I had my Aimpoint out for its second range session; during the first, I fired ~250 rounds.  After maybe 40 rounds, the dot began to jump around in intensity before finally failing completely.  I opened and closed the battery compartment and was able to get the dot back but he dot is nowhere near as bright as it should be.  Is this an issue that can be resolved with a new battery or do I have other problems.

Sounds like you have intermittent electrical contact some place in the system.  This maybe inside the Aimpoint but since opening the battery compartment help, I would look there first.

A fast check list is as follows:

1: Was the battery cap tight or just to the point where the o-ring just made contact (should be a [red]little[/red] compression of the o-ring to make a seal etc.).

2: Was there anything loose or our of place in the battery compartment, such as the spring or the little front disk "think".

3: How does the battery look?  Any black on the ends or worst yet material leaking out.

4: Try a new battery and see how that works.

5a: Any grease or other material on the battery contacts, including black oxide or corrosion.

5b: For a remote control or such would recommend cleaning the contacts with the end of pencil eraser, however, on a $300+ piece of new optics you might just wear through the plating on the contacts and be sorry for every more as cleaning this way sometimes removes the surface plating and the problem keeps coming back worst every time (plus your warrenty is probaly void).  Thus I would recommend (and I am sure Aimpoint would agree [;)], NOT to clean the contacts but to send the Aimpoint back if a new battery does not fix the problem.

Tried a new battery and a visual check of the batter compartment - neither made any difference.  Contacted Aimpoint and they advised that I should return it to them.  This normally wouldn't be a big deal but I'm supposed to be at Thunder Ranch next week and that class was going to be my gear test/workout.  

Aimpoint is saying that they can work on the scope without removing it from the mount to retain my zero.  In theory, they will ship it to me at Thunder Ranch.  While I appreciate them rushing the repair effort, I was expecting that they'd ship a new scope since this one is obviously defective from the factory.  We'll see what happens - I've always said that the true test of a company isn't their products but their service.

I got my ML2 and it worked fine right out of the box.  I mounted it on the rifle, took it out, then brought it home and leaned the rifle in a corner.  About a week later I checked it and the dot worked but was extremely dim, even at the highest setting.  I thought I had a dying battery, so I put it back in the corner and made a note to buy new batteries.  A few days later I checked it again and it was working fine.  That was months ago, I've put almost 1000 rounds through the rifle since then and it's worked flawlessly.

I never did figure out what happened.  Maybe I've been smoking crack and then forgetting .

jafager

i want an aimpoint really bad

leave the questionable Aimoint at home.  Thunder Ranch is no place for unproven or defective gear.  I think Clint has gremlins on staff he feeds with a special high protein diet so they can eat electronics.  if you have backup irons I would use them exclusively.  if you don't I would buy some.  enjoy the class.  don't be afraid to laugh at the lecture.  drink plenty of water and take it easy on the sports drinks.  if you don't by the end of day four you will get Gatorade goofy.  take as many mags as you have.  6-12-20.  that way you can listen and rest during the lectures instead of desperately topping off mags.  get a speed reloader.  bring more ammo.  good luck.

oh and wright up a report of the class!
Tell Clint about your Aimpoint problem and get his response.  i bet it will be colorful!