Morningblue7 wrote:Hi all,
pretty new to the shooting/hunting scene so I am after some advice. I often find quality scopes (leupold,meopta,zeiss) on sites like usedguns or ssaa at very reasonable prices but I am unsure whether they are worth buying second hand or new. I know that brands like Leupold and Meopta have transferable warranties but that requires that the seller still has the proof of purchase, and in most cases they don't.
So I am in a bit of a dilemma of whether it's worth buying a quality scope without warranty, or buying some scope of less quality but with some warranty. Also, most of the times the deal is that I have to transfer the money first and then they will post the scope, but in my experience buying stuff online you usually post the item first and then you transfer the money.
Cheers, Bill.
bladeracer wrote:
I personally don't buy secondhand glass, just as I wouldn't buy secondhand micrometers, or similar precision instruments.
I've never bought anything online without paying for it beforehand. Same as buying something face-to-face, pay first, then collect. I can't imagine anybody taking the time to send something out before they've been paid for it.
Morningblue7 wrote:Hi all,
I know that brands like Leupold and Meopta have transferable warranties but that requires that the seller still has the proof of purchase, and in most cases they don't.
Cheers, Bill.
No1_49er wrote:Morningblue7 wrote:Hi all,
I know that brands like Leupold and Meopta have transferable warranties but that requires that the seller still has the proof of purchase, and in most cases they don't.
Cheers, Bill.
Leupold has a transferable lifetime warranty.
Why is it that you think that you need a purchase receipt?
I have a Leupold that required repair after something like 25 years. There's no way that I would have kept a receipt that long, but NIOA honoured the warranty without question
Bugman wrote:What size scope are you thinking of buying?
Medb wrote:I have bought several high end scopes off usedguns and other sites and haven't had any bad experiences so far, in fact most of the optics currently mounted to my rifles were all bought second hand.
As you have alluded to there are some real bargains to be had, particularly if you are somewhat flexible about your scope choice and aren't set on one exact make/model/reticle. Also it helps if you approach it from the standpoint of just checking the sites daily for good deals and just scoop up a good bargain when you see it, and aren't in a position where you need to buy a new scope right this instant.
I'd say it becomes more worth it the higher up you go in quality, one of my best pickups was a month old nightforce I got for 30% off retail which saved me a huge amount of money. When buying second hand you often get rings or a mount thrown in for free as well, although they obviously may not be suitable for your particular rifle or low quality.
Although to be fair, most of the scopes I have bought are high mag scopes mostly used for target shooting which are typically well taken care of, I suppose if you are looking for a 3-9 for a hunting rig there's probably a higher chance of it having being knocked around out in the field.