new guy here and have a question

[1handwill.gc]

By the way, I don’t mean the better brands are not better. They definitely are Schmit & Bender even eight years after owning it you send it back they’ll fix it. The problem is I’ll take 4 to 8 weeks and I’ll probably cost you two to $400 depending on the parts you broke, but I don’t know this is just my experience.

 

[JimD]

With Athlon it is no questions asked, no proof of purchase. If you are in possession of an Athlon scopes that doesn't work you send it in and not much more than a week later a new scope arrives.

 

[greg1978]

I purchased an Element scope thru Utah AG and had a crack (or something? ) in a lense. Contacted UA, they had me email some pictures then sent me a FedEx return slip and shipped me out a new scope. No problem. Took like a week and all was good!
Sorry for your rough luck but I'm sure the manufacturer will make it right...

 

[RickH]

A cheap scope is generally going to be a cheap scope. The good stuff is priced higher no matter the what the product is.

Rick H.

 

[Shelbygt500]

If its really that cloudy they should take it back. Amazon is good for optics, if you don't like it you return it no problem.

well he said there site says 15 days on scopes and up to 25% re stock fee 1st time customer and gets screwed $600.00
gets told no refund. sounds to me like they used to be good and got to big to quick like there 50% off sale
which is a joke in reality his wife decided to call the credit card and open a dispute not as described.
he said the book says Chinese glass yet the advertisement for element says German
looks like my old Tacca scope on my Crossman wait that Tosca is actually clearer
i thought about buying a new scope myself gen 2 or 5 or maybe a vortex razor hd gen 2 soon
never had an issue with pyramid .

 

[Shelbygt500]

A cheap scope is generally going to be a cheap scope. The good stuff is priced higher no matter the what the product is.

Rick H.

well i guess elements 6-700 scopes are junk as i see it i told hid to buy a Hawke they blow element away in clarity
well there is one dealer that is going to losse a 2-3k scope sale no refunds or swap to upgrade then no thanks
also RICK my buddy don't have a lot of money so what you call cheap isn't for him

I purchased an Element scope thru Utah AG and had a crack (or something? ) in a lense. Contacted UA, they had me email some pictures then sent me a FedEx return slip and shipped me out a new scope. No problem. Took like a week and all was good!
Sorry for your rough luck but I'm sure the manufacturer will make it right...

he emailed them they said he had to go through the dealer either way they just lost a 2-3k sale from me
I'm going to stick with Pyramid they have always treated me well.

 

[cavedweller]

hello all
new to the site and have a question about buying scopes.
a good buddy of mine just got into this hobby a few months ago
we don't have any air gun shops here or within 4 hrs. of driving.
in any case, he just bought a new scope after watching the manufacturers video on the scope
along with reviews, the scope comes he is all excited opens the box
slides the plastic off the scope .
looks through the scope and his reaction was its cloudy.
i said lets put it on the tri pod and look down the yard, he said its not clear
its cloudy still,,, i look through the scope definitely cloudy not clear
like it looked in the video, then again they had a camera on a mount centered behind the eye box
so i turn the power up to 16x this is a 6 -24 x50 gen2
a dark eyebrow appears look away look back still dark turn the power down it goes away.
i said look through my old Hawke sidewinder that's about the same price as the gen2.
set it up on the tri pod he said wow what a difference he said same money i said within 100 bucks
so he calls the dealer to ask if he can swap it out.
comes back and says because i opened the box and looked through the scope its non returnable
i said to him how are you supposed to know there is no dealers to go see it in person
what kind of BS is that i called and asked what the problem is with swapping it out its brand new
he opened the box we both looked through it and to be honest its far from clear this supposedly has
German glass in a Chinese made element? i said regardless he don't want it and it was not mounted
best we can do is give you halfback, i said no now you pissed me off.
the way i see it call your credit card company tell them its not as described.
they refunded him and i said that was one dealer i thought you would never have an issue with
some dealers forget where they started, and its things like this i do not like to see or hear about
so how is one supposed to buy a scope when there is no dealer around?
no returns for just looking through it that is pathetic and gives me a bad taste in my mouth

It would help to know:
scope make / model / magnification range etc.. first focal plane, second focal plane = some specifics about the actual product bought
Next up = who was the cheezy seller?
many scope manufacturers have lifetime warranties...
I own Element scopes myself and NEVER had a clarity issue with any of them.

 

[Shelbygt500]

It would help to know:
scope make / model / magnification range etc.. first focal plane, second focal plane = some specifics about the actual product bought
Next up = who was the cheezy seller?
many scope manufacturers have lifetime warranties...
I own Element scopes myself and NEVER had a clarity issue with any of them.

its the new Element Helix 6-24x50 gen 2 FFP nice scope for the money and what he could spend rock solid turrets.
i ended up giving him my Hawke Sidewinder 6-24x50 SFP as he cannot afford to buy another scope right now.
the dealer id rather not put there name out there but will say there one of the top 3 or was i wont buy anymore from them.
i couldn't imagine if i bought a Theo's or gen 2 and didn't like it and someone said sorry no returns
i see more of this type behavior when places forget where they started that's the problem all about that dollar.. imo

 

[maxtrouble]

its the new Element Helix 6-24x50 gen 2 FFP nice scope for the money and what he could spend rock solid turrets.
i ended up giving him my Hawke Sidewinder 6-24x50 SFP as he cannot afford to buy another scope right now.
the dealer id rather not put there name out there but will say there one of the top 3 or was i wont buy anymore from them.
i couldn't imagine if i bought a Theo's or gen 2 and didn't like it and someone said sorry no returns
i see more of this type behavior when places forget where they started that's the problem all about that dollar.. imo

Caveat Emptor. Cross that vendor off your list. Sounds like he might have sent you a lemon. Contact the scope company and get an RMA for a replacement.

Glad you gave him a Sidewinder. Awesome scopes. I am a Hawke scope fan. I have had a few issues with Hawke scopes in the past. Always received a new one after completing an RMA at their website. The last one was replaced in under a week back in 2023.

 

[JimNM]

The OP states that the vendor is one of the TOP THREE vendors. That is zero percent informative. My top three are going to be vastly different than someone in Massachusetts' top three.

It would add a lot of credibility to know the WHOLE STORY up front. Having to pull teeth to get the information is a waste of time and detracts from the issue at hand.

What vendor can't be trusted to buy "quality" scopes from?

 

[CharlieF]

Me thinks he protest too much!

 

[cavedweller]

its the new Element Helix 6-24x50 gen 2 FFP nice scope for the money and what he could spend rock solid turrets.
i ended up giving him my Hawke Sidewinder 6-24x50 SFP as he cannot afford to buy another scope right now.
the dealer id rather not put there name out there but will say there one of the top 3 or was i wont buy anymore from them.
i couldn't imagine if i bought a Theo's or gen 2 and didn't like it and someone said sorry no returns
i see more of this type behavior when places forget where they started that's the problem all about that dollar.. imo

It's always appropriate to leave vendor feedback

 

[Jay308]

after that bs i gave him my Hawke sidewinder for free that Element gen 2 Chinese scope don't have German glass, if it does its the lenses that were rejected

Element scopes are bad, just marketing.

 

[cavedweller]

Element scopes are bad, just marketing.

Element scopes are good... you can always get a bad scope... even a bad March or Sightron can show up... or perhaps a lens coating failed for some reason. Look at their warranty.... if they were bad they would be out of business quickly.

PLATINUM LIFETIME WARRANTY​

As shooters, we know that there is nothing worse than being let down by your equipment. We have made every effort to build a rugged, reliable product that will not break under any normal circumstances, and have implemented some of the strictest quality control measures in the industry. However, we know that things can go wrong, and that’s why we stand behind our Platinum Lifetime Warranty. This includes lifetime cover for any products damaged through normal use, and requires no registration, proof of purchase or transfer. If you have a problem, we will fix it. It’s that easy!
All our rifle scopes & accessories are covered by the Platinum Lifetime Warranty, with the exception of electronic components in our electro-optics products (HYPR-7 & Rangefinders). *The Platinum Lifetime Warranty does not cover loss, theft, deliberate damage or cosmetic damage that does not hinder the performance of the product. https://element-optics.com/warranty/

Element has a few different price point categories (lines of scopes) low end to high end, and generally each fits the market at the suitable price point... BUT, quality assurance can be a problem for any company.

The cheaper the product is generally means the less quality assurance check points it goes through and or the cheaper the labor pool / production market and materials used or all three.... there are of course plenty of people who think spending more on a thing guarantees better quality but this is not always true. The trick is finding what works for you (meets your needs and expectations) at the right price point.

I don't buy cheap airguns, not because they are bad... i just want a certain level of quality control and warranty to back up my purchase. Same with scopes. Elements warranty is stellar.

 

[RickH]

well i guess elements 6-700 scopes are junk as i see it i told hid to buy a Hawke they blow element away in clarity
well there is one dealer that is going to losse a 2-3k scope sale no refunds or swap to upgrade then no thanks
also RICK my buddy don't have a lot of money so what you call cheap isn't for him

he emailed them they said he had to go through the dealer either way they just lost a 2-3k sale from me
I'm going to stick with Pyramid they have always treated me well.

I’m talking about scopes in the maybe $50 or less range. My budget is far from unlimited but I find that at some point a low price isn’t a bargain. Do I put an $600 Leupold on my Maximus? No but I don’t put a $30 scope on a rimfire target rifle either. I would tell your friend to determine what he needs from the rifle, set a budget and purchase with those things in mind. I’ve been able to purchase a very good pcp rifle in .22, .25 and .177, put a useable scope on it that will last and shoot moa groups at 40-50 yards delivering 25 or more shots without needing a recharge and put the whole rig together for under $400. Shop around, do some research and he will be able to put to have a fine rifle.

Rick H.

 

[karl_h]

By the way, I don’t mean the better brands are not better. They definitely are Schmit & Bender even eight years after owning it you send it back they’ll fix it. The problem is I’ll take 4 to 8 weeks and I’ll probably cost you two to $400 depending on the parts you broke, but I don’t know this is just my experience.

I own lots of top of the line Swarovski's and Zeiss, none of the price point stuff they make. I own one Schmidt & Bender that was kind of an accidental purchase. I only had one occasion to use their repair facilities and I knew it was going to cost me. Idiot friend broke the eyecup adjustment on my Swarvovski binos, they were 10 years old give or take at the time, no warranty. Besides that they were not supported by american importer, they all but told me to f-off since they were a special deal with the company in Europe with a native american tribe that had a half dozen left their members didn't want to pay for and I got it for about 30%+ off normal price. After talking to an english speaking gentleman overseas at Swarovski I got the address and permission to ship them to them after being completely honest they were broken by an idiot and were not defective. I got an email notification from them they were on site, the next email I got from them was a reply to one I sent them a month later, they said they were mailed back to me and are in transit. I replied to that email and asked about the charge and paying, never got a reply to that one. They arrived a few days later with a long sheet of inspections, testing lenses,, cleaning, collimating since they took them completely apart, new seals, essentially brand new bino's. I forget how many hours of labor were listed, it was no charge at the end. So it only cost me money to ship them overseas and not a penny over that, not even shipping back to me. At the time, that wasn't uncommon from all the big 3 European manufactures on their top of line products. That was 20 years ago roughly, things change and they may charge for more things these days, hope I never have to find out.

 

[1handwill.gc]

Yes, when it comes to customer service, the three big ones from Europe are pretty good recently. I had an issue with a much more inexpensive veyron optics. I contacted them. They sent me a new one and a later email. They asked me to send back the broken scope unfortunately when it broke, I has to get off so I can continue shooting and I think I lost it so I contacted the company to let them know I don’t have it and I’m still waiting to see if they want me to pay for the replacement. They said even if I have to pay for the replacement I must say it to come less than 24 hours to ship me the new one and I got some extras from the company so these tells you when the company stands behind a customers and their customer service it doesn’t matter if you pay $4000 or $200 for a scope good customer service is still alive and well at least for some companies. Thank you for your reply and I have used Soroky scopes and binoculars, and they are very, very good, especially for hunting in the woods.