Burris Timberline 4.5-14x32 vs. Leupold 3-9x33 EFR?

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Jun 13, 2018
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Maine, United States
I recently sold my Leupold EFR because I wanted something with a little more mag. and a mil-dot reticle. My plan was to sell my Leshiy and maybe get an Impact or Lelya 2.0 so I wouldn't need to limit my scope choice to something really compact but have decided to keep the Leshiy since there were no takers. I have seen these Timberlines around a couple times and they seem to be well liked. Has anyone owned both the Leupold EFR and the Timberline? Wondering how they stack up? To me, it looks like the Timberline is a better scope hands down as long as the glass is as good as the Leupold. You get more magnification, more aimpoints on the reticle (sadly not mil-dot) and it focuses down even closer then the EFR (not that 10 yards isn't enough). And the Burris is shorter then the Leupold by .13"! Any input is welcome, thanks!
 
Is the Burris clear at 14x magnification?
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It's clear to me. I think this scope is perfect for the Leshiy. I used the same offset mounts that I had on the bugbuster, but reversed them to get the eye relief needed. I really like the relief as it allows me to keep the scope on 14x and spot a moving squirrel with my opposite eye while keeping gun up in shooting position.



1544986853_5872373945c16a0e586f412.22284331_20181216_135616.jpg


1545300829_18424267575c1b6b5d45d918.85482058_eeeeeee.jpg

 
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Most all of the reviews I've read from google search (a lot on Optics Planet) rave about this scope and I can see why. I didn't know there was a scope this compact with 14x mag. out there. I ordered one, it should be here by the end of the week...😏 Hopefully my UTG PRO high mounts will work with this scope and allow me to mount it far enough forward with the extra eye relief?
 
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Can't say on the Leupold but have the Timberline fine quality scope...but for me the eye relief a big problem itsi way to long at something like 4.5 inches can't use it on any of my guns. Could use off set mounts but that usually puts the scope to far forward on the gun making it unbalanced. But if you need very long eye relief it's a dandy . It checks all the boxes for airgun use.
 
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Most all of the reviews I've read from google search (a lot on Optics Planet) rave about this scope and I can see why. I didn't know there was a scope this compact with 14x mag. out there. I ordered one, it should be here by the end of the week...😏 Hopefully my UTG PRO high mounts will work with this scope and allow me to mount it far enough forward with the extra eye relief?
Click to expand...


If your mounts don't work here is what I bought, and is in my pics. Unless your rings are super wide you should be able to just get that front ring on and keep the scope within the folded length of the gun. Hard to tell in pics but my scope is about 1/2" forward of the hinge.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00YFPNDOG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
 
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I have both and like the Leupold 3-9 EFR better. The Leupy is smaller, has better glass, normal eye relief, and a stationary objective bezel so a flip up cap doesn't turn with the parallax adjustment. I sent mine to the Leupold custom shop and had an LR reticle installed for something like $70. You can get a mil-dot installed, too, but it's more expensive.

My Timberline has a bit of fish-eye effect. It's a good scope overall, though.

I ran my Leupy on an R9 for most of its life, and now it's on an R7. The Timberline mostly sits on the R9 now, but has done duty on an HW77.

Have fun! 
 
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Most all of the reviews I've read from google search (a lot on Optics Planet) rave about this scope and I can see why. I didn't know there was a scope this compact with 14x mag. out there. I ordered one, it should be here by the end of the week...😏 Hopefully my UTG PRO high mounts will work with this scope and allow me to mount it far enough forward with the extra eye relief?
Click to expand...


If your mounts don't work here is what I bought, and is in my pics. Unless your rings are super wide you should be able to just get that front ring on and keep the scope within the folded length of the gun. Hard to tell in pics but my scope is about 1/2" forward of the hinge.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00YFPNDOG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Click to expand...

Thanks, I might get these if my rings wont work.
 
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I got mine as well and I like it a lot. IMO it is a better choice then the Leupold 3-9x33 EFR because it does everything that the Leupold does, plus. Like I said earlier I have no clue which has better glass but the Burris looks very nice to me. I would bet that they are very close when on 9x. Overall build quality between the two seems the same. I don't like how the Burris' AO seems to get looser the closer you adjust the AO, almost like you are unscrewing it? The mag. ring on my Leupold had a bit of play in it so I guess they're even lol. The turrets on the Burris are MUCH better then the EFR's (at least my VX Freedom EFR, the old VX-2's may be different). Burris turrets have a defined click and snap into place when adjusting them where the EFR did not at all. They were mushy and barely even clicked at all so you couldn't tell where to stop turning them but I never had a problem with shifting POI, hopefully the Burris is the same in that regard. I read in some reviews that the Timberline has plastic turret caps but mine are metal?

I can't see a downside in owning the Burris Timberline instead of the Leupold EFR? They both have a great, no questions warranty. It does feel a little heavier but I'm going off memory so I haven't checked the stats (because I don't care lol). Both great scopes but I think I will enjoy the 14x and the extra aimpoints on the reticle this spring when I am shooting at 50+ yards.

Another plus is that when using both scopes on the Leshiy my Leupold needed to be farther back about 1.25" past the hinge point making the gun slightly longer when folded. The Burris with it's longer eye relief is set to be about dead even with the hinge point so it makes it a shorter package when folded. Every inch counts when you gotta cram it into a backpack! Also had no trouble mounting it with my UTG PRO rings and they are quite wide rings. I'll post a picture or two shortly.
 
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I hate it every time I get a new scope having to try to focus the eye piece. I have NEVER confidently had an scopes eyepiece focused perfectly to my eye. I can spin that eyepiece in circles for hours and the reticle looks the same lol. Yeah if I go all the way one direction or the other the reticle gets blurry but every place in between the reticle looks "good enough" haha

Dan, that one piece mount looks like it's perfect for that setup. I think Bobro are the ones that make the GG&G bipods? I need to get a new bipod now because I sold my Atlas PSR. I didn't like how the "forward and aft limiting bosses" always wanted to stand the bipod/gun upright every time I tried canting my gun. I'm surprised I haven't seen anyone else mention it but it is a pain having to hold your gun tightly in position when it's canted or else it'll just right itself automatically. Was going to just buy a regular Atlas but I have been eyeballing the GG&G bipods for a while now, plus they are quite a bit less expensive then the Atlas.
 
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I don't like how the Burris' AO seems to get looser the closer you adjust the AO, almost like you are unscrewing it?
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But you ARE actually unscrewing it. With most scopes the lense inside moves, with the Burris the outer ring is actually unscrewing. Look and see the difference in the "gap" at 7 vs Infinity.

And my caps are metal also.

Glad you like it.
 
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Tweeter, nice write up. I agree with your accesment of the Burris. The Bobro, IMHO, is one of the best quick release mounts out there. I ordered one with the scope but it was on back order. Had to go into my stash for this one. Looks clean and you can find the right location and lock it down. As you mentioned, with the mount and eye relief, you are well inside the hinge point. Keeps the footprint small and you have up to 14x if you need it. 

PS My bipod is on backwards so it hinges back and stays within the overall length of the Leshiy. Good carry handle too. This also puts the thumb screw on the other side so it does not interfer with the airtube when folded. 


 
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Thanks Dan. I had time to shoot a bunch today and am liking this scope, no issues with it. I like the way it snaps into focus when adjusting the AO so there is no doubt when you have the paralax correct. My EFR was always kind of in focus it seemed like so it was harder to find the right spot when focusing the AO. Despite what the specs say the Leupold EFR focuses closer than the Burris does. With my EFR I could watch TV through it clearly in the livingroom if I wanted to lol, not so much with the Burris most likely because it only goes down to 4.5x. 
 
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I have a new Leupold 3-9x33 EFR and had 2 Burris timberlines, sold both of the Burris scopes. I tried hard to adapt to the Burris LONG eye relief and narrow field of view but for hunting ground squirrels it wouldn't work for me. If you look at the specs you will see what I'm talking about, the burris don't come close to the Leupold for ease of use.

FOV @100 yd 50 yd 25 yd low power and high power

Leupold 100 yd low power 37.5 ft high power 17.5 ft 50 yd low power 17.85 ft high power 8.5 ft 25yd low 8.925 high 4.25 ft

Burris 100 yd low power 17 ft high power 8.5 ft 50 yd low power 6.8 ft high power 3.15 ft 25yd low 3.4ft high 1.575

Now I am comparing a 3-9 to a 4.5-14 but the point is the huge difference in the FOV. Looking for a squirrel size target through a scope in cover larger FOV wins every time. 

Eye Relief, this is the biggest problem with the Burris 3.75 in to 5 in thats huge. If you need that much your going to half to train yourself to use it I couldn't do it. I have many rifles with scopes, they all have about the same eye relief as the Leupold making it easy going from gun to gun. Now through a scope on one with a 5 inch eye relief and shoulder it, that gets strange.

Leupold high power 3.1 low power 3.4

Burris high power 5 inches high power 3.75 inches
 
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