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Hawke 1-4x24 Endurance 30mm review

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berzerkrobot View Drop Down
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    Posted: February/28/2011 at 00:24
I recently purchased the Hawke 1-4x30mm optic and mounted it on my SA M1A Scout Squad with a Sage int. EBR CQB chassis, using weaver 6-hole tactical (high) rings. Here is my review of it (which I also posted in the swfa store section for buyers to read)
 
When considering this scope, lets first look at the price.  At $330 this seems a lot less expensive than a Leupold, night force, or other high-end 1-4x optic, but 330 dollars is still quite a bit of money for something, especially when its made in china, which the Hawke 1-4x30mm indeed is.
This scope has great design features and excellent layout, but lacks on execution.  For example the turrets have a very nice, tactile "click" to them, but only once you move one a full click or two. As the sit they have a "rubbery" wobble before being turned enough to start clicking.  Also the illuminated reticle on mine is very slightly off center, and it lights up behind the black dot of the standard reticle, rather than replacing the black dot with it. This means it covers more space and looks cheap when it's on.  Another quirk: at its brightest setting (11) the reticle is not even visible in sunny daylight (although not really necessary I suppose), and at its lowest setting it is too bright for dark situations. The range needs to be more dynamic/expanded. I really like that the rhetostat is side mounted, but it is very hard to turn, which completely takes your focus off shooting and your target just to get it to move; another failure in execution.
 
The optics are decently clear, but not overly impressive, especially when compared to my other Hawke scope, the rare japanese made Hawke Frontier Side Focus 4-16x40mm (discontinued, sadly.)  From 1x to about 2.5x the clarity is good, but by 4x it gets a little foggy. My Frontier SF was notably more clear even maxxed out at 16x when compaired side by side, as well as both scopes being at 4x.  Also at 1x there is a lot of optical distortion and parallaxing if your eye isnt perfectly aligned, so running this optic in a both-eyes-open style is a little bit tough.
 
The zoom ring is much easier to moved then all my other optics, and this is a nice feature in my opinion, because this optic is meant to be used on the move, while your strong hand is still on the grip of your rifle. I wish the rhetostat was as easy to use. The ocular adjustment is also easy to turn, with slight detents as you turn it to hold its place. My only gripe here is I wish the detents were a little more pronounced to ensure the focus stays put. So far I have not run in to an issue of it moving, but I admittedly have not been in the field much with it.
 
Overall this optic isnt too bad, but its not nearly as great as it could be. The looks, layout, and features are brilliant, but in the end it feels like high end chinese, rather then high end japanese or medium end US.  If you can afford to spend more, buy the new Super Sniper 1-4x and dont look back, but in the 300 dollar sector this is still your best bet.
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Bitterroot Bulls View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Bitterroot Bulls Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/28/2011 at 01:03
Thanks for your review.
-Matt
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote neilbilly Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/28/2011 at 20:21

Well done on the review. 


I have a few Hawke scopes and like them a lot. I'd love to have one of the new 1-4 SS scopes but simply can't stretch my budget that far at the moment. After reading your review and seeing the reviews from others on the 1-4 SS it looks like it's worth every penny. I'll end up with one at some point.

If God didn't want me to play with it, he'd of made my arms shorter.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote moeman Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/01/2011 at 10:35
The optic in the price range of the Hawke that should be good competition is the Burris TAC 30.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote berzerkrobot Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/30/2011 at 16:26

UPDATE:  After having the Hawke 1-4x24mm mounted on both an M1A and match grade AR-15 platform I am unimpressed with its performance at 100yds. Both rifles performed much better even with just iron sights or red dot optics with zero magnification. The center dot in this reticle is too large for 100yds or beyond, and the amount of parallax and optical distortion that occurs at 3-4x throws rounds off by 1-3' at 100yds, even when shooting from a bench.  Both rifles that I used for comparison shoot sub MOA with other optics, while with the Hawke 1-4x the best I could get was about 2-3" with the M1A, and about 3-4" groups with the AR-15.

I initially expected a lot more from this scope, but once I had more time in the field with it, it's weakness shine through.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote koshkin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/30/2011 at 16:59
Originally posted by berzerkrobot berzerkrobot wrote:

UPDATE:  After having the Hawke 1-4x24mm mounted on both an M1A and match grade AR-15 platform I am unimpressed with its performance at 100yds. Both rifles performed much better even with just iron sights or red dot optics with zero magnification. The center dot in this reticle is too large for 100yds or beyond, and the amount of parallax and optical distortion that occurs at 3-4x throws rounds off by 1-3' at 100yds, even when shooting from a bench.  Both rifles that I used for comparison shoot sub MOA with other optics, while with the Hawke 1-4x the best I could get was about 2-3" with the M1A, and about 3-4" groups with the AR-15.

I initially expected a lot more from this scope, but once I had more time in the field with it, it's weakness shine through.

Have you talked to Hawke customer support about this?

They just sent me one of these to look at and at first blush it looks pretty decent.  Perhaps you simply got one that fell through the cracks somehow.  It happens with every company occasionally.

Also, I have had their other low range variable (Endurance 30 1.25-4.5x24) for a few years now and it has performed very well, so I would expect the 1-4x24 to be similar.  I'll know once I spend more time with it though.

ILya
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