One problem with these Reflex Sights as opposed to iron sights is that they use batteries, which are consumable, and therefore have limited lifespans. Since I bought the unit in May 2012, I have had two battery changes already. The first battery change came a month after I bought it. I think the reason why the battery life was so short, was because the battery that came with the unit was the generic, unmarked made-in-china type of battery.
The battery needed for the unit was the CR1632, and after the generic china battery, I bought a branded Panasonic battery for the unit for P50 each at one of the kiosks in the malls specializing in batteries. The Panasonic battery lasted about 5 months of fairly heavy use, until it gave out last week (October 2012).
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| Generic CR1632 battery on the left, compared with the Panasonic version |
Another disadvantage of the unit is that there is absolutely no warning that the battery is about to give out. One second it is shining bright, the next second it is gone, and won't come back. Both times it gave out I initially wondered if I damaged the unit that's why it won't turn on. I think it would be helpful for Burris to have some kind of a low battery warning indicator on their next versions so one can be proactive in terms of replacing the battery.
The second time it gave out I was in the shooting range. Unfortunately for me, I forgot to bring my spare battery. However, good thing there's a mall atop the shooting range, hence I was able to buy one quickly, albeit at a highly inflated price of P350 for the battery with the brand, "Renata". I hope it will at least last as long as the Panasonic brand. Moral of the story: Always keep a SPARE battery for the FF3, and always keep it CLOSE to the unit in case you need to replace it.
Battery replacement is easy, thanks to the quick-access screw-on battery cover, so you basically just need to unscrew the cover and replace the battery. The tradeoff, though, is that the FF3 uses a smaller battery than the FF2. The FF2 has a larger CR2032 battery, hence I assume it will have a longer life, but accessing it needs unscrewing the unit from the mount.
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| Comparison of the FF3 battery (top), to the bigger battery used on the FF2 |
'Fairly Heavy Use'
The reason why I put "fairly heavy use" of my FF3's battery above is because what I do is I usually put the FF3 on it's minimum brightness when I turn it on. This means clicking the side button four times starting when the unit is turned off, then I just leave it at that until it turns off on its own after a couple of hours. Putting the FF3 on low level means the reticle is not bright enough to be seen when you raise it against an overcast sky, but is enough for indoor use, and allows me quickly have a sight picture when I need to use it.
It can get confusing, though, because when the unit turns off by itself, the next time you press the side button, it will go to minimum brightness mode, so you don't always know if you are in low light or in auto-brightness level. I just keep clicking the side button to know where it is if I want to know. Just remember that from MANUAL OFF, the levels go AUTO BRIGHT -> MAXIMUM BRIGHT -> MEDIUM BRIGHT -> MINIMUM BRIGHT -> MANUAL OFF when you click the side button.
From AUTOMATIC OFF, it goes to MINIMUM BRIGHTNESS -> MANUAL OFF when you click on the side button.
'Parting Shot'
From a tactical point of view, it is a bit of a disadvantage that not only do you need to turn on or off the FF3 to use it, but also the battery can run out at any time without any notice, hence it is important to have a back up sight in cases when this happens.
Since getting my FF3, I have gone thru about a thousand rounds with it, majority in full auto with it mounted on the slide, and it seems the wear and tear of it undergoing 1,200 cycles per minute is starting to take its toll. Because of this and the need for backup sights, I am now seriously considering other mounting options for the unit. I will blog more about this later.
(End of Part Three)
--> My Review of the Burris Fast Fire 3 Part One
--> My Review of the Burris Fast Fire 3 Part Two
where's the low battery indictor?
ReplyDeleteThere's no low battery indicator, Gary. The unit just suddenly turns off, hence it is important to have back up sights if you intend to use this unit for self-defense. Also its not as rugged as the Trijicon RMR. Then again, the RMR is at least 3 times as expensive ...
ReplyDeleteThe battery indicator The red dot flashes off an on in 5 second increments notify you the battery is getting low
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tip, Gary, but never really saw this with my unit in all the months I've used it. I think something must be wrong with mine, somewhere ...
ReplyDelete