My XTR-3i 5.5-30x56 I bought from EuroOptic a few months ago didn't come with the spare exposed windage turret.
Rifle Scopes Burris XTR3!!!
- Thread starter D_TROS
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So, after reading a lot of the posts about the Burris XTR scope I am interested in the 5-30x56 illuminated. Its been out for a few years, so do all of you that bought one still like it for the price??
BTW, Europtics has them for $899 new. Is there a better deal???
BTW, Europtics has them for $899 new. Is there a better deal???
I don't think you'll find a better deal than that on a new one. And yes, I still shoot mine almost weekly and still enjoying it.
To think that XTR3 is only $300 more than an arken really makes me rethink prior decisions.
The Arken may be a better scope… the Athlon Helos and Ares certainly are.
Low key I want that Athlon 2-12 FFP. They are amazing
Yep I have two of them, one went on my SPR and the MK4HD went down the road. They’re surprisingly good as is the 4-20 version. The worst part about them is feeling like a disgusting POS for buying chinesium and liking it.
Sold lol
Everyone gonna hate me but I put the Arken 4-16 FFP hunting scope on my 30-06 lol
I got 2 Ares 3-18 ETR’s to test out and slapped one on my Element 7PRC. It had a XTR3 on it previously but I sold it and two others because they suck.
I don’t think I could give an Arken the time of day though because of their shilling with every YouTube faggot having a discount code and getting a kick back. They’ve got an army of retards pimping their stuff.
Once I can get a 2-12 Athlon I’ll use the Arken for a 22 or something. Despite all the whoring they do get some things right
I’ll shoot you a text in a bit, you can use my sportsman’s guide account to order one if you’d like.
I have the 5.5-30x56 SCR2 MIL. Currently my local range only goes to 300, but I've spent plenty of time glassing things much further away.
Forgive my ignorance but I don't think I know the difference . Can you share a picture of the capped and exposed turrets on the Burris XTR??
I can’t speak to the Arken but considering I bought 4x XTR3 3-18’s, 2x Helos 2-12’s, 1x Helos 4-20, and 2x Ares 3-18’s I can say 100% that the Athlons are indeed better in every single regard.
The XTR’s have shit glass with horrible CA, the parallax knobs and mag ring are all stiff AF and the mag rings feel like shit, and the turrets have a significant amount of backlash.
The Helos has way less backlash and the Ares has almost none, both have more positive clicks, and the optical and build quality blow the Burris away.
Wasted words I know, but here goes anyway. Try to educate yourself before just blinding going into idiot mode. Quit making absurdly stupid, generalized posts expecting to be taken seriously. I’m trying to help you out here.
Generalized posts like “No they’re not” and “no you’re wrong”?
LOL ok guy. The only idiot here is you.
LOL ok guy. The only idiot here is you.
@redneckbmxer24 where your xtr3’s the illuminated or non illuminated version?
I’m a big xtr3 fan but your complaints on the scope are the same downsides I see with them but feel they are amazing for the price from what I have looked through. I have only looked through the non illuminated version and the Pro version.
The 2 3-18 xtr3’s I have used were noticeably less glass quality than the 5-30 in resolution. I’m not a huge glass guy but i had a harder time seeing bullet holes in targets and finding targets that are hidden in shadows.
I wish they would introduce a 3-18 pro version with the scr 2 1/4 reticle.
Only Athlon I have messed with is the Midas tac in 4-16 and 5-25. They were very impressive for the price but I preferred the xtr3 over them. I would like to check out the higher end athlons.
I’m a big xtr3 fan but your complaints on the scope are the same downsides I see with them but feel they are amazing for the price from what I have looked through. I have only looked through the non illuminated version and the Pro version.
The 2 3-18 xtr3’s I have used were noticeably less glass quality than the 5-30 in resolution. I’m not a huge glass guy but i had a harder time seeing bullet holes in targets and finding targets that are hidden in shadows.
I wish they would introduce a 3-18 pro version with the scr 2 1/4 reticle.
Only Athlon I have messed with is the Midas tac in 4-16 and 5-25. They were very impressive for the price but I preferred the xtr3 over them. I would like to check out the higher end athlons.
What would you compare the resolution of the Helos and Ares to? Mark5hd???
How was the eye box of them compared to the xtr3? That is something I noticed on the Midas was the eye box seemed pretty picky. ( to be transparent, this was when I was still running medium height rings to keep the scope lower before I was enlightened)
How was the eye box of them compared to the xtr3? That is something I noticed on the Midas was the eye box seemed pretty picky. ( to be transparent, this was when I was still running medium height rings to keep the scope lower before I was enlightened)
I like my xtr3s considerably more than I did my Cronus. I like them better than my xrs2. I thought they were a better value than my mk5. About the only thing I liked better about my mk5 was the turrets. If I was looking for a smaller lighter scope, the mk5 has that. It wasn't worth 2 xtr3s to me though. Especially when I can get something to hunt with that weighs 10 or 20oz less than most scopes mentioned in this thread.
I have never messed with the Phillipine built scopes but I have nothing but good things to say about my CO built scopes. Besides the dragon scale knurling. With a little dose of, i told you so.
I have never messed with the Phillipine built scopes but I have nothing but good things to say about my CO built scopes. Besides the dragon scale knurling. With a little dose of, i told you so.
I tried to replace my old talos btr on the offhand 22 with the xtr3… because how could more field of view and more magnification not be an improvement? That lasted all of 20 minutes before I put the talos back on.
Xtr3 non illuminated American built, at least the 3-18, is really hard to justify putting on any rifle. It’s sort of a turd.
Edit: mine was me of the Natchez “reconditioned”
It’s very interesting the varying opinions of the same optics. And I know it’s not only related to the xtr3’s it has to be just the difference in everyone’s eyes. I know my friend group has disagreed on glass quality between scopes and binos. Rarely have we all agreed one is the best.
I don't have anything bad to say about my 3.3-18 colorado built scope. I have seen the videos of the turrets and the one Spife's(that was you correct, with the entire turret assembly loose.) Ya. That's a turd.
That's always been my trouble with Burris/Steiner. When I have received a turd. I have never had any luck getting them to fix it or admit it's turd. I had a couple xtr2s that were like looking through the bottom of a Mason jar and a px4 that I needed a chain tong to turn the turrets. They were all deemed, in spec. I ebayed them and they are proabaly still making their rounds. Making people think those scopes are trash. Seems burris would have been ahead of the game to get them out of circulation. I wonder how many shipping labels burris has paid for for those three scopes over the years. I wonder if they are still out there.
That's always been my trouble with Burris/Steiner. When I have received a turd. I have never had any luck getting them to fix it or admit it's turd. I had a couple xtr2s that were like looking through the bottom of a Mason jar and a px4 that I needed a chain tong to turn the turrets. They were all deemed, in spec. I ebayed them and they are proabaly still making their rounds. Making people think those scopes are trash. Seems burris would have been ahead of the game to get them out of circulation. I wonder how many shipping labels burris has paid for for those three scopes over the years. I wonder if they are still out there.
Across 15 or 20 ERS i went through, there was a pretty stark diffrence in glass between the worst and the best.
I don’t have a MK5 on hand currently to compare it to but have owned enough and spent enough hours looking through them to have a pretty solid memory. Without putting them side by side I’d say the resolution on the Ares UHD is a little better and Helos a little behind it but slightly better colors on both. The glass on both of them are really good.
The eyebox is very good on all 3 models I have. It’s very forgiving in the eye relief as well as side to side and up and down. You see a little more black ring around the image than some scopes that just seem to suck you in, but it’s not a lot and it’s more so the Helos 4-20 than the 2-12 and the Ares 3-18. The latter two still have some ring but they’re closer to a large immersive image. None of them have much apparent distortion from not being centered up but the Ares does have a slight rolling globe effect whereas the two Helos have a pretty flat image. It’s not heavy but it’s there when panning.
Ugh. I feel your pain. I got burned by the XTRII (first gen, early adopter). Swore I'd never buy another Burris again.
100% same experience hereI like my xtr3s considerably more than I did my Cronus. I like them better than my xrs2. I thought they were a better value than my mk5. About the only thing I liked better about my mk5 was the turrets. If I was looking for a smaller lighter scope, the mk5 has that. It wasn't worth 2 xtr3s to me though. Especially when I can get something to hunt with that weighs 10 or 20oz less than most scopes mentioned in this thread.
I have never messed with the Phillipine built scopes but I have nothing but good things to say about my CO built scopes. Besides the dragon scale knurling. With a little dose of, i told you so.
I've met and talked to some of the owners and factory heads that make Athlon products. One, a wealthy guy owning multiple factories, who is of Chinese descent but also a half century long American citizen, was a very nice and humble person, having a sense of humor, being light hearted, liberal with his money to us, and also just pleasant to be with.
So is the head of Athlon a nice person.
I look at it like this - those regular Chinese people need jobs to support their families just like we do. I'm sure a large portion are like us in how they are disgusted how their government is. They're trapped in a corrupt system like we are.....
Of course I personally would rather support USA made but... BTW my $80,000 2023 Ford F250 is at the dealership getting fixed, twice now it wouldn't start in the last two weeks which is total BS. Also mentioning that our old Ford Explorer's motor seized in the driveway with only 122,000 miles on it. Yes it was well maintaned.
My Toyota's just keep running year after year without problems. What I'm getting at is I want value per dollar spent.
I just bought a Helos G2 4-20 a few weeks ago because I hadn't tried that one yet. It's pretty decent overall and a good fit to the gun I have it on. It replaced a decade old SWFA 3-15 FFP and the Helos destroys it in every way so I'm well satisfied.
Also having a Helos G2 2-12 and 6-24 I can't recommend them enough for the money.
So I set the course record using that 6-24 mounted on my Anschutz 22rf in our Phoenix area Ultimate Field Target match two years ago.
Then last year set the air rifle slug projectile division record in that UFT match with a Cronus G2 4.5-29x56 when they still had the offhand stage.
And 3 days ago I won our state Pistol Field Target match in Hunter class using the Helos G2 2-12 on my Thomas FT pistol as well as two years ago with the same combo.
Needless to say I'm plenty confident in all them however this Helos G2 line of scope has become my go-to if I don't want to spend much money.
Also during our state match last weekend I won the Silhouette side match along with our Unlimited division in FT. Things don't go this well for me often so I'm pretty buzzed about it! Both times I used a Ares ETR 15-60x56 on my Thomas FT rifle. I know most people around here don't use high magnification target scopes much but the glass in these scopes is crazy nice for the money, like right up there near S&B and March.
I've been trying other brands the last three years like Burris, March, Vector Optics, and Vortex to see what's up with them and honestly some of the downsides I've experienced have sorta turned me off. Though each one I bought was for certain attributes that I wanted so I kept them except a Burris XTR2 1-8.
I really don't want to come off braggy as far my shooting goes but I do want to state how good these Athlon scopes have been for me, however imperfect they may seem to be they haven't let me down yet.
Only because you asked nicely
Picture 1: Capped windage installed. Pictured "uncapped". Included exposed windae turret pictured right.
Picture 2: Capped and covered windage installed. I leave it like this for matches. Hold for wind, Sometimes I'll dial in spin drift if it's >= 0.3 mil.
Attachments
So in the first picture where you are holding a windage knob, both it and the one on the scope are the same, Uncapped. That's like my NF.
I guess the thinking with the capped one below, you set it for zeroing then adjust via the reticle for wind holdover?
Thanks
They are different knobs. The cover cannot fit over the larger windage knob that is in my hand. It does fit over the smaller, installed windage knob.
The small windage knob isn't friendly to use on the clock; small diameter with the same angular resolution makes it easy to overshoot or second guess your wind dial. Plus burris knobs are quite stiff and aggressive. If you are going to make a habbit to dial wind with the xtr3i I would install the uncapped wind knob; id be worth it.
However, I wish they would have included the throw lever like my friend got in his.
Now I understand after looking at the pictures again..... I have been reading that they aren't including both capped and uncapped windage knobs now, or the throw lever. I emailed Eurooptic about the accessories and have heard nothing. I will call Burris and Eurooptic on Monday to clearly understand whats supposed to come with the scope. It may be a low price because they removed everything but the scope!!
Hell, I'd have been happy with just the exposed windage knob... They didn't include either in mine...
I sold all 3 of my exposed windage knobs. I like the capped windage personally. It’s one of the features I like on the xtr series.
Post a WTB ad on here, I bet you would find one pretty easy. I think only the US versions came with both options.
Post a WTB ad on here, I bet you would find one pretty easy. I think only the US versions came with both options.
It's a lot thinner side-to-side. I also like the capped windage, as that rifle is a centerfire (was on my 6mm ARC, then Solus .308 Win, and now Solus 7 SAW - same rifle as .308 win, just a new barrel), and I mostly just use the reticle for windage. Plus, I find the SCR2 reticle very user friendly and super easy to use.
I keep all mine capped. I've never used the exposed knob.
I sold them off .
I sold them off .
I bought this scope after researching as I don’t have an unlimited budget for optics but wanted as much value as I could get for a prs scope. After talking to a Burris rep on the phone wondering about it vs the pro. I got the standard xtr III for 1200$ a europtic sale.
The pro only has slightly better glass he said maybe 10% and I ordered the race turret separately figured wasn’t worth 600$ to me and they advised unless I really wanted the pro that price different wasn’t gaining a ton.
I’m extremely impressed I feel like getting a lot for a match scope for the money.
The pro only has slightly better glass he said maybe 10% and I ordered the race turret separately figured wasn’t worth 600$ to me and they advised unless I really wanted the pro that price different wasn’t gaining a ton.
I’m extremely impressed I feel like getting a lot for a match scope for the money.
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I have owned 2 of the non-illuminated and they really are a good scope. Mine both track 100%, and the glass is noticeably better than some much more expensive scopes out there.
