04/16/2026
Popularity contests I don't do. This scope was unfairly judged by many before it had a chance to be used and tested.
Truth and honesty is what counts.
My truth about the all new Pulsar USA Trail 3 XR50.
Pluses:
🔸 ️Super light weight. Way lighter than it looks.
🔸 ️LRF feels like it belongs there and is not an eyesore. Much smaller than other Pulsar units.
🔸 ️Ergonomics of the unit are superb.
🔸️ Build quality is fantastic.
🔸️ New menu system is well thought out, easy to navigate and understand.
🔸️ Button layout is nice with couple new quick buttons below the dial, 1 on each side.
🔸️ Battery is the best they ever put in a scope and is the same battery from the Telos.
🔸️ New center PIP is a nice new approach. Still have traditional PIP option available
🔸️ The new included QD mount is a nice addition and better than any other mount they have offered in the past for compact style units.
🔸️ Option to format the screen in traditional rectangle format or round format is nice.
🔸️ Full ballistics calculator included
🔸️ Well priced at $4200 for this 640 version
Negatives:
🚨 Rotary dial on top is a fantastic method of navigating menu options. Need to have a little more resistance to accidental adjustments when not meant to make an adjustment. When outside the menu this is the zoom or magnification control and often I think I am on base mag of 3 then look down and I am on 3.5 or 3.6 when I am recording therefore not producing the image quality I want.
🚨 Image quality is very good in good conditions. Image quality suffers in high humidity. This isa common concern with Pulsar and needs to be improved upon. With that said this is still a great image in most scenarios and should not be discarded for the small percentage of time it is impacted by severe humidity or environment.
Overall:
I really was impressed with the units performance. At $4200 there is NOTHING that beats it at the same price or cheaper. If you want a full featured, lightweight scope with a good image, laser rangefinder and excellent battery this unit MUST be considered unless you are consistently hunting in 95% or greater humidity. I will agree with comments about the LRF needing to be in the lense however this is still a very nice option and performs well. Better NETD and sensor quality for adverse conditions is a must but this is still a better image than those of equal pricing.
This scope will be on one of my personal AR platform rigs for many of the reasons mentioned above. It is worth having and a good buy for the price.
Any questions please reach out.
877-689-7446
Gearthehunt
North Texas Piggin Products
