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Cabelas optics - buyer beware

So the rest of the story, cabelas called back today and the spotting scope was made by superior out of China. It had a one year warranty. So it is out of warranty. They said they are trying to reach out to superior to see if they can service it. Sounds like I bought a $900 paper weight. This one hurts. The angled version of this model is still available and sells for $999.99 just as an fyi. Where else can you buy a $900 spotting scope that is worthless in 3 years? Feeling pretty angry about this one. Good lesson for me
 
Anyone know a private shop that works on optics? I don’t think this one would be hard to fix. Something came loose internally. I really want to tell cabelas to cram it up there cram hole at this point but waiting until I can come up with something. Seems like a pretty big waste to just throw this thing in the garbage.
 
Anyone know a private shop that works on optics? I don’t think this one would be hard to fix. Something came loose internally. I really want to tell cabelas to cram it up there cram hole at this point but waiting until I can come up with something. Seems like a pretty big waste to just throw this thing in the garbage.

This company was listed somewhere, I have never used them personally. But maybe worth a shot of giving them a call?
 
Anyone know a private shop that works on optics? I don’t think this one would be hard to fix. Something came loose internally. I really want to tell cabelas to cram it up there cram hole at this point but waiting until I can come up with something. Seems like a pretty big waste to just throw this thing in the garbage.
I’d try an old school camera shop if the link Golfer posted doesn’t work out.
 
I experienced a similar deal with Nikon. Received a scope for Xmas long while ago. Took it to get mounted on a rifle. Bottom of box came apart scope hit floor. Couldn't get it zero dial in. Warranty was supposed to include this type of damage. I still don't have a Nikon scope...
 
I experienced a similar deal with Nikon. Received a scope for Xmas long while ago. Took it to get mounted on a rifle. Bottom of box came apart scope hit floor. Couldn't get it zero dial in. Warranty was supposed to include this type of damage. I still don't have a Nikon scope...
Does Nikon even make scopes anymore?
And yes, maybe it's time to make a thread for the the travelling hunters needing to make a "pit stop"
 
Scheels is the only good sporting goods store left. I try to buy everything from them because they actually care about their customers. I worked there for a couple years in high-school, and it was a great place to work too. The company cares about employees, and that transfers to the employees caring about their customers. They even match any pricing I can get through pro programs. For instance, they price matched guidefitter when I was in a pinch and needed a set of Binos and couldn't wait for them to ship. I believe it was 50% off that they matched.
 
Yeah cabelas is a big joke now. Scheels seems to be nice to deal with
Scheels needs to open a store in Vegas. I would be there weekly.

BPS pushed their policies on Cabelas after the buyout. Mostly bad for the consumers but I imagine BPS buying them saved a few Cabelas employees jobs, less corporate office of course. Personally I prefer Sportsman's when it comes to big box hunting/fishing retailers.
 
Cabela's/BP absolutely sucks, sorry they won't stand behind their own branded products.

I stopped in a Scheel's in Iowa, man I would love to have one here - but I'm in Johnny Morris' home base (just a short drive from their corporate HQ in fact) - so I doubt one ever comes to Springfield.
 
I used to always go to Cabela's. Haven't been in probably 3 years. I now go to Scheels and Sportsmans Warehouse and lean towards Scheels as they usually have better stock of quality stuff.

Sooo where did you lose that original spotter...??
Didn't bASS pro buy out Sportsman's Warehouse?
 
So to close this story out, cabelas ended up offering me $330ish in store credit for the scope. Their assistant manager who used to be a gun smith asked if he could take the eye piece off and apart in the meantime. I said sure knock yourself out. When he did that he found a set screw that holds the zoom lens in place had loosened and fallen out. He was able to put everything back in place but said he was unable to get the lenses clean and he didn’t have a lens pen. (Should have been a clue). I was thinking all I needed to do was take the eyepiece apart and clean the lenses. So I refused the store credit and took the scope home.

Well tonight I finally got around to trying to clean it and unfortunately upon a thorough cleaning what appeared to be debris was in fact deep scratching on the internal lenses where they had come in contact with each other. The view is clear and the scope functions as it should but with some very noticeable artifacts/scratches. So now what do I do? I’m not super excited about running a spotter without a perfect view as my primary.

So I could try selling it as is. Would anyone even want a less than perfect view?

Take it back to cabelas and try to get the in store credit? I could see them trying to get out of that with the time that has elapsed.

Keep it as a truck scope and leave iit and use it in my pickup.

What do you think I should do?

Pretty bummed $900 for optics in 2019 is looking like it was wasted.
 
Well, you can't nitrogen purge it, so it's going to fog up on a cold day. So useless. Obv don't make it someone else's problem.

Take the $330, and the lesson learned (not your fault, none of us knew Cabela's would sell).
 
Does Nikon even make scopes anymore?
And yes, maybe it's time to make a thread for the the travelling hunters needing to make a "pit stop"
They do not make scopes anymore. I had one go bad back in 2019 that had a lifetime warranty so they cut me a check.
 
This is exactly why I buy Leopold scopes. I can run it over with my truck, call them and tell them so, and get a new scope.
 
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