Several months ago I did a review on the Tract Toric UHD. In short, I found the scope to be excellent and an extremely practical design and feature set. However, further use has uncovered an issue worthy of a Tract Toric update. Like most of the products I review, I continue to use them afterwards and want to be transparent and forthcoming about my experience with them.
Before I get into the troubling bits, I want to share the positives. I am a firm believer that the lowest magnification on a scope is far more important than the highest. Perhaps the swiftest teacher of this is hunting bears in the coastal rainforest. I have spent a lot of time hunting black bears, and a hit to the vitals will kill a bear just like it will any terrestrial mammal. However, in my experience bears have a much stronger tenacity for life than hoofed game and tend to bid farewell to this world reluctantly. Personally, multiple experiences following up on wounded bears in dense rainforest have taught me to follow Robert Ruark’s advice and ‘bring enough gun’. A low-power scope can make all the difference for fast follow-up shots at close range.
Importance of Low Magnification
However, perhaps the most illuminating bear hunting experience is one that was shared with me by someone else and didn’t have to be learned first hand. A lifelong hunting partner of mine shared with me a story of following up on a black bear in the dense blueberry thickets after a long shot. The bear had dropped like a sack of potatoes. Surprisingly, at 10 yards, my hunting partner discovered that the bear was still very much alive. Furthermore, my partner had left his scope at nine power, forcing a close range shot with virtually no visibility. Lady Luck was on his side and the bear swallowed a Barnes TSX through the skull at point blank range. However, the moral of the story is that visibility through a scope can be life or death and quick follow ups at close range are infinitely valuable.
Low Magnification Positives
As such, the 2.5 power minimum of the Tract Toric UHD is a very attractive attribute. This proved useful on a 44 yard shot on a blacktail buck. In an area with exceedingly hard hunting, no shot opportunity can afford to be wasted. Presented with a close range shot with a buck paused behind a tree, threading the needle to the vitals was neccessary to bring home the venison. I was confident in the cartridge and bullet to perform in such a challenging shot, but the margin for error was slim. Fortunately, following good shot execution, the buck dropped where he stood. I can confidently say that I could not have ethically taken that shot with a scope that had a minimum of 5 power, such as the Vortex Viper PST that I considered hunting with.
After giving credit where credit is due, I cannot wholeheartedly endorse the Tract Toric for backcountry use. Practicing rifle use for realistic hunting scenarios leads to improvised positions in sub-optimal conditions. While shooting standing unsupported in high winds (40-50kph) I left my Bergara B-14 with the Tract Toric sitting on top of a 4ft step ladder. When I went to check my target the wind blew the ladder over and sent the Toric crashing to the ground onto an old river rock bed.
Zero Retention Issues
Upon accuracy testing, the Toric’s zero had shifted 1.3M mils to the left. This is a very significant change in zero and would have resulted in a non-lethal hit if game had presented itself past 100 yards or so. Fortunately, a quick diagnosis and optical adjustment solved this issue.
Additionally, the rifle was not shooting up to its capabilities after the impact. I was curious whether the groups were symptomatic of the optic failing or something to do with the rifle. I thoroughly cleaned the bore of the rifle. After approximately 350 rounds since cleaning the bore, deep cleaning to eliminate variables was essential. After cleaning the barrel thoroughly, the accuracy reappeared but the shift in zero persisted.
The scope was re-zeroed and it functioned properly for several months. However, while on a bear hunt with a rifle in a quick release sling on my pack the sling release gave way. The rifle and scope fell approximately 3 feet to the ground. Upon verification, the zero had shifted again, this time 0.4 Mils.
For academia, the Bergara/Toric combo performed well with a variety of factory and handloaded ammunition. A simple resetting of the windage turret and the problem is remedied. However, while the rifle produced sub-MOA groups after the cleaning, the point of impact shift remains concerning. I am continuing to hunt with the scope, despite this Tract Toric update. However, confidence in the optic after hard drops is shaken.
The poor zero retention is frustrating. The market for FFP optics with simple, hunting-oriented reticles is limited. Tract provides a lot of these hard to find features in a relatively lightweight package. The reliability question makes this a less clear-cut purchasing decision for backcountry hunters.
Closing Thoughts
Despite this Tract Toric update, it is still a viable hunting optic for my purposes. Under normal conditions, tracking is excellent and the glass quality is unparralelled for the price point. On the other hand, optics like my Vortex Razor LHT have absorbed similar drops and retained zero excellently. This optic is not a Nightforce. That said, for the pricepoint the zero retention was dissapointing and worrying.
Finally, the Tract Toric UHD delivers exceptionally well on clarity, tracking, and features for the price point. Durability issues have caused me to question the optics ability to perform consistenly in the harshest conditions. As such, I hesitate to recommend the Toric as a backpack hunting optic. While deep in the backcountry, falls do happen and sometimes ammunition and time make checking zero costly. While the Tract Toric still offers a great value to hunters, it is hard to wholeheartedly recommend the optic for extreme use cases.