First Impression: Hawke Frontier 30 SF 5-30x56 LR Dot

[rm76]

I first have to give a shout out to Doug over at Camera Land. I was a recipient of last month's drawing and just received a new Hawke Frontier 30 SF 5-30x56 scope with the LR Dot. Have to say, I am impressed with the quality of this optic. Having been mostly a Leupold and Nightforce user, I wasn't sure what to expect, but was pleasantly surprised. This scope is well engineered and built and the glass can hold its own with several higher priced optics I currently have. Also, it has lots of bells and whistles, like locking zero-stop turret, zoom lever, sunshade, lens covers, and a generous 4" eye relief. It will soon be mounted on a custom fast twist 22-250 AI for shooting small creatures at very long distances!

 

[moses42ak]

Have any updates on this? Tracking, etc

 

[rm76]

Have it mounted, sighted in, and have taken it up and down from 100 to 320 yards but no further yet. Tracks precisely within that range. Glass is clear and crisp until you get to about 25x and then it starts to fall off some. Color and sharpness is not quite as clear at or near max power, and light seems lacking at the higher power in lower light conditions compared to some other higher end scopes. Reticle is about the right subtension for me and turret clicks are very nice and sharp. The lighted reticle is plenty bright and I typically use on the lower setting in full darkness. It is a rather large and heavy scope though and may not be the best choice for a lightweight carry rig. Overall, I am well pleased with this scope for what it is (a mid value scope and a good alternative to the more pricey upper end brands).

 

[moses42ak]

Thanks for the reply. You stated that you're a Leupold user, any chance you'd have a Mk5, and how would this one compare to it? I'm thinking about getting another Cronus or a Mk5 and saw this one floating around and I'm curious how it compares.

 

[rm76]

No, I do not have a Mk5. Have several Mk4s, including a Mk4 M5, and a VX-5 Hd and can say that the turrets of the Hawke are as good as the Mk4s and better than the VX-5. Glass is similar to these Leupolds. Price of the Hawke is much lower that a Mk5.

 

[moses42ak]

Thanks for the input, I appreciate it.

Merry Christmas