One of my counterparts from Beyrueth is bringing a prototype M7xi to NRA show in Dallas next week. I do not think an M8xi will be there. The M series scopes are German products, so Steiner USA, where I work, will function just as the US distributor on this product. It gets complicated, but for this product it just means we won't have a lot of exact details until a lot closer to its actual sales date. Which will be late summer or fall for the M7, later for the M8 and later yet for US release of the IFS versions.
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When someone said the T series and M series are "built to the same standards" I think they just meant they both hold up to same recoil and shock standards. The M series is obviously built with no compromises at all. As a result it's heavy, very expensive, and practically a custom order. M series features are all dictated by military orders, which means a particular style of turret, for example. This scope-nerd forum is just about the only place anyone really even talks about the M series. The market for $3k plus scopes is pretty small.
The T series is amazing for taking a surprising amount of the technology and engineering from the M series, and making it available in a civilian-wallet-friendly package. It's still hard for me to talk about a $1500 optic being "budget" but I'm getting used to it. Because it didn't need to meet the same military specifications, the T series product team was able to get a bit fancier with the neat "never-lost" turret design.
Cheers to all of you, and thanks for your interest and support.
--Geoff at Steiner/Burris
PS: interesting side note - our eOptics division is FINALLY using their military experience to get some products out to the civvy market. The TOR line of pistol lasers will be out later this year. Same guys as did the DBALS, etc., but in the $300 price range. Auto-on, green or red, super small. Plus some things demanded by Miltary carried through, like a constant power level, so no dimming as the battery goes down. I like it when the civilian team gets some military inspired stuff, whether it's T5Xi or these.
