Burris

Burris has taken a step away from the big ticket items this year, reaching back into the prism realm. New for this year, the Tri-Modular Prism riflescope, or TMPR. Available in 3x or 5x, these are the same size as the previous models, with a 40% gain in field of view. Illumination is now push button instead of dials, slimming the package. The reticle switches from red, green, or blue, and now features night vision settings to match the daylight ones.

Burris makes great riflescopes. That’s not news to anyone. What I’m really excited about is that the XTR II is now available in flat dark earth. The color change is a welcome addition. If you are hunting or in the tactical business, a scope all in black is a pretty big object that sticks out. Painting one is always nerve racking, no matter how well you taped it off. At least with a rifle, if you screw up, you can scrape the paint out of the trigger group.

Matching the seemingly infinite number of AR rifles on the market is a multitude of suitable optics. Red dots, holographic sights, fixed-power scopes and variable-power scopes fill the shelves, so how do you choose? Let’s take a look at some factors to consider, then we’ll discuss some pros and cons of some of the common categories of AR-15 optics.

THE SERIES Part 1: Optics Buying Guide: Iron Sights, Red Dots, and Scopes Part 2: Optics Buying Guide: Top Must-Know Terms for Picking the Right Scope  Part 3: Optics Buying Guide: Scope Mounts  Part 4: Optics Buying Guide: How To Properly Zero Your Scope Part 5: Optics Buying Guide: Finding Your Range with a Scope Reticle Part [...]