Leupold warranty puts others to shame!

[goodgrouper]

I have been doing load development for a friend of mine's 300 Ultra mag over the last couple weeks and noticed that everytime I went to shoot it, I just couldn't get the reticle and the view to come into focus together on his vxIII 4.5-14x50LRT without straining my eye. I also began to notice that loads I KNOW SHOOT WELL in 300 ultras were not giving anything better than 1 1/4" groups with some running 3". I tried the 180 AB's and then tried the 200 AB's with 9 different charges of powder and nothing worked. Then, Friday I was working on the rifle again and this time I had 4 other guns with me that all had Leupy's on them. When I looked through the other four, they didn't make my eye bug out and the one in particular looked like it had actually gotten worse. So I began to turn the diopter (eyepiece) in and out to re-focus the reticle and I noticed not only did the reticle never focus, but I could move the reticle around enough to take the crosshair completely off my target board at 100 yards! It was very loose and the lock ring didn't tighten it down enough so it would quit shaking around.

Well, I was in a rush because my friend leaves on a caribou hunt on the 5th of September and we were worried that he wouldn't have his rifle ready in time.

So, Monday I called Leupy and explained the whole problem with the rush and the problem with the scope and asked if there was any way we could get the scope back in time. The service dept manager, Phillip Worden, said, "absolutely-send it in and mark <font color="red"> RUSH </font> on it".

I took the scope into UPS on Monday with instructions to send it back second day air and my credit card number so they could charge me. I sent it 2 day air for $24. That was Monday.

Tuesday, I got an email saying that they had recieved it.
Wednesday, I got an email saying they had given it a service number.
Thursday, I got an email saying that the scope was fixed and it was sent out as per my request.
Friday, I went out to get the paper in the morning and the scope was sitting on my doorstep!


On the box was UPS's label saying it was shipped NEXT DAY AIR. I was glad I had it back so soon, but I knew next day air was $57 dollars when I checked prices on Monday and it was a bit steep for me.

Anyway, I opened the box and checked the paperwork and all repairs had been made. They had to take the whole erector system out of it and rework it. Then they checked it for proper adjustment, then they tightened up the threads on the eyepiece. After that, they dunked it to make sure it was sealed. It passed with flying colors on all accounts.

Then I looked to see what my bill was for the shipping.

<font color="blue"> ZERO. ZILCHO. NADA. Not one penny! </font>

What a company! Even if they didn't make a superior glass, I would still buy their product just because of their awesome customer service. 1 day to fix a scope and then pay for next day air! Unbelievable. A great product from a great American company.

Now if Ford had a warranty like that......

 

[Jimm]

GG,

That has been my experience with Leupold as well. Immediate responses via email and service that is more than you expect. I am glad that they are out there .

Jim

 

[Delta Hunter]

I've never had to send a scope back to Leupold for service, but I did send a Conquest back to Zeiss about a year ago. This scope had been damaged when I dropped my rifle. Sent it in on a Monday via UPS ground and the following Monday I had a brand new replacement at my house when I got home from work. I wasn't charged for anything (except of course what it cost me to send it to them, about 6$).

 

[joseywales]

Well, actually, you did pay for the shipping. In fact, every Leupold scope owner chipped in on your behalf. Why do you think their scopes are so expensive? Leupold made a decision. They figure we'll make a quality scope that costs X amount to make. Then we'll mark it up X amount of dollars for profit, then mark it up a few more bucks to cover any customer service issues, replacements, etc. Excellent customer service and low price of the original product is a rare combination.

I'm not saying this is a bad thing. All I'm saying is they aren't repairing or shipping your scopes for free or out of the kindness of their heart. Financial analysts run numbers for companies every year to determine their exposure for returns, repairs, service, etc. And the company prices their product based on those figures and their product usually costs a bit more than a similar quality product with poor customer service.

It's very similar to car manufactures when they have a defective issue with their vehicle. They calculate how much it will cost to modify production equipment vs repairing the defects created by that equipment under warranty.

 

[joseywales]

After thinking about it, I do know of a case where the price was reasonable and the service outstanding. It was very similar to your experience.

I bought a used base model Springfield 45 and used it for a training class. I practiced with it without incident, but during my first class, it jammed. I sent it back to Springfield and asked that they fix it, but also stressed that I wanted to complete my class with a single-action pistol and this was the only one I had. They were very polite on the phone.

Springfield fixed the problem, FedEx'd the gun back to me AND they sent me a coupon booklet, normally reserved for "New" gun purchases. I saved 1/2 off my magazines and some other items. I shop around and their prices weren't bad, so 1/2 off was a heck of a deal.

Springfield won me over with that. Even if I had bought the gun new, the price on that model is very reasonable and the customer service was outstanding.

 

[Pete Lincoln]

Try doing that from any where but the USA and you are talking weeks or months.. i got sick to death of leupolds breaking on me andme having to wait ages, granted not totaly leupold customer service problems as the importer here was hoarding untill he had enough broken scopes to warrant sending a box full.
I switched to Schmidt and Bender and haven't had a scope breakage since..
Leupold is not a premium scope if you compare it to a couple of the european ones.
sorry Pete

 

[goodgrouper]

[ QUOTE ]
Leupold is not a premium scope if you compare it to a couple of the european ones.


[/ QUOTE ]

Actually, I have compared it to most of those eurotrash, superiority complex scopes at longer ranges than most have and can say with confidence that they are not as good as Nightforce or Leupold in my book.

Maybe your broken Leupy's were different than the ones they sell here, but they would still go to the same warranty repair shop of which has always been excellent to deal with for me.

There is a reason why the custom big boy gunsmiths making 375 up to 500 nitros put Leupy's on their rifles. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[nowler]

i am not taking sides on this one, but loopy do not compare to schmidt&amp;bender scopes. in terms of build quality and optical quality, S&amp;B are way ahead. go out at last light with one of each and see which one has better light gathering skills.... it won't be the loopy.

don't get me wrong, i have 3 loopy scopes and like them a lot, but they aint in the same league as S&amp;B.

now if only S&amp;B would do 1/4min clicks and better reticles....

 

[ds]

G.G.

I will take as many of those inferior eurotrash S@B, Zeiss, swarovski and Hensold scopes as you would like to sell me for up to 100$ each - sounds like a fair price for a piece of trash to me.

David.

 

[goodgrouper]

Light gathering is only one facet of a good scope. There are many other things that have to be there to turn an average scope into a great scope. And to my eye, the Leupolds still look brighter than S&amp;B's and I also agree with you that S&amp;B's reticles are not as good. All in all, the scopes brightness is in the eye of the beholder and my eyes are different than yours. But one solid fact remains, there are more Leupolds riding atop 1000 yard br guns than all your euro scopes combined and that is not because they stink and not because they break. It is just the opposite.

Aside from arguing scopes, the main point of the post was to show how good their warranty is and how awesome their customer service is. And they are just as I said, "hard to beat".

 

[jb1000br]

Leupold brighter than S&amp;B? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

WOW!

The S&amp;B PM2 will trash any leupold scope, and do things nightforce glass wont do.

The owner of snipershide, and our own Ric Horst can attest to this after going thru a slew of leupolds and NF's only to end up at S&amp;B!

--&gt; http://www.6mmbr.com/SchmidtBenderPM2.html

JB

 

[duckinalaska]

I love every brand that has been mentioned, but you cannot compare these scopes. S&amp;B cost twice as much as a Leupold. It would not be fair to judge between the two.

 

[nowler]

all of the scopes mentioned are good for different things.

i have 3 loopys and 2 nf scopes on my f-class and target rifles. all are great for that application.

for low light shooting, and general robustness and unbreakability (new word there folks) loopys do not have a look in against S&amp;B scopes. i am not talking about reticles here, just build quality and optical quality. S&amp;B win every time.

loopys may adorn more 1000yd guns than any other maker. i'd venture to guess that this is because they have a lot of internal adjustment, are reasonably priced with a good choice of reticles, and they fix them for free when they break, and break they do. i have heard of more loopy scopes going haywire than any other major manufacturer out there.

don't get me wrong though, i have 3 and love them to bits, but they don't compare to the so called eurotrash.

 

[Wild_Bill]

Hi i was wondering if the Leuopold target scopes are so good why do people send them to Premier Reticle's to have them FIXED before the even fit them to there rifles. Also there is a move in Benchrest to freeze the Leuopold Benchrest scopes and use adjustable rings because they do not track reliably. I actualy use Weaver T36 scopes for F Class and 1000 yard benchrest they might not be as bright in some peopl's minds but i dont shoot at noght with them and they have what most recognise the best tracking in the world for target scopes. I have Leuopold scopes and was told that my scope broken in an accedent a VXII 3-9x40 i could send it back but if it was'nt a manufacturing fault it wont be covered so i have not sent it from Australia just in case they then decide to fix it and charge me a heap on an old model scope it is just sitting at the back of the safe useless and there old warrentee that used to cover any faults or damage dosent cover it any more. Ps i have a few euro trash scopes i had a Kahles 8x56 that had a big rust spot on the objective bell it they replaced the Tube for free and gave me a Kahles watch for the inconvenience.

Cheers Bill
Australia


[ QUOTE ]
all of the scopes mentioned are good for different things.

loopys may adorn more 1000yd guns than any other maker. i'd venture to guess that this is because they have a lot of internal adjustment, are reasonably priced with a good choice of reticles, and they fix them for free when they break, and break they do. i have heard of more loopy scopes going haywire than any other major manufacturer out there.

don't get me wrong though, i have 3 and love them to bits, but they don't compare to the so called eurotrash.

[/ QUOTE ]