Big Bucks, Smart Riflescopes, and Straight-walled Cartridges.
Hunting with the new Traditions Outfitter G3 chambered in 360 Buckhammer, topped with a Burris scope.
Returning to Goose Creek Outfitters last fall, I had grand dreams of repeating success from a wonderful experience with a previous hunt, and finding another big, memorable buck. The Nebraska license allows for one mule or white-tailed buck to be harvested, and there were good opportunities for either. I learned many years ago not to set my sights on one or the other and let antlers dictate when to fly into action. I was using the new Traditions Outfitter G3 in 360 Buckhammer this time. The straight-walled cartridge was designed for short-range hunting with plenty of knockdown power. However, the Nebraska Sandhills often mean shooting longer ranges, so I used the new Burris Scope – Veracity PH 3-15×44 riflescope to offset the cartridge limitations.
My hunt started on the range, preparing the day before the season opener. The starting point was with the BurrisConnect app, where ballistic information was entered from the Remington 360 Buckhammer ammunition box. The cartridge recently won the NRA – 2024 Golden Bullseye Award for Ammunition of the Year. Annual award winners are selected from the best new products of the year in the shooting sports industry by a committee of NRA editors and publication staff.
The rifle was sighted dead-on at 100 yards and confirmed in the app. Information was then uploaded to the riflescope using a Bluetooth interface. The Veracity PH is intuitive once set up with information in the BurrisConnect app. The heads-up display in the riflescope provides instant information on the Burris PĒK (Programmable Elevation Knob) System for fast precision accuracy at known distances. The intuitive system works by dialing the elevation turret until the display tells you the yardage the reticle will shoot at with precision.
If you range a deer at 225 yards, dial the turret until it says 225 yards, put the illuminated aiming dot on the vitals, and shoot. There are no MOA or MiL calculations. The system was perfect for the 360 Buckhammer with a drastic bullet curve beyond 100 yards. The Connect app considers everything, uses the environmental factors where you are hunting, and compensates for angles.
I uploaded the data from the app to my riflescope and accurately shot targets at 150, 200, and even 300 yards.
Using the 360 Buckhammer and trying to stay accurate with good old Kentucky windage would not have generated the same results or accuracy. After trying the new technology, I was anxious to get home and use the scope on some of my flatter shooting rifles, like the 6.5 PRC or .300 Winchester Magnum. The 360 Buckhammer is considered a 100- to 150-yard cartridge, but the Veracity PH extended the effective range with killing accuracy. Matching the riflescope with the accuracy of the Outfitter G3 rifle was an interesting exercise that provided plenty of confidence for the next day afield.
Firearms available in 360 Buckhammer
The is a list of available firearms as of the date of publication.
Burris Veracity PH scope
Using the Veracity PH paired with the new-and-improved BurrisConnect app proved easy and deadly accurate. Uploading custom ballistic profiles allows hunters to create rifle profiles and input environmental factors for their hunt. The app does all the ballistic calculators so the shooter can dial their turrets for an accurate shot.
The Burris PĒK (Programmable Elevation Knob) system uses the information entered into the app. It provides the information in a heads-up display to dial in elevation. This system is incredibly accurate, combining a digital sensor with a click-less mechanical elevation turret for accuracy down to 1/10 MOA. The Veracity PH’s PĒK system provides the information to dial-to-distance.
The heads-up display shows the elevation turret position in yards, meters, or MOA. A level shows if you can’t the rifle. The display includes rifle angle, distance-accurate wind holdover, and battery level.
The BurrisConnect app can produce a customized dope card for hunters to confirm that the data in the scope’s heads-up display is correct and can use the scope without the batteries. I consider it a smart scope, using the app to feed the scope information. The Veracity PH riflescope reads the elevation dial sensor, rifle can’t, and rifle angle with immediate updates. Once a bullet profile is uploaded into the scope, you can forget the app until you want to change your ballistics profile or settings.
Veracity PH Features
- Index-matched, HI-Lume Multicoating
- 5-Times Zoom System
- Double Internal Spring-Tension System
- Zero Turn Stop Adjustment Knob
- Front Focal Plane Reticle
- Progressively Thick Crosshairs
- Advanced Windage and Elevation
- Ergonomic Side Focus
- 50 mm Objective
- Solid, 1-piece outer tube
- 30 mm body tube
Traditions Outfitter G3 Rifle Features
The Outfitter G3 is the third generation of the break-action rifle that continues to improve with refined technologies and improvements. Traditions continues to upgrade the Outfitter line when advancements can be made.
- 22-inch Lothar Walther Chromoly Fluted Barrel
- Premium CeraKote Finish on Barrel
- Weighs 5.8 lbs (gun only)
- Elite XT Trigger System
- Manual Trigger Block Safety
- Steel Frame
- 11 Degree Target Crown
- Drilled & Tapped
- Lightweight and Maneuverable
- Excellent for smaller framed shooters
- Thread Pitch 5/8 x 24 American Standard
Putting it to the test
It was extremely warm for the middle of November, and deer movement was not what we were used to seeing. We used binoculars and spotting scopes from a high vantage point to spot and assess deer. With an open vista that stretched miles, it proved to be a successful way to find the randomly scattered deer. I used the new Burris Signature LRF Binoculars in 10×42, and the clarity helped pick up movement and deer-colored bodies in a sea of brown grass. The binoculars feature HD glass and range from 5 to 2,600 yards, with an easy-to-read display.
We spotted a nice white-tailed buck skirting a wetland several hours after daylight. We watched him until he bedded, then set out on a stalk and closed the distance. There were a couple of does in the area, and as we slipped in close, we discovered the buck had moved while we were stalking. It was not easy to know exactly where he was headed, and we planned a quick push of an old shelterbelt at the base of the hills. No buck meant we would look farther into the hills, where the bucks often bed in the open grass to see things coming from any direction.
We edged over some hills and carefully looked over our surroundings before moving. Unfortunately, we did not look close enough, and the buck jumped from its bed about 300 yards below us and bound for safer country. We watched the deer make a big circle to the north and disappear over a distant ridge. We kicked ourselves for not finding the buck in time to continue our hunt. We returned to the lodge for lunch, hoping to find the buck again in the late afternoon.
Our return to the high hills allowed us to look over the same country we had watched that morning. To our surprise, the big buck we had chased had gone full circle and was back by the wetland where we saw him in the morning. The stalk was on, and we cut the distance, carefully getting eyes on the deer before advancing. We were within shooting range twice, but the deer was walking away, offering no shot. The cat-and-mouse game ended when the sun set and returned us to the truck. It had been a fun and eventful day that left us hopeful for the next morning.
We hunted hard on the second day without finding the big buck or any other mature deer with good antlers. Several small bucks were courting the does in the valley, and we anticipated the big boys were on lockdown with does somewhere close by. In the evening, we checked out some new country and found nice bucks with several does. We remained focused and positive, knowing the Sandhills can produce when one least expects it.
Day three promised to bring high winds, and the first hour would be the magic part of the day to find a target buck. We returned to the area we glassed the night before and found whitetails scattered in a hayfield. Some small bucks chased does along the hills behind the field, and we took note to return later. We continued to where we had seen the does the evening before, but no matter how hard we looked, we could not find a good buck. The decision was made to return to the hayfield for another look before the winds picked up and chased deer into cover.
We pulled the truck in beside some bales, and before we stopped, we spotted several deer running through the shelterbelt. Binoculars quickly found a mature buck involved in the chase, with several smaller bucks purposely staying out of his way. A doe looked tired but kept the boys busy running the length of the treeline from end to end. We used the bales to stalk in close, and I used the end bale for a rifle rest while we watched for the deer to reappear.
Scott spotted movement behind the trees, and the buck chased the doe. The doe squirted through the tree and ran back towards us, continually looking over her shoulder. We strained to find the buck in the dense cover and caught glimpses of his big body through the tangle of limbs. It was a great show, and we were in the perfect spot to catch the deer while remaining undetected.
The white antlers were easy to see, and when the doe broke through the trees again, the buck was not far behind. We could see them one second, and the next, they would disappear. The doe popped up again, even closer to us, and Scott pointed to a downed elm tree that had broken off about four feet off the ground. The buck was walking behind the horizontal log, and I could see antler tips above it and the bottom half of his body below. I locked my crosshair on the buck, and Scott told me it was 135 yards. A slight modification to the turret locked me in for the distance, and I slowly tightened up on the trigger. The deer jumped forward at the rifle’s report and ran towards us. I loaded a second cartridge, found the buck in the scope, and shot again. The buck disappeared into the deep, dense grass. We made our way towards it, and I couldn’t help but smile when I saw the heavy, mature antlers up close.
It had been another successful year in the Sandhills of Nebraska. This time, with a new rifle and scope combination, it proved valuable and fun to test.
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