Spoting scope needs repair

Anyone ever crack open a scope to make repairs or adjustments? My box went for a roll recently and my Bushnell 20X40 competitor sees everything canted to the right now. Still works and focuses but it's a tilted image no mater how you hold the scope. Nothing sounds loose either. Somethings off. I called Bushnell and they said I gotta pay to ship it to them and if it's 1984 or newer it COULD be covered under warranty. If it is and they can't fix it they'll replace it with something suitable. Or at discount. I feel like I'm hosed here. 

If they are like old Tascos. You probably made it made it skip a thread. If it has a two piece body just un-screw it and put it back together. I had and old Tasco that did the same thing. If that fixes it your all set. If not, then remember it is s Bushnell.

With the cost of shipping and then gambling on whether or not it would be covered you might be better off just buying a new/used spotter instead.

I recently had an issue with a bushnell reflex and the warranty replacement was pretty quick and painless, but it was a mechanical failure on the optic and not due to being dropped.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bushnell-Banner-Competitor-20x-40mm-Telescope-Spotting-Scope-w-tripod-/142086125528?hash=item2114fe37d8:g:CcIAAOSwdzVXis~z

there were at least two version of the competitor.. the smaller one Len posted on eBay is a Taiwanese version..  the original was longer and was made in Japan.  the last ones were Chinese made I think

they were the inexpensive models back in the late 70s from Bushnell at least compared to the space masters or Sentry..


this one is listed as a Space master but it's the early Japanese Competitor

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bushnell-Spacemaster-20x40-mm-78-1420-/302024961255?hash=item4652172ce7:g:IPMAAOSwM0FXH9U-

This is the old style that needs screwed back together sometimes.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Bushnell-Competitor-40mm-Prismatic-Spotting-Telescope-w-20x-Eyepiece-/252495194667?hash=item3ac9e2ea2b:g:hR4AAOSwnFZXWyBP

OldMaster66 wrote:This is the old style that needs screwed back together sometimes.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Bushnell-Competitor-40mm-Prismatic-Spotting-Telescope-w-20x-Eyepiece-/252495194667?hash=item3ac9e2ea2b:g:hR4AAOSwnFZXWyBP

My gosh! I have one, somewhere, covered by other things...

I have this one in my old Pachmyer. Still working.


http://www.ebay.com/itm/BUSHNELL-Sky-Rover-9to30-Power-40mm-Insta-Focus-SPOTTING-SCOPE-TELESCOPE-w-BOX-/142064777775?hash=item2113b87a2f:g:OGAAAOSwnNBXbD9P

james r chapman wrote:

OldMaster66 wrote:This is the old style that needs screwed back together sometimes.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Bushnell-Competitor-40mm-Prismatic-Spotting-Telescope-w-20x-Eyepiece-/252495194667?hash=item3ac9e2ea2b:g:hR4AAOSwnFZXWyBP

My gosh! I have one, somewhere, covered by other things...

Let me know if you feel like parting with it cheap. Not sure if I'm gonna be able to fix mine. I might just deal with it and use it as is. The image is only rotated about 30 to 35 degrees or so. And still focuses to see 22 holes at 50 so that's good.

NEVERMIND!!! I fixed it!!! ... I think. I got brave and looked over the scope. There is only one seam in the whole body close to the eye piece. The two halves are held together with three small screws. So I removed the screws and off came the top with the eye piece intact. 

Inside the body there was a prism held at an angle, held down to a plastic mount where I could see a possible second prism mounted about 45 degrees off underneath on the other side of the plastic mount. 

The prism that was immediately accessible was loose so I played with moving it around some and found a position that brought my image back to a level picture and not tilted. I saw that there was some sort of concrete looking epoxy that to me seems like it was intended to hold the prism in place but it was cracked and the prism loose. A mounting bracket is there to tighten down and keep the prism in place but the epoxy looked more like a permanent hold. Until I dropped the box and the scope got hit jarring the prism loose and breaking free from the epoxy. 

So I think it's right, but maybe I should add some JB Weld or something like it to keep the prism firm in place. And Bushnell wanted me to spend money to ship to them on a gamble.... HA! Although I'm sure they could've fixed this.... 

Good for you!
I wound up doing the same thing to a Spacemaster (japan made) that got blown off my shooting bench.  Way out of warranty, & wouldn't have expected them to warranty it anyhow.  Took it apart & one of the prisms had slipped.  Moved back into position, super glued it back into place & it works like a charm.  Now I just have to NOT shoot in the light & variable breezes ND gets.
Al