I get ya. I thought with these level scopes it is sort of implied its one in the same.
What did you buy in this category, out of curiosity.
Rifle Scopes Burris XTR iii, how are they doing?
- Thread starter LJT88
- Start date
What did you buy in this category, out of curiosity.
I ran a Bushnell DMRII and LRTS in 2019 and early part of 2020...can’t beat a LRTS in my opinion, it packs a lot of punch...2018 I ran NF NXS and a Steiner.
This year I made the leap to a Schmidt Bender Ultra Short. My other setups have LPVOs from Leupold and Steiner currently.
This year I made the leap to a Schmidt Bender Ultra Short. My other setups have LPVOs from Leupold and Steiner currently.
Gotcha, thanks. I love my LRHSi. I'm looking at the XTRIII vs ERS II and all the the other usual suspects (Razor, NF, Mark 5, etc) - I dont hear as many great reviews about the ERS II as I do the DMRII/Pro and the LRTS/LRHS. I havent used one though.
I think the XRS II is a bit of a disappointment at its price point. I have a friend running one since they came out. I think hes looking to replace it this year. The glass just never seemed that nice on it.
I've never been terribly impressed with the DMRII, I felt they were over priced when they hit the market. The Pro is better optically, essentially like the XRS II from that aspect.
The LRTS is a lot of scope for its price point, it's fantastic value. This and the DMR II Pro are probably my favorite optics from Bushnell right now.
This is the truth....
I have a feeling that Bushnell is going to revamp the ET line next year...hence why they slashed the prices on them...the LRTS is truly a no brainer...especially if you are looking 12x-18x...I prefer the 12x as it has a bit more forgiving eyebox vs the 18x...
Interesting analogy to make, because I've noticed the resale value on Tango6s has gone WAY up over the past year or so, especially the LPVOs. Sig winning the DMR contract has given them a bit of street cred, and the solid performance of the Tango6 gen2s has definitely been noticed. (I'd also note that Sig clearing out the gen1 Tango6s for like $600-$800 didn't help resale values, either, but that's a different discussion.)
Yeah, DMRII Pro seems to be the best of the bunch.
I devour the reviews like the rest of us, but its always best to get in front of a scope - for instance I respect your viewpoint and your reviews, and yet I recently read a thread where you were discussing that you loved the Veracity - which I cant stand. I've tried two of them and they both suffered from the worst CA I've seen in that price point. Maybe I tried two bad copies, but still... glass can vary so much to each of our eyes - it makes it a crap shoot half the time. On the other hand I bought a cheap 1-4 MTAC which does not get great reviews (to throw on a cheap 3 gun-esque AR build) and that thing performs and looks better than any of the other scopes I tried on it so I havent taken the time to upgrade.
That could be very true and maybe I am not paying enough attention. I also haven't looked at LPVO's recently. I know I saw a few slightly used 4-24/5-30's sell for 1000-1150 or so over the past month or two, and I was surprised they werent holding their value better.
That's crazy about the Veracity. Those slipped through the cracks on you.
I have a buddy who owns two. He bought one when it first came out, and another one last year. I've looked through maybe nearly a dozen others, and they've all been solid.
Burris sells the Veracity like crazy. Even for all these years it's been out it still sells well. Sorry you got a couple of bad ones...
They also might have been gen1s with meh reticles. The DEV-L MRAD gen2 Sigs tend to command the premium.
A co-worker just got a XTR 3 5.5-30 and I was able to check it out. I brought my Viper PST Gen2 5-25 and Athlon Midas Tac 6-24 to the office and looked at things outside side by side. They all looked fairly close to each other. I did notice the Burris stayed pretty darn crisp all the way up to 30x.
The turret knurling is pretty narly on the hands but I bet you'd get used to it pretty quick.
Against my PST the 34mm tube made it look much bigger even though it's a bit shorter and lighter than my PST.
I'm really thinking of switching to the Burris myself.
The turret knurling is pretty narly on the hands but I bet you'd get used to it pretty quick.
Against my PST the 34mm tube made it look much bigger even though it's a bit shorter and lighter than my PST.
I'm really thinking of switching to the Burris myself.
Do you care to elaborate a little more?
I'd expect the glass and scope as a whole to be a lot nicer than those other two scopes considering is 2x and 3x the price respectively.
The PST was mounted on my rifle so it was easy to get behind and look nicely. The other two I had to rest and look through, so maybe not the best setup. I'm waiting on him to get rings and mount it on the rifle so I can get behind it in a shooting position.
So I first started just by setting everything up indoors and looking out into the bright daylight into the parking lot of our office through an open door. I set them all up to 24x to try to get them all the same. Looking at a light post I did notice the Burris had more pop in the color than the other two. There wasn't a ton of difference otherwise to my eyes.
I then took them outside and shot them down the street to another business roughly 300 yards down the road looking at cars in the parking lot. I sighted them all in on the license plates of a truck and with all three I was able to easily read the plate.
I do like how the Burris has more elevation and windage in the turrets, is shorter, has almost the same FOV, and is lighter than my PST 2, but it's not so much better that I'm selling both of mine and buying new Burris' right away. I have identical scope setups on my 6.5 and .22 trainer so it's tougher to do two at a time.
That being said if I was buying new scopes and didnt' have that much baggage I'd probably just go with the XTR 3. I also like how you can get a Burris spotting scope with the same exact reticle, although its fixed 30x so not gaining a ton over using the scope.
I probably shouldn't review scopes like some guys. I can't see all the little details that others can. I almost feel like those audiophiles talking about sound color, or wine reviewers that talk about all the flavors. That's just not me.
Got mine in today. Came in after dark so I was not able to judge optics on it.
I did mount it on a rifle and played with it a bit. First impressions are:
Fit and finish is ok. No glaring issues, but did not wow me either. Turrets are not bad, but not my favorite. Not quite as solid as other scopes I own, but perfectly useable.
Really like the "image floating in air" effect of this scope. Very little black ring when behind it.
Eyebox seems very good.
HATE how fine the reticle is. This may be a dealbreaker for me. I bought this scope for a gas gun used in gas gun competitions where speed is critical. This reticle is just too fine. I tend to be betwen 8-12x most of the time and this reticle is just not usable below 12x. I actually mounted it on a different rifle because I just don't see this working out. Maybe my opinion will change once I get shooting with it.
I did mount it on a rifle and played with it a bit. First impressions are:
Fit and finish is ok. No glaring issues, but did not wow me either. Turrets are not bad, but not my favorite. Not quite as solid as other scopes I own, but perfectly useable.
Really like the "image floating in air" effect of this scope. Very little black ring when behind it.
Eyebox seems very good.
HATE how fine the reticle is. This may be a dealbreaker for me. I bought this scope for a gas gun used in gas gun competitions where speed is critical. This reticle is just too fine. I tend to be betwen 8-12x most of the time and this reticle is just not usable below 12x. I actually mounted it on a different rifle because I just don't see this working out. Maybe my opinion will change once I get shooting with it.
You're not the first to mention the reticle being thin, I'm guessing you got the 3.3-18?
The illuminated models are meant to have a slightly thicker reticle which personally I am waiting for.
I have compared my xtr3 against my pst gen 2 and my razor gen 1 and the image quality, FOV and CA were much better in my xtr3 versus those scopes. Now I still prefer my Khales k525i over my xtr3 but It was twice the cost.
As far as the reticle being to thin I find it usable around 8x and I don't mind it.
As far as the reticle being to thin I find it usable around 8x and I don't mind it.
Last edited:
I have an 18x that I have on a 22LR that I have been whistle pigging with, in addition to various 30x scopes on a trainer and a couple competition rifles. I guess it depends on the quality of your eyesight, but I personally havent experienced any reticle issues while plinking, practicing, or competing.
At about 5x to 6x is where the reticle no longer shows enough detail to really use the grid. It becomes a crosshair at that point. But I've used it on 3.3x to shoot varmints, it's still useable, with amazing FOV.
At 8x or 10x, where I've used it at a LOT, I have zero issues with the thinness of the reticle.
My wife is running the 5-30 and I ran it for awhile on my rifle. I typically run a Razor AMG. I would happily run either scope and don't really think one would give me an advantage either way. The resolution is maybe slightly better on the AMG but that could be a sample variation thing as they are very close.
I have had an XTR ii that I ran in matches that is bombproof. It seems as though the xtr III continues that with better glass and a good usable tree reticle. I wouldn't hesitate to buy another one. When it comes time to build my oldest daughter a rifle it will likely be between the xtr III and another AMG.
As Dorgan said, I love that these are being made in America. That was a big part of my decision in purchasing both the xtr III and the AMG.
I have had an XTR ii that I ran in matches that is bombproof. It seems as though the xtr III continues that with better glass and a good usable tree reticle. I wouldn't hesitate to buy another one. When it comes time to build my oldest daughter a rifle it will likely be between the xtr III and another AMG.
As Dorgan said, I love that these are being made in America. That was a big part of my decision in purchasing both the xtr III and the AMG.
Not a big deal, everyone's eyes are different. I saw a lot of CA and they lacked edge to edge clarity, which matters a lot to my eyes.
Can you give a comparison of reticle thickness vs the EBR 2c/7c?
Or similar reticles?
Lol. You guys. Who gives a darn about your petty snobbery. Bottom line is can you accomplish the mission with your weapon. That is all I care about.
I am not too wild about the Veracity. I have 2 of the 4-20's that i ordered at the same time, one with the varmint e1 ffp and one with the regular e1 ffp reticle. As far as the reticles go, i really like the regular, and i can live with the varmint, but neither has the crosshairs optically centered. I had to dial all of the windage and one was still an inch to the right and the other was 4 inches to the right (fixed with the burris signature rings). aside from that i did notice a WHOLE lot of CA in both and the varmint reticled scope is not as clear. I have been pretty happy with my other burris scopes, four XTR2's and an MTAC, but the veracity scopes have been a bit of a let down.
That said, Leupold has a killer first responder discount and i am having a hard time deciding between a Mk 5 and an XTR 3 for my first scope over $1000.
I'm not a fan of the EBR 2C. I think it leaves a lot of unchecked boxes for me. I dont like the center reticle, or the lack of .2 subtensions.
The EBR 7C is a better evolution to my tastes.
Reticle thickness is very similar. The big dots on the grid of the 7C are .09, the big cross subtensions on the grid of the SCR2 are .1. They are the same size, but dot versus cross. The small dot on the 7C are .06, the little upside down T of the SCR2 is .1 wide, .05 high. The line thickness of the Vortex versus the Burris reticle is the same.
It boils down to preference. I dont care for dots. I like the floating crosshair in the center of the reticle and all the small crosshairs on the grid. Some people will think it's too thin. I actually love it. I've shot PRS with it and done some hunting and have no issue using it. I do believe the SCR would make a better hunting reticle, I dont need a grid.
Reticles are all about personal preference. They all do the job. But one man's trash is another man's treasure.
has anyone tested the low light performance of the xtr iii scopes. I will be putting it on a heavy rifle but will sometimes hunt deer with it when watching a field at last light. I have a swfa illuminated 5x20hd and it is impressive. I killed a pig in a wheat field that I was unable to see with the naked eye using scope on 8x. I would buy another swfa if it is better than the xtr iii. my swfa is as good as my 2.5x10x 56 sb. thank you for any input.
A definite strong suite of the XTR3.
I think you will have to go way up in price point to get a scope as good in low light conditions as the Burris.
If I had a choice between a 1-8X and a 2-10X, the 1-8 gets it every time.
Throw in a 1-10X, and I see no point to the 2-10.
I will take the 2-10 over a 1-8 all day everyday. 1-10 is not worth the $1k to me over a 2-10.
to be fair, he said his BMW was 20 years old. That was back when they actually used to handle. They’ve lost their way pretty hard when it comes to the “ultimate driving machine” philosophy they used to have. The new Accord Sport is an awesome car and one of the best bang for the buck values out there today.
Are you a hunter, target shooter, or tactical shooter?
I definitely do the first 2, I am not sure what the 3rd one means.
lol You didn’t win that argument at all lol.
The 328?!! Really?! That equates to a Civic DX at best.
Don’t let price dictate the comparison. If your comparing a 328 to and Accord S, I’d take the Accord as well. And I’m contracted with BMW America. You need to step into the 440 to compare to the Accord S.
A $35k BMW won’t compare well to a $35k Honda. One is low end of the brand, the other is top tier.
Tactical and competitive guys do a lot of shooting on timers, against multiple targets at different distances (near/far). A solid 1x experience is very valuable to them. Hunters and target shooters... perhaps less so. Which is why I asked, because I was curious.
Guys nobody cares about BMWs. Every modern BMW other than the M1 and M3 are junk anyway. Let's talk XTRIII's.
For an gas gun 1-8 makes sense but Id be less inclined for a hunting rifle or more precision AR.
A 2-10 with proper turrets and a bigger objective does offer advantages over a LVPO.
I do think the 2-10 market segment has become pretty slow.
And nowadays the compact 3-15s or 3-18s or becoming popular. There's a lot of performance in those small packages from multiple manufacturers.
And nowadays the compact 3-15s or 3-18s or becoming popular. There's a lot of performance in those small packages from multiple manufacturers.
I would like to try the 3-18 on an SP10 but will wait for illumination. Need it for hog hunting late until I can talk myself into thermal.
I haven't seen hardly any reports at all on poorly controlled CA in this optic. That's across several forums.
I have 4 of these now, 3 of them have great CA control, one is noticeable at max magnification on something very bright white. Its still very good, very minimal, but you can see it. It's much like WJMs review of the 18x. The pics he has is close to what I see. I've had it alongside two separate MK5s that looked worse.
But I think for an optic you can pick up with very good glass and features at <$1700, chromatic aberration is very well controlled.
I have 4 of these now, 3 of them have great CA control, one is noticeable at max magnification on something very bright white. Its still very good, very minimal, but you can see it. It's much like WJMs review of the 18x. The pics he has is close to what I see. I've had it alongside two separate MK5s that looked worse.
But I think for an optic you can pick up with very good glass and features at <$1700, chromatic aberration is very well controlled.
Yep, all three of my 30x are very clear and bright.
My 18x is the only one I can see some CA in. But even that is nothing bad, and i only notice it when I'm maxed out and looking for it.
I now own two of the 30x xtr3s with the scr2 ret. and really like them one lives on my comp gun the other goes back and forth between my 22lr and my 223ai trainer. The glass is not top tier but for half the money of an atacr I was able to have two scopes with matching reticals for practice and comps. Both of these scopes tracked very well 99.9% on a tracking test. I really like the scr2 in this scope as well I find the thickness to be a nice middle ground when running in the 12/18x range and not to thick when run up to 30x. Sure I would love to own two matching tier one scopes but that’s a lot of powder and bullets that I could use for practice and get to be a better shot.
I think when illuminated versions come out these will start picking up more Hide love.
I am waiting for an Illuminated version for my hunting rifle. However, I won't pay MSRP simply due to resale value just not being there for Burris.
Similar threads
Rifle Scopes So I bought a “Just As Good”, Burris XTR3
