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Posted: 4/16/2015 11:02:16 AM EDT
| What can anyone tell me about their experience with the Burris Fastfire 3 red dot. I came across an operation that is selling them for around $250, and it seems it might be a good cheaper alternative to an Aimpoint or Eotech. |
| Just mounted one on my FNX-45 Tactical but haven't had time to go shoot it yet, I tried one on a friends AR and I didn't really like it there, just seemed way too small on a AR. Fits good on pistol slides or light weight guns but for an AR/AK I would prefer an EoTech for more field of view. It is a well built unit though, read almost nothing negative about it before buying one. |
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Might make a good secondary sight mounted between the turrets of a mid-power variable scope. I think it might be too small for a primary optic, as mentioned above.
The Fastfire, Docter, J-Point and Leupold Deltapoint all use the same base and are about the same size. Trijicon's RMR is in the same class, but has a different base mounting pattern. LaRue makes nice little platforms for them that replaces one of the scope ring halves, keeping weight and bulk to a minimum. I have one of those mount, LT-137, and intend to mount a Deltapoint Pro in it when they are released later this year. When the DP Pro comes in, I may play with it on a riser to see how it does as a primary in lieu of a red dot, bit I have my doubts about that. They all are very tiny. I don't think the Fastfire is very well protected, either. That's why I waited on the Deltapoint, as the Pro version has very robust hood.  .
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They are good for a secondary sight. Not nearly durable enough for a serious use primary optic on a long gun.
They also have a relatively short battery life (and the auto shutoff will get you when you least expect it). The auto brightness works well. The battery is a oddball, its not the common CR2032 that many other red dots use. You're going to be stuck with the Burris $70 mount if you need to cowitness at the usual height. It needs about a 5/8" riser with the stock low rail mount to cowitness well, and practically nobody makes risers in that height. On the plus side, Burris's factory warantee is excellent and I've had to use it. I'd actually recommend one of the many clones of the aimpoint T1 instead, they should have much better battery life, better durability, and a much better selection of mounts. Primary Arms makes a good one for cheaper than the Fastfire. Avoid the fastfire style mini red dots unless your rifle is sporting only or you baby it. |
| I got one from a guy at a gun show in a package deal with a scope I wanted. The price he offered for the whole thing was so low I couldn't pass it up. I originally intended to sell it, which would nearly pay for the scope I bought, but I have now mounted it on a Weaver offset mount as a close range sight on a 6.8 hunting rifle that wears a 3-9x40 main optic. I figure it might be nice to have when out stalking, and a snap shot needs to be taken on close range or running game. So far I like it... as others have said, it's so small and light that you hardly know it's there... but I haven't tried it out in the field yet. |
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Quoted:
They are good for a secondary sight. Not nearly durable enough for a serious use primary optic on a long gun. They also have a relatively short battery life (and the auto shutoff will get you when you least expect it). The auto brightness works well. The battery is a oddball, its not the common CR2032 that many other red dots use. You're going to be stuck with the Burris $70 mount if you need to cowitness at the usual height. It needs about a 5/8" riser with the stock low rail mount to cowitness well, and practically nobody makes risers in that height. On the plus side, Burris's factory warantee is excellent and I've had to use it. I'd actually recommend one of the many clones of the aimpoint T1 instead, they should have much better battery life, better durability, and a much better selection of mounts. Primary Arms makes a good one for cheaper than the Fastfire. Avoid the fastfire style mini red dots unless your rifle is sporting only or you baby it. The FFIII does use a 2032 battery. I have one. |
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The FFIII does use a 2032 battery. I have one. Quoted:
Quoted:
They are good for a secondary sight. Not nearly durable enough for a serious use primary optic on a long gun. They also have a relatively short battery life (and the auto shutoff will get you when you least expect it). The auto brightness works well. The battery is a oddball, its not the common CR2032 that many other red dots use. You're going to be stuck with the Burris $70 mount if you need to cowitness at the usual height. It needs about a 5/8" riser with the stock low rail mount to cowitness well, and practically nobody makes risers in that height. On the plus side, Burris's factory warantee is excellent and I've had to use it. I'd actually recommend one of the many clones of the aimpoint T1 instead, they should have much better battery life, better durability, and a much better selection of mounts. Primary Arms makes a good one for cheaper than the Fastfire. Avoid the fastfire style mini red dots unless your rifle is sporting only or you baby it. The FFIII does use a 2032 battery. I have one. Then you've never replaced the battery. Burris's own site says it's a CR1632. A 2032 won't physically fit, they use a smaller diameter battery. |
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Then you've never replaced the battery. Burris's own site says it's a CR1632. A 2032 won't physically fit, they use a smaller diameter battery. Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
They are good for a secondary sight. Not nearly durable enough for a serious use primary optic on a long gun. They also have a relatively short battery life (and the auto shutoff will get you when you least expect it). The auto brightness works well. The battery is a oddball, its not the common CR2032 that many other red dots use. You're going to be stuck with the Burris $70 mount if you need to cowitness at the usual height. It needs about a 5/8" riser with the stock low rail mount to cowitness well, and practically nobody makes risers in that height. On the plus side, Burris's factory warantee is excellent and I've had to use it. I'd actually recommend one of the many clones of the aimpoint T1 instead, they should have much better battery life, better durability, and a much better selection of mounts. Primary Arms makes a good one for cheaper than the Fastfire. Avoid the fastfire style mini red dots unless your rifle is sporting only or you baby it. The FFIII does use a 2032 battery. I have one. Then you've never replaced the battery. Burris's own site says it's a CR1632. A 2032 won't physically fit, they use a smaller diameter battery. Yup you are right. I stand corrected. |
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The FastFire II has a self-adjusting dot brightness based on ambient light. When it's dark, it turns completely off. Not sure if this is by design to save battery in case someone places the protective hood without the turning the light off, but I don't care for the feature.
Does anyone know if the FastFire III has a self-adjusting dot brightness as well? |
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Quoted:
The FastFire II has a self-adjusting dot brightness based on ambient light. When it's dark, it turns completely off. Not sure if this is by design to save battery in case someone places the protective hood without the turning the light off, but I don't care for the feature. Does anyone know if the FastFire III has a self-adjusting dot brightness as well? My FF2 didn't turn off, it just went into a super low setting that pulsed in pitch black. If you left it like that in the safe it would last a very long time, as in months, and it would brighten up when you turned on the lights. The FF3 has a push button instead of a slide switch. One press is auto brightness, 2 is low, 3 is mid, 4 is high, 5 is off. I might have the low/mid/high reversed. |
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My FF2 didn't turn off, it just went into a super low setting that pulsed in pitch black. If you left it like that in the safe it would last a very long time, as in months, and it would brighten up when you turned on the lights. The FF3 has a push button instead of a slide switch. One press is auto brightness, 2 is low, 3 is mid, 4 is high, 5 is off. I might have the low/mid/high reversed. Quoted:
Quoted:
The FastFire II has a self-adjusting dot brightness based on ambient light. When it's dark, it turns completely off. Not sure if this is by design to save battery in case someone places the protective hood without the turning the light off, but I don't care for the feature. Does anyone know if the FastFire III has a self-adjusting dot brightness as well? My FF2 didn't turn off, it just went into a super low setting that pulsed in pitch black. If you left it like that in the safe it would last a very long time, as in months, and it would brighten up when you turned on the lights. The FF3 has a push button instead of a slide switch. One press is auto brightness, 2 is low, 3 is mid, 4 is high, 5 is off. I might have the low/mid/high reversed. You do, one press of the button puts it in auto adjust mode, two is high, three is med, four is low and five turns it back off. |
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Quoted:
My FF2 didn't turn off, it just went into a super low setting that pulsed in pitch black. If you left it like that in the safe it would last a very long time, as in months, and it would brighten up when you turned on the lights. The FF3 has a push button instead of a slide switch. One press is auto brightness, 2 is low, 3 is mid, 4 is high, 5 is off. I might have the low/mid/high reversed. Quoted:
Quoted:
The FastFire II has a self-adjusting dot brightness based on ambient light. When it's dark, it turns completely off. Not sure if this is by design to save battery in case someone places the protective hood without the turning the light off, but I don't care for the feature. Does anyone know if the FastFire III has a self-adjusting dot brightness as well? My FF2 didn't turn off, it just went into a super low setting that pulsed in pitch black. If you left it like that in the safe it would last a very long time, as in months, and it would brighten up when you turned on the lights. The FF3 has a push button instead of a slide switch. One press is auto brightness, 2 is low, 3 is mid, 4 is high, 5 is off. I might have the low/mid/high reversed. Thanks. Maybe it's just mine then. It pulsates for a few seconds until it completely shuts off. ETA: how long it did you let it pulsate? |
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Thanks. Maybe it's just mine then. It pulsates for a few seconds until it completely shuts off. ETA: how long it did you let it pulsate? Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
The FastFire II has a self-adjusting dot brightness based on ambient light. When it's dark, it turns completely off. Not sure if this is by design to save battery in case someone places the protective hood without the turning the light off, but I don't care for the feature. Does anyone know if the FastFire III has a self-adjusting dot brightness as well? My FF2 didn't turn off, it just went into a super low setting that pulsed in pitch black. If you left it like that in the safe it would last a very long time, as in months, and it would brighten up when you turned on the lights. The FF3 has a push button instead of a slide switch. One press is auto brightness, 2 is low, 3 is mid, 4 is high, 5 is off. I might have the low/mid/high reversed. Thanks. Maybe it's just mine then. It pulsates for a few seconds until it completely shuts off. ETA: how long it did you let it pulsate? I once left it on, with the cap on it in the safe for 2 months after accidentally leaving it on, pulled it out and it was still on. |
| I've saved up for the soon to be released Leupold DeltaPoint Pro. It is the same size, perhaps slightly smaller micro reflex. But it has been extremely ruggedized for duty grade use. The illumination is motion activated with auto shutoff if completely stationary for five minutes. Move it and it wakes up to its last illumination setting, like the firedot in my VX-R Patrol scope. I think it weighs only two ounces. Battery life should be in the Aimpoint range. I am going on three years on the original battery in my Firedot scope. |
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I've saved up for the soon to be released Leupold DeltaPoint Pro. It is the same size, perhaps slightly smaller micro reflex. But it has been extremely ruggedized for duty grade use. The illumination is motion activated with auto shutoff if completely stationary for five minutes. Move it and it wakes up to its last illumination setting, like the firedot in my VX-R Patrol scope. I think it weighs only two ounces. $750 MSRP 
What does it offer over an RMR at $200 cheaper, other than the sleep/wake function? |
| RMR is very good. I don't like its optical distortion. I do like the 7.5 MOA triangle reticle in the DP with rapid target acquisition and a fine aiming point. The DP is expected to sell for $600. Not having to turn it on or off, being always ready like an Aimpoint is important to me. I'm not knocking RMR it is a great product. I will not buy the DP Pro until I can compare them side by side. Assuming the glass is like the current DP, RMR is not nearly as optically clear and has a lot of image distortion. |
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RMR is very good. I don't like its optical distortion. I do like the 7.5 MOA triangle reticle in the DP with rapid target acquisition and a fine aiming point. The DP is expected to sell for $600. Not having to turn it on or off, being always ready like an Aimpoint is important to me. I'm not knocking RMR it is a great product. I will not buy the DP Pro until I can compare them side by side. Assuming the glass is like the current DP, RMR is not nearly as optically clear and has a lot of image distortion. Good to know |
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The pro has been talked bout for ever it seems. I haven't seen anything new or a release date on it. You are right. I've chided Leupold several times about the delays. They claim that they are filling LEO and mil orders first. I emailed them a couple days ago and was told "summer." |
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