Rifle Scopes Burris XTR3!!!
- Thread starter D_TROS
- Start date
Also, for those who might discount the XTR III 5.5-30x56 because it is 5.5x on the low end, take a look at the FOV numbers and you'll find the 5.5-30 actually has greater FOV than many 5-25's at the low end. For me, FOV almost always trumps magnification making this a viable option for those who might be more used to 5-25 scopes.
@GeoffatBurris I have sent you a PM
Can you disclose who the vendors are that will be getting the 5.5x30? I think one might be right at home on a 22LR trainer I am going to finish in the next few weeks...
Are you wondering which vendors will be getting the XTR III scopes? I would imagine every vendor who has orders with Burris will have access to order, but maybe you're asking which vendor will be getting the "first" orders and for that you will need to contact Burris directly and see if they can provide any insight. I would also check with the following Hide vendors (in no particular order) Jason at eurooptic.com (@Baner), Richard at cstactical.com (@CSTactical), Doug at Cameralandny.com (@gr8fuldoug) and Marshall at sportoptics (@MarshalC_SportOptics ) and Scott at libertyoptics.com (@LibertyOptics ) - all these guys are Burris dealers and are a pleasure to work with, they will treat you right!
I tried trust me. For some reason they didn't go for 'BRIGHT ANGLULAR MINUTE FINESSE" scope or BAMF for short...lol
end of day who cares, its gonne be way sweeter than the 2 and that's all that matters.
DT
I always thought it was a National Park in British ColumbiaIs that what BAMF stands for?
oh snap oh snap oh snap.... expect unboxing video tonight!! actual production scope!!!...that is if I can figure out how to post a video!! haha
DT
Real life in the flesh XTR III's, I bet you could pay for admission to that unboxing
...that is if I can figure out how to post a video!! haha
DT
I think I'm going to recut that video in slow motion and play Yello instead of Guns and Roses
I asked and was told the target is mid Sept but nothing set in stone. There are over 200 in production right now.
DT
Initial impressions
-Box is nice
-Turrets have a nice click to them. Nothing mushy here.
-Really like the retc
-Paralax knob tension perfect
-Windage knob, due to the smaller diameter, is harder to rotate. That's expected as with the larger uncapped wind knob will spin lots easier. Pretty happy with this honestly as I don't want it bumped anyway.
-Havnt looked outside yet to check glass, got home after dark. Will be doing some comparisons with my M7Xi, T5Xi, March, TT, and XTR2.
Regards,
DT
-Box is nice
-Turrets have a nice click to them. Nothing mushy here.
-Really like the retc
-Paralax knob tension perfect
-Windage knob, due to the smaller diameter, is harder to rotate. That's expected as with the larger uncapped wind knob will spin lots easier. Pretty happy with this honestly as I don't want it bumped anyway.
-Havnt looked outside yet to check glass, got home after dark. Will be doing some comparisons with my M7Xi, T5Xi, March, TT, and XTR2.
Regards,
DT
Good feedback. Looking forward to the release of the 3.3. The current US March dealer is retiring and I couldn't resist the prices they had on some demo scopes, so picked up a 3-24 ffp. I will pick up the Burris 3.3 and see which one I like best. There is a lot I like about the March, and will be interesting to see how the Burris stacks up.
PART 2 UNBOXING
Man its been fun but i made 2 glaring mistakes (thanks obama) First is the 1903 Springfield is WW2 not 1. oops. I panicked. And 2 one tick right of the top is 4 not 5 lol oops.
Other than that doing some comparisons to other scopes. Will be shooting Raton Field match this sunday if anyone wanna see it.
Compared to just get quick FOV numbers
at 20x from center to edge of scope
Sig = 8.3 mils
Steiner = 8.6 mils
NF = 10.4 mils
XTR3 = 10.4 mils
March =
TT =
On my new baby (Kelbly Blackbear in a KTS stock) its looking very good
Regards,
DT
Man its been fun but i made 2 glaring mistakes (thanks obama) First is the 1903 Springfield is WW2 not 1. oops. I panicked. And 2 one tick right of the top is 4 not 5 lol oops.
Other than that doing some comparisons to other scopes. Will be shooting Raton Field match this sunday if anyone wanna see it.
Compared to just get quick FOV numbers
at 20x from center to edge of scope
Sig = 8.3 mils
Steiner = 8.6 mils
NF = 10.4 mils
XTR3 = 10.4 mils
March =
TT =
On my new baby (Kelbly Blackbear in a KTS stock) its looking very good
Regards,
DT
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^^^ Where's the neon lights to go with the chrome rings
Very nice, can't wait to hear how you like it in competition this Sunday
Very nice, can't wait to hear how you like it in competition this Sunday
Well I switched the XTR 3 over to my 223 for my next 2 matches (Raton SRM this past Sunday and Ireland Guardian at the end of the month.
For those of you that don't know, Raton NM hosts the SRM Match on the NRA Whittington Center. 10 stages. 6 targets per stage. 1 shot per stage. I shot pretty well but had several blunders. Started off awesome by forgetting my pack at home which had my ear pro, tripod, kestrel, and sling in it. Made for a long day. Esp on the stage where you have to be elevated about 30" to clear a brush pile.
After the smoke cleared, my squad walked a little more than 5 miles (we started on stage 2 so had to essentially walk the course 4 times - 1 walking in, 1 shooting across, 1 walking back to stage 1, and 1 walking out from 1. Made for a long, but very fun day. Love this place. Favorite match of the year. Was super happy to end up shooting a 48/60 on the day. No bad stages, just didn't capitalize when I needed to. The tripod stage hurt and an easy prone stage, we had a target go down and I missed the near target both times. Very annoying this shooting sport lol.
Anyways to the point, the XTR3 is a fantastic scope. The glass was great and more often than not I was able to catch trace on my bullet. Granted its a 223, but its still awesome to catch that. At no time did I notice or was I able to see any CA and the resolution made all target acquisition very quick and easy.
FOV was in one word amazing. Very rarely did I have to zoom zoom down to find targets and when I did it was easy to quickly find the targets.
One thing you will notice almost instantly while looking through this scope is that the "black ring" inside the scope is almost non-existent. I don't know how Burris did it, but it is possibly my favorite feature of the whole scope package. Its almost like the scope "disappears" when looking through it. hashtaglove
Zeroing the scope on my rifle was a wiz. My biggest pet peeve on a scope is when you need to rezero the knobs and cant get the allen in the hole that is on the opposite side of the turret so you have to either get up or twist the knobs. so redic that scope manufactures did this. The new XTR3 has the 2 allen holes on the back side right in front of your face for easy knob rezero. Love this.
The knobs were very clicky but almost too firm for me. Just a disclaimer, I much prefer the dreaded "mushy" clicks the old M5 steiners were known for. That being said, the clicks are very tactile and ea click clunks into place no problem. Cranked up to 20 mils above my zero, the hashes lined up perfectly. Towards the end of the day, I was quite used to the knobs and was really enjoying the stiffer more pronounced clicks.
Last part that caught my eye is the new SCR-2 retc. The .1mil wide center floating cross is so small it doesn't block any of the target while allowing a very precise hold. This match this weekend had several small targets on the close stages. Usually they make me nervous due to the small size makes for an easy miss if your wind is off even as little as .1 or .2 on your hold. With this small center cross, it was like I could be more precise (0.05 wind hold on the left tip of cross) and just really mainly added to my confidence.
The only time I did a hold over was on the bush pile stage and that was due to short time allowed and shaky position. Not the experience Ill need in a PRS match but it worked without a hiccup.
Overall, very happy. Cant wait for them to get in the wild.
Regards,
DT
For those of you that don't know, Raton NM hosts the SRM Match on the NRA Whittington Center. 10 stages. 6 targets per stage. 1 shot per stage. I shot pretty well but had several blunders. Started off awesome by forgetting my pack at home which had my ear pro, tripod, kestrel, and sling in it. Made for a long day. Esp on the stage where you have to be elevated about 30" to clear a brush pile.
After the smoke cleared, my squad walked a little more than 5 miles (we started on stage 2 so had to essentially walk the course 4 times - 1 walking in, 1 shooting across, 1 walking back to stage 1, and 1 walking out from 1. Made for a long, but very fun day. Love this place. Favorite match of the year. Was super happy to end up shooting a 48/60 on the day. No bad stages, just didn't capitalize when I needed to. The tripod stage hurt and an easy prone stage, we had a target go down and I missed the near target both times. Very annoying this shooting sport lol.
Anyways to the point, the XTR3 is a fantastic scope. The glass was great and more often than not I was able to catch trace on my bullet. Granted its a 223, but its still awesome to catch that. At no time did I notice or was I able to see any CA and the resolution made all target acquisition very quick and easy.
FOV was in one word amazing. Very rarely did I have to zoom zoom down to find targets and when I did it was easy to quickly find the targets.
One thing you will notice almost instantly while looking through this scope is that the "black ring" inside the scope is almost non-existent. I don't know how Burris did it, but it is possibly my favorite feature of the whole scope package. Its almost like the scope "disappears" when looking through it. hashtaglove
Zeroing the scope on my rifle was a wiz. My biggest pet peeve on a scope is when you need to rezero the knobs and cant get the allen in the hole that is on the opposite side of the turret so you have to either get up or twist the knobs. so redic that scope manufactures did this. The new XTR3 has the 2 allen holes on the back side right in front of your face for easy knob rezero. Love this.
The knobs were very clicky but almost too firm for me. Just a disclaimer, I much prefer the dreaded "mushy" clicks the old M5 steiners were known for. That being said, the clicks are very tactile and ea click clunks into place no problem. Cranked up to 20 mils above my zero, the hashes lined up perfectly. Towards the end of the day, I was quite used to the knobs and was really enjoying the stiffer more pronounced clicks.
Last part that caught my eye is the new SCR-2 retc. The .1mil wide center floating cross is so small it doesn't block any of the target while allowing a very precise hold. This match this weekend had several small targets on the close stages. Usually they make me nervous due to the small size makes for an easy miss if your wind is off even as little as .1 or .2 on your hold. With this small center cross, it was like I could be more precise (0.05 wind hold on the left tip of cross) and just really mainly added to my confidence.
The only time I did a hold over was on the bush pile stage and that was due to short time allowed and shaky position. Not the experience Ill need in a PRS match but it worked without a hiccup.
Overall, very happy. Cant wait for them to get in the wild.
Regards,
DT
Attachments
engineered, machined, BUILT, assembled right here in good ol America!
sans the glass as previously stated and some specialty screws...
This isn't a LOW or whatever speced scope. This is a company in Greely, CO with Americans working in the factory.
No other scope can match it. I not going to lie, Im proud of that.
Regards,
DT
sans the glass as previously stated and some specialty screws...
This isn't a LOW or whatever speced scope. This is a company in Greely, CO with Americans working in the factory.
No other scope can match it. I not going to lie, Im proud of that.
Regards,
DT
Loved the pics D_T. Great writeup for actual in field use, this certainly helps. With regard to your comment above, this sounds very ZCOesque, that was my experience with both ZCO's the black or outer ring of the sight picture almost disappears. The fact that Burris was able to do this in a sub $2k scope is brilliant. I am chomping at the bit to get one but have too much already and I'm waiting for illumination.
Maybe I missed the release date, but has there been a date for when the illuminated reticles will hit the market? I know it was mentioned previously "fall of 19" but was hoping there was a roll out date that had been announced.
Exact same thought myself. Sounds like it won't be out in time for hunting season this fall.
Oh I think I need it. Been my experience at dawn or dusk a lightly lit illuminated reticle makes a big difference hunting. My best glass is considered mid tier so light gathering has something to do with it.
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Sounds like the XTR III might be on par with the Leupold Mk V wrt light gathering. Illumination may be moot.
Just heard the Illum will not be avail until beginning of 2020. So expect to see one at Shot and Id guess avail for sale right after that.
Other than that super exciting as the 3-18 will be a match in heaven on my hunting rifle as well as carbine and rimfire. crap I need 3...this is going to get expensive lol
regards,
DT
Other than that super exciting as the 3-18 will be a match in heaven on my hunting rifle as well as carbine and rimfire. crap I need 3...this is going to get expensive lol
regards,
DT
Agreed! I've been hunting for over a couple decades and never once needed/wanted illumination. I've only owned a couple scopes with illumination over the years, and those were only turned on when I first purchased to make sure it worked.....then never needed it. Same as you, maybe I'll eat these words, but I'd rather save a few bucks and forego illumination. Frankly, if illumination is the make or break on a shot, I'm not doing my job well enough anyways.I'm with you there. I need at least one 18x and another 30x. Ideally though I should get two of the 18x.
I would'nt let illumination be a deciding factor for me. I'll probably try to get one for next year with it included. But the simple fact of the matter is I've been avidly hunting everything that runs, jumps, or swims since 1978. I used to take 3 weeks off every year with my dad and haul the horses from Idaho, to Wyoming, and Montana, hunting Elk and mulies. I've chased coyotes and wolves, lions, bears, you name it. If it lives in the northwest and you can buy a tag, I've hunted it.
In all that time my illumination has been turned on for a total of five minutes. I used it once about 3 years ago on a black bear at about 400 yards in heavy timber, first thing in the morning. I dont think I needed it even then. I've found the "low light" dusk and dawn scenario to not really play out in real life the way it does on forums. Low light glass technology is becoming awfully good these days, which helps offset the need for it.
But I understand people wanting it. Its another tool in the bag. And it's better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it. Maybe I'll eat my words someday and have a shot opportunity at first light heading for No Tell'em Ridge and fill my tag before I've finished my first cup of coffee.
I'm getting excited for the 3.3-18 to be released for a hunting rifle build I currently have in the works.
2 legs and 4...?? lol
In all seriousness, I havnt either other than when using NV and even then I usually have an illuminator and freakin laser so its a moot pt.
Really excited for the 3-18 tho. Not gonna lie.
Regards,
DT
Was that a Vortex that took a shit? It's all good. They've got an unlimited lifetime warranty. You don't even need the receipt!
You must be able to shed some light?
Some of us live in places (or countries) where it'll be years before we ever see one of these in person, in fact I have never seen anyone with a Mark 5 or Mark 6, and have seen a single Razor G2 in matches I have attended.
Mark 4s and NF NXSs are still top dog in my neck of the woods.
In some aspects, other parts of day to day life are stuck in 1970.
Thanks for the evaluation Birddog, those are some good scopes to compare to and vary in price range with the XTR III being the "cheapest" of all, one would not expect it to compete with a scope at 2x the price so not a huge surprise there, but the fact it held its own and did better in some areas than the others would seem to indicate Burris has listened and listened well to the community. FOV, DOF/Parallax and eyebox forgiveness are finally getting a more prominent from shooters as they realize some scopes can really limit the field use.
Sounds like illumination copies may not come available until 2020 which is a bummer and I read what you wrote about your experience which is similar to mine - in most situations I have not needed illumination, but the older I get the worse my eyes get and I'm finding the thinner reticles are assisted by illumination in more and more situations. It's probably more of a mental thing but as long as my brain keeps telling me I need illumination my pocketbook will follow
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