By Brad Fitzpatrick
There’s no question that the design of today’s bolt-action hunting rifles has been influenced by the long-range precision rifle market. Features like adjustable combs, vertical grips, and optics rails with built-in elevation are common on modern field guns, and many of these features have been a boon to hunters. As hunters have extended their maximum effective range they’ve also added higher-magnification precision-oriented optics, and while a long, heavy scope is fine when you’re longest walk is from your pickup to the range these oversized optics can become a burden when you’re hunting at thin-air elevations in steep, rugged terrain.
Enter the Burris Veracity PH 2.5-12×42 optic. At just 12.5-inches long and weighing a bit over 28-ounces it’s lighter than many competing scopes and short enough that it doesn’t look out-of-place on a short-action, ultra-light mountain rifle. You might suspect that you’ll have to sacrifice some long-range performance with such a compact all-purpose optic, but that’s not the case. This scope offers the features you want in a precision optic without the added footprint.
More Scope, Less Space
The compact Burris offers a magnification range of 2.5-12, which is sufficient for just about any practical hunting situation you may encounter. Dial down to the lowest magnification and you’re ready to hunt in heavy brush where you’ll appreciate a wide field of view. Rotate the magnification adjustment to full power and you’re ready to make long shots on big game. Precision scopes typically top out over 20x, but the reality is you can shoot targets quite well at 1,000 yards on 10x magnification. In fact, I’ve attended two long-range shooting schools for hunters that required shooters to dial down to 10x for shots from 800 to 1,000 yards and accuracy didn’t falter. In fact, with less noticeable movement in the reticle it was easier to shoot more quickly. Like most hunters, I’ll never take a shot on game that far, but there’s no doubt that a lightweight 2.5-12x scope will fit the bill for long-range hunting.
Burris has managed to stuff a tremendous amount of state-of-the-art ballistic technology into this optic, too. Their PK (Programmable Elevation Knob) program is fast and easy to operate, and because it combines a digital sensor with clickless mechanical elevation turret it can dial to 1/10 MOA. Elevation turret position in yard, meters, or MOA along with rifle cant and angle, distance accurate wind holdover, and battery life are all visible on the heads-up HUD display when looking through the optic, and the scope communicates via Bluetooth to the Burris Connect app.
If all this sounds complicated allow me to simplify. Let’s say a bull elk steps into a clearing and you range the animal at 415 yards. You then rotate the PEK turret until the HUD display inside the scope reads 415. Because the Burris Connect app has your supplied ballistics you simply hold where you want the bullet to impact. If wind is a factor you can use the wind holdover data to make corrections. It’s a fast, simple formula for making shots at extended ranges with your rifle. What I particularly love about the system is that the elevation turret setting is visible to you when you’re looking through the scope. Ever forget to return your optic to zero and miss a simple shot? The Burris prevents this by instantly displaying holdover value as you’re looking at the target so you can rapidly correct as needed.
The Veracity PH offers lots more attractive features including an illuminated 3PW reticle (2.5-12×42 model only), side parallax adjustments, and extra low dispersion glass. Lens coatings reduce chromatic aberration and provide a crisp, clear sight picture with excellent color fidelity even in low light conditions. If you aren’t spun up on your optics terminology what that means is the lenses are clear, resist scratching and moisture, and provide you with a crisp sight picture with accurate color display even in low light at dawn and dusk.
Burris certainly has packed a lot into this little scope, but in doing so they’ve made the Burris Veracity Ph one of the most attractive optics for serious hunters. If you’re tech averse allow me to ensure you that Burris has made it exceedingly simple to use their Burris Connect app and the optic. If you can shuffle through posts on social media or place a food order online you’re probably savvy enough to operate this system without any problems.
The Veracity PH offers the technology and magnification you need for long-range shooting in a light, compact, and surprisingly affordable (MSRP is $1,320, which is what you’ll pay for some heavier scopes without this level of shooter-friendly tech) package. If you want a solid hunting optic without the hassle of added weight and finicky, hard-to-access technology this scope will serve you well this season.