IN THE FIELD:
So I finally got out to the deer lease yesterday and brought the new FF and my VX3. I wasn't as detailed or scientific in my comparison as I have been in the past with rested looks and minute by minute notes on colors and clarity etc.... This was merely swapping the two rifles between a friend and myself a handful of times for a few looks through each at two dim targets in the fading light of a shadowed valley well past sundown. I kept waiting for the VX3 wow factor I had felt in the past to overtake the E1 as it got later and later but the E1 completely hung with it. Certainly well past legal shooting time. We walked out while there was just enough ambient light to recognize the trail. Well past when vehicle headlights would be required for example. At that time the lit dot trumped any imagined advantage the VX3 might have had to offer. If the VX3 was brighter I could not see it. My scope agnostic friend much preferred the Burris even before it got quite so dark -and liked it even more when I lowered the brightness level. I had a built in bias FOR the VX3 - I mean I paid over $400 for that performance so who wouldn't expect it. If last nights 'testing' proved anything it tells me the Burris is even better than I hoped and if any VX3 advantage in brightness actually does exist it is going to have be aggressively looked for. If, in the future, I discover something different I will pass it along.
Other observations:
Eye relief was another VX3 feature I felt further justified its cost. Again, the Burris is every bit the equal and may even surpass it. The Burris is on a long action and the VX3 a short action - if that matters. The long action is a CZ, a bit meaty for a modern rifle, and the Burris weight ( maybe another 2-3 oz over the Leupold) was absorbed well in to it. Balance remained fine and the eye-box automatic.. I didn't try to actually measure FOV but they seem comparable. I did feel the magnification level seemed higher on the Burris. The power ring on the Leupold is smoother to operate and much easier to read. I have used the Boone & Crockett (recently maligned ballistic reticle) to pretty good effect- the ONE time I needed it. The ability of the Leupold to range guesstimate ( using duplex portion) and the corresponding way to dial it in is a feature not to be dismissed - so kind of nice having THAT, but glass for glass, to me, the two right now seem a wash. The screw on Alumina covers are an added peace of mind. The VX3 also came with the neoprene cover which is pretty nice. The Burris got cheap aftermarket Bikini one piece covers for $12. Most of my shots are 80-150 yds and the true #4 of the Burris felt like a welcome reunion. The posts are not too thick or too thin and stand out well in brush. I enjoy not having a thick upper vertical post.
The feel of the W/E adjustments are VERY similar although I may give a slight edge to the Burris when dialing in. Both could be a little more precise feeling and distinct -but both are repeatable. The Burris caps are much easier to get on and off. I can't recall if the VX 3 has a zero reset. The Burris has a zero reset though it isn't as elegant as pop up turret types. Oh yeah the battery cap was a minor mystery as it is flush but still must be spun to unscrew. Easy once you know and it uses a commonly found CR 2032 and comes with a spare. You don't realize the 1-10 brightness variations until it gets pretty dark. Then I am guessing most will prefer a level in the 1-3 range.
Summary: The Burris appears initially to be an absolute insane steal for $159. I could see myself paying the $330 list price and feeling I got my money's worth. For my hunting the 3p#4 illum. dot is THE coolest, funnest, and most workable reticle out there. I don't know if it is just me but Burris glass seems to just pop!. The Leupold glass is very good. When I got it and tested against other scopes I had I noticed its great color rendition in low light and its fine focus definition. It has great flare control. All features that often get overlooked when people discuss scopes and there is plenty reasons to continue loving it. Sleek and lightweight and a great performer.
Last edited by kenjs1; 09/22/18.
