The Down Range Forum
Member Section => Down Range Cafe => Topic started by: alfsauve on December 29, 2008, 01:21:36 PM
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Well at least I think it is a problem
I purchased a VX-I 4-12x scope this fall, and I've never been able to see clearly through it.
I'll only got 2 other quality scopes to compare it with, a Bushnell Legend (w/ AO) and a fixed power Nikon Monarch.
The Legend has AO as well as an eyepiece focus so it is of course no problem. The Nikon is a 6x fixed and everything is just fine.
Here's what's happening: At 100yards the scope's not in focus! Now I admit my eyes aren't the best, but I've tried it, seriously tried it, with both my glass and my contacts. Both of which correct my vision to 20/20. The target always is a little out of focus.
The eyepiece adjustment (according to Leupold) is only for focusing the reticule. I've run it all the way out and all the way in, the TARGET focus doesn't change. This is for all power settings. In fact the eyepiece focus doesn't seem to change the reticule much as all either.
Anybody else experienced this? Is it just me? Should I contact Leupold? (Hate to waste their time.)
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Well at least I think it is a problem
I purchased a VX-I 4-12x scope this fall, and I've never been able to see clearly through it.
I'll only got 2 other quality scopes to compare it with, a Bushnell Legend (w/ AO) and a fixed power Nikon Monarch.
The Legend has AO as well as an eyepiece focus so it is of course no problem. The Nikon is a 6x fixed and everything is just fine.
Here's what's happening: At 100yards the scope's not in focus! Now I admit my eyes aren't the best, but I've tried it, seriously tried it, with both my glass and my contacts. Both of which correct my vision to 20/20. The target always is a little out of focus.
The eyepiece adjustment (according to Leupold) is only for focusing the reticule. I've run it all the way out and all the way in, the TARGET focus doesn't change. This is for all power settings. In fact the eyepiece focus doesn't seem to change the reticule much as all either.
Anybody else experienced this? Is it just me? Should I contact Leupold? (Hate to waste their time.)
I'd call. Sounds like something on the inside of one of the lenses or they are just slightly out of position. Nobody is perfect.
The not so good alternative is something on YOUR lenses, have you been checked for the beginning of cataracts lately?
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have you been checked for the beginning of cataracts lately?
Not for a couple of years, but then they would have to "Leupold cataracts" seeing as how the Nikon and Bushnell scopes are clear.
Looking out the basement window at the hill across the cr'ck, I'm convinced the Leupold should be better. The Nicon 6x can see a small drain pipe prefectly clear as can the Bushnell, but the "L" is just a little hazy. I make the distance out to be 200yds.
I've dropped them an email just now to see what they say.
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Has anyone else tried looking through it? If they have and they also can't see anything.. then there's your answer. I had a Nikon scope once that wasn't right. No matter where I looked, it was a small place in it that was blurry. Sent it back and they sent me a new one. No explanation...
so .. I would call.
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Not for a couple of years, but then they would have to "Leupold cataracts" seeing as how the Nikon and Bushnell scopes are clear.
Looking out the basement window at the hill across the cr'ck, I'm convinced the Leupold should be better. The Nicon 6x can see a small drain pipe prefectly clear as can the Bushnell, but the "L" is just a little hazy. I make the distance out to be 200yds.
I've dropped them an email just now to see what they say.
Good to hear, cataract are not fun.
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Had kinda the same problem with a Bushnell some years back. Sent it to them and a few weeks later got a new one in its place with a note that said "Thumb print on inside front lens. Replaced with new scope. Sorry for the inconvenience, you patronage is appreciated."
I guess someone didn't wear gloves to work at the Bushnell factory one day.
;)
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Alf,
The way I figure, someone screwed up the Hubbel Telescope they can make a mistake on a rifle scope.
Call 'em, you paid the price they asked, they'll back it up or lose some business.
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I can't focus ANY scope. I hold it up and look at the sky or the ceiling and try to adjust it so the reticle looks sharp. It never quite looks right but my eye adjusts to it no matter where I set it.
Once when I was in the army they pulled the targeting laser out of a tank because it wouldn't lase. This thing is as long as the tank is wide and over a foot wide and a foot tall. This humungous laser wouldn't work because it had a thumbprint in it. I can see how that would affect a scope too.
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..someone screwed up the Hubbel Telescope.......
Uh, well I (me, myself) worked for Perkin-Elmer during the time they screwed up err, made the main mirror for Hubble.
NO, I didn't work in that department!
Thanks for the thumbprint idea. I'll clean the lenses just to make sure.
AND DUH, why didn't I think to have someone else look through the scope. Thanks for the suggestion MM.
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Okay, DUH!
I lined both the Tikka with the Nikon 6x and the AR with the Leupold up on the sofa and had my wife look through them at a real estate sign ~200yds away. (I had removed the bolts....so don't give me a hard time about sighting across the golf course.)
Anyway, she confirms the Leupold is fuzzy. "Why don't you just adjust this thingy on the eyepiece," she says?
"Well, dear," I patiently explain, "according to the manual," (2 points for reading the manual) "that only focuses the cross hairs." (cross haris = technical wife speak for reticule)
"But did you try it anyway," she retorts?
"Here, let me show you," I said all knowingly.
"Uh, well what do you know" (minus 25 points)
Seems I had to run the front focus out over a quarter of an inch. But it is now as clear as a bell.
Sorry have to cut this short.......folding clothes.
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Glad to hear you solved the mystery.
And as a side note, I've had to fold a few clothes in the past too. ;)
;D
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alfsauve,
Contact Leupold. Their customer service number is, 1-800-LEUPOLD (538-7653). I worked for Leupold a few years back, and still get a monthly retirement check. I can assure you that you will not bother them. They have six people sitting around in the Customer Service office and that is all they do. Everyone in that office is a hunter and / or shooter, with many years of experience. If they can help you fix it over the phone, they will, otherwise they will ask you to send it in. Last time I was there, the turn around time was about 2 weeks, depending on the problem. If it can't be fixed, they will ship you a new one. Leupold usually shuts down over the Christmas Holidays, to give workers time with their families, but they should be up and running again by Monday, Jan. 5th.
The scope has a lifetime warranty on it, with no questions asked. It doesn't matter how many times their products change hands, they are covered. They make a quality product and stand behind them.
http://www.leupold.com/corporate/contact-us/service-support-u-s-/
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Okay, DUH!
"Here, let me show you," I said all knowingly.
"Uh, well what do you know" (minus 25 points)
Seems I had to run the front focus out over a quarter of an inch. But it is now as clear as a bell.
Sorry have to cut this short.......folding clothes.
Sure you don't want to fess up on the Hubbel problem Alf? Lot of tax dollars up there!!!
Glad you can see the foreclosure, er...Real Estate sign clearly again..... ;D
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Sorry I did not chime in earlier, the ocular lens, ( rear lens ) is for focus, just like your binoculars have one eyepiece that's adjustable for different prescriptions from left eye to right eye, and then you hit the focus knob to get clear. The objective lens ( the front lens, may or may not be adjustable ) Alf, you did not say if yours was adjustable, but it is for parallax, ( apparent movement of the reticle, according to head and eye position at different distances ) and also can provide clarity of the crosshairs at different distances. If you get a scope with an adjustable objective, and someone has monkeyed with it before hand it can be confusing. I set the objective at whatever known distance I have to look at, and then start with the rear eyepiece adjustment, once that's done, then monkey with the front as a lot of them for me don't exactly get the parallax right at that distance although it's pretty close and a good place to start.
Glad you got it going ;D Now go forth and shoot small groups with your fav gat.
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Thanks to everyone for their replies. I feel a little dumb, BUT I was trying to follow directions!
The Leupold manual clearly states the eyepiece (they refer to it as such) is for adjusting the focus of the "reticule". They make no mention of the focusing the "picture" (so to speak). Even then they talk about only turning it a COUPLE of turns. I had to move mine out about 10 turns! Even then the reference is to the reticule, which has always been in focus.
ANYWAY: Now I really like it. Got to figure how deal with their generous eye relief though. (No I don't want a cantilevered mount!) I may put the VX-I on my .338Fed and put a fix 6x Nikon with a short eye relief on the AR.
[M25] This is a VX-I......no AO. Very familiar with using AO as I have them on both air rifles and all my rimfires.
[Pioneer] I did send them a short email this week, but it is the holidays. And yes, the legendary Leupold customer service is one reason I purchased this scope. But the problem, as I had suspected, was mine.