Priemer Retical boosted Leupold repair

[Baddog0302]

Does anyone have first hand experience with any one or firm that will work on the Leupold scopes that Premier Retical boosted, ect.

Thank you

 

[butchlambert]

Good question as Premier nor Leupold will work on them anymore.

 

[Baddog0302]

Good question as Premier nor Leupold will work on them anymore.

Yep, hopefully I'm not S.O.L, I've e mailed Premier to see if there is anyway to break the glue they used.

 

[watercam]

Will direct heat not do it?

 

[Taildrag15X]

I was told by Premier that the booster is installed with is "like" Locite's Black Max which I had spec'd before in Equipment Design, it takes roughly 525 F to break free if memory is working.

I sent a 20-50x50 to Premier to have the booster removed so Leupold could repair it, it returned and didn't have any burn marks or damage that I could see (it still didn't adjust for elevation and windage moved the reticle dia.) from it being heated to have it removed.

I then boxed it up and off to Leupold to have it repaired, it returned in working order as an 8.5-25x50mm LRT and I sold it.

Not sure what Premier does with the boosters as I read the rumors that they smash 'em & trash 'em, my question to them was not answered about it other than they said they couldn't reinstall it. "Why I asked?" and again this was unanswered.

 

[Baddog0302]

Paul Lange just told me they used "Locite" 410, and that Mr. Thomas that did the work passed away in 2005 and all his knowledge went with him.
He also said to try heat, but didn't say to what degree. He also told me that the scope must be "secured" in a collet vice {sounds like something like a bbl. vice} or some way that will keep the scope from turning when big pliers or a pipe wrench is used on the boost device.
Sooo, when I get the scope back from Leupold I'll send it off Paul to see if he and do anything with it.
Damn scope is racking up some frequent flier miles :

 

[Taildrag15X]

One issue is the heat dissipates fast due to the aluminum tube.....with that said I wouldn't want to use "big pliers or pipe wrench" on the boost if you plan on saving it, make a collet/tube vice for that also so that there would be no damage.

 

[jonbearman]

I know another fella that may be alive or dead and all that he knows will never be passed down to someone like me who would enjoy doing this tedious work.It truly is a travisty.

 

[rayporter]

since several of us have had to fight this dragon we need to find another solution.

what can we use to hold the scope solid while we heat it and try to remove the boost? perhaps an old set of rings mounted to a rail or clamped in a vise would hold the scope solid with no damage while we cranked on the booster. does it have to be a torch or can a heat gun be used?

would an old ring on the boost take too much heat away from the joint where the loctite is?

we had it really smoking when i tried to remove it with leather on the boost. i was sure it had melted something inside. however it works fine as a 6.5-20x now.

i can not remember the temperature i was told it had to reach to release but i think we reached it. i had adam take the temperature readings but dont remember what it got to.

 

[ebb]

I had a first focal plane converted Leupold that Premier did that had a nice retical that broke .I finally convinced Leupold to remove all Premier parts and paid for a new Leupold milling reticle and they installed it . The scope holds zero now and I like the reticle, but first focal plane is gone forever

 

[LarryDScott]

You have to understand that the story that Premier tells the customer today is a lie.
They didnot build boosted scopes in their day that was impossible to dismantle for repair, without destroying the boost.
I have owned several, had mechanical malfunctions, even had reticle changes, and they destroyed nothing in the process.

Today they dont want to live up to their warranty, because of the break in business relations w/Leupold. Maybe they cant get parts, is part of the problem, but the main thing, there is no future profit for them, because that line of product is dead in the water. Premier wins and the consurer looses. Larry in western Ky.