Product Spotlight: Burris Red Dots
Caleb from Brownells welcomes Phil from Burris back to the Brownells Product Spotlight to discuss some of the most exciting optics Burris is bringing to market for 2025. This lineup includes two brand-new red dot sights and a major update to Burris thermal optics. Phil introduces the FastFire E, the FastFire C, and the next generation of Burris thermal scopes, all designed to improve performance, durability, and user experience.
What You Will Learn
In this Brownells Product Spotlight, viewers will get an in-depth look at Burris’s newest optics lineup for 2025, including the FastFire E enclosed red dot, the ultra-compact FastFire C, and the third-generation Burris Thermal scopes. Caleb and Phil break down key features like battery life, mounting options, durability, brightness controls, and power management—showing how these innovations improve performance for concealed carry, competition, and hunting applications.
Benefit
By watching, viewers will gain expert insight into choosing the right optic for their firearm and shooting style, whether they need rugged reliability, lightweight concealability, or advanced thermal capability. They’ll also learn practical setup and maintenance tips directly from Burris and Brownells experts, helping them make confident, informed purchasing and installation decisions.
Overview of Burris FastFire E Enclosed Red Dot
The Burris FastFire E marks the company’s first entry into the enclosed emitter red dot category. Designed for rugged use, this optic delivers reliability and clarity in a compact form. With one of the largest viewing windows in its price range, the FastFire E offers a clean, bright sight picture with a minimal housing profile, making target acquisition fast and intuitive.
Priced at around $349, the FastFire E offers premium features at an accessible price point. Its enclosed design protects the emitter from dirt, dust, and moisture, ensuring reliable operation in the harshest conditions.
Battery Life, Window Size, and Durability
The FastFire E runs on a CR2032 battery that provides up to 50,000 hours of operation at a medium brightness setting. Even at higher brightness levels, users can expect years of reliable use before needing a battery change.
The optic features a 3 MOA dot, which Phil describes as the ideal balance between precision and speed for both carry and competition shooting. Burris designed the housing to minimize visual obstruction, reducing the overall window signature so shooters can maintain a wide and unobstructed field of view.
Acro Footprint and Mounting Options
The FastFire E uses the widely adopted Acro footprint, making it compatible with numerous pistols, carbines, and mounting systems. Shooters can easily install it on handguns, PCCs (pistol-caliber carbines), and even precision rifles as an offset optic. The side-loading battery compartment allows quick battery swaps without removing the optic, ensuring zero retention and consistent performance.
Torque Settings and Battery Compartment Design
One thoughtful addition to the FastFire E is the inclusion of printed torque specifications directly on the optic. Phil notes that Burris included these details to help users properly secure the optic without over-tightening. This small but useful feature prevents stripped screws and protects the housing from damage.
The attention to detail reflects Burris’s commitment to combining real-world usability with engineering precision, ensuring that shooters can mount and maintain their optic with confidence.
Introduction to Burris FastFire C Micro Compact
Next, Phil introduces the FastFire C, the smallest and lightest optic in the Burris lineup. The “C” stands for compact, and this red dot is specifically designed for micro-compact handguns used in concealed carry. Despite its small size, the FastFire C delivers a durable build, excellent glass clarity, and features tailored for everyday carry users.
The optic uses the RMSC footprint, one of the most common mounting interfaces for compact and subcompact pistols.
RMSC Footprint and Glass Lens Design
The FastFire C features a glass lens for superior optical quality compared to polycarbonate alternatives. Glass resists scratching and provides a sharper, clearer image, ensuring long-term durability even with heavy use.
Instead of an aluminum housing, Burris opted for a high-density polymer frame, which offers strength while allowing for slight flex upon impact. This flexibility helps protect the lens during accidental drops, making it a reliable choice for concealed carry users who demand toughness and performance.
High Impact Polymer Housing and Drop Durability
Phil highlights that the polymer housing not only reduces weight but also increases survivability during drops or impacts. The optic can withstand being racked off surfaces such as belts or tables, a valuable feature for defensive shooting.
Serrations on the front of the housing encourage this functionality, giving shooters confidence in the optic’s durability. The lens is fully recessed into the housing, protecting it from scratches or damage during manipulations or rough handling.
Co-Witness with Glock, Shield, and Ruger Pistols
Thanks to its low deck height, the FastFire C allows for co-witnessing with factory iron sights on many popular micro-compact pistols. Compatible models include the Glock 43, 43X, 48, Smith & Wesson Shield Plus, and Ruger Max-9.
This design ensures that shooters maintain a backup aiming reference even if the optic is damaged or the battery dies, providing peace of mind in defensive situations.
Auto Brightness and Always-On Features
The FastFire C includes Burris Intelligent Auto Brightness, which automatically adjusts the dot intensity based on ambient light conditions. This feature allows the optic to be always on, entering a low-power mode when stored in darkness, such as in a holster or safe.
Because the optic never fully powers down, there is no “boot time” when drawn or activated. The result is faster response times and immediate readiness for defensive use.
Manual Brightness Settings and Operation
For users who prefer manual control, the FastFire C includes seven brightness settings accessible via a single control button. The highest setting is bright enough for daylight use, while the lowest is compatible with night vision.
Switching between auto and manual modes is simple. When the optic is set to flashing mode, it returns to automatic brightness adjustment. This intuitive control system allows users to adapt the optic to their environment without needing complex menus or external tools.
Burris Thermal Optics Overview
In addition to red dots, Burris has expanded its thermal optics line with the third-generation Burris Thermal. This new series reflects lessons learned from earlier models, focusing on improved usability, power management, and intuitive controls.
Phil explains that this generation was designed for hunters and professional users who need reliability in demanding conditions. From coyote hunting to hog control, these thermal optics offer enhanced image processing and simplified operation.
Improved Menu System and Controls
The new thermal optics feature a streamlined control system operated by a single multi-function dial. Users can click to open the menu, rotate to navigate options, and press to confirm selections.
If the user gets lost in the settings, a single tap of the power button instantly exits the menu and returns to the reticle view. This system eliminates confusion and reduces downtime in the field, especially during nighttime use.
Dual Battery System and Power Management
Burris addressed one of the most common pain points in thermal optics: battery management. The new thermal system includes both an internal battery and a removable external battery, designed to prioritize external power first. Once the external battery depletes, the internal battery automatically takes over, providing uninterrupted operation.
This design ensures that users can swap external batteries on the fly without powering down the unit, an invaluable feature during extended hunts or surveillance operations.
USB-C Charging and External Battery Integration
The thermal optics also support USB-C charging, allowing connection to external battery packs for even longer runtime. Hunters can mount a power bank on their rifle or gear and run the optic for an entire night without interruptions.
This feature also ensures compatibility with modern charging systems, making it easier to keep the device operational in remote or mobile environments.
ADM Mount Partnership and Adjustable Eye Relief
Burris partnered with American Defense Manufacturing (ADM) to create the new mounting system for the thermal line. These mounts are built to provide exceptional stability and can be adjusted for various rifles and optics configurations.
Users can easily slide the optic forward or backward to achieve ideal eye relief, accommodating both AR-style rifles and bolt-action platforms. The quick-detach design also allows for rapid removal and reinstallation without losing zero.
Final Thoughts and Wrap-Up
Caleb and Phil conclude by emphasizing how Burris continues to innovate across multiple optic categories. From the compact and affordable FastFire C, to the rugged and high-performance FastFire E, to the advanced Burris Thermal Gen 3, the company’s focus remains on clarity, reliability, and user experience.
These optics are built for shooters who demand dependable tools whether they are competing, carrying daily, or hunting in extreme conditions.
All of these new Burris products are available through Brownells.com, where users can find specs, mounting options, and accessories for their firearm setups.
