Rifle Scopes Bushnell ET6245FG canted reticle question

[Petrichor Actual]

I have a stupid question. I bought my Bushnell 6-24x50 back in 08/2013. It mounted nicely on my .308 and I installed a vortex bubble level on it at the time. I have since fired it 4 or 5 times. A week ago when I shot it, I noticed my reticle and the vortex bubble level weren't jiving. I figured the screws on the bubble level must have worked loose, so I sat down to get everything back on the same page. At that point, I noticed that my reticle was significantly canted compared to my elevation turret when I placed an independent bubble level on the top of the elevation turret. I double checked this by checking the reticle against a plumb bob and saw that my turrets were askew when the reticle was vertically plumb. I did not notice any cant when I initially mounted this scope.

I know absolutely nothing about the internal workings of rifle scopes. It's pure fucking magic inside there to me. My stupid question is this: Is it even possible that something shifted inside the scope after I mounted and used it causing the reticle to cant or must it have been canted since day one and I somehow missed it?

Is this something Bushnell will try to "repair" or will they replace it? When I bought it in 08/2013, I did so with the confidence of the Bushnell One Year Bulletproof Money Back Guarantee. Today, when I went to their website for the details of how to return it, I saw this:

You must have purchased your product between January 1, 2014, and December 31, 2014.

That better be a typo! Did they change their policy or something?

 

[0311@LAR]

Yes its possible for your reticle to cant, if something comes loose. Bushnell will fix it.

 

[Petrichor Actual]

I'm glad to hear it. It didn't seem plausible that I missed this much cant when I mounted it.

 

[Petrichor Actual]

Wouldn't I be better off returning it and getting a new one than having them "repair" it and shortly thereafter my 1 year return window closes on a possible lemon? Then, I would be at the mercy of their warranty.

 

[delixe]

Your purchase is covered under the BulletProof Guarantee.
The form that they currently have up on the website is for products purchased this year but it's been going on for years so you are still eligible. Once you do get the proper form and send it in, will take months to get your money back, though.



Meanwhile my repaired ET1624 is scheduled to be delivered tomorrow, 20 days after I shipped it.
Bushnell will make it right. Send it in.

 

[D.ID]

Your "one year bullet proof" warranty is the money back warranty. Bushnell elite carry a lifetime warranty for repair or replacement beyond that, so your covered either way.

 

[delixe]

Followup:
I sent a Bushnell ET1624F in for service a few weeks ago.
Bushnell emailed me a pre-paid shipping label, all I had to do was box it up and drop it at the Brown Store.

20 days later it's returned.
Background; this is my 2nd SMRS (1-6.5x24), the first was a SFP that I really liked. I let a friend try it out and never got it back, but with the proceeds I bought an FFP demo model from Mile High Shooting at a nice savings ($1000 shipped). Despite the feedback I've gotten from others with the FFP version of this scope, it just doesn't work for me. With the diopter adjusted for an in focus reticle at 6.5 mag, the image at 1x shows significant distortion, is not in focus, and the illuminated horseshoe portion of the reticle casts a ghost slightly misaligned with the real horseshoe unless my eye is perfectly on the optical axis of the scope.

It has always been my belief that low mag scopes need reticles on the SFP. I'm not going to range or holdover at low mag even if I wanted to, as a reticle on the FFP is too damn small to be of use at low mag. I only bought this SMRS because it was a good deal, and hoped that the illumination was bright enough to act as a red dot at 1x, but it didn't work out for me.

Back to today, I am examining the returned scope. I'm not entirely sure if it's the same scope I sent as I forgot to record the serial number, but the issue I sent it in for is still present, although it's less than I remember. Then I notice the scope has a BTR2 reticle while the one I shipped had a BTR1. I call Bushnell and explain what's going on, and the CS rep tells me that they'll send out the right scope as soon as they can track the pre-paid label they will provide to return this one; I should have it in a few days. I then ask if I can have an SFP scope with BTR1 reticle instead and after determining they have it in stock, she tells me that will be no problem.

This is why I will remain a loyal Bushnell customer.

BTW, I've had similar good CS experiences with Vortex and S&B (Jerry R in their Virginia service center, anyway).

 

[D.ID]

My own recent and first interactions with bushnell customer service has definitely secured a loyal customer.

 

[Petrichor Actual]

That's good to hear. I appreciate the responses.

 

[mackdrvr]

I ordered the same scope as the op, and it had a canted reticle. Bubble level square on top, and the reticle was canted to the right. The local shop returned it, and another is supposed to be on the way to me.

 

[Petrichor Actual]

I live close to Bushnell's warranty shop. I'm going to drop it off this week. The weather is getting too nice finally to be without it for long.

 

[Petrichor Actual]

Follow up. I dropped it off on April 10th for repair. I called today and was told they plan to replace it but it is on back order until August. I have some shooting trips planned in May and June.

 

[bluto51]

The parallax adjustment went out on my 4.5-30X50 Bushnell. They sent me a new one. No questions. No hassle.

 

[Petrichor Actual]

I called Bushnell and asked if I could have one from their local outlet store if they had one in stock instead of waiting until August. The rep said she'd find out and get back with me. She called back and said I could pick one up at my convenience.