Special Assembly Leupold Snapped Reticle

I have this Vari-X IIc 4-12x with custom click target turrets. They were made for Reloaders Supplies in the early 90s and I have used it for precision target .22.

I was out at the range today and the wire reticle just gave up the ghost and broke.

Does anyone know if Leupold fixes the reticles in these Vari-X IIc or would they just send me a 'Freedom' series 4-12x as a replacement? (or something to equal effect/value). I really need a scope with target turrets.

Also what's the best way to get this to Leupold....take it to a store or send it myself via NZ Post?

Attachment 159285

Not sure about replacement vs repair, but if you take it to a store they'll probably sting you $50-$60 to cover insured international shipping to the US and back. I've never looked into what it'd cost to post one myself so I don't know if that's a fair price or not. However this price barely covers what NZ Asia (the Leupold agents) would charge us at the big green store, so if anyone is creaming it it's the boys at NZ Asia, I kinda doubt that though, they were always fair to deal with in my 8 years selling scopes etc.

I contacted agents a few weeks back. They advised me to take into my local sports shop..... I left it with H&F Invercargill and am now awaiting a response from Leupold about it.
At the time there was no mention of me paying any $ at all........ will let you know when I hear back.

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Originally Posted by SiB

I contacted agents a few weeks back. They advised me to take into my local sports shop..... I left it with H&F Invercargill and am now awaiting a response from Leupold about it.
At the time there was no mention of me paying any $ at all........ will let you know when I hear back.

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No money for postage charged :thumbsup:....you must have the best (aka 'most unusual') H&F in NZ!

Contact Leupold customer service directly, based on my very recent experience you my be surprised at their response.

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Originally Posted by S.E.G

Contact Leupold customer service directly, based on my very recent experience you my be surprised at their response.

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Australia or USA Customer service?

I went straight to the US customer service

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Originally Posted by S.E.G

I went straight to the US customer service

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Yeah ok, that makes sense for a broken reticle in an older model Leupold. I suspect the Oz service center just does repairs on later models.

So that's what I will do tomorrow afternoon when it is the correct time in Oregon USA. Will report back on what they say tomorrow evening for those interested.

Thanks for those who replied with info.

I had a similar issue I sent it to the outfit in Queensland who did all the repairs and then the lens delaminated during assembly so was sent a replacement.

I think if you go on leupold website, they advise that you send your scope to your local agent rather than USA.
They took care of me when I sent them two scopes early last year, but I think they start to be a bit fed up at fixing scopes in USA when they have set up a service center in Australia .
Talk to nz Asia if needed .

Ive always just posted them back to Leupold in the States to whatever address seemed to have been the most appropriate, with a note in the box about what's wrong and my return address. To their credit the scopes always arrived back.

In the end I sent so many Vx111 and Vx3 back I got sick of the brand. The CDS on Leupolds' is great and everything underneath that is suspect :) I wouldn't have another one.

I sent a vari x II back via H&F. Took 6 weeks and cost $50.

Australian Leupold Repair said this when I contacted them in regards to sending them my scope:

"Thanks for your enquiry.
Unfortunately, we are unable to deal direct with customers from New Zealand due to import laws when returning scopes. You can still arrange this via the New Zealand distributor NZ Asia."

Nelson holiday down at NZ Asia but I'll contact them tomorrow about sending it to them.

I spoke to NZ Asia this morning pointing out that if I could help it, I would rather not take the scope into a H&F store, but just send the scope to them in Nelson directly.
However, NZ Asia said they get 20 to 30 Leupold scopes (mostly older models), per month due to warranty claims (!!). Therefore they find it easier to wait until they get a number of scopes to send to Oz and a number of return fixed scopes back from Oz and then send 2 or 3 to the same H&F store, rather than to individual owners.

NZ Asia also seems to get the postage paid this way as you end up paying $50 to $60 for the shipping. They said the money is for paying four ways of shipping "From H&F to NZ Asia, from NZ Asia to Oz, from Oz to NZ Asia, from NZ Asia to H&F" (direct quote).
The problem I find with this method is that when I sent in a Kahles scope for repair I only had to pay the postage to the NZ agents and they covered all the international shipping to Austria and back.

So after that call to NZ Asia, I rang Leupold USA.
They were more than happy for me to send them the scope for repair. If sent to Leupold USA, I would only have to pay the international shipping to Leupold and Leupold would pay the return international shipping to my door.

While I was speaking to them I mentioned how that sounds better as sending via NZ Asia would probably be more expensive The Leupold Customer Service guy seemed very interested in this and then asked me a lot of questions about NZ Asia shipping costs.
Turns out he was very surprised that they charge for shipping back from Oz and then from NZ Asia to a H&F store.
He said he would log a note for middle management to make some enquires into why NZ Asia is charging those costs and for now to just send my scope to them in the USA.

Which I will do tomorrow...

And this is why it takes so long going threw NZ asia, because they wait to they get enough product before sending it back, had to wait about 4 months with them before. The shipping price has always been doggy

Following this with keen interest as I picked up a Mark4 3.5-10 M3 with some 'dust' on the reticle (actually paint flecks from the inside of the scope tube).

Depending on how you get on @Hermitage I'll be sending mine direct as well!

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Originally Posted by caberslash

Following this with keen interest as I picked up a Mark4 3.5-10 M3 with some 'dust' on the reticle (actually paint flecks from the inside of the scope tube).

Depending on how you get on @Hermitage I'll be sending mine direct as well!

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Yeah, I'll keep everyone informed on this thread.

I do have a question for those in the know before I goto the P.O. tomorrow to send an international parcel:

- Are there any import or export duties to be paid, or any import/export permits to fill out for a 2nd hand, sent for repair 'telescope' ? (I'm not writing down 'riflescope').

It's a few years since I sent a scope to them for modifications so my comments may not be relevant nowadays.
I however had no issues in or out with my "telescope".
Again I'm not current with my knowledge and I don't know whether customs will hassle you on return.
Take a good photo of your serial number b4 sending.

Dropped in at the P.O. after work today.
The scope was in its original box covered over in the necessary (these days), brown paper bag The post office lady asked me what it was and I replied a 'telescope sent for a warranty repair in the USA'.
She wanted me to fill out a customs declaration form but I just wanted her to give me a price for air-freight to the US first so I could see how much money I was up for.

The conversation went something like this:
P.O. lady: Ok I will weigh it and give you the postage price but first I have to know the value of the telescope.
Me: NZ$400
P.O. lady: Ok if it's $400 worth it would pay to get tracked airmail so it is safer and it will also be faster as well. Although you could send it untracked however I advise against that, and that way will take about 5 to 6 weeks to arrive in the US.
Me: 5 to 6 bloody weeks!! It's airmail not via ship.
P.O. lady: Yes but because of Covid there are only about 2 planes going to the US a week and so there is a backlog. If you send it tracked however it will only take about 21 days to the US.
Me: Ok ok...give me the price of it tracked

P.O. lady: Right the weight is 640gms and let me just check the computer for a price....
....ok the price will be...the price will be NZ$71.80
Me: 71.80!!! 71 bloody dollars and 80 bloody cents!!
P.O. lady: (looking at me over the top of her glasses)...Yes, prices went up quite a bit just before Christmas and you know...it's the Covid problem.
Me: Well I'm not about to pay nearly $72!
(I then thought hmmm, seems like NZ Asia Trading is not so bad after all)
....how much to Nelson, I asked her?
P.O. lady: Well we can put the telescope into this prepaid bag so it would be $13 tracked courier.
Me: Right let's do it that way.

I quickly scribbled down the address of NZ Asia Trading, 3 Packham Crescent, Stoke, Nelson 7011 onto the outside of the prepaid bag and gave her the $13.
That's it I thought.... let's just let NZ Asia Trading sort it all out.
I thanked her, turned around, and went back into the sunshine of another beautiful Whakatane day.
Job done.

Presumably it will get fixed 'locally' by the NIOH service centre in Aus then?

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Originally Posted by caberslash

Presumably it will get fixed 'locally' by the NIOH service centre in Aus then?

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Yeah NZ Asia sends 'a number of' repair scopes over to Oz, and then Oz sends 'a number of' repaired scopes back to NZ Asia. This is where they must save on freight - by sending a larger hence cheaper per scope sized package.

I'm up for a probable 6-week turnaround/wait....but I accept that (considering the untracked shipping was going to take that long just to get to USA!).

Hopefully all this will help you out @caberslash for when you have to send in your Leupold :thumbsup:

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Originally Posted by Hermitage

Hopefully all this will help you out @caberslash for when you have to send in your Leupold :thumbsup:

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Aye, fingers crossed. I'm in Scotland and picked up the Mark 4 at an OK price, %100 functional just annoying 'dust' on the reticle.

Will have to call Leupy USA and ask before sending, last time I heard they were still touchy regarding ITAR as Mil-Dot scopes are apparently restricted items?

Anyway, it is a real one that was bought in the UK so hopefully no dramas.

I got a reply back from NZ Asia Trading.
They recieved my Leupold scope via courier on Friday. Seemed to be ok that I sent it to them directly rather than via H & F. NZ Asia said they like people to send via H&F so then they can wait and send a number of scopes back to the same H&F store at one time. Becuase I sent it direct to them they will have to send my scope directly back to me.

NZ Asia said they would send my scope to the Queensland Aus repair store to get the reticle replaced. I asked if Oz could fit a WindPlex reticle rather than the Duplex that was in it, but while NZ Asia would ask they think it's not possible due to my scope being an older Vari-X IIc.

NZ Asia also mentioned that the Oz repair store is not as 'lenient' as the USA repair service and that Oz might charge for some extra repairs whereas the USA store will/might not charge for the same extra work. So maybe if you have a scope that was broken by falling on it or something major it would pay you to send it to USA direct.

NZ Asia said I should have my scope back in 6 weeks...

The 71.80 might turn out to have been the better option :P ha ha

When I sent an older Leupold to their custom shop a few years ago for Mk4 turret fitting it cost me 50 bucks, which I thought was robbery. I also had to pay the return shipping from Leupold.

The beauty of sending it direct was I was able to see in the tracking the acceptance signature at receiving at Leupold.

I was also to talk directly with one of their technicians and discuss and agree what they would do.

The most difficult bit was ringing in my CC details for its return. When connected I was 15th waiting in line on their call list. Got the "your call is important" message over and over.

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Originally Posted by zimmer

The 71.80 might turn out to have been the better option :P ha ha

When I sent an older Leupold to their custom shop a few years ago for Mk4 turret fitting it cost me 50 bucks, which I thought was robbery. I also had to pay the return shipping from Leupold.

The beauty of sending it direct was I was able to see in the tracking the acceptance signature at receiving at Leupold.

I was also to talk directly with one of their technicians and discuss and agree what they would do.

The most difficult bit was ringing in my CC details for its return. When connected I was 15th waiting in line on their call list. Got the "your call is important" message over and over.

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Which Mark4 did you have @zimmer ?

I've got a Mk4 3.5-10 with M3 turrets, all good apart from little specs of dust on the reticle as mentioned earlier.

Was worried that they might get funny about ITAR and mil-dot scopes but your experience sounds promising.

Should have spent the extra and sent it to the USA. They probably would have changed the rectivle while at it. Now you get to deal with the tightarse aussies.

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Originally Posted by caberslash

Which Mark4 did you have @zimmer ?

I've got a Mk4 3.5-10 with M3 turrets, all good apart from little specs of dust on the reticle as mentioned earlier.

Was worried that they might get funny about ITAR and mil-dot scopes but your experience sounds promising.

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@caberslash Maybe my experience has given you false hopes. It was around 8 years and even though it was not too long after the Twin Tower event there didn't seem to be the same issues sending and receiving those types of items that may occur now.

Plus it was an old Vari-XIII 8.5x25 which doesn't quite have the perceived sniper aspect of the Mk4. I had Mk4 turrets fitted to replace the mushy originals. I used it for a while on an F Class rifle.

@Hermitage

What happened? Still waiting?

Not dared to think about sending mine in for a service as it still works fine.

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Originally Posted by caberslash

@Hermitage

What happened? Still waiting?

Not dared to think about sending mine in for a service as it still works fine.

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@caberslash I gave the result of the Leupold warranty return in this post:

https://www.nzhuntingandshooting.co.nz/f15/how-save-$-leupold-warranty-70021/

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Originally Posted by Hermitage

I have this Vari-X IIc 4-12x with custom click target turrets. They were made for Reloaders Supplies in the early 90s and I have used it for precision target .22.

I was out at the range today and the wire reticle just gave up the ghost and broke.

Does anyone know if Leupold fixes the reticles in these Vari-X IIc or would they just send me a 'Freedom' series 4-12x as a replacement? (or something to equal effect/value). I really need a scope with target turrets.

Also what's the best way to get this to Leupold....take it to a store or send it myself via NZ Post?

Attachment 159285

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....How good is that Leupold warranty (which you have previously whined about costing so much and resulting in overpriced scopes.....)? :XD:

Sound like it's all going to be worth it.....

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Originally Posted by Nickoli

....How good is that Leupold warranty (which you have previously whined about costing so much and resulting in overpriced scopes.....)? :XD:

Sound like it's all going to be worth it.....

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Yeah I must admit that the Leupold warranty is great with superlative service from Leupold.
Dare I say it but it's probably worth paying a premium for, as even a used one is just as good as a new one… you gotta love that warranty.

I think I am over Leupold too......my Vari-x iii 6.5-20 EFR Is going back for the third and hopefully last time.....the USA service agent said they would test it and if found to be faulty (parallax AO faulty) it would be replaced. The local H&F store is charging $25 and sending it to NZ- Asia.......warned me it may be 4-6 months.
For what it's worth I sent a Swarovski to Austria for repair (tracking issue) via NZ Post. No problem with them, but on return DHL would not release it to me as there was no export documentation, AND they wanted to be paid (substantial) to create the paperwork, arrange customs clearance etc. Bottom line is "if the item is sent from a NZ Post counter it is EXEMPT" there is no export documentation required.
DHL should have known that, AND most likely did, but wanted me to believe something else.......!

I send my v x5hd direct to the guys at nz asia... they had it back within 6 weeks all rebuilt ;)