UPDATED: 9/26/2022 -Very Disappointed in Sig Rangefinder

[Sekora]

I just wanted to give anyone in the market for a new rangefinder a bit of advice after an experience I had today. I have owned a Sig Kilo 2000 rangefinder since summer of 2017. This unit had very little use and up until last week, had the original battery still installed. Last year I had some trouble getting it to power up, but eventually it did and I just figured I'd change the battery out this year before hunting season. I did that this weekend and the unit is shot. I did a little research and come to find out that this is a common problem with their units. I called Sig's warranty service line hoping they could repair for a fee. The woman told me the only thing she could offer was 40% off a new unit from their website. I told her this is unacceptable for a $500 rangefinder to not survive as long as a $10 battery and I would no longer be supporting their company in any way. She said sorry. I was a big Sig fan before this experience and was planning on purchasing more of their products. Never again.

UPDATE ON SIG RANGEFINDER 9/26/2022

Well, I guess I should be a little embarrassed that I jumped the gun an put a bad statement out about Sig's Customer Service before I really took a little time, processed my thoughts, and gave the company all opportunities to make me realize that they were doing all that they could do. Today I had a long conversation with Craig from Sig who listened to every detail of my experience with this rangefinder and everything that I did to try to continue use of this rangefinder. After he explained to me that the CSR I had spoken with was following company protocol as they are expected to do and sometimes small electronic parts do go bad sooner than anticipated, he would try to help me either get this unit fixed, or replaced with a comparable model. Not only that, Craig is going to make sure I have a functional rangefinder shipped to my door prior to leaving for my elk hunt in late October. I have had very good experiences with buying quality products from quality companies in the past, like Leupold, Nikon, Crispi, etc., that unfortunately required to be repaired for one reason or another, but what this man is doing for me is very impressive and shows that Sig Sauer is indeed one of the companies that cares about their product and the consumers that own them. I have quite a few items branded Sig and I will continue to support them by purchasing more when the time comes. Thanks again Craig and Sig Sauer.

 

[sndmn11]

Maven rangefinders are the ticket.

 

[scfreeman66]

I had a SIG rangefinder die (wouldn't range beyond 400y) and sent it back. They warrantied it out for no charge.
I have also had bad luck with the scopes... disappointing.
I am also done buying their products. I let the reps at the Harrisburg show know how I felt.

Sent from my moto g stylus 5G using Tapatalk

 

[Macintosh]

It doesn’t help your situation and I don’t say this to suggest you do anything different, but hear me out. Manufacturers can offer these products for as little $ as they do— remember you are still getting a product that for the most part didn’t even exist 20 years ago, that allows you to shoot beyond point blank range reliably using a laser beam, in a tiny, lightweight package, for just a couple hours wages—only because they have a bulk production-run set up. They’re not set up to do one-off repairs, they’re set up to assemble new units in bulk. they (and you) can’t afford to diagnose and repair items one at a time Because it would be more expensive than simply buying a new unit at full retail, and sometimes with a waterproof product that isn’t even possible while maintaining the integrity of the unit for inclement weather due to sealed housings, etc. so offering a discount on a new one in lieu of a repair is the functional equivalent to repairing your old unit for a small fee. This is really standard across many large companies in the electronics industry. I don’t know what the wholesale margins are in stuff like rangefinders, but in many other industries dealing in specialed electronics the markup from wholesale to retail is about 25-50%, so when a manufacturer offers a 40% discount what they’re really doing is selling it to you at the price they would sell it to a retailer or maybe if youre lucky at their break-even price. It’s an easy way to offer a customer some relief in a situation where there’s some gray area, without costing them really anything. While I don’t necessarily think SIGs warranty is very good, and I and some others have chosen to buy some things elsewhere because of it, if a product is out of warranty the manufacturer really has no obligation to do anything at all, let alone give you a significant discount on a new product... but its so easy for them to do this and doesnt cost them anything, that it seems like a good solution in many cases.
I’ve heard their service has gone downhill as they’ve had trouble getting help during Covid, but a company like johnson outdoors and humminbird, who makes electronics for fishing boats, I think does a pretty good job of this. They have a warranty, and then once it’s out of warranty they have a published fee schedule and simply offer the repair or replacement option upfront so you know what it’s gonna cost going into it and it’s clear that you are getting a replacement unit In lieu of a repair.

 

[Sekora]

I never expected a free replacement or a free repair after my unit was out of warranty. I also never expected this unit to die before the original battery. The fact that it did makes me lose all confidence in any Sig product.

 

[one66stang]

Leupold told me, yea after 3-4 years those electronics just burn out. Checked Sig is 5 years now I believe. Vortex is still forever. I went with Vortex.

 

[WeiserBucks]

for just a couple hours wages

$500 is a couple hours wages?

 

[bayoublaster7527]

When rangefinders come up my response is always one word….. Leica.

 

[OMB]

I had a SIG rangefinder die (wouldn't range beyond 400y) and sent it back. They warrantied it out for no charge.
I have also had bad luck with the scopes... disappointing.
I am also done buying their products. I let the reps at the Harrisburg show know how I felt.

Sent from my moto g stylus 5G using Tapatalk

My wife got me a Sig Kilo 1250 a few years ago for Xmas because she knew I lost my old trusty Nikon 440 or whatever model I'd used for years. It's been great for bowhunting and range trips on steel plates out to around 550, but after that distance, it's worthless. I knew my guide would have a rangefinder on my last hunt, but I took mine anyway as a back up, and I tried the entire trip to get that thing to read over 550 on hard surfaces (shale and scree), never happened.

My dad's Leupold 1400i on the other hand easily ranges back steel at 1000 yards, and is much faster processing results at the same ranges as my Sig. I don't have any hunts coming up in the foreseeable future where I'll need to range past 500 yards (and I don't even shoot that far in the field), so I don't really care, but if I did, I'd avoid Sig. I'm sure they have their product segments figured out and know most of their customers buying the 2000 and under really aren't going to complain with performance.

 

[SwiftShot]

I upgraded to a Vortex last year and love it. That being said I gave some on here my old Nikon Rifle 550. That thing was 15+ years old and working like a charm. Hunting PNW it got wet a lot. Never any complaints but I wanted the new wiz bang I guess.

 

[EddieNel]

I agree about the Nikon being bullet proof but yes 500ish yards is going to be your max. Same with the Sig. I need a good one that will range a 1000 with tree backdrop. No mountains here in the swamp.

 

[2531usmc]

We as retail consumers will never know for sure, but I would be willing to bet that the electronic design and parts for all of these optics come from only one or two factories in china. Optics vendors write a spec for what they want, negotiate a price, and place an order.

no way does sig, Swarovski, leuopold, vortex, Leica, etc, etc, etc design and build their own unique ranging electronics.

So when we talk about one company being superior or inferior to another companies rangefinder, we’re really talking about the same thing.

just my 2 cents…..

 

[Ucsdryder]

Sig has a 5 year warranty? Was it past the 5 years?

 

[Macintosh]

$500 is a couple hours wages?

not for me it isnt, I wish that was a couple hours wage! Maybe if I'd gone to law school or continued doing business consulting it would be. But my sig rangefinder in 2018 was MUCH less than $500, and the new sig BDX rangefinder I bought from a local retailer for my wife last year was also far less than $500. The number of dollars wasnt the point anyway, so please excuse if that came off hyperbolic--the amount of technology and infrastructure involved in producing any of these units for what they cost at any level is amazing, and is still reliant on large-batch productions--if you were to make them one at a time the way they would need to do individual diagnosis and repair of any issues, the price would be many multiples of what they cost today.

 

[chiroz]

I had the exact same experience with a lightly used Sig Kilo 2000, including it not lasting one battery. That is clearly a manufacturer defect. The interaction I had with Sig service was also the was the same. I will not buy another Sig product.

 

[PNWGATOR]

My Sig2000 failed on a hunt two years ago and my huntijg partner‘s failed last year. Both WELL within the warranty period.

The only thing worse than both of these rangefinders failing chasing wold class muleys was Sig‘s customer service. What a sh!tty company!!!!!

 

[Cowbell]

My new sig that is 1.5 years old has failed me on the last two hunts and I'm about to return it to them or the trash. Cost my wife 165" muley. Seems like is doesn't work at all until it warms up in the day.

 

[hicountry1]

I'm calling bs on the electronics burning out in 3-5 years.

Coming from an electrical engineer ...

 

[Ckoenig]

Do the research on what the companies produce other than rangefinders. The answer will lead you to one definitive answer and that is Leica. They produce extremely accurate laser measurement and scanning systems used throughout the manufacturing industry. Aerospace, construction… you name it and if its gotta be measured accurately you’ll likely find Leica equipment on site. Not to say the other brands aren’t worthy but I’d rather buy from the guys that literally pioneered the field not the guys that make scopes and binos and just wanted to expand into a new market.

 

[CMP_Wally]

I just wanted to give anyone in the market for a new rangefinder a bit of advice after an experience I had today. I have owned a Sig Kilo 2000 rangefinder since summer of 2017. This unit had very little use and up until last week, had the original battery still installed. Last year I had some trouble getting it to power up, but eventually it did and I just figured I'd change the battery out this year before hunting season. I did that this weekend and the unit is shot. I did a little research and come to find out that this is a common problem with their units. I called Sig's warranty service line hoping they could repair for a fee. The woman told me the only thing she could offer was 40% off a new unit from their website. I told her this is unacceptable for a $500 rangefinder to not survive as long as a $10 battery and I would no longer be supporting their company in any way. She said sorry. I was a big Sig fan before this experience and was planning on purchasing more of their products. Never again.

Please call SIG Optics Directly at 603-610-3879 to clear this up. That is a direct extension. Office hours are M-F, 8-5 PST