In a Nutshell:
The Burris Eliminator 3 was a well-built, well-designed scope.
Overall Rating
4.7/5
Benefits
Drawbacks
Our Verdict: The Burris Eliminator 3 was a well-built, well-designed scope.
How do you take an old and a simple concept like a rifle scope and make it something just a bit better?
Can an optics company successfully mix high-quality optics with advanced forms of technology and create something that changes the game?
Burris seems to have found a way to combine the concept of a high-quality scope and technology to make the Burris Eliminator. My Burris Eliminator 3 review was not an easy one to write. I’m always skeptical of what I see as gimmicks.
The Burris Eliminator 3 setup is essentially the combination of a rangefinder, a scope, and a smart reticle. In fact, the entire scope could be described as a Smart scope, if such a term exists. As you’d imagine, the Eliminator is the third generation of this concept.
New is Old with the Burris Eliminator 3 4-16×50
The idea sounds great, but the question is, does it work? I’m far from a Luddite, but I’m also not the type to jump in and trust technology. Especially when I’m strapping it to a gun.
Let’s talk about the specs before we dive in too deep. The Burris Eliminator 3 4-16 x 50 is the specific model I am reviewing. So it’s quite powerful and rather large. The added electronics make this a beefy scope.
The scope weighs 30.4 ounces and has a length of 15.5 inches. The scope is powered from a single CR123A, which is a highly effective and easy to find battery. The laser rangefinder is capable of reaching out to 750 yards on a nonreflective target and 1200 yards with reflective targets.
The 1/8th MOA click value is extremely precise, so when you zero you can get absolute precision with the optic. You get a total of 40 MOA for the adjustment of both elevation and windage. Lastly, you do get five different reticle brightness settings, and a glass etched reticle.
The Reticle of Burris Eliminator 3 Laser Scope
The heart and soul of the Burris Eliminator 3 is the X96 reticle. The reticle is quite complicated, but extremely useful. You have a large main crosshair decorated with mil dots on the windage and elevation lines.
The bottom portion of the reticle has several dozen mil dots going from left to right, and up and down. These mil dots are there to provide mutual calls for windage and elevation. The dots going left to right are made for wind calls, with each dot representing 10 MPH winds.
Before the Eliminator goes into action, you actually have to set the scope up for your cartridge and rifle. Burris has a ballistics website that provides ballistic data for every major manufacturer’s loading. You’ll also input a good deal of information about the area you are hunting in.
Burris Eliminator 3 Setup: The Recipe for Success
At the end of an easy-to-use guide, you’ll be presented with the proper recipe for setting the Eliminator up successfully. Now, when the rangefinder engages the target, it feeds this information back to the scope. This information interacts with the information you programmed in the scope.
This information works together to provide you with an illuminated reticle that places a small, illuminated dot on your reticle. This dot will represent the appropriate amount of bullet drop. Simply put this dot on your target and drop estimation become irrelevant.
As the shooter, you still have to make wind calls, and use the dots to the left and right of the main reticle. The drop doesn’t change, but the left and right can. For hunting, this would be invaluable to ensure a clean, quick, and humane kill.
For target shooters, you are likely to get bored with how easy the system works. Well, wait, if the system works, you are likely to get bored. So does the Burris Eliminator 3 laser scope actually work?
Hot Range of the Eliminator 3 Laser Scope
We took the Eliminator and placed it on my favorite AR 10. (Also my only AR 10.) Then we headed to the range… erh… I mean computer.
Burris’ site is pretty easy to use, I shoot a lot, but my knowledge of ballistics is lacking. It wasn’t hard to find local weather information, and I knew what load I was shooting. I dialed all of this and programmed the scope accordingly.
The optic’s manual is actually convenient for programming the scope. It’s not a difficult thing to do, as long as you follow the instructions. So now, with the scope mounted, laser bore sighted, and optic programmed we went to the range.
I’m an ethical hunter, so I do not take shots from beyond 300 yards, so that is the range I’d set up.
My target was a 12-inch gong. I prefer metal targets for their instant feedback. Looking through the glass, you recognize the effort Burris puts into the Eliminator.
The sight picture is crystal clear, and the reticle, while busy, is quite easy to use. Should the battery ever die, or the electronics just stop working, I could use the scope easily. The electronics boot up instantly, and we went to work.
I hit the magic button on the side of the Eliminator. The rangefinder had us at 299 yards, which was accurate since we were a little off the line, in a prone position.
The reticle was bright, easy to see, and immediately popped up. I was impressed by just how fast the system works. In fact, I thought this would be the weakest point for the optic.
When hunting, I do not need to wait a couple of extra seconds for a computer tell me how to shoot. However, there really isn’t a wait. I could jump into position, hit the button and I’m instantly ready. We began ringing gongs and spent the rest of the day doing so.
In fact, we went out to the 500-yard line, and the scope worked perfectly. The range was accurate, and hitting a small gong was easy. As a scope, it is easy to use, even with all the added tech.
Burris Eliminator 3 Review Final Verdict
Overall what we found in our Burris Eliminator 3 review was a well-built, well-designed scope. The scope doesn’t rely on just some added tech to work; it works because it’s a good scope first and foremost. The added tech is just a bonus added to an already premium scope. You really can’t go wrong with the Burris Eliminator.
Sources and Official Brand Websites
- Burris Optics, Official Brand Website.
- Rifle Scopes 101: Ultimate Guide Choosing Your Scope, Optics Planet.
- Rifle Scope Tips and Tricks, Ammoland.
- What to Consider When Buying a Rifle Scope, Lucky Gunner.
- To Scope or not to Scope, Missouri Department of Conservation.
- Don’t Skimp on Scope Mounts, Buck Masters.