Pulsar XD50A- problem, need help!

DoubleUp

DoubleUp

Well-known member
Last night when we got on stand, I fired up the XD50A and it was good, just like it has been flawless for the past two years. I could see deer several hundred yards away. Next time I look through the scope I couldn't see anything.

Well, I could see the crosshairs, and menu screen, and bottom icons, but no picture. It looked like the lens cover was closed except it was open. I turned it on and off several times. The Pulsar logo would come up, but when it went to image, nothing other than crosshairs, and menu, icons, etc. Try NUC'ing all three ways, nothing any different.

Anyone seen this before? It is under warranty, so I know it will be replaced, but it is unnerving to have that much money in something that just quits without being dropped or banged on anything. Plus, the hassle of sending it in and waiting for the return right now while we're whacking the coyotes.

Couldn't have been a worse time. Three minutes into the stand and me with no scope, and I see a coyote coming on the handheld. I beep my hunting buddy to let him know one is coming in on my side. I move my Night Stalker and rifle back out of his way, and he misses an 85 yd. standing shot. All I can do is watch.
 
I have had 3 scanners in 3 years, plus thermal scope is in shop less than 1 year old. I know the feeling. I wish I could find something trouble free.
 
My helion would sometimes freeze up. The image was there but it was a still photo. Power off/on and NUC did not fix it. The only thing that helped was to remove/reinstall the battery. They suggested that I reinstall the default settings and start over but that did not work. I also updated the firmware, that did not work either. I sent it back for replacement, took about 2 weeks.
I wish that I knew of a fix for you but we both know that you are going to have to send it back.
Maybe your defective Pulsar and my defective Trijicon will be on the same UPS truck for a while.
 
Originally Posted By: DoubleUpLast night when we got on stand, I fired up the XD50A and it was good, just like it has been flawless for the past two years. I could see deer several hundred yards away. Next time I look through the scope I couldn't see anything.

Well, I could see the crosshairs, and menu screen, and bottom icons, but no picture. It looked like the lens cover was closed except it was open. I turned it on and off several times. The Pulsar logo would come up, but when it went to image, nothing other than crosshairs, and menu, icons, etc. Try NUC'ing all three ways, nothing any different.

Anyone seen this before? It is under warranty, so I know it will be replaced, but it is unnerving to have that much money in something that just quits without being dropped or banged on anything. Plus, the hassle of sending it in and waiting for the return right now while we're whacking the coyotes.

Couldn't have been a worse time. Three minutes into the stand and me with no scope, and I see a coyote coming on the handheld. I beep my hunting buddy to let him know one is coming in on my side. I move my Night Stalker and rifle back out of his way, and he misses an 85 yd. standing shot. All I can do is watch. my guess is the shutter is stuck for the NUC.
 
Thanks everyone. I guess a stuck shutter is as good a probability as any. Don't think I need to go on it with a hammer though, but awfully tempting right now. I have an e-mail in to Sellmark returns so maybe I'll get an RA shortly. Hate to be without that scope for even a week.
 
Always helps to have a backup. I have an XD50 also and a D740. Before the D740 I had/have a Nemesis Quick Silver gen 2+ that is one heck of a scope for the money. Probably 70 to 80 percent the scope the D740 gen3 is. Still have it but would part with it if you would be interested. Just bought another fusion cause the one I have went down. Had a 100 dollar Cabela's gift card been sitting here, so used it on another fusion.Coyote hunting is my main hobby now since I gave up USPSA shooting a year ago. Have always liked hunting them but night hunting is the only way to have much success here and it is a blast. I take my sons whenever they are home and occasionally even my wife so I don't want to miss a day if I don't have to.
 
Thanks case, I have a couple of Photon's for back-up, but it is hard going from thermal back to digital when you know follow up shots will be limited.
 
Just out of curiousity DoubleUp,when you NUC it does the sound that it typically makes during the NUC sound any different to you? Let us know how your customer service experience goes. Good luck!
 
No, it doesn't make the same sound NUC'ing. I think it is probably like Kevinfarmer suggested and the NUC shutter is stuck. I tried a suggestion that he sent to me by PM, but it didn't work.

Sellmark has sent me an RA # and also a prepaid shipping label for FedEx. I have it boxed and will carry it into town to the FedEx facility if the remnants of this hurricane aren't too bad here.

Thanks to everyone for their suggestions and help. I'll post back how long the turnaround time is and what they send me back. Gonna be tough going without it.
 
Your model has been discontinued. Keep in touch with them, to see what they are sending you. Maybe with a little extra cash you can up grade.
I sent in an hd19a, got back an xd19a, sent it in got an xq23v, & you & I both know what it is like. So Good Luck. You will do fine with your photon, my pvs-14 is doing well.
 
Originally Posted By: old catYour model has been discontinued. Keep in touch with them, to see what they are sending you. Maybe with a little extra cash you can up grade.
I sent in an hd19a, got back an xd19a, sent it in got an xq23v, & you & I both know what it is like. So Good Luck. You will do fine with your photon, my pvs-14 is doing well.

Do you not like the xq23v? I'm about to pull the trigger on one, never had a thermal and don't know what to get without selling a kidney to fund it.
 
I shipped the Apex to Sellmark today. I'll post back in this thread when I get something to replace it and let you know the turnaround time and what they did as repair or replace.

On the XQ23V, it functions okay as a spotter unit. The one I had did not produce as sharp an image as I thought it should considering it was new technology. It has some nice features, but since I had an HD19A that gave me a better picture and more FOV, I sent mine back.

Just remember a handheld is to let you know something is coming. It is nice if the image is sharp, but the riflescope can take care of ID without the Monocular having to do that. Of course if you can afford the extra cash for a Helion XP28, 640 core you can get the best of clarity and FOV.
 
Originally Posted By: Rhett SteeleOriginally Posted By: old catYour model has been discontinued. Keep in touch with them, to see what they are sending you. Maybe with a little extra cash you can up grade.
I sent in an hd19a, got back an xd19a, sent it in got an xq23v, & you & I both know what it is like. So Good Luck. You will do fine with your photon, my pvs-14 is doing well.

Do you not like the xq23v? I'm about to pull the trigger on one, never had a thermal and don't know what to get without selling a kidney to fund it. The xq23v has a flat lens, the xd 19 & hd19 had a convex lens. The convex lens has a much better image at longer ranges. You can not rely on the 23v for IDing. It does show you heat signatures
 
I found a helion xq38f, how does it compare? I have found very little in reviews. One reviewer wrote that the glass in a helion is far better than quantum. wondering too about fov, the helion has a few degrees less fov than others.
 
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Rhett, Old Cat had some experience with the xq30f and really liked it. There is also a Helion XQ28 out now for about $2,100 and the reviews I've seen are good. It has about 2.3 native mag I think. I suspect the xq38f has somewhat more native mag, and somewhat less FOV.
 
I sent the Apex last Thursday by FedEx, and Sellmark received it Tuesday. They sent me an e-mail today saying my unit could not be repaired and since it is discontinued they are sending me an Apex XQ50 to replace it. Will update when it gets here and how I like it compared to the XD50A which I loved.
 
Originally Posted By: DoubleUpI sent the Apex last Thursday by FedEx, and Sellmark received it Tuesday. They sent me an e-mail today saying my unit could not be repaired and since it is discontinued they are sending me an Apex XQ50 to replace it. Will update when it gets here and how I like it compared to the XD50A which I loved. you should definitely see an improvement in the image quality both because of the 17 Micron core and also the new OLED screen. I've got the Apex xq38 and i am just utterly impressed with it
 
My only concern is having to give up the sepia color and only having black or white reticles, but I'll adjust. I'm sure the increase in native mag. and resolution will be nice.
 
Originally Posted By: DoubleUpMy only concern is having to give up the sepia color and only having black or white reticles, but I'll adjust. I'm sure the increase in native mag. and resolution will be nice. i agree with you on the sepia, for some reason that color pallett causes animals to pop out of the wood work.
 
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