Today I’m going to show you the best Burris red dot sights on the market in 2021.
In fact:
I’ve hand-tested over 10 red dots alone for this review.
The best part?
I’ve sorted the sights by best use. So whether you’re on a budget or need the best Burris red dot, you’ll find it here.
Let’s dive in!
Best Burris Red Dot Sights | Category | Price |
---|---|---|
Best Overall | $349 | |
Best for Home Defense | $299 | |
Best for Budget | $149 | |
Best for Long Range | $359 |
Why Burris?
Burris makes some of the best products on the market, hands down.
They’ve been around a long time, and they know exactly what consumers need. Their wide selection allows buyers to find the exact product to fit their needs.
I’ve tested almost all of their optics and today, I’m going to share with you the top four Burris red dots based on use.
Let’s take a look.
The Best Burris Red Dot Review
If you’re pressed on time, here’s a quick list of the best Burris red dot sights:
- FastFire 4: Best Overall
- RT-1 Red Dot Sight: Best for Home Defense
- FastFire 3: Best for Budget
- AR-332: Best for Long Range
1. FastFire 4: Best Overall
This year, I chose the FastFire 4 as my best overall pick for Burris red dots. It’s a little more expensive than some of the others, but it’s well worth it.
- TOGLE BETWEEN 4 DIFFERENT RETICLES - No longer restricted to one reticle shooters can now select from four versatile options suitable for multiple shooting scenarios through the quickly accessible...
- IMPACT RESISTANT HOUSING - Impact resistant housing keeps your sight protected even in harsh environments.
- REMOVABLE WEATHER SHIELD - The removable and securable FastFire 4 weather shield stays attached when slide mounted and ensures a watertight enclosure for a clear sight picture in any lighting.
The thing I love about it the most, and the reason I chose it for our best overall pick, is because it’s just so versatile.
Let me tell you why!
Glass Clarity
Just like its predecessor, the FastFire 3, the glass is crystal on the FastFire 4. It should be crystal clear too, seeing as the draw to the FastFire is the instant target acquisition feature.
Reticle
There are four, count them, four reticle options on this sight. You really cannot go wrong here.
You can shuffle through the options to find the best one for your situation.
Your four reticle options are 3 MOA, 11 MOA, 11 MOA and Circle, and 3 MOA and Circle with Wings.
With the abundance of choices, it doesn’t matter if your close-range shooting or long-range shooting. This sight has you covered no matter what.
Not only does it have four reticle options, but the aiming point is brighter on the FastFire 4 than on many other Burris red dots.
The reticle is illuminated on this one, and it has a 50,000-hour battery life!
Eye Relief & Eye Box
You’ve got unlimited eye relief and a larger sight box than older models of the FastFire.
So, no need to worry about distorted vision or narrow field of view.
Durability
Traditionally, the FastFire 3 has been the fan-favorite.
However, one of the things I love about the new FastFire 4 is that Burris added an optional weather guard that you can attach to the sight for protection in inclement weather.
This feature definitely sets it apart from its predecessors.
It’s also super lightweight at only 1.6 ounces. So, you get total weather protection for just 1.6 oz. That’s pretty incredible!
Elevation & Windage Knobs
Turrets are good on this one. You have 90 MOA adjustments for both windage and elevation.
Parallax & Magnification
You have 1x fixed magnification on the FastFire 4, and it’s parallax-free.
Mounting
The FastFire 4 mounts Picatinny, which is pretty standard.
Summary
Really the main reason I chose the Burris FastFire 4 as my best overall pick for Burris red dots in 2021 is that it is just so versatile, and you get so much for a great price.
- TOGLE BETWEEN 4 DIFFERENT RETICLES - No longer restricted to one reticle shooters can now select from four versatile options suitable for multiple shooting scenarios through the quickly accessible...
- IMPACT RESISTANT HOUSING - Impact resistant housing keeps your sight protected even in harsh environments.
- REMOVABLE WEATHER SHIELD - The removable and securable FastFire 4 weather shield stays attached when slide mounted and ensures a watertight enclosure for a clear sight picture in any lighting.
The four reticle options are insane. You can shoot this at any range doing any activity.
It mounts on pretty much any firearm you can think of.
Burris added the weather guard to make it even more indestructible.
Plus, it has additional sight box room for even better target acquisition capability.
At $349, this red dot is definitely a quality product that any sportsman can benefit from.
Okay, let’s move on to my next pick for the best Burris red dot for home defense in 2021.
2. RT-1 Red Dot Sight: Best for Home Defense
Moving away from the FastFire line from Burris, we chose the RT-1 Red Dot Sight as my pick for best home defense red dot.
And, after hearing more about it, I think you’ll agree that it truly is the best option.
At $299, it’s not cheap, but your family and your home are priceless, so it’s worth the investment.
Glass Clarity
This red dot was designed with competition and tactical shooting in mind.
Needless to say, the glass clarity is great on the RT-1.
Reticle
This one has a 2 MOA dot on SFP. This obviously isn’t as versatile as the FastFire 4 in the reticle category, but it doesn’t need to be because it was designed with tactical in mind.
The really awesome thing about this sight is that it was designed for two-eyes-open instant target acquisition, which is obviously ideal for home defense. The 2 MOA dot reticle and the low low-light illumination settings make that possible.
Eye Relief & Eye Box
You have unlimited eye relief with this sight, but the eye box is a little smaller than some of the other Burris red dots.
Durability
This puppy is waterproof, shockproof, and fog proof.
It’s also lightweight at 2.1 ounces, making it easy to maneuver with.
Durability is crucial because when it comes to home defense, durability equals reliability. And you need your firearm to be reliable every time.
Elevation & Windage Knobs
Turrets are reliable on this sight. You have 45 MOA adjustments for wind and elevation. Nothing too fancy here.
Parallax & Magnification
The RT-1 is parallax-free and offers a true 1x magnification, which solidifies its position as the number one Burris red dor for home defense in 2021.
Mounting & Rings
Another honorable feature of the RT-1 is that you can mount it on a high or low base, making it customizable to the shooter.
Summary
This scope is perfect for anyone looking to protect their family, home, or property.
It’s built for tactical use because it’s lightweight, has true 1x magnification, great low light settings, and instant target acquisition with both-eyes-open shooting capabilities.
Now, let’s take a look at my pick for 2021’s best Burris red dot for the budget. I don’t think you’ll be surprised by my choice, but you know what they say? You can’t fix what isn’t broken.
3. FastFire 3: Best for Budget
The FastFire 3 is legendary. It’s got great versatility, and awesome features at an extremely affordable cost of just $149. That’s truly incredible for how well-built and durable this design is. Way to go Burris!
Let’s learn more!
Glass Clarity
The FastFire 3, unsurprisingly, has many of the same features as its younger sibling, the FastFire 4.
Just like the 4, the FasFire 3 has crystal clear glass.
Reticle
It only has 2 reticle options, a 3 MOA and 8 MOA dot. So, it has fewer than the FastFire 4, but still more than many other budget red dots out there.
The reticle is illuminated and has a very bright dot.
One of the really neat features about the 3 is that it automatically adjusts your brightness to account for your light conditions.
This is great for newer shooters looking to get into hunting or target shooting so they don’t have to worry about making manual adjustments. They can just focus on acquiring their target.
Eye Relief & Eye Box
This red dot has unlimited eye relief, which is great considering you might be putting this on many different types of firearms. Some have more kickback than others, but that doesn’t affect the function and accuracy of the FastFire 3.
Durability
The one place this lacks in comparison with its younger rival, the FastFire4 is that it doesn’t come with the optional weather guard.
No worries, though. This red dot is still shockproof, waterproof, fog-proof, all while being extremely lightweight at 1.5 ounces.
Elevation & Windage Knobs
There’s nothing too fancy about the turrets here. They’re reliable, but not tactical.
The FastFire 3 has 115 MOA elevation turret capabilities, and 86 MOA for windage.
Parallax & Magnification
This red dot is parallax-free for quick target acquisition and it has 1x fixed magnification.
Mounting & Rings
It mounts standard Picatinny for versatility.
Summary
Burris really tried to make this red dot simple, effective, high-quality, versatile, and affordable. I think it’s safe to say they succeeded on all fronts.
This red dot is truly for anyone needing a quality, affordable sight. It fits almost any firearm you can think of, and it’s amazingly easy to use. Beginners and seasoned marksman and hunters will want this in their gear case.
There’s no compromise on performance either, which makes the FastFire 3 my official pick for best budget Burris red dot in 2021.
Now, last but not least, let’s take a look at our choice for the best long-range red dot sight from Burris in 2021: The Burris FastFire 2.
4. AR-332: Best for Long Range
This last sight is a hard hitter. Its true purpose is for military use and lawmen. It’s designed for tactical warfare at any distance.
Our choice for the best red dot sight for long-range shooting is the Burris AR-332.
- Red-green Ballistic Armalite Rifle reticle
- 10 LED Illumination settings
- Parallax free at 100 yds
If you need a red dot that can handle the distance, this is, without a doubt, your best option out of Burris’s entire inventory.
Let me tell you why!
Glass Clarity
The clarity on this sight is crystal, and it has multi-coated lenses for protection against the elements.
There is also layering to prevent glare on this sight, which is a major plus when you’re battling with the sun.
Reticle
The reticle options on this sight are pretty insane. It has the Burris trademarked Ballistic CQ reticle, with three color options: red, green, and black.
You might ask, why is black an option? That option is there so you don’t have to drain the batteries on the sight. Or, if you were in a situation where the batteries unexpectedly die, you still have the black reticle to lean on.
The illumination settings are controlled by a rotary dial on the sight. There are five red illumination settings and five blue illumination settings. When the reticle is black, that means you have the sight turned off.
The Ballistic CQ reticle technology is really designed for short-range enemy engagement, but it works wonders with long-range recreational shooting as well.
Its power stretches all the way out to 600 yards! That’s the real reason we love this sight. Because it’s designed to be accurate every time, and because it holds over a dot out to 600 yards, it’s really the best of both worlds.
Eye Relief & Eye Box
You have 2.5 inches of eye relief, so it’s a little tight, especially compared to all of our other options in this review. However, that’s compensated by the fact that the AR-332 has vibration-resistance technology to protect your face and eyes from kickback.
The objective lens is 32 millimeters, and the field of view is 32 feet at 100 yards.
Durability
This red dot, like all of Burris’s other red dots in this article, is shockproof, waterproof, and fog proof. As stated earlier, this sight also has the added vibration-resistance feature.
Elevation & Windage Knobs
Elevation and windage adjustments are both 80 MOA on the AR-332.
Parallax & Magnification
This sight isn’t parallax-free. It has a fixed parallax setting for 100 yards.
However, it does have a fixed 3x magnification, making it better than the others in this review for long-range shooting.
Mounting & Rings
This mounts Picatinny Rail Base, making it very versatile.
Summary
The AR-332, being somewhat of a hybrid since it’s a prism scope, has a few more bells and whistles, and a few more finicky features as well.
- Red-green Ballistic Armalite Rifle reticle
- 10 LED Illumination settings
- Parallax free at 100 yds
Overall, this sight is best for someone who is looking for range flexibility.
If you’re looking for a red dot that can focus fast, be accurate, and promise to withstand great distances, then the AR-332 is for you.
Now It’s Your Turn
I hope you enjoyed my Best Burris Red Dot Sights guide.
Now I want to turn it over to you:
Which burris red dot sights will you pick for your firearm? Or perhaps you already have one and would like to share your thoughts.
Either way, let me know by leaving a quick comment down below.