too much. I've been especially disappointed with a couple of new models I purchased as the adjustment turrets are very indistinct and mushy. I wonder if Leupold has gone to nylon internal components to reduce weight and cost?

I have used, and have friends who use, "lesser" scopes than Leupold and their external turret clicks are crisp and easy to count to keep track of adjustments. I don't mess with windage adjustments much, except when establishing a zero for a new handload, but I dial the elevation turret constantly as my Son and I practice shooting at various ranges almost every week. I have a new VX-5 with really nice clear glass and I like it a lot . . . except the adjustment "clicks" are almost non-existent. You have to visually double check after making an elevation adjustment because you can't feel or hear the adjustments. I'm really disappointed with Leupold for dropping the quality on such an important aspect of their scopes. I've owned a LOT of Leupold glass over the years and, on the rare occasion I've needed to send something back, the customer service shop has been terrific.

Thanks for bringing up the point about "dialing" issues with Leupold scopes. Happy hunting Sir!

 

[southpa]

Gotta love all the clout for NF...as if those scopes have never had issues. Thats a joke. How bout the claims that no matter what, if you buy a leupold you WILL without a doubt 100% no questions asked have to send it in for warranty.....comical.

I've had to use leupys Customer service exactly 2 times in my life. 2 of which were literally faults of my own. Damaged a scope turret on one and dropped my rifle on another. Both of those instances they replaced the turret and the sent me a brand new scope at no charge. I have one that currently needs to go back for a spec on the glass. Whatever the turnaround time is I will have no issue because they will fix it and I will be back to multiple decades of use with their scopes without issues. I have no clue how to speculate what drives their return times but it really doesn't matter IMO. Just like any service, we exercise patients when we need something done.

 

[crm3006]

Well... I had a VX-5HD that went wacky so sent it to Leupold for repair.
They immediately sent back an RMA number to return for repair.
Upon arrival I received an email saying expect 8 weeks for the repair or reply.

Not throwing rocks!... Understand this!...I'm completely OK with that if they repair or replace it since it's not needed for some time and I know Leupold will stand behind their product!

Anyhow... I'm wandering what your service times have been with Leupold.
I have a couple of friends who have sent scopes back and had communication with Leupold CS or returned within 2 weeks.
I guess times have changed with everything and this should come as no surprise.

Just curious...
Thanks

I have had two Leupold scopes that needed repair. One was a Vari XIII, 3.5x10x50 mm that would not adjust elevation enough to zero. I returned to the shop where I bought it, and the owner called Leupold customer service. After about a ten minute conversation about model, make, problem, and caliber of the rifle, I heard the owner reply that Yes, he had the model in stock. 30 minutes later, I left the shop with another 3X10X50 mounted and boresighted on my .338. The shop owner took care of the return to Leupold.
The other issue I had was with a 3X9X40 Rifleman that for some reason was very hard to adjust for power. Almost impossible to do without the aid of pliers. I called Leupold, and they said send it in. After a month, I called Leupold to inquire about the status of the repair, and was told the scope had been mailed two weeks prior. A check with the carrier (UPS) showed a delivery to my address, but Leupold sent me another scope, anyway. We still don't know whether a dishonest delivery person or a thieving neighbor made off with the scope, but Leupold made good. I think that in the past, their customer service has been above and beyond.

 

[Dean2]

I have no idea what the heck some of you guys do to your gear. I have hunted all over the world, in some of the harshest conditions possible. I have broken two scopes in bad wrecks in 55 years of hunting and the scopes were far from the only things damaged. In one the gun it was on was a writeoff too and I nearly bought the farm myself in one of them .

Outside of truly heavy impacts from accidents I have never had a Leupold crap out. Both scopes that I severely damaged were replaced by Leupold even though I told them straight out neither were the scopes fault, told them exactly how they got broke.

I have and do own quite a range of brands, except I won'town Vortex. Most standup pretty good. I like Nightforce too, but they are VERY heavy, not sure even nightforce would stand up to what some of you are doing. .

I cannot imagine the treatment that would be needed to break multiple Leupold scopes in a relatively short time frame.

 

[Hugnot]

Leupold makes me real happy - the last scope I sent back for a tune up was a 17 years old, a 6.5-20X50 VXIII 30mm LR. Leupold replaced the objective lens assembly with their latest & replaced the inner erector tube assembly with their latest. Under my low budget constraints this scope has the best optics all all my scopes - Burris, Vortex, Sightron & Crimson Trace. Leupold took 5 weeks from USPS mail out to UPS delivery.

I once had a Leupold 4.5-14X40 VXIII that suddenly produced 6 foot diameter groups at 100. Leupold fixed it completely - new objective glass & new erector tube assembly & returned it within 3 weeks.

 

[Roughrice]

I have no idea what the heck some of you guys do to your gear. I have hunted all over the world, in some of the harshest conditions possible. I have broken two scopes in bad wrecks in 55 years of hunting and the scopes were far from the only things damaged. In one the gun it was on was a writeoff too and I nearly bought the farm myself in one of them .

Outside of truly heavy impacts from accidents I have never had a Leupold crap out. Both scopes that I severely damaged were replaced by Leupold even though I told them straight out neither were the scopes fault, told them exactly how they got broke.

I have and do own quite a range of brands, except I won'town Vortex. Most standup pretty good. I like Nightforce too, but they are VERY heavy, not sure even nightforce would stand up to what some of you are doing. .

I cannot imagine the treatment that would be needed to break multiple Leupold scopes in a relatively short time frame.

Just dial them up and down for a while... you'll see why! Returning to zero... That's where the issues have been determined!

FWIW!... I have about a dozen Lupy's that have held zero if I never moved the turret!
I have one VX6-HD and three VX-5HD's. This is the first that I have to send back.
But... I've read of other situations, where most of the "send back scopes" have been the ones that get dialed.

Please correct me if I'm wrong!