Questionable quality control. - Athlon Optics Helos BTR Gen II 2-12x42mm 30mm Tube Rifle Scope, First Focal Plane

I ordered my Helos BTR Gen II back in January. When it arrived I started doing all the things you do when you get a new scope. I quickly realized that something internally had gone very wrong.

I was only able to get a clear reticle at/around 8x magnification. Adjusting the diopter from all the way in, to all the way out could not get me a clear reticle at any point in the magnification range other than at/around 8x.

I emailed Athlon and told them what I was experiencing. The email I got back was basic instructions on how to set the diopter to get a clear reticle image. Their response was the logical first step in troubleshooting, so I'm not criticizing them on that.

I filled out the warranty claim form on Athlon's website and sent it with my brand new scope back to them. They do not pay for shipping on warranty claims, so thats extra $$ right there I'm into their product.

About 5 weeks goes by and after no communication I reach out to Athlon customer service and ask if they could give me a status update on my scopes warranty claim.

The representative informed me that my scope was not repairable and that they would send a replacement scope free of charge. However, they were currently out of stock on that particular model and were awaiting another shipment ETA sometime in April. It's early March as I write this review.

Needless to say, I haven't had a positive consumer experience so far. When I get the scope back I'll likely put it up for sale on ebay because I no longer have confidence in the quality of this scope.