Burris Fastfire 3 Review

Over the last 40 plus years, Burris has become well known as a brand that delivers innovative, accurate, and durable optics that have found themselves in the favorites lists for best optics and sights for years.

burris review fastfire3

In fact, they had such an excellent reputation that they were purchased by Beretta in 2002.

Sticking by their desire always to create top-of-the-line products, they debuted their FastFire in 2007, and since then, the Fastfire has been a fan favorite and has a consistent spot in all the top-rated lists.

Since its introduction onto the market, the Fastfire has undergone a few iterations until the release of their current model, the Burris FastFire 3.

So, let’s take a more in-depth look at what the Fastfire 3 has to offer to help you determine if this is the right sight for you.

The Ins and Outs

Aiming to keep things streamlined, the Fastfire 3 is sleek and low profile, providing excellent performance that will not interfere with your grip or shot.

For maximum durability, the Fastfire 3 is built with a shockproof metal exterior and has a waterproof roof to keep moisture and water away from the glass of the sight. When you examine it, you can see that though the weight is slight, there is particular attention to detail in the construction, and it is solidly built.

To ensure that the Fastfire 3 can fit a variety of firearms, it can be ordered with or without a mount.

For those using a Picatinny or Weaver rail, mounting it was straightforward, as it slid right on the rail, and we had no issue securing it with the provided screws.

For larger guns or rifles where a rail mount is not ideal, you can also choose one of the other Burris mounts and attach the Fastfire 3 via that mount.

We also felt that it was a bonus that if the provided screws are not the correct length for your firearm, that Burris will send the proper size if asked.

Laser and Optics

The shining star of the Fastfire 3 is the vivid, red laser dot.

burris fastfire 3 review

No matter the lighting, the intense dot is easy to spot and provides pinpoint accuracy. The fact that you can also select whether you want a 3 MOA or 8 MOA dot reticle when ordering so you can choose the size that suits your purpose best is an awesome bonus as well.

No matter which size you choose, the dot’s circumference was well thought out; it is large enough to have rapid acquisition of your target but small enough not to block the target itself out.

The laser is battery operated, but Burris placed the battery compartment on the top of the sight, so changing batteries is easy and will not alter your zero when being replaced.

We did notice that the laser dot will work perfectly if the batteries are placed correctly.

If they are off or not fully inserted into the compartment, the laser dot will flicker in and out, so you will want to take care to make sure the batteries are fully seated and the screw holding the compartment is tightened correctly for optimal performance.

Since the Fastfire 3 seems to be focused on providing optimal performance for whatever your preferences may be, it was no surprise that they also added in a brightness sensor and manual brightness adjustment options.

For those looking to have the best lighting in an instant, the Fastfire 3 has an automatic brightness sensor that will shift the brightness of the laser dot based on which suits the external environmental conditions best.

However, if you are a bit more particular, you can also use one of the three brightness settings to adjust the brightness levels manually.

When shooting in broad daylight, the laser dot was a breeze to spot and kept us on target at close range of at a distance.

Sight and Other Features

The sight in the Fastfire 3 is excellent and provides 1x magnification making it simple to focus in on the red dot sight at a distance and shoot with both eyes open.

burris fastfire review

The Fastfire 3 is also parallax-free, so whether you use the sight itself, just the laser dot, or a combination of both, your aim will be spot on every time.

The Hi-lume multi-coating on the glass of the sight, maximizing its performance in low-light situations and eliminating glare on the lens.

The batteries have excellent longevity and can last up to 8 years.

A large part of this lifespan is due to the automatic time-out feature, which turns the laser off after 8 hours.

The small size and negligible weight of the FastFire 3 also means that if you already have a primary sight you love, it is an ideal option for a secondary or backup sight as well.

The addition of the Burris forever warranty also goes a long way towards making sure the owners of the Fastfire can continue shooting for years to come.

Conclusion

Overall, the Fastfire is a fantastic sight.

The mid-range price point combined with the number of well thought out features and benefits are one of the main reasons the Fastfire 3 is so popular.

The sensitivity of the battery placement in the compartment is a cause for frustration, but since the batteries shouldn’t have to be changed too often, this isn’t a huge negative.

The other downside to be aware of is that as impressive as the Fasftfire 3 is, it is not made for long-range shooting.

The laser dot is easy to see and still get accurate shots at around 40 yards, but beyond that, it can become spotty; so if you in need of a longer-range sight, this may not be the best choice for you.

Aside from those small issues, the Fastfire 3 was impressive. The quality built, ease of use, and well-executed technology meld together to create an accurate product that can maintain its zero no matter how often it is used.