Burris Breaks in to Thermal Optics in a BIG Way

   03.31.21

Burris Breaks in to Thermal Optics in a BIG Way

In this article, we are going to take a look at multiple new thermal optics offerings from Burris Optics tailor made for those who hunt at night.

We have spent more time then I would like to admit over the last 18 months hunting at night. Using a mixture of thermal and night vision products, we have really been able to see what we like and what we don’t. We’ve also become better suited to understand the subtle nuances of hunting at night, both from a hunter perspective and a hardware perspective. When we first heard about the new products from Burris, we were down at Gun Fest, which was the TFBTV media event for new products in 2021.

What Burris has brought to the table this year is a whole host of new products for those who love to hunt. They didn’t think it would be enough to bring just a hand held spotter or a stand alone rifle scope. Oh no, they have checked a box for each and every person in the market for a new device by dropping a catalog of high quality and very functional thermal products.

If you haven’t had the chance to hunt at night, it is really the final frontier of hunting for those who don’t want to climb Everest like peaks in search of sheep. For the every day hunter or Midwest Whitetail fanatic, you may be looking for something brand new to challenge yourself with in the hunting world and I can easily say that thermal hunting is it.

We first started our thermal hunting adventures out of a base desire to have more opportunities to hunt out of season here in Michigan. The beauty of thermal hunting is what your prey animals are. For us, based in Michigan, we have a year round coyote season which means there are absolutely no time limitations to our ability to hunt. The only barrier was our hardware. Once we got set up, we were hooked. Ever since our first hunt in the dead of night more than two years ago, we have taken every opportunity possible to hunt coyote.

With all of that said, new products for the thermal hunters out there should be something that we can all get behind and get excited about. Burris brought three hard hitting new thermal products to market; the BTS Rifle Scope, the BTH handheld, and the BTC Clip on Scope.

1. Burris Thermal Rifle Scope (BTS)
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Burris Thermal Rifle Scope (BTS)

When you are setting up a new rig for thermal hunting, the most important piece of hardware you are going to be looking at is by far your thermal optic. If your thermal isn’t up to par for the job, it won’t matter if you’re running a $400 budget home build or a $3,000 custom rifle. Without the goods on top of your rifle, your hunt will most likely be a bust.

The new Burris Thermal Scope (BTS) is packed with features and has one really nice trait, it’s compact. Often, a quality thermal scope will be very large, but that just isn’t the case with the BTS. Beyond the size, this scope has a number of user options that will allow you to run the optic however you see fit. The only real drawback is the lack of native recording functionality. You can however get a companion recording device that is small, lightweight, and will plug directly in to your scope.

Features:

  • 7 color palettes
  • Stadiametric ranging
  • 10 reticle options
  • Hot track
  • Manual and auto NUC
  • Adjustable contrast
  • Adjustable brightness
  • Intuitive, one-hand operation
  • IP67
  • Available in:
    • 2.3-9.2x magnification, 35mm Objective
    • 3.3-13.2x magnification, 50mm Objective

Pros/Stand alone rifle scope, feature rich, durable, thermal imaging out to 500 yards+
Cons/Price, lacks internal recording capabilities
Bottom Line/If you want a thermal rifle scope packed with features that doesn't weigh as much as your gun, this is a great coice
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2. Burris Thermal Handheld (BTH)
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Burris Thermal Handheld (BTH)

In my opinion, a capable thermal handhelds is an absolute must when doing any kind of predator or hog hunting. Yes, you can absolutely use your thermal rifle scope to spot, but there are some serious limitations in doing that.

You may find yourself stalking a pack of hogs from a couple of hundred yards out in the dead of night. Imagine you are carrying shooting sticks, a 10 pound rifle(all in with optics) and any other gear you need for your hunt. Do you really want to have to stop and bring that rifle to bear just to make sure you haven’t spooked the hogs or confirm you are headed in the right direction? I certainly don’t and that’s why I love thermal handhelds.

By adding something like the Burris BTH to your kit, you are making your life so much easy when hunting at night. You can quickly spot and continue your stalk in stride without having to mess around with your rifle. If you are using a tripod like the Bog Death Grip which will vice your rifle in, you can also step away from you gun and use a handheld to spot in a full 360 degrees, which you really can’t do with your rifle if you are hunting with others.

The Burris BTH features hot tracking capabilities at over 750 yards away and a really nice wifi streaming connection which allows you to record on your mobile phone as well as share what you are seeing with others in your hunting party.

Features:

  • 5 color palettes
  • Stadiametric ranging
  • Hot track
  • Manual and auto NUC
  • Adjustable contrast
  • Adjustable brightness
  • App connectivity
  • IP66
  • USB-C charging
  • Available in:
    • 2.3-9.2x magnification, 35mm Objective
    • 3.3-13.2x magnification, 50mm Objective
Pros/Light weight, wifi steaming, hot tracking capability
Cons/Price, native recording is not built in
Bottom Line/You should absolutely secure a handheld thermal device if you plan to do any kind of thermal hunting and the Burris BTH is a top tier product
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3. Burris Thermal Clip On (BTC)
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Burris Thermal Clip On (BTC)

The Burris BTC is a product that I am extremely excited about. When it comes to thermal hunting, one of the bigger drawbacks is that you need to set your rifle up with your thermal and unless you have a QD mount for your optics, your rifle because somewhat of a vampire. With the Burris BTC you have the option of using your standard scope during the day and at night, you can use the Burris mount to quickly add your BTC to said scope and you are off to the races.

I really like the idea of zeroing my daytime optic and running it for any hunts I may have during normal business hours and then throwing on the BTC and using the same zeroed optic at night, with the added benefit of thermal capabilities.

All in all, I would say the BTC is a huge win!

Features:

  • 4 color palettes
  • Stadiametric ranging
  • Hot track
  • Manual and auto NUC
  • Converts traditional riflescope to a thermal scope
  • Use the zoom on your traditional scope to enlarge your target
  • Adjustable contrast
  • Adjustable brightness
  • IP67
  • Available in 35mm objective and 50mm objective

 

Pros/Versatile, can also be used as a spotter, pairs with standard optics
Cons/Price, lack of built in recording capabilities
Bottom Line/As far as thermal optics go, the ease of use and versatility of this scope set it apart from many others in the marker.
Check Price
Avatar Author ID 628 - 1635197623

Ben currently leads the editorial staff for Outdoorhub, Alloutdoor, and The Firearm Blog. He is an avid outdoorsman and has hunted for large game across the United States including Alaska, Texas and his home state of Michigan. Ben also has a deep knowledge and passion for firearms and has participated in various civilian courses focusing on precision rifle shooting, carbine, pistol, ammunition reloading, and hunting focused firearm applications. Outside of work, Ben pursues a number of water based activities spending his free time in Northern Michigan boating and fishing on Lake Charlevoix and Lake Michigan.

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