If your 3rd scope is screwed up...call Vortex and let them know your issues. They unequivocally have the best customer service I've ever had to utilize. I purchased a 4-16 PST that had some black flakes inside the glass. I tried the well known phone book method (tap the scope on the phone book to dislodge the debris) with no luck. I called Votex and explained the situation I had on a brand new scope.
They emailed me a postage paid return label (while I was still talking to customer service) and advised me to simply box it up and include a small note of what's wrong with it. I proceeded to package it up, include my note and drop it off at UPS on a Monday. That same Friday - 4 days later...UPS was ringing my door bell with a box from Vortex. I opened it up to find a brand new scope which had (2) QC stickers instead of the typical (1)...my guess; a manger or, supervisor double checked it?
No bullshit problems - have you tried this? have you tried that? did you drop it? whatever - send it it to us on your dime...we'll take a look at it when we have time (you read some threads on here of guys waiting weeks or, months before they have their glass back - FUCK THAT NOISE! Meanwhile, Vortex does not jerk off the customer with this type of shit. Whether it's a $150.00 strikefire red dot or, a $2,500.00 razor - they drop what they're doing and take care of you - the paying customer!
I've only had to utilize their customer service this single time. However, with this outstanding experience that I had, I would never hesitate to purchase and/or recommend Vortex to anybody. You'll have your differences of opinions - "their customer service is good because their products are always failing...blah, blah, blah". Well shit if it's man made, it can break - nothing is perfect.
I would rather have the comfort of knowing - if my scope breaks 5 times, they will take care of it in a timely fashion and not jerk me around without paying a single penny vs. my scope is broken - you pay the shipping and insurance to us and we'll take a look at it when we have time. You wait weeks or, (as stated above) months to get the same scope back with the same problems. It's your choice, don't give up on Vortex - they are outstanding!
They back up their VIP Warranty with action not Bullshit
Our VIP warranty is about you, not us. It's about taking care of you after the sale.
VIP stands for a Very Important Promise to you, our customer. We will repair or replace your Vortex product in the event it becomes damaged or defective—at no charge to you. If we cannot repair your product, we will replace it with a product in perfect working order of equal or better physical condition.
You see, it doesn't matter how it happened, whose fault it was, or where you purchased it. You can count on the VIP Warranty for all Vortex Optics riflescopes, prism scopes, red dots, rangefinders, binoculars, spotting scopes, tripods, and monoculars.
Unlimited Lifetime Warranty
Fully transferable
No warranty card to fill out
No receipt needed to hang on to
AvsFan
ETA: My 4-16 PST is flawless and still holding strong after thousands of rounds