Burris Scout Scope 2-7×32 Review: Better Alternatives

My Ruger Gunsite Scout wears the Burris 2-7×32, and that forward mounting position changes how I shoot. Both eyes stay open, field of view stays wide, and I pick up targets quicker than with traditional placement. Two hunting seasons with this setup taught me what actually works.

This Burris Scout Scope 2-7×32 review shows it’s a solid optic, but the Vortex Crossfire II delivers similar performance at less than half the cost.

Here’s what matters when you’re choosing a scout scope for your rifle.

How I tested the Burris Scout Scope 2-7×32

I mounted this scope on three platforms: a Ruger Gunsite Scout in .308 Winchester, a Springfield M1A Scout Squad, and a Savage 110 Scout. Warne Maxima QD rings allowed easy removal and reinstallation for return to zero testing.

Testing Protocol:

Test Category	Method
Eye Relief	Measured at 2x and 7x; tested eye box forgiveness with deliberate head position shifts
Optical Clarity	Resolution targets at 100 yards; evaluated at dawn, midday, and dusk
Tracking	Standard box test at 100 yards (10 MOA up/right/down/left)
Reticle Verification	Zeroed at 100 yards, shot groups at 200, 250, and 300 yards using holdovers
Durability	Temperature swings, rain exposure, deliberate drops, two weeks of logging road transport

The Ballistic Plex holdover verification ate up most of my time. I zeroed at 100 yards with Federal Premium 168gr Sierra MatchKing .308 ammunition, then shot groups at 200, 250, and 300 yards using the stadia lines without touching turrets. I recorded actual drops and compared them against predicted impacts.

For durability, I left the rifle outside overnight at 15 degrees, then brought it into a warm truck cab to check for internal fogging. Shot immediately after to verify zero retention.

The scope stayed on my Ruger Gunsite Scout for most of the evaluation. Over 400 rounds went through that rifle during testing, including rapid fire strings where the rifle heated up considerably. I checked zero before and after every range session.

Burris Scout Scope 2-7×32 Review

Burris Scout Scope 2-7×32 Product Specs

Specification	Details
Magnification	2-7x
Objective Lens Diameter	32mm
Eye Relief	9.2-12 inches
Field of View	23-8 ft @ 100 yds
Tube Diameter	1 inch
Length	9.7 inches
Weight	13 oz
Adjustment Range	66 inches @ 100 yds
Click Value	1/4 MOA
Reticle	Ballistic Plex
Focal Plane	Second Focal Plane
Finish	Matte Black
Waterproof/Fogproof	Yes
Warranty	Lifetime

Burris Scout Scope 2-7×32 Data Range Analysis Test Results

Test Parameter	Results
50-Yard Group Size	0.8 MOA
100-Yard Group Size	1.2 MOA
200-Yard Group Size	1.6 MOA
Tracking Accuracy (Box Test)	49/50 MOA
Low-Light Clarity Rating	4.3/5

Glass Clarity

I headed to the range at dawn with this scope mounted on my Ruger Gunsite Scout. The Hi-Lume coatings pull their weight. At 150 yards in that murky pre-sunrise light, I could make out a whitetail clearly. Cheaper glass turns everything into gray blobs at that hour.

At 7x the image stays sharp from center to edge. No chromatic aberration creeping in on high contrast edges like treelines against sky.

It’s not alpha glass. But for a working rifle scope, it does better than I expected for the price. The Hi-Lux LER I tested later has slightly sharper glass, but for most hunting situations, the Burris holds its own.

Reticle

The Ballistic Plex is dead simple. That’s exactly what you want on a scout gun.

Thick outer posts guide your eye to center fast. When a hog burst from cover at 30 yards, I had the crosshair on him before my brain caught up.

Those holdover marks are calibrated for 7x. I zeroed at 100 yards with .308 and the first stadia lined up perfectly at 200. Second drop worked at 300. Spent an afternoon confirming drops and it tracked true.

No math, no dialing. Just hold and squeeze.

The fine crosshair center gives you precision when you need it. Took a coyote at 275 yards using the second holdover. Clean hit.

Eye Relief & Eye Box

This is why you buy a scout scope. That 9 to 12 inches of eye relief means I mount this thing way forward on the rail, right over the magazine. Both eyes stay open and I can actually see what’s happening around my rifle.

I ran a drill where I transitioned between three steel targets at different ranges. Never lost the sight picture. The eye box is forgiving enough that I don’t need a perfect cheek weld every time.

Got caught in a quick shot situation on a running coyote. My head was nowhere near ideal position but I still had a full view through the scope. Made the shot.

That’s the whole point of this setup.

Durability

I don’t baby my gear. This scope rode on my truck gun all deer season, bouncing around on logging roads that’ll rattle your teeth loose. It held zero.

One morning I grabbed the rifle and the whole thing was slick with frost. Didn’t fog internally. Didn’t shift zero. The nitrogen purging actually works.

Rain, mud, temperature swings from 15 degrees to 70 over a week of hunting. The scope didn’t care.

Dropped the rifle scope first onto packed dirt from about waist height. My own stupidity. Still held zero. The one piece tube construction is legitimately solid. This is where the Burris justifies some of its price over budget options like the UTG.

Elevation & Windage Knobs

These are capped finger adjustable turrets. No tools needed but they’re not going anywhere by accident. Each click is positive and you can feel it.

I ran a tracking test at 100 yards. Dialed up 10 MOA, shot a group. Went right 10 MOA, shot again. Back to zero. It tracked true within a quarter inch across 40 MOA of total adjustment.

The steel on steel internals do what they’re supposed to.

For a scout rifle I’m not dialing in the field anyway. I zero it, confirm my holdovers, and leave it alone. The capped turrets keep me from accidentally bumping adjustments when the rifle’s slung across my back or bouncing in the truck.

Magnification & Parallax

The 2-7x range is perfect for a scout gun. At 2x with both eyes open, I’ve got almost no magnification penalty and massive situational awareness.

A deer at 50 yards in thick cover? Easy.

Crank it to 7x and I’m comfortable out to 300 yards on medium game. Took that coyote I mentioned at 275 and had plenty of detail to make the shot count. It’s not a long range rig but that’s not the mission.

Parallax is fixed at 100 yards. Inside of 50 yards I noticed some shift if I moved my head around. Past 75 it’s a non issue. For scout rifle work where most shots happen under 200, it’s fine.

Accessories

The included caps work but flip up covers are faster when things happen quick in the field.

• Warne Maxima Quick Detach Rings (1-inch): Rock solid repeatability and you can pop the scope off in seconds if you need to go to irons.
• Butler Creek Flip-Open Objective Cover (Size 13): Way faster than unscrewing caps when a target shows up, and it stays attached so you won’t lose it.
• Butler Creek Flip-Open Eyepiece Cover (Size 09A): Protects the eyepiece lens and flips open instantly when you’re ready to shoot.
• Vortex Bubble Level for 1-Inch Tubes (BL1): Ensures your rifle stays perfectly vertical for long range precision, eliminates cant induced error that can throw off your shot.

Summary

The Burris Scout 2-7×32 does exactly what Jeff Cooper had in mind when he designed the scout rifle concept. That extended eye relief isn’t a gimmick. It changes how you shoot by keeping both eyes open and your awareness up.

I’ve used this scope on everything from quick hog encounters at 25 yards to deliberate coyote shots past 250. It handles the range without complaint.

The Ballistic Plex reticle earns its keep when you actually confirm your drops. No fiddling with turrets in the field. Just hold and fire.

Glass quality is better than I expected for this price bracket, and the durability is real. This scope takes abuse and keeps working.

It’s not the cheapest scout scope out there, but it’s backed by Burris’s forever warranty and built to last. If you’re running a scout rifle setup or need a forward mounted optic on a big bore, this is a proven choice that won’t let you down when it matters.

How the Burris Scout Scope 2-7×32 Compares Against Others

Features	Burris Scout 2-7×32	Vortex Crossfire II 2-7×32 Scout	UTG 2-7×32 Scout	Hi-Lux LER 2-7×32
Price	~$450	~$170	~$90	~$160
Magnification	2-7x	2-7x	2-7x	2-7x
Objective Lens	32mm	32mm	32mm	32mm
Eye Relief	9.2-12 inches	9.45 inches	13.8-25 inches	8-14 inches
Field of View	23-8 ft @ 100 yds	18.3-5.2 ft @ 100 yds	19.2-7 ft @ 100 yds	18.8-6.3 ft @ 100 yds
Weight	13 oz	12 oz	14 oz	10 oz
Length	9.7 inches	10.7 inches	9.4 inches	10.9 inches
Tube Diameter	1 inch	1 inch	1 inch	1 inch
Reticle	Ballistic Plex	V-Plex MOA	PDC Illuminated	Duplex or .308 BDC
Adjustment Range	66 MOA	60 MOA	60 MOA	Standard
Warranty	Lifetime	VIP Lifetime	Lifetime	Lifetime
Glass Quality	Hi-Lume multicoated	Fully multicoated	Emerald coated	Photographic quality
Pros	– Extended eye relief – Lightweight design – Clear glass – Durable construction – Quick target acquisition	– Budget-friendly – VIP warranty – Solid construction – Good eye relief	– Most affordable – Illumi nated reticle – Extreme eye relief – Comes with rings	– Lightest weight – Photo graphic glass – Wide eye relief range – BDC option available
Cons	– Tight eye box – Limited magnification – Capped turrets – Price point	– Narrower field of view – Basic reticle – Eye box less forgiving	– Heavier build – Basic glass quality – Bulkier design	– Basic adjustment turrets – Less name recognition – Narrower FOV than Burris

The Vortex Crossfire II 2-7×32 Scout delivers the best value in this lineup. Same magnification as the Burris, nearly identical eye relief, and that bulletproof VIP warranty for less than 40% of the cost. The glass performs well in real hunting conditions and you’ll pocket $280 for ammunition.

The UTG 2-7×32 is the entry point at $90 if you want to test scout mounting without commitment. That illuminated reticle and extreme eye relief make it work on handguns, lever guns, and scout rifles. Glass quality is pedestrian and it’s heavier than it should be, but it’s functional enough to get you started.

The Hi-Lux LER 2-7×32 sits in the middle at $160 and brings photographic quality glass that rivals scopes twice its price. At 10 ounces it’s the lightest option here, and that 8 to 14 inch eye relief range gives you flexibility for different mounting positions. The .308 BDC reticle option is useful if you’re running common hunting cartridges. It’s a proven performer on scout rifles and gets solid reviews from shooters using Ruger Gunsite Scouts and M1A platforms.

To Summarize

The Burris Scout 2-7×32 offers quality construction and that excellent Ballistic Plex reticle, but at $450 you’re paying a premium that doesn’t translate to enough practical advantage over the competition. The glass is good and the build is solid, but the value isn’t there when you look at other options.

I’d grab the Vortex Crossfire II 2-7×32 Scout and bank the $280 savings for range time. The performance gap isn’t wide enough to justify spending more than double. That VIP warranty means you can actually put the scope through hard use without worrying about repairs or replacement costs.

The glass handles dawn and dusk hunting well. Eye relief works for forward mounting. The money you save matters more than marginal improvements you won’t notice in the field.

The Hi-Lux LER 2-7×32 deserves serious consideration if you want an upgrade from the Vortex without hitting Burris pricing. That photographic quality glass genuinely performs better in low light, and at 10 ounces it’s 3 ounces lighter than both the Burris and Vortex. That’s a noticeable difference on long treks.

For only $10 less than the Vortex, it’s the better value if glass quality matters to you. Though you lose the no questions asked VIP warranty that makes the Vortex appealing for hard use.

Frequently asked questions

Why should you trust me

I’m Richard Douglas, the firearms instructor and tactical advisor behind Scopes Field. I’ve worked as a National Defense Security Consultant and spent years teaching marksmanship and proper optic use. My reviews have been featured in leading firearm publications, and I’ve provided consulting advice to manufacturers like Bushnell, Leupold, Sightmark, and Rainier Arms.

I started this site after wasting thousands of dollars on scopes that didn’t perform. Every optic I review goes through live fire sessions, drop tests, and zero retention checks across multiple range sessions. This Burris Scout went through over 400 rounds on my Ruger Gunsite Scout, including deliberate abuse to verify durability claims.

I don’t accept money for reviews or sell optics. My income comes from affiliate commissions when you buy through my links, but my recommendations stay honest. If a cheaper scope outperforms an expensive one, I’ll say so.