The Burris Veracity™ Riflescope 2-10x42mm

Burris makes a good number of optical rifle scopes, forty nine to be more specific. They range from the under $200 Droptine and Fullfield II through to $2,000+ Eliminator® III LaserScope®. The Veracity 2-10x42mm is approximately mid range within the Burris product line pricing. On a just completed project, the subject riflescope was mounted on a very nice Ruger No.1 257 Weatherby Magnum where it performed admirably.

There are four riflescopes within the Burris Veracity lineup. All have a matte black finish, a 30mm tube diameter, 1/4 MOA Elevation and Windage increment of adjustment, and all have a 3.50″ to 4.25″ eye relief across their respective ranges of magnification –

Range of magnification

Hunting is a sport that requires an adaptable hunter, equipped with adaptable gear. The Veracity’s magnification range of 2x-10x can be set low to accommodate a fifty yard shot at a running deer in the woods of Maine or cranked up for a shot beyond 300 yards on a Wyoming pronghorn hunt.

The magnification ring is a smooth but tight fit, so it stays put as adjusted. However, a coarse non-slip surface makes it easy to set even with a gloved hand. The eyepiece has a wide range of diopter adjustment to keep the scope’s reticle in focus. The Veracity’s 44mm objective lens results in a large exit pupil across its magnification range; more light and a brighter image gets to the shooter.

FFP or Front Focal Plane Reticles

The Ballistic E1 FFP reticle, pictured below left, and a magnification of its central area below right (Image courtesy of Burris). The reticle is indexed with horizontal hash marks for trajectory compensation cascading dots left and right for incremental wind drift compensation. This is a first focal plane reticle.

When a compensating reticle is placed in a front focal plane position ahead of the zoom function, it scales to the magnification setting, so the compensating marks remain true regardless magnification. The reticle increases in perceived size at higher magnification levels, the cross hairs appear to thicken. Burris solved that problem with PTC. PTC, Progressively Thick Crosshairs, are best represented by the tapered cross hair elements as seen above. They are very fine at the center and won’t obstruct a target even at maximum magnification.

In use, at low magnification levels where the compensation dot are not of use, they are very small and the cross hairs appear to extend approximately a third of the way to the outer diameter of the image. At about 6x the cross hairs extend to the outside of the image and al of the hash marks, dots and other reticle cues are clearly visible. At 10x magnification the cross hairs are not significantly thickened and the central markings do not obscure even a distant target.

Veracity scopes are equipped with one of two types of adjustment, open adjustment Multi-Turn Target and traditionally capped E1 Hunter on the 2x-10x-44mm (pictured) and 3x-15x-50mm models. Both types of knob can be reset to zero after they have been sighted in. Adjustment increments are 1/4 MOA. The side focus adjustment moved the focus lens within the erector tube, as opposed to a scope with an adjustable objective lens. It is a parallax adjustment which is of consequence on scopes of higher magnification.

General construction…

Burris has always been know for the quality of their lenses. I can’t offer a technical spec for the glass, but I can offer some things regarding optical characteristics of Burris scopes. The multicoating applied to each glass element in the scope, HiLume, permits 99.5% light transmission. Multiplying that times the number of elements indicates that Burris scopes transmit approximately 95.1% of the entering the objective lens and exiting the eyepiece. Low end products labeled “Fully Coated” optics are a single coating and transmit only 82% of the light on a typical 3x-9x scope.

The Burris Veracity’s mechanical design aids greatly to the scope’s optical performance. The scope’s 30mm tube is much stronger than a 1″ tube and its increased diameter pass more light. The interior of the scope’s housing is heavily baffled and non-reflective coating cuts down on stray light that would soften contrast and diminish image sharpness.

Notes on other Veracity qualities…

Fog Proof: Each scope is pressurized and purged twenty four times with ultra dry, laboratory grade nitrogen to assure a moisture free, fog proof interior. I’ve been using Burris scopes for many, many… many years and I have never had one fog up from South Dakota winters to high humidity New England summers.

Shock Proof: Each scope is recoil tested on an impact machine that duplicates recoil pulse acceleration and duration. I used a Burris scope for 416 Weatherby and 500 Jeffery handload development and through over 1,000 rounds of 375 H&H testing and development all without incident.

Water Proof: Each scope is submerged in water with a temperature of 50° C to assure it is water tight. Burris uses a unique quad seal that seals edge and side, top and bottom. I’ve not submerged a Burris scope, but I have had them exposed to driving rain without consequence.

Forever Warranty: Simply stated by Burris “We will repair or replace your Burris optic if damaged or defective: no charge to you, no questions asked, no matter whose fault it is, no warranty card needed, no receipt required, automatically transferred to future owners. Now that is a warranty. Great warranty, I’ve just never had the need to use it.

Mounted on the Ruger No.1

The Burris Veracity was mounted with high 5B30 Ruger systems rings to facilitate shooting from a bench. The 44 mm Objective would have cleared the barrel and the eyepiece would have cleared the breech ejection with medium 4B30 rings which would have been more comfortable while hunting.

With the Burris Veracity windage and elevation adjustments mechanically centered, the scope was mounted on the Ruger No.1 where very little adjustment was required to bore sight and only a tweak or two to get the rifle zeroed at the bench. Throughout a day of shooting, all of the adjustments stayed in place, the image was bright, sharp and with excellent contrast. The reticle indices were crisp and legible from 2x through to 10x.  It is a very good scope, one that will last a life time of shooting.