Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Leupold update

As I posted a few weeks ago, inquiring about Leupold's turn around time. I thought I would update.
I sent in a VARI-X 3x9x33 Compact Gloss Duplex that the elevation (friction) adjustment was VERY hard to operate, and a VARI-XII 3X9X40 Gloss Duplex that the magnification ring was hard to turn.
I called them last week and inquired about them and CS service said they were repaired and would be here on the 16th. They were off a day, IDC. No biggie.

The compact Service activity for the compact reads

Reworked selector ring
Reworked Erector system
Replace eyepiece assembly/lens
Replaced elevation adjustment
Complete internal inspection

The amount of adj. from optical center when received by Leupold was 7 at the 12 o'clock position and 5 at the 3 o'clock position. I assume this means inches of elevation available and windage to the right IDK. It has been on several rifles through the years.
Now it is 42 at 12 o'clock and 27 at 6 o'clock. 29 at 3 o'clock and 31 at 9 o'clock as looking at a crosshair diagram. I guess that means they centered the crosshairs pretty close. Close enough for me I'm sure
The adjustments work slightly firm but very smooth. Very happy with this outcome. This scope was purchased from a friend of mine in 1993 to go on a mountain rifle I built on a 98 mauser. I call it Mr. Ugly because it sits in a Brown Precision pounder that has never been touched. Ugly but very functiional.

The VARI-X II has no notes other than the standard test for tracking, image quality etc. The magnification ring is also very smooth again. That one is going on a Argentine 1909 300win mag I built several years ago.

Very satisfied with Leupold CS and products. I did put a note in the shipping box that I did not want them replaced. Fix them or just send them back.

I'd post some pics but it is just too aggravating to do here.

Lots of Leupold hate on the Campfire. I have always had good luck with their optics, and when needed, (not often) with their customer service.

I have a 3.5-10X AO w friction adj, and a few marks from yrs of use...... proly send that one back.
Will tell em to check, and fix as needed, or send back, no replace.
Proly move it to my CZ455 when it comes back (the #1B currently on will get my M8 10X AO).

Well, that is good news. Some guys were saying they would not fix the older gloss scopes anymore and more than likely replace with a cheap freedom scope, if I remember right. I'm glad they did not do that to you because some of these older gloss Leupolds are worth some money right now. Thanks for the update..

You're welcome. That compact is special as I bought it from the gunsmith I worked for at the local gunshop in the early 90's. Sadly he died way too soon about 17 years ago due to a brain tumor. Miss him greatly as he was a fine smith and one of my best friends. I still have his bolt handle welding jig, action wrench, and Forster sight drilling fixture. Gave them to me before he passed.

Got to close eyes getting wet...

I have a Vari-X IIc I'll never part with. I won it in a drawing at an NRA banquet I attended with my father thirty years ago. We had a great time that evening, and it's a nice memento on top of having been a reliable scope for me.

I’ve only sent one in for repair, something came loose internally and was rattling inside the scope. When I filled out their repair order with all the pertinent info, they asked if I wanted them to replace the scope if they deemed it necessary for whatever reason. So you have the option. They don’t just replace your gloss scope with a Freedom without your consent.

True wrt asking for your permission whether to send your scope back vs sending a replacement. Who else is going to fix one for you? Don't want to sell a known "dud" to someone else either, which may have been what happened to me on one of mine.

I have had 2 that they could not repair, one an M-8 8x w/ AO that they sent me a replacement FX III 6x that I had to haggle for. I would have rather kept the M-8 just because I had really liked that set-up.. they didn't have the parts. They had already discontinued the FX II 6x 36mm, which would have been my first choice! The other was the Vari X I 3-9x compact that they could not repair (used but never used by me). Can't remember the part they did not have but repair was not an option! I ended up agreeing to a Freedom 2-7x that I sold NIB after I received it.

I just was not enamored with the new Freedom line. The FX III 6x (still in the box) was fine/fair but it seems people even did not find some of those as reliable as the old ones.

For awhile, I wondered if someone at the shop kind of wanted the old 8x w/ AO...
Maybe they have "scrapped" enough of the old ones to have a few extra parts floating around for certain repairs?

To their credit, a replacement policy is still better than nothing!!! Leupold just experienced too many changes too quickly for me in their product lines, repair capabilities, and custom shop options. Sort of similar in some ways to the Cabelas/Bass Pro debacle IMHO...

They have 2 of my scopes now. Just doing a check up on both as I bought them used. Wanted to have them check them out before I mounted them. I got an email stating they got them on 2/23.

Thanks for the update.
Leupold scopes sure have served me well over the years.

In the past I had repaired 4-6 Leupold's a year for several decades....picked up a couple Nikons years before they quit making them.....they are the only scopes that I never have broken.....they are the only scopes I own.....

I Haven't bought a new scope in 30 years, except a Freedom 3X9 a couple years back. Never had to send in any of my half-dozen Leupolds or either of the two Tasco's I have. Trust me, they aren't treated gently!

Perhaps the volume of Leupold complaints is due to the huge numbers of L scopes in circulation? It seems like the gold standard for hunting rifles down South is Browning rifles adorned with Leupold scopes. Just a non-scientific observation.

They state 5 weeks from the time they receive it. In reality I got the official “received” email one week after they actually signed for it. It did ship back exactly 5 weeks after that. It took UPS exactly one week both ways. Meaning it was out of my possession 8 weeks total.

On a side note they stated they found nothing wrong with the erector BUT they rebuilt it anyway.

I have sent 2 Leupold scopes back for repair. Have owned probably 20 or so over the last 50 years. One was repaired. the other was replaced. Both came back with in 6 weeks. The one that was replaced was VX II 6-18x40, and was replaced with a new one. I had no problems with their customer service.

I have no problem with Leupold, period!

Good to hear!

I agree on picture uploading

This site is cutting edge for 2005

Sent a Zeiss back that from the factory was bottomed out in elevation adjustment and still wouldn't zero at 100 yards. They made it right but took quite a while.

Sent one Swarovski back that the eyepiece end popped off when it slid and bumped my blind- had to go overseas for repair. Sent another one back with a cracked internal lens. They refused to fix it and said it needed a main tube because it was "highly damaged" by scope rings. Wanted $500 to rebuild. Had them return it, and passed it on to someone else to deal with. Had a set of SLC bino's. Internal lens fogged. They asked how old they were, if I was the original owner, and if it was a result of "abuse". They still didn't say they would warranty it. Said they had to be presented for inspection. I traded those in with a Swarovski dealer to go towards a rifle. Figured he would have more influence getting them fixed.

Have head multiple times of a box of parts sent back to Leupold after a horse trampled it, got ran over by a truck, or fell down a mountain. No questions asked, it was fixed or replaced free, no questions asked.

Sure about that

Right.