Bushnell First Strike Red Dot + 870 = Failure Twice

[Virginian]

They may have a machining issue or a lens polishing issue they are just learning of with your help.
The very best steel is made from "recycled" steel - otherwise known as scrap - these days. It's about the only "Made in the USA" steel you can find. You just test the melt and add the right alloys to get the final result you want. I've run two foundries.

 

[Mrgunsngear]

Update: 10JUL12--I just spoke with Bushnell again and they were very helpful as they were last time. They're sending out a pre-paid label to have this optic replaced. The supervisor there, Jacob, inquired about the type and number or rounds I fired through it and when the cracks developed. He apologized and seemed legitmately concerned/surprised. He also stated they still have my 1st one in the lab and are still trying to figure out what was the cause of the failure.

I'm still impressed by their customer service and hope they can get the kinks worked out but I don't know if I'll run the replacement on my 870 again or just relegate it to rifle use. I'm kind of a glutton for punishment though so I may just mount it up again for part III.

 

[Creeper]

I'm still impressed by their customer service and hope they can get the kinks worked out but I don't know if I'll run the replacement on my 870 again or just relegate it to rifle use. I'm kind of a glutton for punishment though so I may just mount it up again for part III.

That's a good beta tester... round 3, coming up.

 

[TheKlawMan]

The supervisor there, Jacob, inquired about the type and number or rounds I fired through it and when the cracks developed. He apologized and seemed legitmately concerned/surprised. He also stated they still have my 1st one in the lab and are still trying to figure out what was the cause of the failure.

Possible, but I would think they would dig into it and get a quick, if not definitive answer, so they can head off any desigh or manuacturing problems before they have to eat a lot of these. Then it may be that the lab is backed up with so many returns that they haven't gotten to it and they are in no hurry to do so if they have a good idea what is the problem.

 

[TheKlawMan]

I'm still impressed by their customer service and hope they can get the kinks worked out but I don't know if I'll run the replacement on my 870 again or just relegate it to rifle use. I'm kind of a glutton for punishment though so I may just mount it up again for part III.

If it failed so quickly on a 12 gauge, is it likely to fail on a rifle after a bit longer?

 

[Mrgunsngear]

That's a good beta tester... round 3, coming up.

Somebody's gotta do it!

Possible, but I would think they would dig into it and get a quick, if not definitive answer, so they can head off any desigh or manuacturing problems before they have to eat a lot of these. Then it may be that the lab is backed up with so many returns that they haven't gotten to it and they are in no hurry to do so if they have a good idea what is the problem.

I've returned a few guns/accessories in the past and never had a reaction like I've had from Bushnell on this red dot. Both times that I've called they've asked me if I minded talking to their tech guys/engineers about how I used it. Again, they all seem surprised (genuinely so) at what I'm telling them. They've also seen both of my videos and ask question after question--I take it as a good sign but who knows

If it failed so quickly on a 12 gauge, is it likely to fail on a rifle after a bit longer?

Not necessarily IMO. I've seen a Burris Fastfire fail on a Mossberg 930 but I run one on my SBR'd AK and SGL 31 and have never had an issue through thousands of rounds. The 12ga is a lot of power, probably exponentially so (I'm not an engineer here...) compared to an AR or AK.