Optics Planet had some smokin deals on Leupold so I ordered a VXR Patrol 3-9 for a bench/hunting scope. Well it arrived with a canted reticle and 2 droplets in the glass closest to the eye box. I have 6 Leupolds and this is the first one to be bad. Shame to. The glass looked like crystal except for the droplets.
Ok, should I go through Optics Planet or Leupold for a replacement?
----------------------------------------------------------- TCB all the time...
October 18, 2018, 06:41 PM
MNSIG
Call Leupold with the serial number. It may be a knock off considering the place of purchase
October 18, 2018, 06:49 PM
Il Cattivo
Plus I would expect the manufacturer to be more responsive than a drop shipper. Unless it is fake, of course.
October 18, 2018, 07:07 PM
smithnsig
quote:
Originally posted by MNSIG: Call Leupold with the serial number. It may be a knock off considering the place of purchase
Optics Planet sells knockoffs? I seriously doubt this is a knockoff. I know Leupold packaging and literature. There is nothing there to make me think knockoff.
----------------------------------------------------------- TCB all the time...
October 18, 2018, 08:17 PM
sigfreund
Leupold definitely. Their scopes all carry lifetime warranties, and I’ve always been satisfied with any issues I’ve had to have corrected. Go on their site and there’s a place to get authorization to send it back (although that's not absolutely required).
Only if for some reason it isn't a genuine Leupold product would I bother with OpticsPlanet.
► 6.4/93.6
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October 18, 2018, 10:47 PM
hrcjon
me if I just got it I'd head to OP> but in any case if its not a fake Leupold will fix it.
“So in war, the way is to avoid what is strong, and strike at what is weak.”
October 19, 2018, 08:22 AM
IndianaBoy
quote:
Originally posted by MNSIG: Call Leupold with the serial number. It may be a knock off considering the place of purchase
Optics planet has a shit website and their games with in/out of stock makes me generally avoid them.
Have never, ever heard of them selling fraudulent gear. That is an Ebay/Amazon thing from non verified sellers.
October 19, 2018, 08:49 AM
gearhounds
quote:
Originally posted by sigfreund: Leupold definitely. Their scopes all carry lifetime warranties, and I’ve always been satisfied with any issues I’ve had to have corrected. Go on their site and there’s a place to get authorization to send it back (although that's not absolutely required).
Only if for some reason it isn't a genuine Leupold product would I bother with OpticsPlanet.
Definitely go with direct contact with Leupold. I bought a used rifle with a Vari-XII on it that looked great. I didn't pull the caps until I got home and found that the elevation adjusted was damaged beyond function. I called Leupold and gave them ALL the information. They didn't care that I was not the original owner; they had me send it in and promptly sent me a replacement scope. I'm a Leupold buyer for life when buying new.This message has been edited. Last edited by: gearhounds,
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October 19, 2018, 09:05 AM
MG34_Dan
From experience, Leupold has great customer support. Some years back I picked up a really beat up Leupold bench rest 36X scope at a gun show for $75. I sent it in for customer service, cleaning adjustment, etc., and was told it was too old and too damaged for service. I was then offered a discount to exchange my scope for a NIB bench rest 36X scope for $75. I jumped on that offer.
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October 19, 2018, 10:04 AM
WARPIG602
I'll vote going through Leupold as well. Ive only had one issue that required LEupold serivce, it was on a pair of 10 year old binos.....Leupold repalced them with a higher end model. Ive since sold off 99% of all my other hunting optics in favor of Leupold. Warranty aside, they glass is pretty good and I havent broken one yet.
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October 20, 2018, 11:22 PM
GySgt D
My recently purchased VX-R Patrol was also defective straight out of the box. The illumination would not work properly.
Having had to return a different scope twice back to Leupold for service about ten years ago, I can say that they have a fairly good turnaround time. It was something like ten days, IIRC. Of course, I had to send it right back to them a month later for the same problem...
October 23, 2018, 10:57 AM
samnev
As others have suggested I'd go thru Leupold first. They will fix or replace your scope in a timely manner with no hassle.
October 24, 2018, 02:30 PM
darkest2000
OP has some of the best return/exchange policies, not sure where the idea that they sell knockoff scopes come from, but to me they're a straight shooter.
Either one will take care of it but going through OP will save you shipping both ways, not sure if Leopold themselves offer that.
October 24, 2018, 04:59 PM
smithnsig
quote:
Originally posted by darkest2000: OP has some of the best return/exchange policies, not sure where the idea that they sell knockoff scopes come from, but to me they're a straight shooter.
Either one will take care of it but going through OP will save you shipping both ways, not sure if Leopold themselves offer that.
Hah! Nope. Just paid to have it shipped back. Defective in the package and I had to send it. Maybe they will send some freebies on the way back.
----------------------------------------------------------- TCB all the time...
October 30, 2018, 05:20 PM
jimb888
Based strictly on things I've read, I would NEVER buy anything from Optics Planet.
As an aside, I sold one a super long range Leupold Scope - I forget the model but it was the most expensive scope they had at the time (actually traded it for some Svoroski binocs) and the interesting thing to me is that when the fella came in with teh binos to trade, he called the S/N into Leupold to verify that they were authentic and not knock offs. Leupold was happy to run the numbers for him. Then the trader/buyer encouraged me to call Swvorski, turns out they have the same service. Furthermore, the Swvorski folks also track stolen items if you report the theft to them.
October 30, 2018, 05:35 PM
smithnsig
They received the scope and said the “service” would take 36 days. I return emailed and stated I didn’t want “service”. I want it replaced due to it being delivered defective out of the box.
I wish I would have went through Optics Planet. I’m bout to get the runaround I think.
----------------------------------------------------------- TCB all the time...
October 30, 2018, 08:07 PM
onpointgun
quote:
Originally posted by jimb888: Based strictly on things I've read, I would NEVER buy anything from Optics Planet.
As an aside, I sold one a super long range Leupold Scope - I forget the model but it was the most expensive scope they had at the time (actually traded it for some Svoroski binocs) and the interesting thing to me is that when the fella came in with teh binos to trade, he called the S/N into Leupold to verify that they were authentic and not knock offs. Leupold was happy to run the numbers for him. Then the trader/buyer encouraged me to call Swvorski, turns out they have the same service. Furthermore, the Swvorski folks also track stolen items if you report the theft to them.
I did the same thing with Trijicon.
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October 30, 2018, 09:53 PM
sigcrazy7
quote:
Originally posted by smithnsig: They received the scope and said the “service” would take 36 days. I return emailed and stated I didn’t want “service”. I want it replaced due to it being delivered defective out of the box.
I wish I would have went through Optics Planet. I’m bout to get the runaround I think.
There might be a silver lining here. Their service people are specialists who will spend the time to get it right, vs another scope from the assembly line. One can hope.
Demand not that events should happen as you wish; but wish them to happen as they do happen, and you will go on well. -Epictetus
October 31, 2018, 07:54 AM
smithnsig
For everyone running down Optics Planet, they have been perfect in everything they have done.
I chose to go through Leupold based on what I have “heard”. So far they have drug around, taking over a week to respond, then told me it would be 36 days before service.
Had I went through Optics a Planet, I would have had a replacement scope no questions asked.
Lesson learned. Leupold has no customer service. Their warrantee May be lifetime, but it also takes a lifetime. Mind you, this isn’t a warrantee issue at all, it arrived defective.
----------------------------------------------------------- TCB all the time...
November 05, 2018, 07:23 AM
reloader-1
This is how I personally differentiate between warranty and return options:
If I can return a defective new product for a full refund, I do so, every time. Only after I am out of that return window will I consider sending the item to the manufacturer.
Why? Because when I buy a new product, I expect it to work and be new. If I wanted a “refurbished” product, I would have bought one. As the OP found out, if you go through the “service” route, you run the very real risk of having the same defective item being repaired and sent to you.