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Old 10-26-2021, 02:22 PM
Mulehahn Mulehahn is offline
 
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Default Cost/time to install a scope (AITA?)

This is a bit of rant but I just left the store and am wondering if I am in the wrong.

To start, I am about 5 hours from home working on my acreage/future home site for the next few months. With it being hunting season I brought a few of my guns along. There is a store in town close by, a well respected store that I by a some of my fishing stuff from but am far from a regular customer as at this point I don't need a lot of fishing gear.

I bought a rifle and rings earlier this year at the store close to where I currently live but they didn't have scope I wanted. Not a big deal, but with supply issues ramping up I bought rifle/rings and threw an old scope on for now. While looking online last week I saw the scope I wanted was in-stock so I ordered it shipped to where I am now. I wasn't planning on this do I didn't bring my tools. I went to the local store to ask if they could install it. Here is where I got kinda chafed.

The guy says they have a strict policy of not installing scopes unless you buy the scope or gun from there but since I am in a bind it will be an hour labour. I got kinda taken back with about $100 to install a scope but talked to him. He asked a few questions and so did I. Turns out they don't carry that line of scopes and though they do carry that line of rifles he has never had that particular model in. At no point could he have ever sold me the gun or that scope so the policy seems kinda mute to me, but I digress.

I understand that stores can charge whatever they want. It is my choice to pay or not. But to make a big show of how he is doing me a favor by going against policy and wants to charge me a full hour for 20 minutes work really rubbed me the wrong way. If he had $40 cash I probably would of said sure; bit high to literally just the top rings, check torque on bases, drop in scope, and reinstall top rings but I would of understood. To say $100 plus GST. No way.

I am just going to order a torque screw driver online, and have it shipped here (looks like will arrive on Thursday), saving me about $40, giving me a back up at home and call it a day. But am I wrong for feeling like that was just gouging because he thought I was in a bind and that I will never spend another dollar there?
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  #2  
Old 10-26-2021, 02:37 PM
markg markg is offline
 
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Location: Calgary Area
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Default I disagree with you

If you bought some tires at Canadian tire would you expect Kal Tire to install them for free? I know I wouldnt.

That being said I stand behind you 100% in your right to refuse the service because you dont feel your getting value. Free Country. Vote with your dollars.

I also support you taking the money you would have spent purchasing a scope mounting kit and learning a new skill.

I just dont think you have any reason to be angry at a store for charging for a service.

I used to own a business and you would be stunned by how many people come in asking for free stuff. I had a cool joke " Free is a 4 letter word that starts with F" I was happy to supply good service but that comes at a cost. I would have to to do a cost benefit analysis, will the free thing I give the customer produce greater future revenue than the present cost. If the answer is no then you wont be in business long if you do things "for free"

Last edited by markg; 10-26-2021 at 02:46 PM.
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Old 10-26-2021, 03:08 PM
fishnguy fishnguy is offline
 
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^ I don’t think he meant for free, but for what he thought was a reasonable price. If I brought my tires to Kal Tire and asked to mount them for me, they wouldn’t pretend to do me a favour, but just do it for price.

To expect someone other than your buddy do it for free would be crazy.
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Old 10-26-2021, 03:43 PM
-JR- -JR- is offline
 
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$100. seems high I think I read at P&D they charge $50 and if you bought your scope there its $25. They did one of my scopes there that I bought and have to say they did a good job . They lapped in the rings so there were no high spots and torqued it down . Its been 5 years now and the gun has never been off . well with it !
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  #5  
Old 10-26-2021, 03:52 PM
fishnguy fishnguy is offline
 
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The local shop used to charge $80, regardless of where you bought your stuff. After seeing the job they did on my cousin’s rifle, I bought the vise, wheelers set (lapping tool, levels, screw driver, etc), etc and never looked back.
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  #6  
Old 10-26-2021, 04:15 PM
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teledogs teledogs is online now
 
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That is pretty dear pricing. I would have did the same as you and ordered the tools to do it. Unless the guy was a complete a-hole I wouldn't ban the store.
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  #7  
Old 10-26-2021, 04:29 PM
Battle Rat Battle Rat is offline
 
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That's a hell of a good way to drive away a potential customer.
I wouldn't grace their store with my presence.
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  #8  
Old 10-26-2021, 04:41 PM
32-40win 32-40win is offline
 
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Wouldn't exactly inspire me to run back to that store to buy stuff, he'd drop to "need right now as he's the only place handy" status. To begin with, I would have gone to a hdwe store to see what I could get for a suitable tool to do it with instead. Only ever had one set of rings installed at a gunshop, which were claw mounts that I was not at all familiar with.
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  #9  
Old 10-26-2021, 05:43 PM
Dmay Dmay is offline
 
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So: You go to a store who informs you they have a policy.....even a strict policy....of not installing scopes without a purchase....and you are complaining because they helped you out and installed yours? For $100.00 could you drive home and do it yourself....or take it someplace else.....or get the tools as mentioned? If not, what's the complaint? And if so, do it and, again, no complaint......
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  #10  
Old 10-26-2021, 05:43 PM
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Trochu Trochu is offline
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Was it a simple drop the lower rings on, drop the scope in, and drop the uppers on or where they lapping, sighting in, etc?

Unless he was ignorant, a high price wouldn't be enough to drive me away from the store. I see items I feel are overpriced in stores all the time.
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  #11  
Old 10-26-2021, 05:48 PM
Desert Eagle Desert Eagle is offline
 
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If you are able to restrain yourself and torque to reasonable levels by hand you don’t need all the fancy stuff. Just need to be able to level it and torque appropriately. Maybe it’s from years of torquing wires, but it’s really not that hard.
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  #12  
Old 10-26-2021, 06:48 PM
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huntinstuff huntinstuff is offline
 
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If you are in Edmonton, bring it to me

I'll show you how and ill do it for free
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  #13  
Old 10-26-2021, 08:05 PM
shawn shawn is offline
 
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Proline in Calgary was $25 a few months ago and I didn’t buy the scope there either. Their price even included bore sighting. Figure that’s a pretty reasonable price.
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  #14  
Old 10-26-2021, 09:11 PM
Mulehahn Mulehahn is offline
 
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Sorry. I wasn't very clear. I know how to install a scope. When I bought the rifle I also bought a set of Talley one piece mounts. I then took it home, installed the mounts to spec and dropped in a Leupold I had lying around until I could get the Zeiss I wanted. I saw that the Zeiss was in stock so I ordered it shipped to where I am. Now I wasn't planning on installing a scope this trip so didn't pack my torque driver.

I didn't feel like driving 5 hours to go get it so I thought I would get the local store to do it. Yes, I know you can do German Spec (gudentite) but with a scope worth that much I just prefer to do it proper. Literally, all that would be involved is remove the top rings, take old scope out, check the torque on bases, drop new scope in, reinstall top rings, level and torque to spec.

If it's your policy to not do it I can accept that. If you want to make an exception, I appreciate it. But to try and charge me a Smith's full hour rate I guess just seemed insane to me. As was said, that is well with in his rights; if I don't like it I can leave so I did. Honestly, unless I my tackle box falls overboard I doubt I will be spending too much money there anytime soon.
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  #15  
Old 10-26-2021, 09:28 PM
elkhunter11 elkhunter11 is online now
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Desert Eagle View Post
If you are able to restrain yourself and torque to reasonable levels by hand you don’t need all the fancy stuff. Just need to be able to level it and torque appropriately. Maybe it’s from years of torquing wires, but it’s really not that hard.
I have mounted many dozens of scopes without a torque screwdriver, and with most mounts, I still don't use one. Most people do develop a feel for torquing small screws after decades of torquing them , and the wrenches that come with the rings and bases are sized so that you have to be pretty numb to damage screws with them.
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  #16  
Old 10-26-2021, 10:28 PM
markg markg is offline
 
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Default Thats fair

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mulehahn View Post
Sorry. I wasn't very clear. I know how to install a scope. When I bought the rifle I also bought a set of Talley one piece mounts. I then took it home, installed the mounts to spec and dropped in a Leupold I had lying around until I could get the Zeiss I wanted. I saw that the Zeiss was in stock so I ordered it shipped to where I am. Now I wasn't planning on installing a scope this trip so didn't pack my torque driver.

I didn't feel like driving 5 hours to go get it so I thought I would get the local store to do it. Yes, I know you can do German Spec (gudentite) but with a scope worth that much I just prefer to do it proper. Literally, all that would be involved is remove the top rings, take old scope out, check the torque on bases, drop new scope in, reinstall top rings, level and torque to spec.

If it's your policy to not do it I can accept that. If you want to make an exception, I appreciate it. But to try and charge me a Smith's full hour rate I guess just seemed insane to me. As was said, that is well with in his rights; if I don't like it I can leave so I did. Honestly, unless I my tackle box falls overboard I doubt I will be spending too much money there anytime soon.
Thats a fair way to see and approach it. I will say most sporting goods places are not much better at mounting scopes than a regular person. I worked in one for awhile and most guys there were not particularly talented at scope mounting. Most gunsmiths would be worth the $100.00 price considering the high value of the scope.

Sometime lawyers who dont really want to take a case use a trick to make people go away, they ask for a $10k or $20K retainer. They might have done the same thing with the $100 fee. They might have been scared of ruining a several thousand dollar scope and having to replace it so they said $100 mounting fee just hoping you would bock at the price and leave.

Cant say for sure as I wasnt there
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  #17  
Old 10-31-2021, 03:53 PM
eric2381 eric2381 is offline
 
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Install your own scope. Come on, it’s not hard. If you can’t install your own scope and rings, how do you expect to sight it in after? It’s all very basic stuff and part of owning and using a rifle. IMO
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  #18  
Old 10-31-2021, 09:03 PM
Ken3134 Ken3134 is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by elkhunter11 View Post
I have mounted many dozens of scopes without a torque screwdriver, and with most mounts, I still don't use one. Most people do develop a feel for torquing small screws after decades of torquing them , and the wrenches that come with the rings and bases are sized so that you have to be pretty numb to damage screws with them.
The most common reason scope are sent back to the manufacture for warranty that usually is not fixable is from overtorquing screws on scope rings. If a person is confident that they can tighten them to the proper torque 15 to 18 inch lbs by feel have at er. Reality is most can’t tell without a torque screwdriver.
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  #19  
Old 11-01-2021, 10:00 AM
calgarychef calgarychef is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by eric2381 View Post
Install your own scope. Come on, it’s not hard. If you can’t install your own scope and rings, how do you expect to sight it in after? It’s all very basic stuff and part of owning and using a rifle. IMO
Did you read the original post?
The poster knows how, he didn’t have his tools with him.
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  #20  
Old 11-01-2021, 10:33 AM
elkhunter11 elkhunter11 is online now
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ken3134 View Post
The most common reason scope are sent back to the manufacture for warranty that usually is not fixable is from overtorquing screws on scope rings. If a person is confident that they can tighten them to the proper torque 15 to 18 inch lbs by feel have at er. Reality is most can’t tell without a torque screwdriver.
The fact is that many of us have been installing scopes long before torque screwdrivers were common. Leupold data actually used to state that the length of the allen key was specifically chosen, because the average person couldn't easily overtighten the mount screws using only their bare fingers and the allen key provided. The screws are now torx head, but they still include the wrench with rings and bases . Now if you use a longer wrench, or a ratchet or even a screwdriver handle, you can put enough pressure on the screws to break them or damage a scope, but using the wrench supplied with the rings, you have to really try to overtighten them.
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  #21  
Old 11-01-2021, 11:06 AM
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catnthehat catnthehat is offline
 
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When you buy rings or a rail from near manufacturing, Richhard prooviides a Torx wrench with a little thumb pad built into it. He gives you the torque specs for the various screw sizes with the amount of pressure on them , 1/8 turn, 1/4 turn, etc.
Cat
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