Buying New vs Refurbished Optics

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  • Beau Etienne

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    1   0   0
    Dec 29, 2009
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    Breaux Bridge, LA
    Most of my purchases are 'new' vs 'refurbished', but every so often I will give in to the Gods of refurbished bargains.
    It's not often and I usually make out just fine. I did just have a fail on a refurb optic, though.
    It is a Sight Mark ultra-shot-plus-red-dot that I got from Optics Planet in July of last year.
    Great features and reviews. Their new items carry a lifetime warranty while their refurbs carry only a year.
    I hardly used mine since getting it, but I liked it a lot. I did notice that I had to re-zero it my last two trips to the range and that the reticles were starting to get a halo effect.
    Anyway. I returned it this morning. Lesson learned. I am curious as to how they will handle this since I know longer see refurbs offered at Optics Planet.
    Anyone else that rolls the dice when it comes to refurbs? Good luck or bad?
     

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    DAVE_M

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    Apr 17, 2009
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    The quality of a refurbished optics are relative to the company you're dealing with. I don't have an issue purchasing a refurbished optic from someone like Vortex, Steiner, Aimpoint, EOtech, Nightforce, or Kahles, if they were available.

    I wouldn't buy a refurbished optic from a company that I wouldn't buy a new optic from.
     

    Magdump

    Don’t troll me bro!
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    163   0   0
    Dec 31, 2013
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    Hammond, Louisiana
    I’ve bought quite a few refurbished items over the years and always got my money’s worth. High end fishing reels, some electronics, and even optics. None of the items were really in the budget end of each category though. Maybe you should set your sights a little higher than sightmark?
    From what I’ve read, most refurbs are returned items that either have nothing wrong or are in need of something simple. Others are items that didn’t pass QC inspection. So they basically get rebuilt, refinished and gone over to spec (which is still cheaper than starting from scratch) and sold cheaper so the manufacturer can recoup some of their loss. Generally they are just as good as new.
     
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