Burris Eliminator 3 vs 4 vs 5 vs 6: What Actually Changed Each Generation
The Burris Eliminator generations break down like this: the Eliminator III (4-16x50) ranges to 1,200 yards on reflective targets and 750 on game; the Eliminator IV (4-16x50) pushed ranging to 2,000 yards with better glass; the Eliminator 5 (5-20x50) added magnification and BurrisConnect app support for ballistic data; and the 2024 Eliminator 6 (4-20x52) is a full redesign — the first Eliminator built on a standard 34mm tube that takes normal rings, with a 177-point X177 reticle, built-in thermometer/barometer/inclinometer, and direct Bluetooth programming, retailing around $2,500. Only the 5 and 6 are still sold new.
The Eliminator is the scope Burris is famous for: press a button, it lasers the distance, and the correct holdover point lights up in the reticle. No dialing, no dope card in your pocket, no mental math. Since the platform debuted in 2010 — building on Burris’s 2006 LaserScope, the first scope with built-in rangefinding — it has gone through enough generations that “which Eliminator?” is now the real buying question.
Searches for this topic are full of confusion, partly because Burris switched naming schemes mid-stream (Roman numerals III and IV, then Arabic 5 and 6). Here’s the whole family, what actually changed, and which one makes sense now.
Every Generation at a Glance
| Eliminator III | Eliminator IV | Eliminator 5 | Eliminator 6 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Status (2026) | Discontinued | Discontinued | Sold new | Sold new — flagship |
| Optic | 4-16x50 | 4-16x50 | 5-20x50 | 4-20x52 |
| Ranging (reflective) | 1,200+ yd | 2,000 yd | 2,000 yd | 2,000+ yd |
| Ranging (game) | ~750 yd | — | — | 1,400 yd |
| Reticle | X96 | X96 | X96 | X177 (177 aim points, 1/5 MOA) |
| Mounting | Integrated mount | Integrated mount | Integrated mount | Standard 34mm tube, normal rings |
| Ballistic setup | Manual programming | Manual programming | App calculates, manual entry | Direct Bluetooth upload |
| Environmental | Inclinometer | Inclinometer | Inclinometer | Inclinometer + thermometer + barometer |
Eliminator III: The One That Made the Name
The III is the generation most people picture: the long squared-off housing with the integrated mount. It ranges 1,200+ yards on reflective targets and about 750 on game, displays holdover through the illuminated X96 reticle — 96 aim points with a windage grid — and runs capped 1/8-MOA turrets on what is internally a 1-inch optic.
Its limits define its used-market value today: the ranging distance is the shortest of the family, programming means button sequences on the scope itself, and the proprietary mount dictates what rifles it fits. None of that matters much if your shots live inside 500 yards.
Eliminator IV: More Reach, Same Body
The IV kept the III’s 4-16x50 format and general body but pushed the rangefinder to 2,000 yards and upgraded the glass and ballistic software. Think of it as the III perfected rather than replaced — which is also why used IVs command a premium over used IIIs.
Eliminator 5: More Magnification, App Assist
The 5 stretched the optic to 5-20x50 and brought the BurrisConnect app into the workflow: build your load profile on your phone, and the app tells you what to program into the scope. The programming itself is still manual — a detail a lot of listings blur. It kept the X96 reticle and the integrated mount, and it remains in the current Burris lineup as the value option.
Eliminator 6: The Redesign Everything Was Waiting For
The 6, introduced for 2024, is the first Eliminator that looks and mounts like a normal riflescope: a standard 34mm main tube in ordinary rings. That single change answered a decade of the platform’s loudest criticism.
The rest of the generation leap, per Burris’s own spec sheet:
- X177 reticle — 177 aim points at 1/5 MOA precision, replacing the X96
- Environmental sensing — thermometer, barometer, and inclinometer feed automatic density-altitude correction
- Direct Bluetooth programming — ballistic profiles upload straight from the BurrisConnect app; no more button-sequence data entry
- A configurable heads-up display — up to 10 data points, including calculated bullet velocity and energy at the ranged distance, plus a Shotcall Indicator that flags an “X” when your own defined terminal minimums aren’t met at that range
- Ranging to 2,000+ yards reflective and 1,400 on deer-sized game
US retail runs about $2,500. It collected industry hardware quickly — Ballistic’s Best Editors’ Select and an NRA Golden Bullseye among them.
So Which One?
Buying new: it’s a two-horse race. The 6 if you can spend ~$2,500 — the standard tube alone future-proofs it across rifles, and the environmental automation genuinely simplifies long shots. The 5 if you want the core range-and-hold experience for less and don’t mind the integrated mount.
Buying used: a IV is the sweet spot — 2,000-yard ranging without flagship pricing. A III is the budget entry for sub-500-yard game hunting, priced accordingly. For any used Eliminator, function-check the electronics — rangefinder, display, illumination, battery contacts — before money changes hands; these are computers as much as scopes.
Whichever generation you land on, confirm your state allows electronic rangefinding scopes for your hunt — several prohibit them outright (including, remarkably, Burris’s home state of Colorado). We maintain a state-by-state legality table with official sources for exactly this question.
When we get an Eliminator 6 on the bench and behind the trigger, this page gets an update with our own measured results — that’s how we work.
Where That Leaves You
Burris Eliminator 6 (4-20x52)
The one to buy if the budget reaches: standard 34mm tube, X177 reticle, environmental sensors, direct Bluetooth programming, and 2,000+ yard ranging. It fixed nearly every long-standing complaint about the platform.
Check Price on Amazon →Burris Eliminator 5 (5-20x50)
Still sold new and still ranges to 2,000 yards. You give up the standard tube, the newer reticle, and direct app upload — but if those don't matter to you, it's the value pick in the current lineup.
Check Price on Amazon →A used Eliminator III or IV
The budget path, secondhand only. Sanity-check the electronics before paying, treat the III as a 500-yard-and-in game scope, and remember both are locked to their integrated mounts.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between the Eliminator 5 and Eliminator 6?
The Eliminator 6 is a ground-up redesign: a standard 34mm main tube that takes ordinary rings (every earlier Eliminator used a proprietary integrated mount), the new X177 reticle with 177 aim points at 1/5 MOA versus the 5's X96, built-in thermometer and barometer for automatic density-altitude correction, direct Bluetooth upload of ballistic profiles from the BurrisConnect app, and a 4-20x52 optic versus the 5's 5-20x50. The 5 pairs with the app for load data, but you still program the scope manually.
How much does the Burris Eliminator 6 cost?
US retail is around $2,500, with street prices moving on promotions. The Eliminator 5 typically sells for several hundred dollars less — worth checking both before deciding.
Is a used Eliminator III or IV still worth buying?
At the right price, for the right ranges. The III only ranges to about 750 yards on game and both use proprietary integrated mounts, X96-era software, and manual programming. They're also aging electronics — verify the rangefinder, display, and battery compartment work before buying. Inside 500 yards on game, a clean used III still does the core job.
Is the Eliminator legal to hunt with?
Not everywhere. A handful of states restrict electronic aiming devices or rangefinding scopes for some or all hunting seasons. Check your state's current regulations before mounting one for a hunt — the scope's own 'Hunt Responsibly' features don't make it legal where electronics are prohibited.