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BurrisEliminator…early impressions

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Kickboxer View Drop Down
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    Posted: June/26/2016 at 09:45
I was asked to compare pros/cons of my Tracking Point system vs the Burris Eliminator.  Just got it in and mounted it on my most accurate rifle… Remington Etronx .220 Swift.    For those who don't know, the Eliminator has a built in laser rangefinder with a built in ballistic calculator (the Tracking Point system has that, as well).  This is not the comparison between the two, just some prelimnaries on the Eliminator.
The range I went to is a "public" range and was in much worse shape than the last time I was there.  The 200 yard line was torn down and has not been repaired yet, the 100 yard line was 3 string lines of nylon string to hang targets from.  Very poor for stabilization of a target in wind.  The wind was gusting at up to 28mph… very breezy day for sighting in… and caused the target to move several inches almost constantly.

First… Optically, the Eliminator is not impressive, just "acceptable"… for the price I expected better glass.  In "broad daylight", it is fine, but in low light, it leaves a bit "to be desired".  Doesn't mean I hate or don't intend to use it, just a bit disappointing.  If one wants a true "low light" scope, this is not it.  It is useable in the "30 before sunrise, 30 after sunset" range, but detail in those timeframes will be missing.  Veiling flare is prominent.  Optically it is not as good as my Nikon Laser IRT.  This is a second focal plane scope, but the internal software calculates "correct ballistics" for any power setting.  However, Burris instruction manual states that "highest accuracy is at the highest power setting".  In my case, that is at 12 power.  If the software is reading the power setting at various powers, it should be able to calculate ranges more accurately than an individual can… power settings are subjective to each individual reading the power ring.  An instrumented power ring should provide for much more accurate magnification readings, allowing for much better ballistics calculations at various power settings.  

The software appears to perform properly and the laser rangefinder appears to be pretty much dead on.  At the range where I performed initial sight in, it recorded the target from the bench at 102 yards.  I measured it at 101 yards, 6.4 inches.    The range recording could have been taken at the extent of being blown.  It was not a very good day to sight in.

The recommendation by Burris is to perform a ballistic calculation of performance of your round at 750 yards and enter the drop number and ballistic coefficient into the scope's memory.  The scope comes with ballistics on thousands of commercial rounds.  It is quite easy to enter and store the data.  Instructions that come with the scope are simple and easy to follow.  I entered the data for my .220 Swift and began the zeroing process.  Now, I need to shoot at multiple ranges and get highly accurate ballistics for my round in my Etronx rifle and make adjustments based upon that for ballistics refinement.  

The wind was gusting and swirling at the 100 yard line so I had to wait for instants of calm.  Sometimes I guessed right, sometimes I did not.  Several times the wind died, I started the "trigger pull" and the wind gusted just as the round fired.  With a 50 grain pill there is some push off target even at 100 yards.  I finally got a good zero, fired at 3 targets my last 3 shots and hit dead center on all of them (going for accuracy).  I'm happy with that, for now.  This rifle is being set up as my "varmint" gun… mostly coyotes.

Observations:

The scope is fairly large, but so is the Tracking Point optic.  Actually, the Eliminator is much less clumsy than the Tracking Point.  The Eliminator can be "set" for thousands of rounds, virtually any caliber.  The Tracking Point is "individualized"… set for the gun it comes with (one cannot just purchase a Tracking Point optic… I tried, went to visit them, tried again… no joy… they would not even discuss the possibility… Tracking Point comes with the gun it is set up for).  Next, I must get to a calm day to fire both guns at range… the Tracking Point 30-06 is "set" for up to 500 yards.  The Eliminator claims up to 1200 yards for reflective targets, 750 for "game animals".  Therefore I will test them both at 500.  The Tracking Point CAN be used beyond 500 yards, but "you are on your own".  The software does not support beyond 500 yard shooting so beyond that it becomes just an ordinary digital sighting system… calculate your own ballistics.  

I like the Eliminator, pretty well, so far.  The mounting system is EASY.  Set up is straight forward and simple.  At 100 yards, I have no complaints.  I wish the optics were more 'high performance'.  The technology, while seeming to be very good, is NOT "state of the art" (meaning a bit aged).  With the moderate optics and aged technology, MY OPINION, this is not a fantastic value.  It is "good" if you want the things it offers.  

Personally, I love technology.  I am all for advancing the state of the art in optical technology.  Everyone needs to learn the basics… "old style", but the huge advantages that can be gained with modern technology demand that it be applied to our shooting systems.  I wanted to give technology the prime focus in the upcoming shootoff/review of the Etronx/Eliminator vs the Remington 700 Tracking Point.  The Etronx 220 Swift is, by far, the most accurate rifle I have ever fired.  The Eliminator, if it performs "as advertised" should bring it well into the capabilities of the Tracking Point.  For comparison, my wife and I have both fired the Tracking Point 338.  My wife had never fired beyond 500 yards before… she hit every shot at 700 and 1000 yards on round 8 inch steel targets.  I'm hoping to be able to produce similar results with the Etronx/Eliminator combination.  
It will be fun...




Edited by Kickboxer - June/26/2016 at 09:52
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cheaptrick Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/26/2016 at 11:20
Wow. Sorry to hear the glass is disappointing. 

Thanks for review, Dan. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Sparky Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/26/2016 at 17:55
Thanks for sharing your thoughts Dan.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Rancid Coolaid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/26/2016 at 18:19
A friend has one and tried to gain some confidence with it prior to deer season. He wasn't impressed with the glass either. I like the concept but have not yet become comfortable with the execution.

I like that it can function as a traditional scope if the battery dies.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Peddler Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/26/2016 at 19:00
But it's big and fat and ugly too.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Kickboxer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/26/2016 at 20:10
Originally posted by Peddler Peddler wrote:

But it's big and fat and ugly too.
… some people like form over function, I suppose...
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Peddler Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/27/2016 at 03:35
Originally posted by Kickboxer Kickboxer wrote:

Originally posted by Peddler Peddler wrote:

But it's big and fat and ugly too.

… some people like form over function, I suppose...


Guess I'm just old fashioned.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Kickboxer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/27/2016 at 10:38
Originally posted by Peddler Peddler wrote:

Originally posted by Kickboxer Kickboxer wrote:

Originally posted by Peddler Peddler wrote:

But it's big and fat and ugly too.

… some people like form over function, I suppose...


Guess I'm just old fashioned.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Peddler Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/27/2016 at 10:56
Yep.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Kickboxer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/27/2016 at 18:56
Remains to be seen if it has the utility I'm looking for.  IF it does, the bulkiness of it won't matter to me.  If it does not, bulkiness won't matter because it is of little use to me anyway.  
In defense… the features it offers require space… the Eliminator has taken a LOT of technology and pushed it into a very small package.  If the ballistic calcualtor works well, I will say that the package is well constructed.  
We shall see...
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Peddler Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/27/2016 at 19:42
It's still fat and ugly.

And I'm still old and OLD fashioned!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Kickboxer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/27/2016 at 20:02
I don't think it is ugly…




Edited by Kickboxer - June/27/2016 at 20:11
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote JGRaider Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/28/2016 at 09:02
Not directed at you Kickboxer, by any means, but I can't imagine why anyone would want one of these things on a hunting rifle. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tahqua Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/28/2016 at 11:00

That doesn't look bad at all on that Remington. If the technology works it is probably a good thing. At least for the hunters who don't have the skills or the time to use mil dot reticles and dials.

Still, if you don't practice, shooting at game over 400 yards is still tough.


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Kickboxer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/28/2016 at 20:29
Originally posted by JGRaider JGRaider wrote:

Not directed at you Kickboxer, by any means, but I can't imagine why anyone would want one of these things on a hunting rifle. 
The technology will catch up, it will become smaller, lighter, get better glass.  Rather than all the external things done now… Kestrel atmospherics, hand-held computer calculations, it will all be done by the touch of a button Bluetooth connected to the scope… almost there.  

I'm not completely happy with it, but I'm happy enough to use it… first impression.  Once I get it to a range where I can test it out, then I'll know for sure.  
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