ACOG tritium replacement

[lowprone]

Following up on the ACOG for SHTF post. I have a TA31RCO-A4CP: Trijicon ACOG 4x32 BAC Rifle Combat Optic (RCO) Scope with Red Chevron Reticle for the USMC's A4 with Thumbscrew Mount and the John 8:12 bible verse reference on it.
I bought this about 8 years ago, and had Ken Ellmore @ SAW build me A4 since he was & is a Colt LE dealer and Colt was and is way behind the curve.
Anyway reading about the half life issues I got to thinking maybe I should have Trijicon replace the tritium element now.
Has anyone replaced their tritium element and how difficult a procedure is it, turn around time, cost ?
Thank You.

[BillBond]

They used to do it for free if you were the original owner, but now they charge no matter what.

I don't remember the price, but I was shocked and decided that my used ACOG was not worth the money.
It was sold as is and then I purchased a like new one for less money.

ETA:

Trijicon used to have a very liberal warranty.
But the last few years they will rape you no matter what.

[Don Robison]

I had one done about 2 years ago. IIRC it was $575.

[lowprone]

Ouch !

[BillBond]

Call them on the phone and ask them for an estimate to be sure.

[BrigandTwoFour]

As an aside, I expect that price to keep rising. Like I said in the other thread, there is only one place in the country that produces tritium and it belongs to the Department of Energy for maintaining the nuclear weapons stockpile. The facility that actually manufactured tritium shut down after the cold war ended, but they opened up another facility in ~2007 that harvests it from spent nuclear reactor fuel rods. I don't know how much they obtain that way or how much of what they harvest gets shared with private industry; but I bet it's not a lot.

[lowprone]

I will do that, scope is excellent cond. just old, clicked on Brigands everydaymarksman, outstanding info.

[sevenhelmet]

Out of curiosity to the OP, how bright is your ACOG reticle now? I have an ACOG that is about 1 year old, so I'm curious how long it will be before my ACOG becomes a "day only" optic, or I have to pony up for tritium replacement (assuming that's even an option 12+ years from now).

[Rayrevolver]

Out of curiosity to the OP, how bright is your ACOG reticle now? I have an ACOG that is about 1 year old, so I'm curious how long it will be before my ACOG becomes a "day only" optic, or I have to pony up for tritium replacement (assuming that's even an option 12+ years from now).

There was a thread that discussed taping a glow stick to the fiber at night. Now your old ACOG will work day and night! Maybe the thread was on TOS...

[Lefty223]

There was a thread that discussed taping a glow stick to the fiber at night. Now your old ACOG will work day and night! Maybe the thread was on TOS...

FWIW I have an old Trijicon 1.25-4x scope where the tritium wouldn't illuminate well at night anymore. I tried their customer support service and while the paperwork says they 'replaced' it for free ... but it is no better. I called to question them, but that's a story for another day.

Anyway, I made a slip-over plastic cover, 2" long, bottom cut off so it fits over the fiber light collector like a horseshoe. Under the cover is one of those mini LED keychain lights. Turn it on and PRESTO, one can see the illuminated chevron.