Would like to hear your comparison once you’ve had it out to the range. I’ve been considering an atacr 4-16 as an alternative to the perpetually delayed xtriii w/ illumination. Fortunately the rifle isn’t finished yet so I still have some time to wait.
Rifle Scopes Burris XTR3!!!
- Thread starter D_TROS
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Would like to hear your comparison once you’ve had it out to the range. I’ve been considering an atacr 4-16 as an alternative to the perpetually delayed xtriii w/ illumination. Fortunately the rifle isn’t finished yet so I still have some time to wait.
The 5.5-30 SCR2 is out of stock at ExpertVoice. Anyone know someplace else that's similarly priced that has it in stock or will backorder?
Thanks, I looked there. It's still nearly a $100 difference.^^
201212 - Burris BUR 201212 000381012128
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I'm not coming back from Korea for a couple months. I'm willing to wait a bit to see if it comes back in stock.
Except it isn't. Expert voice charges taxes, fees, and their shipping is higher than normal. Most of the online retailers don't. Difference is a lot less than you think.
Got mine today and it’s nice. Except for the little razor blades on the mag ring. This thing seriously needs a throw lever, my poor office hands can’t deal with how sharp the dragon scales are.
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Definitely some very accentuated knurling on the controls! I really like the turret click feel on them though
Ok I am in no way a professional optic guru but here are my thoughts. I’ve been out twice with it, once a rainy foggy day and then today which was bright and sunny. I compared it to both my 5-25 ATACR and my 3.5-15 NXS out to 1000 yards. The Burris falls in between as expected, but to my eyes it’s closer to the NXS than the ATACR. Specifically CA was controlled a lot better in the Burris than the NXS and resolution was also better. Color looked the same to me but FOV was better in the Burris.
The ATACR does look better to me but it’s also twice the cost. Overall I am very happy with the XTRIII though and the windage marks on the SCR are very similar to the MIL-C which pretty cool.
I bought a 2nd one this week, as opposed to a 2nd ZCO, or a March wide angle. Best value IMHO, and some uniqueness with thin ret and big FOV. I have a 4K yard view from the front of my house, and try as I might over the last ~year, I have not been able to come up with a scenario where I could see something with my ZCO that I couldn't see with my XTR3. ZCO is definitely better, can see detail at long range that can't be discerned with the Burris, but for me, no real practical difference in taking a shot.
I think a lot of it is because Burris is the only manufacturer that does NOT offer illuminated options on their highest line of scopes. That’s an immediate deal killer for most people looking at optics between brands.
I was guessing this might be the cool stuff on the horizon mentioned. I'll have to try using it one of these days to see if it is as big a deal to me as a lot of shooters say it is to them.
After I just bought a 2nd one! You will need to pull some strings and allow me to upgrade for the price difference! If it's just illumination and the bit thicker reticle, I'll pass, but a higher end XTR4, I'm in.
That will probably change when the illuminated models make it here and the cool stuff you are alluding to. I am pretty excited about that one. So much so, that I left a time slot for reviewing it (generally, I am no longer accepting new review items until I clear some of my backlog).
ILya
Im surprised the illum hasnt been announced yet...
And there are some major changes coming...some good and some gooder. LOL
Regards
DT
And there are some major changes coming...some good and some gooder. LOL
Regards
DT
I would say I'm keen to hear what these changes are but at this stage just want damn illumination.
Maybe in a couple of years will be able to try out the new XTR3+
I’ve run the XTR3 all year now and have no major complaints. It’s just a super solid unit. If a Gooder version is coming down the pipe I’m going to have to have one. Looking forward to this
Been waiting patiently for the illuminated version of the 3-18. Still waiting on the barrel for the rifle it’s going on so I haven’t been to antsy but I’ve started to wonder if it’ll ever come out.
Excited to hear the news, hopefully this can be my Christmas present to myself
Excited to hear the news, hopefully this can be my Christmas present to myself
Here's hoping "more than just illuminated" means it went on a diet. If Vortex can make a 22oz 4.5-22, maybe Burris can make a 3.3-18 that comes in under the Tenmile's 3-18's 25oz. Pepperidge Farms remembers the original sub 27oz hype, as unintentional as that was.
I figured as much. But I can dream for more crossovers can't I?
Okay, so the cool stuff is not just illumination and it's not reduced weight, that's good, now you've got my attention.
@Birddog, this isn't directed at you personally, so bear that in mind.
I'd love to think there is cool stuff on the horizon; but for too long "illumination is coming" has been heard (at least implied from my reading). I really want to like this offering; but the constant tease is a little old. Now the tease is more cool stuff for this optic (or is it actually a XTR IV now?) and since this is around the time I'm looking to purchase something again (>75% chance) it would be in my consideration for sure. However, the tease of illumination for a long time has dulled my desire. Since it's taken this long for illumination to (I guess) finally be here, how long is it going to take for the cool stuff and the actual inventory to arrive?
I'm sure it's a great scope; but since I refuse to pay that kind of money and not be at least offered illumination I've waited...and...waited. But just wait a bit more. It's starting to wonder if Burris is run by the GOP - just be patient, we'll work it out.
The improved model isn't out of the running, but soon it will be.
I always laugh at the lack of illum being a deter. I have used illum 3x in the last 20 years...both times were at night exercises/matches which Im almost sure 100% of the shooters on the hide dont do. Ive hunted on 3 continents and killed countless elk/deer and also nvr once used illum hunting. That includes early/late as the scope always seems to be brighter than naked eye anyway. Of course there are always bad eyes to consider which illum would help. so there is that!
That being said, I am as annoyed at the lack of release of illum as well. Id way rather no announcement was made. But Burris was soooooo close to releasing it last yr. Esp when I have seen prototypes ready to go. The reason for not being released will be made clear soon. To say it bluntly, there are major manufacturing changes that completely stopped illum production. And I for one am glad it happened.
I called everyone I could yesterday and was told the target announcement is this Turkey day. So hold your horses. lol.
Regards
DT
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LOL. Thanks for the "Gobble" information.
I'm not saying I use illum a lot, shit, I'm not nearly as accomplished as 95% of you guys; but I know where I regularly shoot, at sunset (when sun gets into eyes and backdrop is dark as heck - not to mention the range usually paints targets dark (until I paint...LOL) ) it's very nice to have. And...if I'm farting off 1500+ I think that should be a discriminator.
I have no doubt it's a quality scope. I remember right when my father got ill these were announced along with the new reticle on the ATACR. So it's been a while coming. Hopefully slow and sure win here and an awesome scope is to be had.
Thanks for the honesty from the information you have and are permitted to disclose - as always appreciated. For me, the choices come down to about 4 companies: Burris, Bushnell, Vortex, and Minox. Sorry, no TT or ZCO in my future unless I by chance win lotto.
I have a few Bushy's (LRTS both 3-12 and 4.5-18). The 3-12 I got from CameralandNY that has illumination is frankly one of my favorites. Kick myself for not buying 2-3 (instead I got the non-illum since they were on blowout pricing 2 years ago). However, they all have the GAP tree which whilst not bad, there is room for improvement that I don't really see too much in their new scopes they just released (not to mention no illum). I tend to dial up on those more than I do the Minox.
The Vortex Gen III (prepping to go right now and use it at range), seems great until 8-9x and then it, to me, gets very hard to get behind and the glass gets darker and darker. But, I guess we cannot have it all on an LVPO. So I'm really not sold on Vortex as a whole - but that's my issue.
Love the Minox, except for the return trip taking 4 months!!!
So I guess what I'm saying...Burris has a very good chance to get some business from me. Just don't keep me hanging much past January to make that choice.
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I've been waiting all of October for McDonald's to release this year's mcrib harvest and now you tell me that I have to wait until Thanksgiving for the new Burris illuminated scope?!!! THIS LIFE IS A PRISON!!! 
It's disappointing that they are announcing this on the Nov 26th, if they'd waited till after the 28th I could have celebrated my 3 year aniversary of waiting for this scope.
Maybe in true Burris fashion it'll be late and I'll get my cake after all.
Maybe in true Burris fashion it'll be late and I'll get my cake after all.
Okay, well that makes me feel better about buying an XTR3 a month or so ago lol
Hey Birddog can you confirm if the XTRIII glass is sourced from LOW? I've searched all around and I saw that the XTRII was LOW but didn't see a definitive answer if the XTRIII was LOW or somewhere else. Also are the internals made in house in CO? or are they sourced from Asia. Thanks, I'm excited for news of the illuminated version coming soon.
The XTR2s were made in the Philippines except for the 1-8 LVPO (that I think was discontinued)
Thanks for the info. Looking forward to the announcement on the new SKUs. Any idea when the new scopes will ship out to dealers?
Interesting reading the input on the XRT III. I bought a XTR II, last year, at a great price, for a project. The problem is, the scope, optically, is terrible. I compared it to my Bushnell Elite Tactical, which I bought about the same time (for a different project) and its not even close. I took the XTR II back to the range, as I had to give it another chance, but....I took it back off and put the Elite back on. I'm in the market for another scope and while the XTR III is getting great reviews here, I'm very leery about buying one. Did I just get a bad one, or were the II's hit and miss?
To which Bushnell are you making the comparison? There are several scopes in the Bushnell Elite Tactical line.
It's a first gen Elite Tactical, not XRS/DMR/etc. I bought it for my RPR rimfire and its a great scope, considering what I paid for it. I compared it to a Leupold MK 5 HD, and while the Mk 5 was a better scope, the Elite cost me $1500 LESS! I ordered a Razor HD II, via a 'hide vendor, but haven't received it yet. I'm hoping it meets my expectation.
The 2's were known for being poor optically. The 3 is top of the food chain before going Alpha, and the best value in the marketplace at 1.5K IMHO.
I keep seeing these complaints about the XTR2 optical quality, but they don't match my experiences. The XTR2 and Veracity scopes I have/had were optically as good as anything near the 1k mark. Grantee, I understand some running changes were made to the XTR2 line and mine were fairly recent productions.
I put the XTR2 right in line with Bushy LRTS and Sightron S3 in average image quality; where each has slightly different strengths and weaknesses. I also put them a quarter step down from the XRS2, and a half step behind the Cronus BTR and XTR3.
The XTR3 also has some trade-offs. I haven't seen it mentioned, but mine does a poor job handling stray light/flare (w/o the sunshade); under conditions where a (no sunshade equiped) Cronus BTR had no issues.
My XTR3 3-18 was great! Looking forward to the illumination version and will be buying if offered with the tree/SCR2 reticle.
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