By Brad Fitzpatrick
Back in 2010 Burris released the original Eliminator, a laser rangefinder scope with built-in BDC technology. It was an evolutionary step forward in riflescope design, and over the years Burris has continued to tweak the Eliminator design in subsequent versions. Recently, the Eliminator 6 hit the market, and it’s undoubtedly the best of the bunch.
For starters, it looks like a traditional riflescope. If you weren’t spun up on the latest optics you might not immediately recognize the potential of the Eliminator 6 at first glance, and that’s a good thing. Earlier Eliminator models had a space-age look that didn’t jive with all shooters. The new Eliminator 6 has more sleek, traditional lines and mounts using scope rings like more traditional optics. It looks more like a hunting scope and less like a police radar detector.
If you aren’t familiar with the Eliminator line let me provide a short explanation of how the system works before we get into the particulars of the design. The scope is Bluetooth compatible which means that the optic can communicate with the BurrisConnect app on your smart phone. Using the app, you will build a bullet profile (known as your digital DOPE card) with ballistic coefficient, bullet weight, velocity, and other characteristics of the load you’re shooting. This information is relayed to the optic and provides all the ballistic data that your scope needs to help you make an accurate shot even at extended ranges. In the field you simply press a button on the scope to range the target and almost instantly the scope’s X177 illuminating reticle provides an accurate holdover point. There’s no need to dial the turret. Range the target, place the glowing dot on your desired point of impact, and fire. It’s truly that simple.
This brief rundown of the practical applications of the riflescope doesn’t begin to dig into all the technology at work inside this optic, though. Every serious shooter knows that environmental factors like temperature, altitude, and incline can have a tremendous impact on the performance of your ammunition, and “one-size-fits-all” ballistic applications that don’t account for these factors can result in a miss or—worse—a wounded animal. To account for environmental factors, Burris has included a thermometer, inclinometer, and barometer inside the scope that handle the heavy lifting regarding environmental corrections. This combination of instruments provides the shooter with a density altitude that the scope accounts for when providing an aiming point, so if you’re shooting downhill at animals at low elevations in the dead of winter or uphill in the high country during an early season heat wave you won’t need to concern yourself with environmental factors that can impact your shot. The Eliminator 6 has done all of that ahead of time, so you’re sure you know your shot will impact where you are aiming. If you’d prefer to input your own environmental factors you can override the technology, but for most hunters and shooters having built-in environmental compensation is a valuable asset.
How Far is Too Far?
The Burris Eliminator 6 will range reflective objects to 2,000 yards and deer hides to 1,400 yards. That doesn’t mean, however, that Burris is petitioning for hunters to shoot at those distances. Any ethical hunters knows that staying within the practical range limits of yourself and your weapon is crucial, and just because you can hit a target at a specific distance doesn’t mean you should attempt to do so. At long distances the lapse in time between the trigger pull and bullet impact is sufficient to allow the animal to step or turn, and bullets all have a velocity threshold beyond which they can no longer be relied upon to perform reliably on game. While you will certainly have fun clanging steel at 1,000 or more yards with your rifle and Eliminator 6, you must be realistic about the limitations of taking long shots in the field.
Burris understands this, and the Eliminator 6 has built-in “guard rails” that prevent overzealous shooters from taking shots that are too long. Because the Burris knows your ballistic data it can also flag shots that are beyond the limit of your gun’s practical range. When either the velocity or energy fall below the pre-set thresholds the Eliminator 6 displays an X in the heads-up display (HUD) in the scope. This can be adjusted with cartridge and bullet selection, so you know when you are reaching beyond practical, ethical ranges while hunting.
Built For The Hunt
The Eliminator 6 is certainly a high-tech optic, but the Burris engineers have done an admirable job protecting that technology from the elements and abuse. The rugged aluminum housing and multi-coated lenses stand up to dust and moisture, and the low turrets are less likely to hang-up on brush. The unit is powered by a CR123A lithium battery and offers 40 MOA or windage and elevation adjustment. The 34mm maintube is compatible with a variety of scope rings, and the generous eyebox with 3.4-inches of eye relief allows you to stay well behind the scope when shooting, which is a major benefit when shooting hard-kicking magnums. Burris has managed to cram all this technology into a scope that weighs just 30-ounces, and it’s backed by the company’s excellent warranty.
The Eliminator 6 is a high-tech hunting tool and the most modern, user-friendly of all the Eliminator models. There’s no more need to dial for windage or elevation, and with proper ballistic data the Burris offers pinpoint accuracy very quickly. That’s good news for hunters who don’t want to fiddle with a separate rangefinder and dial turrets to make a shot on game that may or may not remain in the open that long. The Eliminator 6 is the fastest, easiest, and most accurate optic available today. MSRP is set at $3,000, which is a bargain when you consider the build quality and long list of tech features included in these optics.
Learn more at Burris.com.