Rifle Scopes Nightforce ATACR. Complete failure!

[Muley crazy]

So to qualify, I am a big NF fan, This week has been a bit rough, Hopefully the NF moderator will be watching!! 7-35 x56 ATACR. Five days before hunt departure and the Zero clutch breaks inside the elevation turret, snaps around the shaft driving elevation and guess what? NF gives me a RMA where I can pay the freight and send the $3200.00 scope back for what they just told me this evening would be a 4 week------ yes 4 week turnaround on the repair, No other help, just have to dig out a vortex to keep from throwing the rifle at the critters. Just wanted to share this experience, It is frustrating as the scope is 9 months old, All my NF stuff is also registered with them. Yahoo!!

 

[kriller134]

Sucks man. It’s like salt on a wound making you shipping back to them. Hope you get it sorted out.

 

[diverdon]

There are a lot of NF Fanboys here I'm not one of them. My brother bought his two sons NF Beasts for Christmas last year. Neither really was quite right, rather than deal with the crap he just took what EuroOptic offered him to trade them for S&B.

 

[Muley crazy]

Thanks, have to go looking for vortex shims tomorrow, kinda at a loss, they even told me that they never break there, Guy on the phone understood exactly where it broke.

 

[Muley crazy]

Thanks, have to go looking for vortex shims tomorrow, kinda at a loss, they even told me that they never break there, Guy on the phone understood exactly where it broke.

There are a lot of NF Fanboys here I'm not one of them. My brother bought his two sons NF Beasts for Christmas last year. Neither really was quite right, rather than deal with the crap he just took what EuroOptic offered him to trade them for S&B.

I have been using a NXS and it performs great, Guess I need to keep my fingers crossed, I have quite the investment in the NF glass just thought I would get a more positive response

 

[Raptorman2014]

What vortex do you have?

 

[SBGreen0369]

I had a similar issue with NF. My NXS scopes were rock solid and I had 4 of them, so when the ATACR line came out I purchased 2 7-35’s and 2 5-25’s. Yes it was an expensive day!
Noticed some tracking issues on a 7-35 after 4 range trips with with my .300WM. Same deal on the RMA, however NF did cover return shipping. I thought no big deal, I have another 7-35 I can use. During the 3 week wait to get my scope back, the illumination on my back up 7-35 shit the bed!
Long story short, I no longer own any NF ATACR’s. After the scopes were fixed, I traded/sold all 4. I still have 3 NXS series though and they function like the day I took them out of the box.
All of my upper magnification business goes to Schmidt now.

Keep us posted brother.

 

[CuTm]

I hope nightforce is aware of this post and others like it. It’s frusterating . Hopefully it all gets sorted out.

 

[Supersubes]

NF gives me a RMA where I can pay the freight and send the $3200.00 scope back for what they just told me this evening would be a 4 week------ yes 4 week turnaround on the repair, No other help

What else is Noghtforce supposed to do?

 

[BootyLord]

@Supersubes Who’s Noghtforce?

OP That’s a tough tough break man..
Whoever thinks Americans don’t have any real problems has obviously never had to “dig out a vortex”

 

[Dendro]

Sucks man, hope you get it back quickly

 

[Muley crazy]

What vortex do you have?

4x16 viper, Nothing special except it works

 

[Muley crazy]

I had a similar issue with NF. My NXS scopes were rock solid and I had 4 of them, so when the ATACR line came out I purchased 2 7-35’s and 2 5-25’s. Yes it was an expensive day!
Noticed some tracking issues on a 7-35 after 4 range trips with with my .300WM. Same deal on the RMA, however NF did cover return shipping. I thought no big deal, I have another 7-35 I can use. During the 3 week wait to get my scope back, the illumination on my back up 7-35 shit the bed!
Long story short, I no longer own any NF ATACR’s. After the scopes were fixed, I traded/sold all 4. I still have 3 NXS series though and they function like the day I took them out of the box.
All of my upper magnification business goes to Schmidt now.

Keep us posted brother.

Yes this sounds identical to my story,,,,, never a issue out of the 7x32 NXS. That's what sold me on the idea of the ATACR

 

[Muley crazy]

Sucks man, hope you get it back quickly

Will be working it today, Actually leaving Friday morning for Wyoming

 

[Muley crazy]

I hope nightforce is aware of this post and others like it. It’s frusterating . Hopefully it all gets sorted out.

What else is Noghtforce supposed to do?

I suppose that says it all, Just puts me on the spot depending on the scope, Big investment , and a big believer, forced to hang different glass before the trip,

 

[lennyo3034]

Sucks that it broke, although that could have happened with any brand (I do not currently own any NF scopes). Did you mention you needed it for an upcoming hunt? They may have rushed you a loaner for the hunt while yours was being serviced.

I once had to send a scope in that was going to be used on a hunt. They were quoting a 4 week turn at the time, but rushed mine and had it back at my door in 6 days.

 

[Badfinger]

What else is Noghtforce supposed to do?

Gee I don't know, maybe send him another scope and take the broken one in for repair and sell it as a refurb.
For that kind of money they should come and get it

 

[daylate]

Well, on the up side....,it happened before the hunt.....I understand your frustrations though.....good luck

 

[B-P-UU]

Does it still function optically and mechanically? If yes, I'd run it and note what rev you are on.
Also, if yes, I think "complete failure" is slightly exaggerated.

Not trying to make excuses for any companies poor customer service, but it sounds like in this case, the rep was following protocol. I'd give them a call back to see if you can get a demo or something.. or get it turned around in time for your hunt. If the guy or gal on the other end of the phone doesn't "get it" ask to speak to someone who does.

Either way.. good luck on your hunt.

 

[Crews]

Nightforce is a great company, and they stand behind their products. I purchased an ATACR second hand, and had a windage turret fail. I contacted them and they made it right, no questions asked on a much quicker timeline than the OP described. I'm not saying the OP is wrong, and it sucks to have something fail right before a hunt. I just find it hard to believe NF would leave him high and dry if he clearly described the situation to them. There's two sides to every story.

 

[Muley crazy]

Does it still function optically and mechanically? If yes, I'd run it and note what rev you are on.
Also, if yes, I think "complete failure" is slightly exaggerated.

Not trying to make excuses for any companies poor customer service, but it sounds like in this case, the rep was following protocol. I'd give them a call back to see if you can get a demo or something.. or get it turned around in time for your hunt. If the guy or gal on the other end of the phone doesn't "get it" ask to speak to someone who does.

Either way.. good luck on your hunt.

Yes I would call it a complete failure, attempting to dial the elevation up to compensate the zero hold left the turret in a up position, with the clutch broken there is no way to lower the elevation without channel locks, so complete failure as a hunting implement, I'm not being a jerk it's un usable as anything other than a spotter,,,,, and sorry the vortex Kiabab gets that job, I ask them if they would help considering the investment I have in them, Somewhere to go for emergency service,,,,, advance replacement,,,,, I love the scope I am just marooned by this event.

 

[diverdon]

Will be working it today, Actually leaving Friday morning for Wyoming

Good luck on your hunt.

 

[Muley crazy]

Nightforce is a great company, and they stand behind their products. I purchased an ATACR second hand, and had a windage turret fail. I contacted them and they made it right, no questions asked on a much quicker timeline than the OP described. I'm not saying the OP is wrong, and it sucks to have something fail right before a hunt. I just find it hard to believe NF would leave him high and dry if he clearly described the situation to them. There's two sides to every story.

Currently high and dry, I could provide contact info if you guys want to check, my scopes are even regesterd with them when purchased, I asked and they are not interested in trying to coordinate getting the repair job to me, 4 week turnaround is what they said, I bought the scope December 31st and mounted it on one rifle, RSAUM adjusting the zero once, And not with a ball peen hammer, Per instructions, failed on second zero.

 

[Muley crazy]

Nightforce is a great company, and they stand behind their products. I purchased an ATACR second hand, and had a windage turret fail. I contacted them and they made it right, no questions asked on a much quicker timeline than the OP described. I'm not saying the OP is wrong, and it sucks to have something fail right before a hunt. I just find it hard to believe NF would leave him high and dry if he clearly described the situation to them. There's two sides to every story.

I could attach pics of the broken clutch just have to get back home to the scope.

 

[Muley crazy]

I could attach pics of the broken clutch just have to get back home to the scope.

Hopefully one of you guys belongs to NF and can help them come up with a solution other than dig out the old Viper, I'm not kidding here

 

[Muley crazy]

Nightforce is a great company, and they stand behind their products. I purchased an ATACR second hand, and had a windage turret fail. I contacted them and they made it right, no questions asked on a much quicker timeline than the OP described. I'm not saying the OP is wrong, and it sucks to have something fail right before a hunt. I just find it hard to believe NF would leave him high and dry if he clearly described the situation to them. There's two sides to every story.

If you have a few minutes and you could check with NF I'm sure they would repeat what they told me, just cost you a phone call

 

[Muley crazy]

Does it still function optically and mechanically? If yes, I'd run it and note what rev you are on.
Also, if yes, I think "complete failure" is slightly exaggerated.

Not trying to make excuses for any companies poor customer service, but it sounds like in this case, the rep was following protocol. I'd give them a call back to see if you can get a demo or something.. or get it turned around in time for your hunt. If the guy or gal on the other end of the phone doesn't "get it" ask to speak to someone who does.

Either way.. good luck on your hunt.

I talked to them 5 times yesterday I know they would remember,

 

[Supersubes]

Gee I don't know, maybe send him another scope and take the broken one in for repair and sell it as a refurb.
For that kind of money they should come and get it

Nightforce normally turns stuff around in a day or two. The fact that the repair is gonna be 4 weeks out pretty much indicates theyre stacked in the repair dept. The whole country is about to start rifle hunting season. Other than SHOT show week, probably the worst time of the year to need stuff done quickly.

 

[Muley crazy]

Nightforce normally turns stuff around in a day or two. The fact that the repair is gonna be 4 weeks out pretty much indicates theyre stacked in the repair dept. The whole country is about to start rifle hunting season. Other than SHOT show week, probably the worst time of the year to need stuff done quickly.

Yes however one would think with a top shelf scope at top shelf prices, one could swap scopes at will without the fear of complete equipment failure, Or at least have my back, Vortex is sending shims for the viper priority mail for free.

 

[m6z]

You'd of thought they could of covered the shipping..

Doesn't Vortex usually send a shipping label for warranty work?

 

[samnev]

I currently have 6 NF scopes including 1 5-25X56 ATACTR. While none have ever given me a problem if that's the way they treat their customers now if I need another scope it won't be NF.
Good luck on your hunt.

 

[TheOE800]

You'd of thought they could of covered the shipping..

Doesn't Vortex usually send a shipping label for warranty work?

Vortex has covered warranty shipping both ways for me in the past.

 

[Supersubes]

Yes however one would think with a top shelf scope at top shelf prices, one could swap scopes at will without the fear of complete equipment failure, Or at least have my back, Vortex is sending shims for the viper priority mail for free.

I feel bad that you’re hunt has been compromised. I can relate as I travel out of the country every year hunting. What you’re asking though is not something Nightforce ever promised to you. Comparing Vortex shipping you some shims to Nightforce sending you a loaner $3500 scope is just not the same thing.

 

[Muley crazy]

You'd of thought they could of covered the shipping..

Doesn't Vortex usually send a shipping label for warranty work?

I currently have 6 NF scopes including 1 5-25X56 ATACTR. While none have ever given me a problem if that's the way they treat their customers now if I need another scope it won't be NF.
Good luck on your hunt.

do me a favor and tell them about that, Shot show or not, I have spent over 5k on two scopes with them and no kidding this is how it's going with them, 4 weeks and shipping,,,,, mule deer season over in Wyoming before expected return, maby if they hear about it from other customers it would resonate with them about the position they are outing me in,,,,,,,,,,, what about you guys, What if your scope goes down a week before the nationals or a shoot, If I could crap out thousands I would just get another one, I saved for months to buy this thing, The glass is great but.............

 

[Supersubes]

http://nightforceoptics.com/pdf/NFO_Factory_Repair Form_11Dec2013.pdf

 

[flyright]

I've got several NF scopes including a 7-35 - bought around December last year. Never needed warranty work on any of them but having to wait a month seems a bit unreasonable on an ATACR level optic. In a perfect CS world, I agree with BadF. Replace it and sell the refurbished one. Cost of doing (great CS) business and would sell a lot more scopes in the end. Perhaps why Vortex is doing very well.

 

[Muley crazy]

I've got several NF scopes including a 7-35 - bought around December last year. Never needed warranty work on any of them but having to wait a month seems a bit unreasonable on an ATACR level optic. In a perfect CS world, I agree with BadF. Replace it and sell the refurbished one. Cost of doing (great CS) business and would sell a lot more scopes in the end. Perhaps why Vortex is doing very well.

Call them and help me out! I need you guys.

 

[Muley crazy]

http://nightforceoptics.com/pdf/NFO_Factory_Repair Form_11Dec2013.pdf

They sant a RMA number and where to ship it last night in a e mail, thanks for the reply

 

[Muley crazy]

I feel bad that you’re hunt has been compromised. I can relate as I travel out of the country every year hunting. What you’re asking though is not something Nightforce ever promised to you. Comparing Vortex shipping you some shims to Nightforce sending you a loaner $3500 scope is just not the same thing.

I consider this to not exactly to be fair with a full warranty, I love the NF optics, They have left me hanging with the part where I start antelope hunting in Casper Sunday, I would expect the scope not to fail or to have timely reasonable support out of NF. Timely?

 

[Supersubes]

I consider this to not exactly to be fair with a full warranty, I love the NF optics, They have left me hanging with the part where I start antelope hunting in Casper Sunday, I would expect the scope not to fail or to have timely reasonable support out of NF. Timely?

All scopes can fail, and there is no amount of money you can spend to get away from that. If you read the first part of the document I posted above, it states exactly what their return policy is. Looks like they’re adhering to it. If the scope comes back in two weeks and six days, they will have over performed on their agreement. You wanting something different to happen is just wishful thinking, and has nothing to do with Nightforce.

 

[spife7980]

Hopefully one of you guys belongs to NF and can help them come up with a solution other than dig out the old Viper, I'm not kidding here

If you have a few minutes and you could check with NF I'm sure they would repeat what they told me, just cost you a phone call

Call them and help me out! I need you guys.

I think if anyone calls them for you it will be to tell them to take their sweet ass time.

 

[diverdon]

I think if anyone calls them for you it will be to tell them to take their sweet ass time.

You would sure have to be a jerk to even think that. Especially since that is already exactly what NF is doing.

 

[shoot4fun]

I consider this to not exactly to be fair with a full warranty, I love the NF optics, They have left me hanging with the part where I start antelope hunting in Casper Sunday, I would expect the scope not to fail or to have timely reasonable support out of NF. Timely?

I own way more NF scopes than a sane person should but it doesn't make me a fanboy.
I managed to make 64 years on earth; a lot of it behind firearms. The one constant is, no matter who makes it, mechanical things will fail. They always fail at the most inopportune time (Murphy's Law). Timely reasonable support? It sounds like you want NF to jump in the truck and personally bring you a new scope. Maybe even pay for your hunt since, after all, you do LOVE NF optics and they "left you hanging" by merely promptly responding and emailing you an RMA. Shame on them! (sarcasm inserted)

 

[Muley crazy]

You would sure have to be a jerk to even think that. Especially since that is already exactly what NF is doing.

4 weeks is enough, however point taken,

 

[Supersubes]

You would sure have to be a jerk to even think that. Especially since that is already exactly what NF is doing.

No, theyre adhering to their policy. As far as I’m concerned, his only gripe is that they quoted 4 weeks, and the repair agreement says three. Guess we’ll all have to wait to see what the actual repair time is. The OP getting all SJW in trying to get the crowd to lobby Nightforce to go outside their policy, on his behalf, is ridiculous. That is where spife’s post is coming from.

 

[Bandit31]

Dude, chill..

Paying for warranty shipping is SOP for a vast number of these companies and has been for quite some time. If they had to pay to ship an item back every single time anyone thought there was something wrong with their optic, the rest of us would end up paying for it any time we bought something from that manufacturer. A new scope that arrived broken? Sure, I can see them paying for return shipping and replacing it but one that is nearly nine months old? Nah.

You've had your optic since December and as far as I know, there isn't any wizards that Nightforce employs that can ultimately decide whether your scope broke from a manufacturer defect or by the end user (you) without even seeing it. Hell, for all we know you could have torqued down the set screws to much and snapped the clutch plate on your own doing.

Also, them sending you an RMA and telling you its going to be four weeks is more than fair and that is a considerably short amount of time compared to other manufacturers. For all anybody knows, NF could be telling you four weeks and end up repairing or replacing your scope within two. Just because you own two of their scopes doesn't mean they "owe" you anything other than to diagnose and fix or replace the product in a timely manner which is within the four weeks they quoted you and NOT when it's convenient for you.

 

[koshkin]

This is not going to be a very popular opinion, I am afraid, but for a hunting rifle I always a have a backup scope in a pair of rings that come back to zero properly setup. It may be a simpler scope than my primary, but I always have one.

ILya

 

[diverdon]

Dude, chill..

Paying for warranty shipping is SOP for a vast number of these companies and has been for quite some time. If they had to pay to ship an item back every single time anyone thought there was something wrong with their optic, the rest of us would end up paying for it any time we bought something from that manufacturer. A new scope that arrived broken? Sure, I can see them paying for return shipping and replacing it but one that is nearly nine months old? Nah.

You've had your optic since December and as far as I know, there isn't any wizards that Nightforce employs that can ultimately decide whether your scope broke from a manufacturer defect or by the end user (you) without even seeing it. Hell, for all we know you could have torqued down the set screws to much and snapped the clutch plate on your own doing.

Also, them sending you an RMA and telling you its going to be four weeks is more than fair and that is a considerably short amount of time compared to other manufacturers. For all anybody knows, NF could be telling you four weeks and end up repairing or replacing your scope within two. Just because you own two of their scopes doesn't mean they "owe" you anything other than to diagnose and fix or replace the product in a timely manner which is within the four weeks they quoted you and NOT when it's convenient for you.

If you own a seven month old car, and when you went to go to work today, it would not start. Say the starter was broken. Suppose the dealer had no loaner, and told you that it was going to be a month before he could get to your car, but that it was up to you to hire a towtruck to take the car to him to establish you place in the four week que, would you be as happy with that as you seem to think the OP should be with his situation.

Suppose someone came on the thread where you were discussing your car problems and said, well you had seven months to find the bad starter, how can you complain that it is going to take four weeks to get it fixed.

I think when we switch the item from a gun item to a car item more people will be able to understand (1) it should not have broke (2) it should be fixed quickly (3) if you need it you should get a free loaner.

 

[TheGerman]

If it still tracks and the turret spins without binding, I'd take the scope hunting. It's just the zerostop; unless there is way more stuff broken that I'm not understanding. Otherwise, take it, what are you going to do, break it some more? If so, whatever, they're taking 4 weeks, might as well fix some other shit too.

For what its worth, any time I've ever contacted Leupold or NF about anything, the turn times have always been retarded.

 

[Muley crazy]

No, theyre adhering to their policy. As far as I’m concerned, his only gripe is that they quoted 4 weeks, and the repair agreement says three. Guess we’ll all have to wait to see what the actual repair time is. The OP getting all SJW in trying to get the crowd to lobby Nightforce to go outside their policy, on his behalf, is ridiculous. That is where spife’s post is coming from.

Certainly not trying to come off as a jerk, Hope your clutch don't fail when you need it, Wouldn't wish that on any friend. I guess I'm guilty of expecting it not to fail.