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Old December 8, 2012, 12:37 AM   #1
dirtymoney
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Join Date: September 15, 2012
Location: tx
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Leupold VX-3 problems

ok, purchaced a new 4.5x14x40mm in august then had it mounted and bore sighted on a .257wby mag vangard by the local company i bought it from.

Facts:
-had it a couple of months before i could really play with my new rig
-Leupold is a good company from what I've heard (have awesome scopes, but this is my first Leupold. Got the Ziess Diavari, etc...)
-bases and rings are both Weaver Grand Slam (undecided, but beside the point)
-has turrent elevation on top of scope (first time to deal with this, but wanting to learn)

Problem:
-after local guys bore sighted it, it shot a bit low and to the left at 100. Maybe 2" low and 2.5"left, not too bad. Then i take to the range...after a couple of more shots...its officially off the reservation!!! (the kinda shot you have NO idea where it went)
-back to the gun shop, and they tighten up everything and the guy sez it obviously wasnt bore sighted (BS!!!!!) then bore sighted it.
-back to the range. Still way off, shootin about 20 inches high at 50 yards!
-SERIOUS investigation takes place
-in trying to establish a "scope square" at 25 yards i discover there is NO vertical adj on the scope!

I would like to know if anyone has had this kind of problem, or any like it?
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Old December 8, 2012, 10:52 AM   #2
johnbt
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About ten years ago my father decided to buy his younger brother a new scope for his 70th birthday. As instructed, I picked out a mid-priced variable Leupold hunting scope and everybody was happy until my uncle mounted it on his deer rifle, an early Browning BAR .30-06, and stepped into the yard to sight it in.

The first 7 shots each zoomed off in a different direction. Back to Leupold it went and it's been fine ever since. Stuff happens.

John
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Old December 8, 2012, 11:21 AM   #3
CharlieDeltaJuliet
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I agree, it is probably just a bad scope. I would contact Leupold. Every scope manufacturer can have a "dud". I had one in a NightForce. They took care of it, as will Leupold. I hate to hear of your troubles though. I know how frustrating it can be.
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Old December 8, 2012, 10:37 PM   #4
tAKticool
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Join Date: November 16, 2010
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Without going into a huge dissertation like I am unfortunately famous for, I just bought a Nikon Monarch 5-20x44mm SF BDC for my new Remington 700 .308. I was close Close CLOSE to buying several Leupold VX3's, probably nothing closer than about to buy and hand the card over at the store, a VX3 4.5-14x50mm Boone and Crockett Illuminated Reticle scope...was over $1000 and I wanted to spend every dime, I really likedth it. I then compared a Nikon Monarch right next to it and wound up liking the Monarch a little more and saving double.. like $550 vs. $1100+ so... I had to go Monarch.


ANYWAY, i did not buy it at the store cause they were astrobuelers .. really not nice. I ordered online from Dick'sSportingGoods and i got 25% off Cyber Monday. When it came in it actually looked like the box had been previously opened and perhaps the scope was a return from someone else? But I couls not prove it, I was super excited, and there was no signs of obvious damage/physical marks.


So I could not get it bored sighted, so I took it to Dicks. The kid tried and sayd Dude we are waaaay off and maximum adjusted, I think its Defective. I said, I think it ight have been a return or defective when I received it but I was really excited about it.he was like, SAY NO MORE we are returning it and ordering a new one on the spot. Which we did, supposed to come in next week Wednesday maybe... Now was I disappointed I am not out shooting yet? Sure.. But DicksSportingGoods went out of their way to help, I am sure it was not Nikons fault it was physically damaged the first time around and no one eve sent t back to Nikon, some shatboi somewhere just turned it around to mt house instead of RETURNING IT to producer.

So these things happen. rereading your post i see no mention of return. Why not just get them to give u a new one, for all tat money you HAVE to. Good luck broter!
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Old December 9, 2012, 12:31 AM   #5
HiBC
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Agreed anythoing could happen.Agreed,its possible a defective scope escaped Leupold.If so,they will take care of you.

Sometimes there is more to mounting a scope than having a retail clerk who happens to work behind a guncounter screw the parts together.A perfectly good scope can fail due to ring and mount misalignment.

Boresighting using a device at the gunstore is a nice convenience to save a little ammo and probably get you on paper at 100 yds,but if you are off paper at 100 yds,try 25 yds.Saves going back to town.

Now,one thing I am curious about.You mentioned an elevation turret,and you said the scope had no elevation adjustment.That opens some possibilities.

What do you have?Target knob? CDS?,Stoney point accessory knobs?

Target knob,uses setscrews so you can set ref zero.Setscrews tight?CDS,I have not tried yet,have you studied the instructions?

Stoney Point knob,accessory that engages factory elevation adj,if that is what is there,likely it is not a scope problem,but an accessory problem.

It will be a good outfit when you sort it out!
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Old December 9, 2012, 12:45 PM   #6
dirtymoney
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First off thanks to everyone who responded, input is nice.

tAKticool, yeah im going to send it back on monday at this point I have no other choice. I hope its not gone too long.

HiBC, it has the CDS half height adjustment that has the set screws that attach the turrent to the stud where the vertical adjustments are made. When turning the knob to adjust it has a solid 'click' to it, its not mushy at all. And yeah, read the instructions several times now lol. Its like it will turn normally, positive 'click' but nothing happens.

Also, there is no ending to the adjustment. example, most scopes that i have have a 'window' of the number of clicks between the top and bottom of the adj range. If i remember right i think one had a range of either 60 or 80 clicks. I dont remember exactly, its been a long time and thats not something that i enjoy having to find out IYKWIM

It seems as if the knob isnt attached to the crosshairs inside the scope, IDK. And i agree, I think it will be a good rig, im really excited about the whole set up, (caliber and optics) just need to sort this mess out.

I got through to customer service and they gave me a simple test to do, and said if that didnt work, send it back in. I did the test, and still more of the same.

Again thanks for the input
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Old December 9, 2012, 02:45 PM   #7
redrick
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They have good customer service from my experience.
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Old December 9, 2012, 08:38 PM   #8
tAKticool
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dirtymoney I want to first thank you for capitalizing my name's AK letters, that was extremely generous of you lol Thanks.

And just for record, of course you never WANT to have to send it back, like I certainly didn't. What I had to clarify to someone else was, i *SHOULD have immediately * decided to send it back when Irealized I was not the first person to have received this as a purchase and opened that box. But I was damned excited, it was a great deal, it was going to be my first "sniper rifle" and my newest neatest etc. I could not wait to start sneaking snipes at the neighbors houses across the fields and retention basins etc. and do a little Call of Duty fantasizin lol.



BUT I tried to make it work and it was not working so i.. in my case the guys at Dick's were awesome - they insisted on returning it and re-ordering a new one. Now had I have to deal with the warranty I would have been mad, since itwas brand new and defective on reception. In Nikon's case it's got a basically full on lifetime warranty....So I would b feeling safe that it would EVENTUALLY get replaced. But still mad that I didnt receive a pristine setup/.

You are screwed because you had to wait a few months before messing with it so you can't return it, you hav to warranty it? That sucks. You could try complaining and see if you can't finesse a little TLC-Customer Service from them.
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Old December 10, 2012, 07:25 AM   #9
rebs
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I have a Leupold scope and the windage adjustment would not go far enough to be able to sight it in, this was after I owned it for almost 8 years. I called Leupold and the guy sent to send it in, I did and got it back in brand new condition and it has been great ever since.
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