Burris Fullfield E1 3-9×40 Review: Bang for Buck?

I’ve been using the Burris Fullfield E1 3-9×40 for almost eight months now, and it’s become my go-to hunting scope for everything from whitetail in the thick stuff to open-country mule deer. When I was looking for a reliable hunting scope that wouldn’t cost more than my rifle, this one kept coming up in conversations with other hunters at the local sportsman’s club.

After putting it through a full hunting season and plenty of range time, I’ve got a solid read on what this scope brings to the table and where it might leave you wanting more.

Why You Should Trust Me?

I’ve been hunting for over 15 years, starting with my grandfather’s old .30-30 and working my way through just about every common hunting cartridge you can think of. These days, I guide part-time during deer season and spend most of my free time either scouting, hunting, or at the range working up loads. I’ve mounted scopes on everything from lightweight mountain rifles to heavy barreled varmint guns, and I’ve learned that hunting optics need to work when conditions get tough – not just on a perfect day at the range.

What matters most to me is how gear performs in the field when you’ve got one shot to make it count. I’ve learned to value reliability and practical performance over flashy features that look good on paper but don’t add anything to your success in the woods.

How I Tested the Burris Fullfield E1

This scope spent most of its time on my Savage 110 in .308 Winchester, shooting my standard hunting load of 165gr Nosler Ballistic Tips over Varget powder. This combo typically shoots right around 1 MOA, which is more than accurate enough for any hunting I do. Over the past eight months, I’ve put about 200 rounds through this setup, including a full hunting season and regular practice sessions at my local 300-yard range.

I was most interested in how it would handle real hunting conditions – early morning fog, heavy rain, temperature swings, and the inevitable bumps and drops that come with backcountry hunting. I also wanted to see how it would perform in the low-light conditions where most of my shots on game actually happen.

Burris Fullfield E1 3-9×40 Review

Burris Fullfield E1 3-9×40 Specs

Specification	Value
Magnification	3-9x
Objective Lens	40mm
Eye Relief	3.1-3.4 inches
Field of View	33-13 ft @ 100 yards
Tube Size	1 inch
Click Value	1/4 MOA
Parallax	Fixed at 100 yards
Length	12.2 inches
Weight	13 ounces

My Test Results

Field Test	Measurement	Notes
100yd Group Size	1.1 MOA	Average of 5 five-shot groups
200yd Group Size	1.4 MOA	Average of 3 five-shot groups
300yd Group Size	1.8 MOA	Average of 2 five-shot groups
Tracking Error	1.2 MOA	Over 20 MOA elevation
Low Light Score	7/10	Clear visibility 30 min past sunset
Zero Retention	Excellent	No shift after 200 rounds and hunting season
Weather Test	Excellent	No fogging in rain or cold conditions
Impact Test	Pass	Survived drops and field abuse

Testing conducted using Savage 110 in .308 Winchester with handloaded 165gr Nosler Ballistic Tip ammunition.

Optical Performance & Reticle

The glass quality is where this scope really surprised me. For the price point, the clarity and brightness are genuinely impressive, especially in the low-light conditions where most hunting happens. The Ballistic Plex reticle is clean and uncluttered – just what you want when you’ve got a deer stepping through thick cover and only seconds to make the shot. The cascading dots give you useful holdover points for longer shots, though I mostly use the main crosshair for the ranges where I hunt.

During this past season’s early morning hunts, I could clearly make out deer movement in the timber 30 minutes before legal shooting light, and the scope stayed bright enough for clean shots well into evening twilight. There’s minimal color fringing even when looking at high-contrast targets against bright backgrounds, and I’ve never had trouble picking out antler detail or judging shot placement through this glass.

Turret System & Tracking

The finger-adjustable turrets are perfect for a hunting scope – easy to adjust when you need to, but not so exposed that they’ll get knocked around in thick cover. The clicks are positive and audible, though not as sharp as some tactical scopes I’ve used. For hunting applications, they’re exactly what you need. Each click is a true 1/4 MOA, and while I did notice about 1.2 MOA of deviation over 20 MOA of travel in my box test, that’s still well within acceptable limits for hunting use.

Zero retention has been rock solid. I sighted in before deer season and never touched the turrets again – the scope held zero through temperature swings from 15°F to 65°F, bouncing around in my truck, and a couple of inevitable drops onto rocky ground. The caps stay secure but come off easily when you need to make an adjustment.

Magnification Range & Parallax

The 3-9x range is absolutely perfect for hunting applications. At 3x, you’ve got enough field of view to track moving game through thick cover, and the wide field of view makes it easy to get on target quickly. At 9x, you can confidently make shots out to 300 yards and easily evaluate trophy quality at longer distances. The image stays sharp and clear throughout the magnification range, though like any scope, it’s at its best around the middle of its range.

The fixed parallax at 100 yards works perfectly for hunting. I’ve shot accurately from 50 yards out to 300 yards without any noticeable parallax issues. For the type of hunting most people do with a scope like this, adjustable parallax would just add complexity without any real benefit.

Eye Relief & Eye Box

The eye relief is adequate but not generous – right around 3.2 inches on average. It’s workable with most hunting rifles, though you’ll want to pay attention to scope placement, especially on rifles with significant recoil. The eye box is reasonably forgiving at 3x but gets tighter as you dial up the magnification. That’s typical for scopes in this class, and it hasn’t caused any problems in practical use.

During hunting situations where you need to get on target from awkward positions – shooting around trees, over logs, or from improvised rests – I’ve found the scope forgiving enough to get a good sight picture quickly. The consistent eye relief through the magnification range is a nice touch that makes the scope predictable to use.

Build Quality

This is where Burris really shines. The scope feels substantial without being heavy, and the one-piece tube construction gives you confidence that it’ll handle whatever you throw at it. The matte black finish has held up well to normal hunting wear and tear, though it has picked up a few small dings from rocks and tree branches – exactly what you’d expect from a hunting scope that gets used.

Weather resistance has been exceptional. I’ve used this scope in heavy rain, wet snow, and fog-soaked mornings without any internal fogging. The nitrogen fill and sealed construction do exactly what they’re supposed to do. The double internal spring-tension system seems to work as advertised – zero has held even after some pretty hard knocks in the field.

Mounting & Accessories

Here’s what I ended up using with this scope:

• Leupold 1-inch medium rings
• Butler Creek flip-up lens caps
• Scope covers for transport
• Basic lens cleaning kit

Performance Scores

Category	Score	Notes
Optical Quality	22/30	Excellent clarity and brightness for price
Durability	23/25	Rock-solid construction and weather resistance
Usability	17/20	Great for hunting applications
Value	14/15	Outstanding performance for the price
Features	7/10	Simple, practical feature set
Total Score	83/100	Excellent hunting scope for the money

See how I test and rate scopes. Learn more

Advantages:

• Outstanding low-light performance
• Excellent build quality and durability
• Perfect magnification range for hunting
• Clean, practical reticle design
• Solid zero retention

Drawbacks:

• Limited eye relief
• Turrets could be more precise
• Fixed parallax limits versatility
• Eye box gets tight at high magnification

How It Compares Against Similar Optics

Model Comparison	Magnification	Optical Quality	Build Quality	Tracking	Value	Overall Rating
Burris Fullfield E1	3-9×40	Very Good	Excellent	Good	Excellent	83/100
Leupold VX-Freedom	3-9×40	Very Good	Very Good	Very Good	Good	81/100
Nikon ProStaff	3-9×40	Good	Good	Good	Very Good	75/100
Redfield Revolution	3-9×40	Good	Very Good	Good	Very Good	77/100

The Leupold VX-Freedom is probably the closest direct competitor to the Fullfield E1. Both offer excellent optical quality and solid construction, but the Leupold comes with a higher price tag. The VX-Freedom’s turrets track a bit more precisely, and some shooters prefer Leupold’s Duplex reticle over the Ballistic Plex. That said, I think the Burris offers better low-light performance and feels more robust overall.

The Nikon ProStaff series offers decent performance at a lower price point, but the optical quality doesn’t quite match what you get with the Burris. The glass in the Fullfield E1 is noticeably brighter and clearer, especially in those critical dawn and dusk hunting hours. The Nikon’s a solid budget option, but if you can swing the extra cost, the Burris is worth it.

The Redfield Revolution is an interesting middle-ground option. It offers similar build quality to the Burris at a slightly lower price, and the illuminated reticle versions can be handy for low-light hunting. However, I found the optical quality to be just a step behind the Fullfield E1, and the illumination system adds complexity that I don’t think most hunters really need.

Frequently Asked Questions

How’s the scope for deer hunting?

It’s outstanding for deer hunting, which is exactly what it’s designed for. The 3-9x magnification range covers everything from close shots in thick cover to longer shots across fields or clearcuts. The low-light performance means you can take advantage of those prime dawn and dusk hours when deer are most active.

Will it handle magnum cartridges?

Absolutely. I’ve seen these mounted on everything from .300 Win Mag to .375 H&H without issues. The solid construction and double internal spring system are designed to handle heavy recoil. Just make sure you mount it properly with quality rings and bases.

How’s the Burris Forever Warranty?

It’s one of the best warranties in the optics business – truly no-fault, lifetime coverage that transfers to new owners. If anything goes wrong with the scope, Burris will fix or replace it without asking questions about how it happened. I haven’t needed to use it with this scope, but their customer service has always been solid in my experience.

Is the Ballistic Plex reticle worth it?

For hunting, I think it is. The cascading dots give you useful holdover points for longer shots, but they don’t clutter up the sight picture like some more complex reticles do. The main crosshair is what you’ll use for most hunting shots anyway, and the subtensions work well for quick range estimation in the field.

Final Words

After a full hunting season and months of range time, the Burris Fullfield E1 3-9×40 has proven itself to be exactly what a hunting scope should be – reliable, clear, and built to last. It doesn’t try to be everything to everyone, but what it does, it does very well. For hunters who want a scope that’ll perform when it matters without breaking the bank, this one hits all the right notes.

The optical quality punches well above its weight class, especially in low light where most hunting shots happen. The build quality gives you confidence that it’ll handle years of hard use, and the simple, practical feature set means there’s less to go wrong when you’re miles from the truck. Yes, the eye relief could be more generous, and the turrets aren’t as precise as higher-end tactical scopes. But for hunting applications, those limitations barely matter.

If you’re looking for a hunting scope that combines excellent performance with outstanding value, the Fullfield E1 deserves serious consideration. It’s got the optical quality to help you make clean shots in challenging conditions and the ruggedness to keep working no matter what you throw at it. For most hunters, that’s exactly what you need and nothing you don’t.