Fed up with Lumizone - have to find an alternative scope

[sumner4991]

I doubt that is the reason Comfy . . .I haven't had any trouble out of my Varizone on my Max either.

I talked to Danny Miller about scope returns once. I forget the exact numbers, but, a high majority of the scopes were working perfectly. The percentages were good. I wish I had written down the number.

Anyway, great glass is expensive. Not many people are willing to spend more on their scope than they do on their bow and only use it for a 20 yard shot. I'm one of those people. For the intended use, up to a 50 yard shot, the scopes do a darn good job.

Could they be better? Sure. How much are you willing to pay is the question.

[Bowster]

These reasons are the main ones behind me not "upgrading" my Axiom scope. You can lots of the same type of stories about how Lumi's crosshairs rotating and some having problems with POI.

I've looked at Hawke and Vortex scopes, but I just hate those additional crosshairs. Looks like it would be easy for a Crossbowman to make a mistake when a deer shows up. I prefer the Ex Cal's chevron's over others.

I imagine that if a lot of Ex Cal owners were having similar problems with their bows, they'd have a different outlook about repeated equipment failure and downtime while you send it back for replacement!

Sure would like to see a top of the line xbow scope without all those crosshairs!

This is exactly the point I was trying to make. Excalibur has, imo, the best customer service out there. I can bet that no-one will dispute that they will take care of an issue when it happens. As my original post stated, 24 days to my season openning hunt for moose and I still don't have a bow that can find its mark consistently.

It's the down time that is frustrating me. I live in the city and I can't just pick up my bow and shoot it. It takes a drive of 30 minutes to the range. With all the family and work obligations, my "play" time is somewhat limited.

I recall a post in the past and have turned the windage and elevation screws all the way out and back in again. I have also turned the speed ring to both extremes.

I'm going to see what happens tonight. If still the same problems back the Lumizone goes and I will put the Varizone back on and start all over yet again.

[flightattendant100]

I have been spoiled by Leupolds optics for years.None of the less expensive imports can compete in brightness or clarity.I decided early this summer that I wanted to up grade from the red dot to a scope.I just could not bring myself to buy one of the Chinese manufacture scopes because I knew that I would not be happy after I started to compare it to my Leupold's.I looked at what was available from Leupold and price and decided to purchase one of their 2.5x compact scopes.These are only available as used since they are not manufactured any longer(Leupold has a new model at a much higher price).These can be found on e-bay or gunbroker for 125.00-150.00 depending on condition.I sent it back to Leupold to have the parallax cooected to 25 yrds.They had told me that this would cost 15.00 plus shipping.When I received the scope back,in about three weeks,The invoice was typed in at 15.00 dollars ,but had a big red slash mark over that with a zero marked on it.They never charged my card.This is typical of their service.Their warranty is to anyone who owns the scope,not just the original purchaser,for ever!!!! And the best part about the warranty is that you will never have to use it.They are top of the line optics and super folks to boot.Dont see how you could go wrong with one.(and no I dont get a comission for this testimonial)

[Pydpiper]

With all the crossbows on the market and in the field these days there is bound to be a big name step up to the plate with a better than average scope.
Having said that, I have had no troubles with my Vari or Lumizones, they get used often and used hard.
Simple fact of the matter is that if you require Leuopold quality than just go buy one, but we.can't expect Excalibur to produce glass of that caliber and still hand it to us for $99. We also can't expect them to be able to have a turn around rate on warranty when they have no control of the facilities. With the bow they can produce and replace any part of the bow, where I am sure the defective scopes just get pitched in a garbage can or returned to the manufacturer in bulk.
I am not a Leopold fan to begin with, when I went to buy my scope for my varmint rifle the first Leopold the salesman handed me had a seized zoom ring, never looked at another one.

[M&M]

I don't understand why you guys are willing to put up with a poor quality scope, we are willing to spend 500-600 bucks on the crossbow because we want top quality and I believe that many would pay for a scope of higher quality that we can depend on why spend that kind of money and put junk on it if you double the quality now its a 200 dollar scope instead of 100 thats not so bad at all

[Pydpiper]

I don't understand why you guys are willing to put up with a poor quality scope,

What do you mean by quality? Light management, durable? You have to remember we are talking about a range of about 30 yards, you don't need $1000+ scopes to perform at that range.
As I mentioned, my scope works flawlessly and has for many years of abuse.
I would be first in line for a decent crossbow scope and would be willing to pay for it too, I enjoy the busy rectical in a crossbow scope and love quality as much as the next guy, but its a bow and its 30 yards.
If you have a Lumi that works than you have a great scope, I can not put a value on the peace of mind that comes with knowing that when I squeeze the trigger on my Exocet it will send the arrow where I want it, didn't have to spend much money to do it either.
Its not fair to compare a scope in this application to a rifle scope, and it seems that is what a lot of guys are doing.
Good glass does not come cheap, any new scope under 5-6 hundred dollars is all the same thing.
Some of the best out there are swvorski and Nightforce, but the monetary step up is pretty significant.
For my bow, at close ranges for archery I look at my scope more as a pointing device than I do a scope, not like I would for a rifle.
What is important at 30 yards is consistancy, and it sucks to see some of you are not getting that. Regardless of what route you take I hope it gets settled in on time to enjoy deer season.
Here is to hoping something newer, brighter and tougher is just around the corner!

[vixenmaster]

Some of the good scope companys will reset the parallax in their brand fer a fee. Fine a short & light with recticle you like buy it send it to them & set parallax fer 25 or 35 yds. Duplex or #4 will give you 2 good aim pts fer diff yardage

[wabi]

Just some food for thought. Is it just a coincident, that Wabi started having problems with his scopes only after he switched to the Phoenix which has a forward angled riser ?

Never really gave it much thought, but you may be on to something.
The forward pitched limbs could be causing a change in the recoil effect from the old riser/limb combination.
Didn't mention it because they weren't high quality or crossbow rated scopes, but I also tried a couple cheaper riflescopes while the other scopes were in transit for replacement. Same results basically. Sight-in as they should, but soon develop a shifting POI.
Problem is that it's always been a random shift. The scope might zero and appear to be working fine for weeks or months, then suddenly the POI jumps several inches. It will re-zero and be fine for varying time periods, then suddenly shift again.
The first time it happened was when I was shooting at a deer. I had checked the zero before I climbed into the stand and all was fine, but when I squeezed off the shot and "followed through" (I did watch the arrow impact through the scope, so I'm sure it wasn't shooter error) I saw the arrow impact on the shoulder area and fail to penetrate deeply. I never found the arrow (about a $25.00 loss with the new lumi-noc installed) or the deer. I'm reasonably sure it was not a lethal hit as I did follow up the search for days and never found any evidence of a dead deer in the area.
After the shot I went straight to the shooting bench and checked my zero. It was several inches (6-8") off!
Re-zeroed and all was fine for about a week (I checked almost daily and shot a good bit at the bench) then repeated the shift in POI.
Same story (without a wounded deer. thankfully) on every scope so far. I believe it's been a total of 4 bad scopes since I bought the Phoenix.

Odd thing is that my hunting buddy bought a Phoenix after he shot mine (and put his first three shots in the same hole), and has never had any problem with his TenPoint Pro-View scope.
BUT............ he shoots a lot less than me.
He sighted in then uses his Phoenix for hunting only.
Never a range session except for a couple shots to confirm zero at the start of hunting season, and he usually just lets the string down by hand after the hunt.

When I talked to Danny Miller about the POI shift he had me check tiller on the Phoenix and all was fine. I've also upgraded to a set of $50.00+ steel rings for the scope, and the base screws have loc-tite on them and have never worked loose. I even took the base off after the first problem occurred and re-installed it with fresh loc-tite.

The bow is stored on a bench in a protected area of my shop (no falling objects can hit it and it can't be bumped or fall) and I cover it with the padded case when it's on the bench, so abuse to the scope is ruled out in my mind.

The problem has always been the scope, and I've actually had 4 different scopes on the bow. But, they were all less expensive scopes.
I'm hoping the Leupold will stand up to the recoil, but if it fails I'm going to forget using a scope and either go to open sights or a red-dot sight.

BTW - I also had a problem with the open sights when I first got the bow.
Apparently the new (at that time) riser with the machined dovetail had a slightly different width dovetail, and the front sight I got was for the old screw-on dovetail base. The result was a sloppy fit, and the sight would slowly tilt to the left from pressure applied by the set screw causing my POI to shift to the right after a few dozen shots. If I go back to open sight I'll use a rear "ghost ring" sight on the weaver rail scope base (adjustable for windage) and remove the set screw on the front sight (after I determine proper location) then drill & tap the riser dovetail for a screw to go into thread in the riser and lock the sight firmly in place!

[M&M]

what do I mean by quality? when you buy a scope sight it in and hunt with it, it should not fog up on the inside on the second hunt. Yes they replaced that scope but I lost that weekends hunt. then the scope I was given as a replacement I used it for the rest of that season and the next then it would no longer hold zero and it was never droped or abused that again is poor quality yes I do understand we are talking 30yds here but if you cant see the 30yds you can't hit it and if your scope wont hold zero you can't hit it either I am on my third varizone I do like the retical and the speed ring option but if this one goes bad I will not get another one and I can not recomend one to any one else and this is what disapoints me out of someone who makes such fine crossbows

[sumner4991]

M&M . . .I can relate to your position. I would be upset too. You need to understand . . .I don't believe I'm settling for low quality because mine hasn't failed me.

I have had some shifting issues, but, I'm not so positive it wasn't my fault. I've had loose screws. I've had my zero change by two inches, re-zero, and good. Then out of nowhere, it's back to two inches off in the other direction. So, I change it back to the orginial setting and I'm fine again. In the end, two inches either way and I still have meat in the freezer at my bow's hunting range. I fully expect my .270 to be within 2" at 300 yards, so I'm not nearly as forgiving with my expectations on that scope and yes, it cost me more than the gun.

With shooting a crossbow, any change in shooting technique may change your POI. Any change in arrow set-up, may change your POI. Any change . . .may change your POI . . .it can change from shot to shot and NOT be the scope's fault. Using a pod(the type of rest), using a sling . . .anything that may change your follow through, may change your POI.

People are different. You see a need for a high end product. I think the lower end product works just fine. If enough demand is made for the higher end product, then it will come.

In the meantime, try not to disrespect my Varizone or my Lumizone. They are all I have.

[M&M]

I am not new to this I have been shooting crossbows for 20yrs now and if something seems wrong the first thing I allways do is check myself to see if I am doing something different and all my equipment all hardware on the bow and my arrows and broadheads in order to troubleshoot the problem same goes for any weapon rifle shotgun handgun ect.

[Snapshot]

I don't know, there might be a problem with QC or design! I have to go with Wabi.Get all set up,shoots ok at home.Then lets say you get in the woods and it shoots in left field.Doe'st seem reliable.Not a good track record for this scope. Has anyone tryed the Pin Point scope out from Parker? 1.25-4 power croshare with illuminated red or green dot. I like the Idea of setting the dot for 25yds, that makes 0-30yds good for center shoot.And it has a turut nob for longer shots.Any thoughts! Snapshot

[Limbs and Sticks]

Some think these xbows kick like mules, or speed is whats causing the scopes to go wack-o, they're made on a assembly line by people pushing buttons, the componets are cheap so what does one expect, I use a burris #4 2x7x35 on my Max, before that it was on a Ten Point prior to that it was on a 257 weatherby mag and still stays where I put it, either burris or leupold will set your scope up free, 200. to 250. will get you what these excal bows really deserve, then again I've see people with 500. scopes and still couldn't hit what they were aiming at. the pin point is a 300. scope it's heavy and not known yet? Just my thoughts

Wes

[wabi]

Odd thing is I've never had any trouble from a red-dot type sight shifting POI on any of my Excaliburs.
Not a big fan of that type sight, and never used one through a whole hunting season because I always end up convincing myself I need a scope that doesn't depend on batteries , but they have always worked fine.

Just ordered a new BSA red/green/blue 5moa dot sight for my air rifle, but it has a 3/8 dovetail or weaver type adjustable base, and if it proves to be functional I can always use it as a backup sight if I have any more scope problems.

[ch312]

another screwed up lumizone here