Cheap Simmons Expensive Repairs

[Whelen Man]

I just wanted to let you folks know about what the cost of repairing a cheap Simmons is nowadays. Of course the company has been bought out by Meade and apparently they don't want to do any service on older models. I had a 1.5x5x20 Whitetail Classic that I bought many years ago and used quite a bit in the past for close range brush hunting. It gave up the ghost last year and the windage turret ceased to adjust. I just found it in the cabinet and thought that while I was doing nothing I would see if it was possible to repair the scope. Granted I didn't have high hopes going into this since it is a cheap scope and it's also probably 10 years old.

I called Simmons Customer service and talked with them. Now this is a scope which costs about a hundred dollars. They wanted $85 for repairs plus my shipping costs. It just really didn't seem like much of a bargain to me considering the cost of the scope. Evidently they want to just sell new scopes and not repair old ones. The adjustment shouldn't have stripped to start with but to charge the cost of replacement is a little outrageous. Buy cheap, get cheap service, but I didn't expect a lot anyway. I got good service out of the scope while it lasted. They definitely consider themselves to be disposable scopes.

 

[Gravey]

Did this just happen recently? The reason I'm asking is last year I decided to pull out a rifle that I hadn't hunted with in 3 or 4 years and it had a Simmons 44 Mag (3 x 10 x 44) on it. The scope is at least 15 years old. When trying to adjust the elevation the entire turret piece turned and just not the part that's supposed to. I called them and told them what was happening and they said to ship it back with a note detailing the problem. A few days later after shipping it I received a note in the mail acknowledging they had received it and it said they would have it back to me within 2 weeks. Well, about 4 days later it was on my front porch and the only thing it cost me was the shipping cost to send it to them.

 

[Hillbilly Hunter]

Simmons is a cuss word in my house, and if you say Nikon, it better be a camera! LOL
I think you get what you pay for in optics.

 

[Tiny]

Just wondering if that 85$ was an estimate?

Could have been just a matter of who one has to talk to at a company.

 

[Locksley]

I think you get what you pay for in optics.

 

[Whelen Man]

That was just today that I talked to them and the representative asked what the problem was and then stated what the repair costs would be. I would think it would involve replacing the windage turret but don't know. It acted like the threads in the adjustment were stripped or something. You could turn it and sometimes it would move and other times not and the whole assembly was loose and could be pushed into the turret like over stripped threads. That shouldn't be that hard or that expensive on this type scope. I told him that was almost as much as I paid for the scope and it wasn't worth the repair on a used scope. The scope has had a long run on a short barrelled customized 35 Whelen Remington 7400 with mostly 225 and 250 grain top loads. It's like a miniature cannon. I was nice and courteous the whole time and never gave them a hard time. Maybe I talked to the wrong person or is it the new ownership?

Locksley I agree with you but with one difference. I would say "sometimes" you get what you pay for in optics. I've had some that had the price but didn't have the quality I expected. I won't name names here but it starts with an N. I've bought two and didn't really like either after using them. I think my next is going to be a top end Burris just for comparison. The low end Burris's have been worth the money. Leupold has been good for me also. I've got a couple of VXIIIs and like both.

 

[Tiny]

Never had to use there repair custmer sevice yet.but form what I have heard to the above sounds they have went south in a hurry.

 

[Hillbilly Hunter]

I've had some that had the price but didn't have the quality I expected. I won't name names here but it starts with an N. I've bought two and didn't really like either after using them.

I agree 100%. I will never buy another "N" scope.

 

[Tnyoteboy]

I've only had 2 problems out of any riflescope I've bought over the past 20 years. That was a Bushnell and a Simmons and I've bought Bushnells and Simmons since. Maybe I've been lucky, but I've never bought a scope that was more than $150, that includes Bushnell, Tasco, Swift, Nikon, Simmons, Leatherwood, and Pentax. I do think you get what you pay for in optics, but you don't have to put a $600 scope on a rifle to have something.

 

[Hillbilly Hunter]

The difference in scopes are loud and clear at first and last light. HUGE DIFFERENCE!!!!!!

 

[Tiny]

The difference in scopes are loud and clear at first and last light. HUGE DIFFERENCE!!!!!!

Very ture but one doesn't need to break the bank to get the job done either,dent it a little likely.

 

[buzzr46]

I had a Simmons scope that got sick, and after the non-response by phone and a written letter, I will not buy another Simmons product. I have an Aetec on one of my rifles and so far it is doing great. If it goes bad, then I'll pitch it in the trash. I will not try to deal with them again.

 

[Hillbilly Hunter]

The difference in scopes are loud and clear at first and last light. HUGE DIFFERENCE!!!!!!

Very ture but one doesn't need to break the bank to get the job done either,dent it a little likely.

I agree, but a $500 scope isn't that bad. I save for them if necessary, but a non light gathering scope will never cost me another big buck. It happened once and that is why I buy the better scopes. Now, I don't have any Swarovskis, but I sure would like to get one someday.

 

[Hillbilly Hunter]

I guess what I mean is, is a trophy of a lifetime worth $500? To me it is...

 

[Tiny]

True 500$ isn't that bad to pay for a "good" scope unless you can get the same overall quality glass "vision" at a lower price.

Reason one needS to look at as many different scopes as they can and let there eyes tell them which one is brighter and clearer instead of the price tag or name.

 

[Hillbilly Hunter]

The problem with looking through them at the store is the stores always have their lights on! Clarity may be equal, but I have not seen a low end scoope yet that can compare to a VX-III or a Ziess. I even bought a Nikon Monarch and its light gathering capabillty was lacking alot. I was suprised and dissapionted. I have since sold the Monarch and replaced it witha VX-III.

 

[Tiny]

The problem with looking through them at the store is the stores always have their lights on! Clarity may be equal, but I have not seen a low end scoope yet that can compare to a VX-III or a Ziess. I even bought a Nikon Monarch and its light gathering capabillty was lacking alot. I was suprised and dissapionted. I have since sold the Monarch and replaced it witha VX-III.

Totaly agree with you on the "Store Lights",reason I suggest people see if the store will let them take them outside to do the comparesion.Same goes for Bino's

I can't say I have either as I haven't had the Newer VX line or Ziess around to do a good comparsion to what I would like to.That isn't to say I haven't looked through the above as I have and some others as well.Believe it or not the only 2 that WOWED me were the Leupold VX-L and Simmons Master Series Pro Sport,Pro-Hunter an Atec even better.Burris Singture(sp)line and Ziess Conquest came close to Wowing me.However things might be different side to side at sunset to + 30.

 

[Tiny]

Whelen Man,

Was just looking over Simmons and Redifelds Web sites found that the contact address has changed to CA. instead of GA as was the case in the past.Didn't know nor heard anything about a move??

Wondering if they placed the older scope under a different deal than the newer ones since meade took over ie El Paso Weaver vs Newer???

http://www.simmonsoptics.com/ContactUS.htm


On a seprate note this sounds encourageing and do hope it turns out to the goody,been waiting 3 years for them

http://www.redfieldoptics.com/

 

[Locksley]

I've got a couple of Leupold VXIII's also and even a few older II scopes they have never let me down. Leupold has been good for me also and the older Redfield wide angle 3X9 scopes with dual X redicule were good scopes for me too.

 

[Whelen Man]

Yeah Tiny, I noticed that the warranty card I had on the scope listed a GA address but it was old so I checked on the internet and found the CA site with a phone #. With the address change probably so went the service on older scopes.

Locksley, I've got a couple of the older Redfield scopes that have given good service over the years without any problems. They seem to be dependable.

I've been through 50mm scopes by Leupold, Nikon, Tasco, and Simmons and will probably not buy over a 44mm again. The 50s are brighter but I just don't like the size and will probably try getting a higher quality 40-44mm.. There may be a new Leupold or Zeiss in my future but I think Swarovski and Schmidt & Bender are out of my pocketbook's range. LOL