Rifle Scopes Burris RT-15: Super Disappointing.

[mhowell1693]

Hello Everyone,

I got my RT-15 in the mail today, and I'm really bummed. The scope has some massive flaws and at its price point I can't recommend it to anyone.

1. The elevation turret has 8 mils per rotation, and no rev indicator once you go past that 8. There's no horizontal lines, and it doesn't look like the turret even lifts as you dial up. The only way to tell what rotation you're on is to go down until you hit the zero stop.
2. The reticle is way too thin. You can't even see it against a natural background below 6 power. It's like they used the same line thicknesses as their 25x RT scope instead of optimizing this one for 15x. It's really hard to read the holdover numbers even at 15x. I have 20/20 uncorrected vision as well.
3. It has the dreaded "Made in China" sticker on it. This is the worst part. I specifically waited to buy this scope because many sources had claimed that it would be made in the Philippines, where the old bomb-proof XTR II scopes were made. I try not to buy stuff from commie countries because they treat their citizens like slaves, and God knows what the longevity of this scope is going to be.

This scope is over priced for what it is, and the reticle thickness makes it almost unusable unless you never go below 10-15 power. If buying products from China doesn't bother you, then you'd get a better price on an Athlon scope. If you shell out just a little bit more you can get one made in Japan. I'm surprised Burris even put their name on this thing.

 

[nn8734]

Lol, You’re surprised?

Why the fuck would you buy a China-made scope in the first place?

How much money did you shell out for that piece of shit?

 

[mhowell1693]

There's no indication of where it's made anywhere on the box, but once you get it home and open it up there's a "China" sticker on the scope itself. Online sources had claimed it was made in the Philippines.

I'm not surprised that Chinese scopes suck, I just was surprised that Burris sourced this one and put their name on it. $600, and I'm going to take it back.

 

[nn8734]

Yea and spend a bit more money on a quality optic. I see too many people putting dogs shit scopes on otherwise fine rifles. There are only a couple places on Earth where quality scopes are made: the US, Europe (Germany mainly) and Japan.

As soon as you saw it made someplace other than that, you should have hard-passed.

Hope you get your money back. Consider it a lesson learned with no lasting financial impact.

 

[ken226]

A dealer in Oregon has had these blem XTR2s on eBay for a few months now. 75$ more than you paid for that Chino scope.

Burris XTR II Rifle Scope 3-15x 50 34mm 201034 for sale online | eBay

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For 750 you can get a new in box non-blem xtr2

Burris Optics XTR II Riflescope 3-15x50mm - SCR Mil Reticle

DetailsBurris Optics is a trusted source of binoculars, scopes, sights, reticles, and mounting systems for all hunting, tactical, and competitive shooting needs.The XTR II is serious, state-of-the-art technology for competitive shooters and tactical operators. The front focal plane design on...

www.primaryarms.com

 

[mhowell1693]

I've seen those XTR II scopes perform pretty well at the local PRS club matches. Just "OK" glass, but they tracked well. I was hoping that this one would be of the same quality, but with their new SCR II holdover reticle. It was also going on a .22, so the 25 yard parallax was a feature that drew me in.

Oh well, I'm just posting here as a community service announcement. There's not many reviews of these out in the wild yet, so somebody has to write in to help warn off other interested buyers.

 

[Deleted member 113831]

Hello Everyone,

I got my RT-15 in the mail today, and I'm really bummed. The scope has some massive flaws and at its price point I can't recommend it to anyone.

1. The elevation turret has 8 mils per rotation, and no rev indicator once you go past that 8. There's no horizontal lines, and it doesn't look like the turret even lifts as you dial up. The only way to tell what rotation you're on is to go down until you hit the zero stop.
2. The reticle is way too thin. You can't even see it against a natural background below 6 power. It's like they used the same line thicknesses as their 25x RT scope instead of optimizing this one for 15x. It's really hard to read the holdover numbers even at 15x. I have 20/20 uncorrected vision as well.
3. It has the dreaded "Made in China" sticker on it. This is the worst part. I specifically waited to buy this scope because many sources had claimed that it would be made in the Philippines, where the old bomb-proof XTR II scopes were made. I try not to buy stuff from commie countries because they treat their citizens like slaves, and God knows what the longevity of this scope is going to be.

This scope is over priced for what it is, and the reticle thickness makes it almost unusable unless you never go below 10-15 power. If buying products from China doesn't bother you, then you'd get a better price on an Athlon scope. If you shell out just a little bit more you can get one made in Japan. I'm surprised Burris even put their name on this thing.

So in other words...the scope hasn't failed in any way...other than your ill researched and pre-conceived expectations?

 

[beetroot]

So...the scope hasn't failed in any way...other than your ill researched and pre-conceived expectations?

Looks like it.
The MIC is a complete non-issue, unless for political reasons.
The 8Mil turrets will be as advertised, the lack of revolution counter can be found on other scopes.

The reticle thickness is the only genuine complaint here and one I tend to agree with but is in many ways very personal.
To a certain extent you can get used to a very fine FFP reticle but it does annoy me that manufacturers don't optimize the thickness for lower magnification scopes.

 

[Deleted member 113831]

To a certain extent you can get used to a very fine FFP reticle but it does annoy me that manufacturers don't optimize the thickness for lower magnification scopes.

The problem is that faggots keep clamoring for high zoom ratio's and then complaining that the "screen door" reticle on their 3x-30x FFP is too small.

 

[Trigger Monkey]

I'm reviewing the RT25 at the moment, I mounted it up on my B14R and took it out for its first range trip this past weekend. I'm far from complete with my review but here are a few highlights so far

- Tracking is good, shot a tall target test that went from 0 - 10.5 - 0 mils and then up 6.5 mils and side to side 2 mils. No issues with tracking and RTZ was good.
- On a 20 MOA base I have 14.9 mils of adjustment, enough to get a .22 to 300 yards.
- The 8 mils per turn elevation knob is quirky but workable considering that even with it being on a rimfire I'm either in the second rev or not. On something like a 6.5CM or 6CM you'll barely be half a mil into the second rev at 1,000 yards so it's highly unlikely you'll get lost.
- Being a FFP reticle, yeah you're going to lose it in natural backgrounds on 6X, this is a downside common to FFP in general, nothing new here. I do like the SCR2 and found it be manageable from 25X down to about 10-12 depending on the conditions.
- Parallax is smooth, the turrets feel good, and the zero stop is pretty easy to set.

I'm still working on evaluating the optical performance but mechanically the scope appears to be sound.

 

[beetroot]

The problem is that faggots keep clamoring for high zoom ratio's and then complaining that the "screen door" reticle on their 3x-30x FFP is too small.

I don't recall the last time I heard someone complain a reticle was too thick.
Take the Vortex PST G2 for example, the EBR7C reticle is perfectly sized for the 5-25.
They've used the same sized reticle in the 3-15 which just feels like it could be thicker.

Clearly the 3-15 will never be used on 25x so why not make it thicker? It won't hinder the scope at 15x and will improve visibility at lower magnification.
Vortex used to put a thicker reticle in the 3-15 PST and 3-18 Razor but stopped when going to the EBR7C. Can't think any good reason why they'd do that.

 

[Bender]

The problem is that faggots keep clamoring for high zoom ratio's and then complaining that the "screen door" reticle on their 3x-30x FFP is too small.

This. So much this.

 

[Millron]

Calling Bird Dog, where is he on this thread??

To the original OP--there was a lot of misinformation on this scope line. The RT6 is made in the Phillipines and a lot of sources had this scope listed as manufactured in the Phillipines as well, apparently not.

 

[RFutch]

I had the exact same feelings as the OP when I saw this scope. The reticle is super thin and add the fact that it's made in china, fuck that. It seems a lot of the new Burris scopes are made in china now. That's disappointing.

 

[Krob95]

@Birddog6424 someone was paging you ^^

 

[Birddog6424]

@Birddog6424 someone was paging you ^^

First time I've seen this thread...here's my thoughts..

I had no idea where this scope was made. I havent gotten much info on it and hadn't seen one up until two weeks ago when a buddy bought one. I honestly thought it was coming from the Phillipines. Coming from China? Well if you haven't realized it yet, here it is. Get used to lots of sub 1k scopes coming out of China. There's bunches already and more to follow. Its the new Japan.

I havent seen the 15x, but I got to play with the 25x. I thought for what it was made for, which is an entry level competition scope, it was prettt decent. We compared the glass to a Vortex Strike Eagle and Athlon Midas. The glass is surprisingly good in the Burris. Better than the Vortex, about on par with the Midas. Theres a couple features I liked better on the Strike Eagle, but the Burris was the clear winner in glass with these two particular samples.

Yes, the reticle is thin. Its the SCR2 grid reticle. It's not optimized for 5x or 6x. Its made for 10x and up for competitive shooting. Honestly people keep saying you can't use it at low X. No kidding, it's a FFP made for higher magnification. I have a crap ton of time behind this reticle. Its perfectly useable at 10x and up, unless you're blind. Ive had no issues with it even lower. I was using it to shoot whistle pigs at 3.3x this spring.

I'm not wild about the 8x turrets. Not a huge deal for me, I always return to zero after a stage, but 10 would have been nice. It has no revolution indicators with the top turret lifting to unlock/turn, pressing down to lock. I like the locking turret and capped windage, and it killed it on our tracking test. Dead nuts..

I have some disappointment that it doesn't have a lot of travel at 18mils. I wish it had more. I like the 15yd parallax.

I think its a decent scope. I certainly disagree with the OP, but respect his right to his opinion. Even though he's kinda making a habit of this...

Rifle Scopes - New Vortex Diamondback Tactical FFP Scope. Who has one? Who can order one?

Hello Guys, I bought one of the 4-16x FFP models based on other websites saying that it was made in the Philippines. I should have come here first, because it's got the "Made in China" sticker on it. It's also got really weird turrets. They're 6 mils per rotation, and there's no indicator of...

www.snipershide.com

 

[MTB doc]

OP, you are either a chronic complainer or an idiot, or both. Or maybe some ulterior motive. You literally complained about the exact same things 10 months ago with a different scope and you make the same fucking mistake again??

 

[D_TROS]

The problem is that faggots keep clamoring for high zoom ratio's and then complaining that the "screen door" reticle on their 3x-30x FFP is too small.

The other problem is peeps keep clamoring for USA made scopes (which both Burris and Vortex did wonderfully) and lose their mind its didnt cost $500


if not made in USA made is your deciding factor, then buy a USA made scope. I imagine the 8 mil knob and china is due to the clamoring for a scope around 500 that has all the features of a comp scope? Your only arguable pt is the thin retc. Most here love a thin retc. Given the choice of too thin or too thick I would be shocked if most didnt pick too thin.

PS I love the small retc. I dont have amazing eyes but i can EASILY see the .2 hashes at 10x and would have no prob using them at 8x...which I nvr will. Scope comes with a throw lever it takes one sec to zoom zoom up.

I just got my RT3-15 to use in the Hunter Hornady match and also hunting in real life. I had to make 12lbs and this scope was my only option other than a rebarrel with FFP mil scope under $1k. I do own a couple XTR3's as they are made in the USA but I cant afford one for all my rifles.

I needed Good tracking, FFP and a mil retc/knobs. Near 20 ozs. Locking knobs and 15 yd paralax were a plus.


Guess you cant please them all...


Regards
DT

 

[Birddog6424]

I'm running the RT25 5-25x56 in an NRL22 match this Saturday.

I'm looking forward to putting this scope through its paces.

 

[mhowell1693]

The only real question that has been asked is whether the OP is an idiot.

Sadly, in this case the answer is yes. The my experience with the RT-15 the Vortex scope is an example of the phrase "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me."

I should have never bought a scope without seeing one and handling it in person. I shouldn't have trusted the opinions of buddies at the gun range who had also never seen the scope. Buying a brand new scope model based on forum rumors is a recipe for disaster. All the signs were there, and it's on me for not seeing it.

It sucks to make a purchase and find out that it wasn't what you expected. It sucks even more to admit it in a public forum, but that's the only way other people are going to find out details about the product. Most of my favorite scopes were well established models with lots of reviews and published tests, and I'm finding out that I'm just not cut out to be an early-adopter.

I've learned that I'm going to have to spend 2-3x as much to really get a scope I'm happy with. It's going to be weird putting a $1500+ optic on a $500 .22LR, but I'll be able to convince myself that it was worth it.

 

[Millron]

For a sub $500 FFP optic with useable glass, check on the Sig Tango 4 4-16 scopes. EuroOptic is running a killer deal on these right now on closeout. They aren't perfect but the glass is the best I've found in that price range. Turrets are a little mushy but seem to track and it has a zero stop. These are stickered as made in the Phillipines not China, which is a huge positive in my opinion. Personally I've just had better luck with lower tier optics holding up if coming from Phillipines. Burris scopes included in that. I've had three optics fail in the last year alone , two athlons and one vortex, all chinese made ones. NO more for me. Sure I'd luv to be able to put Nightforce, S&B's, and Kahles on every gun I own but thats not realistic, especially for those ones that are back up guns or rarely shot.

 

[Shane_r_13]

Lol, You’re surprised?

Why the fuck would you buy a China-made scope in the first place?

How much money did you shell out for that piece of shit?

Burris scopes are not made in China.

 

[Shane_r_13]

The only real question that has been asked is whether the OP is an idiot.

Sadly, in this case the answer is yes. The my experience with the RT-15 the Vortex scope is an example of the phrase "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me."

I should have never bought a scope without seeing one and handling it in person. I shouldn't have trusted the opinions of buddies at the gun range who had also never seen the scope. Buying a brand new scope model based on forum rumors is a recipe for disaster. All the signs were there, and it's on me for not seeing it.

It sucks to make a purchase and find out that it wasn't what you expected. It sucks even more to admit it in a public forum, but that's the only way other people are going to find out details about the product. Most of my favorite scopes were well established models with lots of reviews and published tests, and I'm finding out that I'm just not cut out to be an early-adopter.

I've learned that I'm going to have to spend 2-3x as much to really get a scope I'm happy with. It's going to be weird putting a $1500+ optic on a $500 .22LR, but I'll be able to convince myself that it was worth it.

I have the same optic on my .338 lapua and my 300 ultra mag. Both made in Philippine. I own 12 Burris scopes and have yet to have any say China. Where did you purchase the scope from? I own a lot of scopes, 1 zeiss, 4 vortex and the Burris is just as good as the zeiss and better for 1000+ yard shooting than my vortex optics.

 

[RFutch]

Burris scopes are not made in China.

Some of them are now.

 

[Long Range 338]

Burris scopes are not made in China.

The sticker on the bottom of the scope in question begs to differ

 

[smoothy8500]

The problem is that faggots keep clamoring for high zoom ratio's and then complaining that the "screen door" reticle on their 3x-30x FFP is too small.

Even the LGBTQ community says those people are dumb...

 

[sako.308]

I too just picked up a 525 rt line scope. I have other burris xtr series scopes on match guns and every one of them has been fvking bomb proof. Is the glass sb/tt/kalhes quality hell no but they are literally half the cost so when it was time to pick a optic for a longer range dmr type ar burris was a clear fav to start my search. I went back and forth figuring glass would be like the crappy gen1 pst glass or worse. But the locking turrets, and scr2 was huge on my list of wants. Once i got the scope in hand in a store i was very surprised how much better glass was than i expected. The reticle is thin as fvk but if youve ever shot the old scr mil in xtrii you will be happy to have burris down size the reticle. To me at 14-16x scr mil cross would cover big portion of a 1/3 ipsc at any real distance. Was it bad enough to stop using or hate the scope no but it was a tad annoying so for OP to bitch its to thin he clearly never seen a sb p4f

 

[TheGerman]

Even the made in china sticker looks like shit lol

 

[devildog93]

Pretty funny that most of these companies won't say where the glass is made. I just assume it is Chinese unless they say otherwise. I have not been burned yet, but i am sure they will get me at some point. I can't justify over 1000 for a scope with my usage pattern, so i stay in the 500-900 range. I have a Burris rt-6 and a sig sauer tango 4, but has been keeping an eye on the RT line for a match rifle. Looks like i will be leaning another direction now.

I really wanted to say that i appreciate the post and the warning so i don't spend 600+ on an optic that supports a country trying to smoke us. We can't avoid China on everything, but i try to avoid it when i can. I am now looking at a primary arms glx line 2.5-10 to fill this role instead. I really hope companies change direction on Chinese support in the future. Maybe if more of us would take a stand it would matter. I can hope at least.