What's The Scoop On Burris Scopes?

[E_Shaw90]

Just had my first experience with Burris Customer service. All I needed was a physical store that would have or could get an XTR II 1.5-8. Apparently no one will bring it in even on a special order. I was directed to online vendors. I wanted to compare to other optic options in person without the hassle of shipping back and forth and RMA's etc. The CSR was absolutely no help and did not even offer to help find a dealer in NorCal somewhere that would at least special order the scope.

If this is the type of pre-sales support they provide I a can only imagine the lack of support when there is a problem with a product. I would suggest a pass on Burris until they improve their desire to provide adequate service.

I have had opposite experiences with Burris CS. I had a damaged reticle on a scope I purchased used..repaired at no charge...turn around time was 2 weeks including shipping both ways. They even tossed a free set of rings in the box after completely going through the scope replacing a few seals. Burris is a stand up company that will take care of any issues you may have.

Check the website...pretty user friendly.. I had no problems finding dealers in NorCal quite a few of them around. Did you ask them for a dealer in NorCal or were you just expecting them to read your mind? Were you planning on buying local or just using the local dealer to window shop and then scour the net for a cheaper price?

Dealers in the greater Sacramento area...

http://www.burrisoptics.com/find-a-dealer?field_geofield_distance%5Bdistance%5D=100&field_geofield_distance%5Bunit%5D=3959&field_geofield_distance%5Bquery%5D=Sacramento%2C%20CA%2C%20United%20States&field_geofield_distance%5Borigin%5D%5Blat%5D=38.5815719&field_geofield_distance%5Borigin%5D%5Blon%5D=-121.4943996&field_dealer_location_administrative_area=&sort_by=field_geofield_distance&sort_order=ASC

[jdben92883]

I had a TAC30 (similar to MTAC) scope with a 7.62 reticle on a REPR and it did just fine. It was a bit under $400 as I recall. I have an 1.5-8 XTRII that I like quite a bit as it has a dual-plane reticle with 5.56 BDC that's pretty nice. I've had a few other Burris scopes and like them as a whole, although I've grown smitten with the Weaver Tactical line for scopes <$1k.

[jdben92883]

They are a manufacturer, not a retailer. How in the world are they supposed to know which brick-and-mortar store happens to have that scope in their physical inventory? That's not what I'd call a benchmark of customer service at all. Fixing something that's broken (which they have a long and well-documented reputation at doing) is what I'd use to evaluate the CS of a manufacturer. Your beef should be with the brick-and-mortars that are unwilling to order it, not the company that makes it. But even then you're asking a mom-and-pop to order a fairly specialized optic and then do what with it when you decide it's not for you?

Just had my first experience with Burris Customer service. All I needed was a physical store that would have or could get an XTR II 1.5-8. Apparently no one will bring it in even on a special order. I was directed to online vendors. I wanted to compare to other optic options in person without the hassle of shipping back and forth and RMA's etc. The CSR was absolutely no help and did not even offer to help find a dealer in NorCal somewhere that would at least special order the scope.

If this is the type of pre-sales support they provide I a can only imagine the lack of support when there is a problem with a product. I would suggest a pass on Burris until they improve their desire to provide adequate service.

[BLEVE]

In answer to all that think a manufacturer is not responsible for distribution to retail you need some basic business school classes. My call to Burris was because I choose to shop local at a brick and mortar store. The problem was that none of the dealers listed were even willing to special order the scope I wanted. That is a problem wouldn't you say? Why won't a retailer be willing to special order a scope for a customer willing to pay for it? It appears to me that the retailers for Burris are fearful of something going wrong or of past negative experiences with Burris. I would have thought that a manufacturer attempting to SELL their products would at least attempt to find a retailer within a reasonable distance that was willing to order the scope. I am glad to hear the after sale support is good, but if I can not purchase the scope in the first place... I do not want the mom and pop to,get stuck with it either, but on an expensive scope I would hope if the customer was not satisfied with an undamaged,unmounted, BNIB item the manufacture would accept the return from the retail outlet. Perhaps Burris does not do that, thus the unwillingness of the local retailers reluctance to place the order. I would have even been willing to pay a small restock charge for their trouble. Pre sales support is just as important as warranty support in my book.

[ptgarcia]

I have a TAC30 with the German #4 reticle on my AR-15 and like it very much. I picked it up used from a member here a few years back. If I could find that reticle again I'd buy more.

[SloChicken]

In answer to all that think a manufacturer is not responsible for distribution to retail you need some basic business school classes. My call to Burris was because I choose to shop local at a brick and mortar store. The problem was that none of the dealers listed were even willing to special order the scope I wanted. That is a problem wouldn't you say? Why won't a retailer be willing to special order a scope for a customer willing to pay for it? It appears to me that the retailers for Burris are fearful of something going wrong or of past negative experiences with Burris. I would have thought that a manufacturer attempting to SELL their products would at least attempt to find a retailer within a reasonable distance that was willing to order the scope. I am glad to hear the after sale support is good, but if I can not purchase the scope in the first place... I do not want the mom and pop to,get stuck with it either, but on an expensive scope I would hope if the customer was not satisfied with an undamaged,unmounted, BNIB item the manufacture would accept the return from the retail outlet. Perhaps Burris does not do that, thus the unwillingness of the local retailers reluctance to place the order. I would have even been willing to pay a small restock charge for their trouble. Pre sales support is just as important as warranty support in my book.

Personally, I think you have it twisted.

The brick and mortar shop won't order "without you paying for it first",
On most special orders for a product that a shop doesn't normally carry the shop will require payment prior to order. This is standard practice dude.
Unless there is a defect in the product, they shouldn't, and most times won't take a return as the shop will get stuck holding a scope that may well be unsold for a long period of time if ever.

So, if you want the scope, try your brick and mortar shop and ask them if you pay first (which I expect is what they told you in the first place) if they will order it for you.

This has nothing to do with the manufacturer, and furthermore, the shop has every right to expect you to pay first for some oddball product they don't otherwise carry.

These aren't charities and they aren't your own personal testing lab either. They are a store ... Like where you BUY THINGS. If it isn't in stock and you want it, you should expect to pay up front, and if you don't like it, but it is delivered as presented in the ad, then that is on you.

Of course, it it seems you see things differently - which is why you have no scope.

[m850168]

Don't have one, but I did a bunch of research (ages ago) and the MTAC was well-reviewed.

I ended up going with a Bushnell 1-4 (the FFP illuminated one with the throw lever) which is good not great. My gripes are that it's heavy and the illumination is not really bright enough for daytime use, which means a lot of hunting for the tiny reticle on 1x. It's cheaper than the MTAC, which is why I got it - and I am not cheap about optics anymore. But for the price it's a good scope (although the cheaper, non-illuminated version is probably a better buy).

[BLEVE]

The point is that I DID offer to pay for the special order! I knew that I may not be able to return the scope. Still no local retailer would sell it. Oh and by the way I do have the scope I ended up buying another brand (vortex) who has plenty of local retailers willing to stock AND special,order.