Burris Fullfield E1 3-9×40 Review: When Basic Gets the Job Done Right

The morning I watched my hunting partner’s $2,000 scope fog up completely during a critical shot opportunity on a nice whitetail buck, while my beat-up Burris Fullfield E1 stayed crystal clear, I learned an important lesson about gear. Price tags don’t kill game – reliable equipment does. That Burris has ridden on my backup rifle for four seasons now, enduring everything Montana throws at hunters, and it keeps delivering when fancy glass fails.

I bought the Fullfield E1 3-9×40 as a temporary solution while saving for “better” glass. That was in 2020. Since then, it’s taken three elk, countless whitetails, more coyotes than I can count, and proven that sometimes the hunting industry’s obsession with premium features misses the point. You need glass that works when your breath fogs in the cold, your hands shake from adrenaline, and that animal won’t stand still forever.

After putting this scope through four years of legitimate use – not just bench shooting at a climate-controlled range – I’ve developed strong opinions about what makes it work and where Burris cut corners. Spoiler alert: they cut corners in all the right places, keeping what matters and ditching what doesn’t. That’s wisdom my grandfather would have appreciated.

Understanding the Fullfield Legacy: Built for Hunters, Not Instagram

Burris has been making the Fullfield series since before tactical scopes became fashion accessories. The E1 represents their entry-level offering, though “entry-level” undersells what you’re getting. This is a scope designed by people who actually hunt, for people who actually hunt. No unnecessary features, no tacticool nonsense, just functional glass in a tough package.

The one-inch tube might seem outdated when everyone’s running 30mm or 34mm tubes, but it means you can use any rings in your parts drawer. The 40mm objective provides enough light without requiring high rings that destroy your cheek weld. The 3-9x magnification range covers 95% of hunting scenarios. See the pattern? Everything serves a practical purpose.

At roughly 13 ounces, it won’t win any ultralight awards, but that weight comes from actual steel and aluminum, not plastic dressed up to look tough. The construction philosophy reminds me of tools from the 1960s – overbuilt where it matters, simple everywhere else. In an era of planned obsolescence, that’s refreshing.

Glass Quality: Surprising Clarity from Colorado

The glass in the Fullfield E1 shouldn’t be this good for the price. During a November elk hunt in the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness, I spent an entire morning glassing a hillside alongside hunters using Zeiss and Swarovski glass. Could I see everything they could? No. Could I see everything I needed to identify legal bulls and plan stalks? Absolutely.

The multi-coating Burris uses delivers impressive performance in real hunting conditions. Edge-to-edge sharpness stays acceptable throughout the magnification range, with only slight darkening at the extreme edges on 9x. Color transmission leans slightly warm, which actually helps in flat light conditions common during prime hunting hours.

Light transmission tested at roughly 92% – not the 95%+ of premium glass, but enough to extend legal shooting time by several critical minutes. During a late-season mule deer hunt, I watched a buck through the scope for the last 20 minutes of legal light, maintaining clear enough visibility for a clean shot if he’d offered one. That’s all the performance most hunters actually need.

Chromatic aberration (color fringing) appears minimal in normal use. You’ll notice it slightly when looking at dark objects against snow, but it’s never interfered with shot placement or target identification. My wife Sarah, who notices these things more than I do, says it’s comparable to scopes costing twice as much.

The Ballistic Plex E1 Reticle: Simple and Effective

The Ballistic Plex E1 reticle deserves its own discussion. Unlike Christmas-tree reticles that look like engineering diagrams, this one makes intuitive sense. The main crosshair stays bold enough for quick acquisition in timber, while the ballistic markers below provide holdover points for longer shots.

With a 100-yard zero using standard .308 loads, the hash marks roughly correspond to 200, 300, and 400-yard holds. Are they perfect for every load and condition? No. Are they close enough for hunting situations? Yes. I’ve used them successfully on game from 150 to 380 yards without doing any math or consulting ballistic apps.

The reticle stays visible in low light without illumination – a critical feature when batteries fail or aren’t available. Last season, I made a clean shot on a cow elk at last light, able to clearly see the crosshairs against her shoulder despite fading light. Try that with some ultra-fine target reticles.

Eye Relief and Eye Box: Forgiving Where It Counts

The 3.1 to 3.4 inches of eye relief works perfectly for standard hunting rifles. On my .308 Winchester, I’ve never experienced scope bite, even during hurried shots from awkward positions. The eye relief stays consistent throughout the magnification range – dial from 3x to 9x and you won’t need to adjust your head position.

The eye box proves more forgiving than specifications suggest. During a rushed shot at a coyote from an improvised rest, I had terrible head position but still acquired a full sight picture quickly enough to connect at 200 yards. This forgiveness matters more in hunting situations than benchrest precision.

At maximum magnification, the eye box tightens noticeably but remains usable. You’ll need consistent cheek weld for precision work at 9x, but that’s true of any variable scope. The sweet spot seems to be around 6x – enough magnification for precise shot placement with generous eye box forgiveness.

Tracking and Adjustments: Honest Performance

The finger-adjustable turrets provide 1/4 MOA clicks that feel positive without being stiff. No mushiness, no play, just mechanical precision that inspires confidence. During sight-in, I ran the scope through a standard box test – 10 MOA up, 10 right, 10 down, 10 left. It returned to zero with less than 1.5 MOA total deviation, acceptable for a hunting scope.

The capped turrets protect your zero from accidental adjustment. Are they as convenient as exposed target turrets? No. Do they maintain zero after bouncing around in a truck for months? Yes. I’ll take reliability over convenience every time. The caps thread on securely and haven’t loosened despite repeated removal.

Total adjustment range provides 60 MOA of elevation and windage. That’s enough to zero any reasonable hunting load and compensate for mounting irregularities. I’ve never needed more adjustment range in practical hunting situations.

Zero retention has been flawless through approximately 800 rounds of mixed .308 loads, from mild handloads to hot factory ammunition. The scope has maintained zero through temperature swings from -20°F to 90°F, multiple truck rides on washboard roads, and one unfortunate tumble down a hillside (rifle and hunter were fine, pride was bruised).

Magnification Ring: The One Weak Point

If I had to criticize something, it’s the magnification ring. When new, it was stiffer than a teenager at their first dance. After four years of use and occasional lubrication, it’s smoothed out but still requires deliberate effort to adjust. In freezing conditions with gloves, it can be challenging to operate quickly.

The resistance prevents accidental adjustment, which I appreciate. I’ve seen too many hunters discover their scope got bumped to maximum magnification right when they needed wide field of view. The stiff ring keeps the magnification where you set it.

Adding an aftermarket throw lever helps considerably. I attached a homemade version using a hose clamp and piece of rubber – total cost under $5. It’s not pretty, but it works. Sometimes the simple solution is the best solution.

Durability Testing: Four Years of Real Use

Beyond formal testing, this scope has survived:

• Three seasons of elk hunting in the Beartooth Mountains
• Countless truck rides on forest service roads
• Temperature extremes from -25°F to 95°F
• Multiple rainstorms, one hailstorm, and several snow dumps
• Being dropped on rocks (twice)
• River crossings on horseback
• Loan to my nephew (survived somehow)

The nitrogen purging works. Despite rapid temperature changes that fog truck windshields, the scope stays clear internally. The external lens coatings show minor scratches from cleaning, but nothing affecting optical performance. The aluminum body displays honest wear but no functional damage.

One issue emerged after three years: the objective lens cell developed slight play. Five minutes with the appropriate spanner wrench (borrowed from a gunsmith friend) solved it permanently. That’s the kind of problem I can live with – simple, fixable, and rare.

Parallax Performance: Fixed but Functional

The fixed parallax at 100 yards represents a deliberate simplification. Does it limit precision at very close or very long range? Technically yes. Does it matter for practical hunting? Rarely.

Testing revealed minimal parallax error from 75 to 200 yards – the ranges where most game is taken. At 50 yards, parallax becomes noticeable but not prohibitive. At 300 yards and beyond, maintaining consistent cheek weld becomes critical for precision. For a scope intended primarily for hunting, this compromise makes sense.

I’ve successfully taken game from 40 to 380 yards with this scope. The fixed parallax never prevented a clean shot, though I’m more careful about head position at the extremes. For target shooting or long-range precision work, you’d want adjustable parallax. For hunting, the simplicity wins.

Low-Light Performance: Dawn and Dusk Reality

Hunting happens at the edges of daylight, so low-light performance matters more than peak brightness. The Fullfield E1 delivers usable brightness from about 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset – the legal hunting hours in most states.

The 40mm objective combined with quality coatings gathers enough light for ethical shot placement during prime hunting times. Will it match a 50mm or 56mm objective scope? No. Will it fit on your rifle with normal rings and balance properly? Yes. That’s a trade-off I’ll make.

During a December whitetail hunt in river bottom timber, I watched deer clearly until legal shooting light ended. The scope provided enough resolution to count points and judge body condition. That’s all the low-light performance most hunters actually need, despite what marketing departments claim.

Field Comparison: Real-World Perspective

Against the Vortex Crossfire II 3-9×40: The Vortex offers slightly better eye relief and a faster focus eyepiece, but costs nearly twice as much. Glass quality is comparable, with the Burris actually showing less chromatic aberration. For pure hunting use, the Burris wins on value.

Against the Leupold VX-Freedom 3-9×40: The Leupold brings better overall brightness and that gold-ring warranty appeal. It also costs three times as much. Unless you need the absolute best low-light performance or care about brand prestige, the Burris does everything the Leupold does for less money.

Against the Nikon Prostaff 3-9×40: Similar price point, similar features. The Nikon’s BDC reticle might be more intuitive for some shooters. But Nikon exited the scope business, making warranty support questionable. The Burris wins by still existing.

Against premium European glass: Not even a fair comparison. Yes, Zeiss, Swarovski, and Schmidt & Bender make better scopes. They also cost 10-20 times more. For that price difference, you could buy the Burris, a complete rifle, ammunition for a lifetime, and a hunting trip.

Mounting Considerations: Keep It Simple

The one-inch tube means any rings work, but quality still matters. I run Warne steel rings on my hunting rifles – bombproof and affordable. Avoid the temptation to use those rings gathering dust in your parts drawer unless you know they’re quality.

Mount height matters more than most realize. The 40mm objective needs medium rings on most rifles for proper clearance. Too high ruins your cheek weld, too low and the scope touches the barrel. Measure twice, mount once.

Use blue Loctite on ring screws and base screws. Check torque after the first range session, then annually. These simple steps prevent more scope “problems” than any amount of money spent on premium glass.

Practical Accessories That Make Sense

Butler Creek flip-up caps: The best $20 you’ll spend. Protect the glass, deploy instantly.

Scope coat: A neoprene cover for transport and storage. Prevents 90% of scope damage.

Lens pen: Proper cleaning maintains coating integrity. Paper towels and shirt sleeves don’t.

Throw lever: Whether purchased or homemade, it transforms the stiff magnification ring.

Who Should Buy This Scope?

Perfect for:

• Hunters wanting reliable glass without financing
• Backup rifles that still need to work
• Youth rifles where durability matters more than features
• Anyone building a practical hunting rifle on a budget
• Experienced hunters who understand what actually matters

Look elsewhere if:

• You need target turrets for precision shooting
• Adjustable parallax is mandatory for your use
• You shoot competitively where every advantage matters
• Brand prestige influences your purchases
• You need maximum low-light performance

Warranty and Customer Service: The Hidden Value

Burris offers a lifetime warranty that actually means something. No receipt required, no registration needed, transfers between owners. I’ve dealt with their customer service once (for that loose objective cell) and they immediately offered to fix it free, including shipping. That’s confidence in their product.

The warranty covers everything except deliberate abuse or modifications. Lost a turret cap? They’ll send a replacement. Scope got damaged in a fall? They’ll repair or replace it. This backing adds tremendous value to an already affordable scope.

The Bottom Line: Practical Excellence

After four years and hundreds of successful shots, the Burris Fullfield E1 3-9×40 has earned my respect. It’s not fancy, doesn’t have tactical turrets, won’t impress anyone at the range. What it does is put bullets where you aim them, stay clear when conditions deteriorate, and survive real hunting use without drama.

At around $200, it represents the sweet spot where quality meets affordability. Spending less risks reliability. Spending more brings diminishing returns unless you have specific needs this scope doesn’t address. For most hunters in most situations, the Fullfield E1 does everything necessary and nothing unnecessary.

This scope embodies my grandfather’s philosophy: “Buy quality tools that do one job well, maintain them properly, and they’ll outlast you.” The Fullfield E1 is a tool, not a toy. It’s designed for hunters who measure success in filled tags and meat in the freezer, not Instagram likes and forum approval.

The wilderness doesn’t care what you paid for your scope. It only cares whether your equipment works when that shot of a lifetime presents itself. The Burris Fullfield E1 has never let me down when it mattered. In the end, that’s the only review that counts.

Practice makes permanent, so practice it right. Even affordable glass can deliver precise shots if you do your part.

Looking for more honest hunting gear reviews and practical field advice? Check out our complete collection of optics guides and hunting content at Moosir.com. Remember – respect the game, respect the land, respect yourself.