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I ordered a scope from MidwayUSA and I received it this morning. To me this looks an open box item, not a new scope. The scope does look new, but the retail box was not wrapped (don't all new scope retail boxes come sealed?), scope itself was in an open plastic bag and there was no any packing material inside the box. Did I received a scope that another customer returned? I had a short chat with MIdwayUSA and they claim no way they shipped an open box unit. The item description did not have any mentioning of open-box item. From my past experience, most of the time when I received an open-box scope, they were malfunctioning. Large percentage of customer-returned scopes get returned because of a problem. I will test the scope this weekend and will keep it if it works, but I am not pleased with MIdwayUSA this time. I always had a good experience with them, but not this time. I posted a couple of pictures of the package, so please let me know do you think.

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I wouldnt be surprised. Midway sucks.
In the past I always had a good experience with them, but this time not. I would be OK to buy an open-box item, but only if that is mentioned in the item description. The problem is it is getting harder and harder to find companies who treat their customers well. If I had to chose a vendor with the best service and price and speed of shipping, I would choose BlueCollarReloading. Every time I purchased something from them (usually I buy bullets and brass from them), the item was shipped same or next day and I had it within 2-4 days. If I have to choose the worst customer service and slowest shipping, BassPro and Cabelas win that competition. Buying a firearms-related item from Cabelas/BassPro is like going to a dentist for an open heart surgery.
 
In the past I always had a good experience with them, but this time not. I would be OK to buy an open-box item, but only if that is mentioned in the item description. The problem is it is getting harder and harder to find companies who treat their customers well. If I had to chose a vendor with the best service and price and speed of shipping, I would choose BlueCollarReloading. Every time I purchased something from them (usually I buy bullets and brass from them), the item was shipped same or next day and I had it within 2-4 days. If I have to choose the worst customer service and slowest shipping, BassPro and Cabelas win that competition. Buying a firearms-related item from Cabelas/BassPro is like going to a dentist for an open heart surgery.


I stopped buying from midway 5-6 years ago. I ordered a set of high dollar dies. The blow molded case was open. My dies bounced around the box during transit.
They couldn't be bothered to use a piece of tape on the case like everyone else does. Or use packing materials inside the box.
Customer service was horrible.
So f**k em. Plenty of other places like blue collar.
 
My new rule is if I get twice a bad customer service, I stop buying from that company. So far, I crossed Cabelass and BassPro. MidwayUSA and Brownells got a yellow card each, and if they make another screw up I am giving them a red card and will stop buying from them too. My first choices are always BlueCollar, PowderValley and DriftersGear (I might have forgotten some other good companies that I ordered from and was very happy with the service). For some items Amazon works fine. At least, with Amazon I can return item no question asked and have money back on my card within a day from returning the item. I try not to buy from Amazon (I am convinced all big companies in online retail business screw up smaller online retailers), but sometime I have no choice.
Another company that I stay away from is Optics Planet. In my opinion they are a fraud company and if I had a supreme power I would shut them down. They sell the items that they claim they have in stock and ready to ship, and then let you wait for weeks or months to ship. As I am concerned, that is not an online retail business, that is an online fraud operation.
When it comes to local gun shops, I really never had a bad experience with any of them. So far, they all treated me well.

I got back home from work and I just installed the Sightron SIII 6-24x50 scope that I ordered from MidwayUSA. Although I am concerned because the scope might had been used (it does have a couple of minor brassing spots), so chances are the scope was returned by a customer for a malfunction (of course not all scopes are returned for malfunction, but many are), the scope optics is superb (better than any $1K Vortex or Burris), all dials can't be any better. Windage and elevation dials have very nice deep click and parallax, eyepiece and zoom dials are all very smooth and well balanced. Reticle is NOT illuminated (that is one of the reasons I got it because my eyesight is not that good and red illumination makes my eye tired quickly). The best of all is the optical quality and I am not exaggerating saying this scope has optics at the level of Nightforce. This particular model is an older discontinued Sightron scope and is MADE IN JAPAN and has great reviews. Now cross fingers that it does not have any issues.
 
I have been using Midway since LONG before Al invented the net. I have never had a problem that they did not fix pronto. So if it was me? Instead of asking here I would call them and ask them. It "sounds" like you did get an open box item. I would be fully expecting they will make it right by either sending you another or just refunding you money and even paying to get the one they sent back. Simply ask them.
 
Since you mention that it's an older discontinued model, the packaging may simply be how they "used to package them". I think most scopes I've purchased have all had the optics wrapped in simple plastic bag and held in the cardboard box with either cardboard or styrofoam mounts to prevent movement within the box. My memory thinks that they have been sealed in shrink wrap or the box wants to open. Once again, older packaging may differ from current standards.
Hopefully it works out to be OK for you!
 
I would check to see if you see tape residue or evidence of tape tearing the box. If no tape residue then this scope box may not be sealed from the factory. I have had some scope boxes sealed and others not sealed, depends on the brand. Same with camera lenses, Nikon for example does not seal their boxes.
 
Since you mention that it's an older discontinued model, the packaging may simply be how they "used to package them". I think most scopes I've purchased have all had the optics wrapped in simple plastic bag and held in the cardboard box with either cardboard or styrofoam mounts to prevent movement within the box. My memory thinks that they have been sealed in shrink wrap or the box wants to open. Once again, older packaging may differ from current standards.
Hopefully it works out to be OK for you!
Definitely the scope was not new since there were a couple of smudges on the body from scope rings. However, the scope works great and I already shot about 200 rounds without any issue. The scope hold zero great and tracks well. The optics is also good, but of course I can't expect for $350 scope to have optical quality of $2,000 NF or Leupold (the most I care about scope is that it has stable reticle and that holds zero well upon hard use). Overall I am very happy with it. I just was concerned that the scope was returned for some malfunction. In my previous experience, when I received a scope that was in an open box and used, often the scope had issue. Early this year I got on sale Burris XTR in an open box and the scope had two serious issue, so I had to return it. I do not mind buying an open box item if it is disclosed in the item description. MIdwayUSA is a very reputable company, so they should be more careful. Otherwise they would end up like Basspro/Cabelas when it comes to the customer service.
 

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