The 8 Best Smart Rifle Scopes
Updated by · How we research
Rangefinding, Bluetooth holdover, digital and thermal: 8 smart rifle scopes compared by range, weight and setup. The all-in-one Burris Eliminator 6 leads. When users buy our independently chosen editorial selections, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
Many smart scopes can't range on their own. Sig's BDX models light the exact hold for each shot only after a separate Sig rangefinder sends the distance, which is easy to forget at checkout. Others build in a laser, a ballistic computer, or a camera and screen for night and thermal use. Hunters use them to get a firing solution faster.
From the manual
- Use regular CR123A cells: Burris says rechargeable ones don't suit the circuitry and void the warranty. p. 6
- The laser can't read targets closer than about 37 yards; after a failed reading it shows fixed holds every 100 yards. p. 25
- The wind number assumes a 10 mph full crosswind unless you change it in the app, so you still judge the real wind. p. 21
- Install the app at home: setup needs fast internet, but the app works without a signal in the field afterward. p. 17
Why the Burris Eliminator 6 is our top pick
The Eliminator wins because it measures the distance itself: its built-in laser is rated to at least 2,000 yards on reflective targets,1 and it lights the hold for that range from the load profile you build in the maker's app.1 Our runner-up, the Sig Sauer Sierra6BDX 3-18x44, lights the same kind of dot only when a separate Sig rangefinder sends it a distance,2 so the full system is two devices to carry and pair.
When a reading fails, our pick still shows a dot for every 100 yards out to 900.1 With no rangefinder linked, the Sierra falls back to preset dots that stop at 500 yards, or up to eight holds you set in the app.2,2 With Sig's ABU ballistics, the Sierra solves shots only to 800 yards.2 The Eliminator also reads temperature and air pressure on board,1 and its stock-mounted remote fires the laser without moving your hand to the scope.1
The runner-up is the lighter scope, at 23.8 ounces against 30,3,1 and its manual rates it for a full dunk,2 while the Eliminator's manual gives no water rating. Both carry lifetime, transferable warranties.1,2 If you already own a Sig rangefinder, the Sierra is the lighter way in. One catch with our pick: its laser can't read anything closer than about 37 yards.1
| Burris Eliminator 6 | Sig Sauer Sierra6BDX 3-18x44 | |
|---|---|---|
| Rangefinder | Built in, 2,000+ yd reflective | Separate Sig unit |
| Holds with no new range | Every 100 yd to 900 yd | Preset to 500 yd, or app-set |
| Weight | 30 oz | 23.8 oz |
| Battery | 1 CR123A, no rechargeables | 2 CR2032 |
| Warranty | Lifetime, transferable | Lifetime, transferable |
Sources
- Burris Eliminator 6 1User manual, Rev 4 (PDF), pp. 5, 16, 17, 25, 26, 29
- Sig Sauer Sierra6BDX 2Sierra BDX owner's manual, 2024 (PDF), pp. 3, 13, 23, 24, 28 3Launch specs, December 2020
From the manual
- Without a Sig rangefinder, pick one of eight preset ballistic groups for five hold dots, 100 yards apart, out to 500 yards. p. 13
- Software updates offered during pairing are mandatory; keep your phone above a 25 percent charge while they install. p. 18
- If the rangefinder won't talk to the scope, turn off Ballistic Reticle in the app and set the rangefinder to ABU mode. p. 26
- The sight turns off after sitting still for one to ten minutes, and a separate timer can shut it off after up to eight hours. pp. 21-22
Compare the specs
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
| Product | Rangefinder for auto holds | Power | Water rating | Warranty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Burris Eliminator 6 | Built-in laser | CR123A; remote CR2032 | — | Lifetime, transferable |
| 2. Sig Sauer Sierra6BDX 3-18x44 | Separate Sig unit | 2 CR2032 | IPX-7 | Lifetime, transferable |
| 3. Sig Sauer Sierra3BDX | Separate Sig unit | 2 CR2032 | IPX-7 | Lifetime; electronics 5 yr |
| 4. ATN X-Sight 5 LRF | Built-in laser | Rechargeable, up to 14 h | Weather resistant | 2 years |
| 5. Sig Sauer Sierra6BDX 5-30x56 | Separate Sig unit | 2 CR2032 | IPX-7 | Lifetime, transferable |
| 6. Sig Sauer Bravo6T-BDX | Optional Sig unit | 2 x 1/3N | IPX-7 | Lifetime, transferable |
| 7. ATN Thor 4 384 | Estimate, or ATN laser | Rechargeable, 16 h | Weather resistant | 3 years, registered |
| 8. Sig Sauer Easy6-BDX | Separate Sig unit | 2 CR2032 | — | — |
All values come from the makers' manuals and spec pages. Without a rangefinder, the Sierra models show fixed hold dots, and the Bravo6T's dial readout needs none. The Burris manual and Sig's Easy6-BDX quick guide state no water rating. The Sierra3BDX warranty line is from its 2018 manual; Sig's 2024 Sierra BDX manual no longer excludes the electronics. The ThOR 4 hours are its manual's figure; ATN's spec page claims 18 or more. ATN's warranty needs registration.
Sources
- Burris Eliminator 6 user manual, Rev 4 (PDF)
- Sig Sauer Sierra BDX owner's manual, 2024 (PDF) Sierra3BDX owner's manual, 2018, Portuguese (archived PDF) Bravo6T operator's manual, 2025 (PDF) Easy6-BDX quick reference guide (PDF)
- ATN X-Sight 5 and 5 LRF user guide (PDF) ThOR 4 manual ThOR 4 384 1.25-5x spec page
From the manual
- This 2018 manual covers the electronics for five years from the date of manufacture, not for life like the rest of the scope. p. 6
- Without a Sig rangefinder, you can build a custom reticle in the app with up to eight hold dots at distances you choose. p. 5
- Calibrating muzzle velocity in the app needs a confirmed shot at 300 yards or farther. p. 5
From the manual
- Keep the battery full during firmware updates: a power failure can corrupt the system and send the scope back to ATN's factory. p. 9
- Video needs a Class 10, V30 microSD card of 4 to 64 GB, and none is listed in the box. pp. 8-9
- A full charge takes about six hours on a 2-amp USB charger, which isn't included. p. 8
- The ballistic calculator and laser ranging only work after you switch on Advanced Mode. p. 26
From the manual
- With the rangefinder in ABU mode, automatic holds stop at 800 yards; farther shots need an outside ballistic calculator linked in ABE or ABX mode. p. 23
- A fast-flashing dot at the bottom means the true hold is outside the view; zoom out until it turns solid. p. 26
- Set an energy or velocity floor in the app, and the dot blinks twice when a shot would fall below it. p. 23
- Sig recommends, but doesn't require, a 100-yard zero so the BDX solution comes out most accurate. p. 12
From the manual
- With no rangefinder paired, the display shows the distance your current elevation dial setting will hit, updated as you turn it. p. 24
- After zeroing, reset the dial and then zero the display in the menu, or the two readings can disagree. pp. 22, 26
- It runs on two 1/3N cells, not CR2032s; torque the cap to 10 inch-pounds to keep moisture out. pp. 12-13
- Wind speed is entered with the two eyepiece buttons, one mph per press, so the wind call stays yours. p. 26
From the manual
- The manual lists 16 hours on a charge, short of the spec page's 18-plus, and six hours to recharge on a 2-amp charger. Charging the device
- ATN must receive your registration, by card or online, to validate the three-year warranty. Warranty
- Dropping or opening the scope voids the warranty. Warnings and cautions
- Its built-in rangefinder only estimates distance from a target size you know; a paired ATN laser gives a measured range. Rangefinder; Settings
From the manual
- Torque the battery cap to 10 inch-pounds; a loose cap can cause flicker, let in moisture or free the coin cell. p. 1
- Too bright a setting blooms the dot and drains the batteries; the start-up bars show charge in 25 percent steps. p. 1
- To bond a Kilo rangefinder, set the scope to brightness 1, then hold RANGE and MODE on the Kilo for three seconds. p. 2
- This sheet is only a quick reference; the full manual sits in the BDX app's Manuals tab. p. 2
Editor's Notes
November 4, 2026, by Ezvid Wiki Editors:
We read the makers' manuals and guides for all eight scopes and added a spec table, a section on why the Burris Eliminator 6 leads, and notes from the manuals. We corrected the Sig Sauer Bravo6T-BDX, whose elevation dial is turned by hand rather than by a motor and needs no rangefinder, and the claim that Sig's BDX scopes show no holds without one. We also fixed the Revic Radikl, which has no laser, and dropped an X-Sight laser range that ATN's own guide doesn't give.
October 17, 2026, by Ezvid Wiki Editors:
Only one optical scope here, the Burris Eliminator 6, ranges and solves the shot without a second device, so it now leads. Most of the 2021 list had disappeared. The Swarovski dS, Revic PMR 428, Steiner M7Xi, ATN X-Sight Pro, Sig BDX combo kit and Burris Eliminator 4 are discontinued or no longer offered, so they're out. The SoloMark phone adapter went too, because clamping a phone to an eyepiece doesn't make a scope smart. Sig fills much of the list, and that's on purpose: the Sig Sauer Sierra6BDX 3-18x44, Sig Sauer Sierra3BDX and the rest each do a different job, and most need a BDX rangefinder for automatic holds, which is easy to forget at checkout. The ATN Thor 4 384 stays as the thermal option. Revic and Swarovski still make high-end smart scopes, so they moved to the special honors.
Earlier notes
February 11, 2021, by Brett Dvoretz:
True smart scopes feature some type of onboard computing system that takes some of the guesswork out of calculating the variables like elevation, distance, and other factors that mean the difference between hitting the target and missing it. In most cases, they also offer Bluetooth connectivity and associated apps where you can input various data that can also affect your shot, such as cartridge type. At this time, there are still only a few models that can truly be considered smart, though we expect that to change over time, and we have made sure to include all the high-quality and reliable options here. However, these are generally very expensive, so we have also included the SoloMark Smartphone Adapter for those who simply want the ability to record their shots through the view of their scope.
November 13, 2018, by Quincy Miller:
The ATN models are head and shoulders above their competition, with the ThOR narrowly outpacing its counterpart despite its heftier price tag. The phone-mounting models were ranked by their durability, and how delicately they treated your device. [2026 update: the current list ranks the Burris Eliminator 6 first, ahead of both ATN scopes, and no longer includes phone mounts.]
Special Honors
Revic Radikl Revic's Radikl scopes put a ballistic computer inside the scope and show the hold on a digital display. Revic offers three models, the smallest a 3.5-21x44, rates them IPX7, and runs them on a single CR2 battery. They weigh 37 to 42 ounces and cost several times as much as most picks here. Revic backs the optics for five years and the electronics for two. revicoptics.com
Swarovski Optik dS Gen II Swarovski's dS Gen II 5-25x52 builds a laser rangefinder and ballistic computer into Austrian glass, and shows the corrected aiming point on a display in the eyepiece. Swarovski rates the laser from 33 to 1,500 yards, and the scope weighs about 38.4 ounces. It costs more than any scope on the list. swarovskioptik.com
Four Kinds Of Smart Scope, And What Each Needs
A phone adapter only holds a phone behind a normal scope for video.
"Smart scope" covers four different tools. Holdover-dot scopes, such as Sig's BDX line, are ordinary glass scopes with an LED dot inside. A separate Sig rangefinder measures the distance and sends it over Bluetooth, and the scope lights the hold for your load. Without one, the Sierra models fall back to fixed hold dots, such as one for every 100 yards out to 500, or holds you set in Sig's app. All-in-one scopes, such as the Burris Eliminator 6 and Swarovski's dS, build the laser and computer into the scope, so they weigh more and cost more but need nothing else. Close cousins, the Revic Radikl and Sig's Bravo6T-BDX, carry the computer and weather sensors but no laser: you turn the elevation dial until the display shows the distance you want to hit.
Digital scopes, such as ATN's X-Sight, replace the glass with a camera and a screen. That makes night vision, video and on-screen ballistics possible, at the cost of battery life and some software risk. Thermal scopes, such as ATN's Thor, see heat instead of light. A phone adapter only holds a phone behind a normal scope for video. It adds no ballistics at all.
None of these aim or fire the rifle for you. Fire-control systems that track a target and pick the moment to shoot are a separate, rare and very costly product.
Accuracy Depends On Your Inputs And On The Wind
A ballistic computer is only as good as the data you give it. Enter the real muzzle velocity from a chronograph, the bullet's ballistic coefficient and a confirmed zero, then check the holds on paper at real distances. In Outdoor Life's 2020 field test of five smart scopes, results hinged on those inputs, and shooters using plain scopes with dialed turrets generally shot as well or better. Andrew McKean, the magazine's hunting and conservation editor, wrote that "most of these e-scopes can capably handle aiming solutions out to about 800 yards," which suits hunting more than long-range matches.
Wind is still your job. Some scopes display a wind hold, but only for a wind speed you supply. Lasers have limits too: American Hunter got a 34-yard reading off a bush just in front of the shooter while aiming at a 600-yard target, so watch what's in the laser's path.
Batteries die, and the Eliminator 6 is rated to work only down to -4 F. Carry spares, and learn your holds without electronics. American Hunter suggests a 200-yard zero, which keeps most cartridges on target out to about 300 yards with a plain crosshair. All4Shooters found a handheld rangefinder hard to hold steady at long range, which limits holdover-dot systems in practice.
Hunting Rules, Batteries And Export Limits
Hunting with a smart scope is where the rules bite. Several western states restrict scopes that receive rangefinder data or calculate ballistics. A Nevada Department of Wildlife summary of western states' rules marks Idaho, Oregon and Utah as barring them for big-game hunting, and Oregon's rule also covers scopes with a built-in rangefinder. Many states also bar thermal and digital night sights for game animals, while some allow them for predators or feral hogs. Rules change, so check your state wildlife agency's current regulations before the season.
ATN's digital and thermal scopes fall under US export controls, and Sig's manuals say theirs may too, so check whether you need a license before you take or ship one abroad. Several Sig scopes and the Burris remote run on CR2032 coin cells, which are dangerous if a child swallows one. Store spares out of reach. A search of CPSC recalls found no recall on any scope on this page. The one Sig Sauer recall it turned up, in January 2025, covered ROMEO5 red-dot sights whose coin cells were too easy to reach and lacked child-resistant packaging.
How we researched this
Out of 20 smart scopes and related products compared, the eight picks were checked against their makers' own documents: Burris's Eliminator 6 user manual, Sig's Sierra BDX owner's manual, its 2018 Sierra3BDX manual, the Bravo6T operator's manual and the Easy6-BDX quick reference guide, and ATN's X-Sight 5 user guide and ThOR 4 manual. Field tests from Outdoor Life, American Hunter, All4Shooters and Outdoor Benchmark, and the Nevada Department of Wildlife's summary of western states' smart-scope rules, shaped the advice. The CPSC recall database lists no recall for any scope here, only a 2025 recall of Sig's ROMEO5 red-dot sights, and a search of Health Canada's recall site turned up none for these brands.
Sources (16)
- American Hunter: Burris Eliminator 6 review
- Outdoor Life: Are smart scopes the hunting tool of the future?
- All4Shooters: Sierra3BDX and Kilo 1800 BDX hunting test
- Outdoor Benchmark: ATN Thor 4 review
- Sporting Shooter: Burris Eliminator 6 review
- Revic: Radikl smart scopes
- SSUSA: Swarovski dS Gen II
- Nevada Department of Wildlife: western states' smart-scope rules
- CPSC: Recalls
- Burris: Eliminator 6 user manual, Rev 4 (PDF)
- Sig Sauer: Sierra BDX riflescope owner's manual (PDF)
- Sig Sauer: Bravo6T operator's manual (PDF)
- Sig Sauer: Easy6-BDX quick reference guide (PDF)
- ATN: X-Sight 5 and X-Sight 5 LRF user guide (PDF)
- ATN: ThOR 4 manual
- ATN: export information
Frequently asked questions
What is a smart rifle scope?
It's a rifle scope with electronics that help you place the shot. Depending on the model, that means a laser rangefinder, a ballistic computer that shows the right hold, a Bluetooth link to a phone app, or a camera and screen for night or thermal viewing.
Does a smart scope aim or adjust itself?
No. Holdover-dot scopes light the right aiming point, and the Sig Sauer Bravo6T-BDX shows the distance its elevation dial is set to hit, but you turn the dial yourself. You still hold the rifle, judge the wind and press the trigger.
Can a rifle scope connect to my phone?
Yes. Sig BDX, Burris and ATN scopes pair with free phone apps to load ballistic profiles, and ATN's digital scopes stream video over Wi-Fi. A plain phone adapter clamps a phone behind any scope for video, but it adds no ballistic help.
Are smart scopes legal for hunting?
It depends on the state. Several western states restrict scopes that take rangefinder data or compute ballistics, and many states bar thermal or night sights for game. Check your state wildlife agency before you hunt.
How far can a smart scope shoot?
The scope doesn't add range to the rifle. Outdoor Life judged most systems effective to about 800 yards, and Sig's Sierra BDX scopes give automatic holds only to that distance with Sig's ABU ballistics. The Burris Eliminator 6 can range reflective targets to 2,000 yards or more, but hitting at that distance depends on the cartridge, the wind and the shooter.
What happens if the battery dies?
A glass smart scope still works as a normal scope with a plain crosshair, so learn your holds without the dot. A digital or thermal scope goes dark, so carry spare batteries or a charged power bank.
