Hawke optics

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Tris88

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So obviously I know that most people only stalk with Swaro or one of the big boys, and we can all see large amounts of difference between a 3k scope and and 2.9k scope with a different name.

Where is the level of diminishing returns?

I’ve got an 8x56 Swaro and used S&B 8x56s, Ziess V4 and a bunch of digital and thermal scopes.

What’s the modern hawke stuff like. I keep looking through their binos and can’t thousands of difference.

I’m going to put a smaller objective on my S&L so it’s more classic looking and am looking at used Swaro 10-15y old. However am interested in anyone that has experience with the latest iterations of Hawke.

I’ll be honest, 5mins of difference at last knockings won’t worry me too much.
 
To be fair, scopes are a personal choice, both financially and how they are viewed through your eyes. You will always get a broad spread of opinions.
The old boy who mentored me when I first started stalking went by a simple rule that you spend the same on the glass that you do on the rifle....... that was 40 years ago mind, things have moved on now.
With regard to Hawke, i've had a few of their modern offerings, mostly Endurance WA series and I rate them highly. For me it was the unfussy nature of the reticles and the quick eye box acquisition when taking a shot in the field.
If you are looking for fixed mag though, Hawke's offerings are limited.
 
As a novice without unlimited funds ,i cant compare to the top end of the Tree. but i can say, on my first purchased rifle i got the Hawke Vantage WA 3-12x56 4a.

and before mounted i took it outside for a test spot and was seriously impressed.

I also had it up a farm near mine to zero the other night. and with the target 100m away was difficult to make out i was curious to see how the scope performed and again. i was well impressed.

now at £300 id say more at the budget end of scopes.
But.
will it hit my intended quarry - Yes
will it last me - Yes
Am i confident in its limits and ability-yes

Now 300 - 3000 is a big diffrence. but in my honest opinion, do i ever need to spend that on a scope!? most definitely not and im more than happy with what i have.

im looking forward to read some replys in this post.
 
Started with a TASCO over 40 years ago it wasn't as good as my companions highend scope.

Now have a Swarovski but Nikon and Simmons on air rifles, they aren't as good.
 
I got a Hawke on my Weirauch, its been sat on, knocked over, fell off a plough, landed on concrete, slung in tractors & trucks, & generally mistreated. Still holds zero. I wonder if high end scopes would.
 
It's clearly very satisfying to have a top-of-the-range scope on your rifle. Throughout my life, I've used Leupold, Swarovski and Hawke scopes. I enjoyed having the Swaro Z6i, but did it result in many more low-light kills? No.
Much of scope choice comes down to what you can afford. I've always thought Hawke scopes offered excellent value for money, have an excellent back-up service and do pretty much everything you need a scope to do.

Personally. I found being able to shoot a fallow at very last light, especially if they were on the fringes of woodland, could be a real pain, especially if they made it to the wood. Finding, extracting and gralloching in the dark was, for me, never worth the hassle!
 
Tris88 said:
So obviously I know that most people only stalk with Swaro or one of the big boys, and we can all see large amounts of difference between a 3k scope and and 2.9k scope with a different name.

Where is the level of diminishing returns?

I’ve got an 8x56 Swaro and used S&B 8x56s, Ziess V4 and a bunch of digital and thermal scopes.

What’s the modern hawke stuff like. I keep looking through their binos and can’t thousands of difference.

I’m going to put a smaller objective on my S&L so it’s more classic looking and am looking at used Swaro 10-15y old. However am interested in anyone that has experience with the latest iterations of Hawke.

I’ll be honest, 5mins of difference at last knockings won’t worry me too much.
Click to expand...
@Ludders has a very good 4/12x50 Swaro scope offered for sale at a decent asking price at the moment, you’ll Immediately notice the lower weight, and great Swaro optics. I’d suggest you spend the money on a pre loved better glass than a new but about to become pre loved scope of lesser optical quality.

I have to declare a certain bias, having a couple of the model being offered already!
 
I use a hawke 1-4 x 24 and it’s got a wide view and crystal clear Perfic for a 22. In all respects, also hawke with a 50mm bell end and variable mag on a 22 , WMR, 22 hornet and 204 on these pop on the pard 007 on my stalking rifles swaro 1-8 x24 8i, Zeiss 3-15 x 56 and S&B zenith 2.5-10 x 56 non of those go over 7 or at a push 8x I have plenty of NV and thermal scopes for use after dusk to be honest my glass stalking scopes are pretty good up to dusk and a little after, if you wish to shoot after dusk with a hawke get a clip on pard 007 and I find the Hawke vantage exceptional with the pard on my 204 240 yds with a these Is achievable with a decent clive ward IR with a clear view and backdrop view your good to go, it ain’t the best stalking set up but it’s not a swaro or zeiss it will do the job 👍
 
Personally. I found being able to shoot a fallow at very last light, especially if they were on the fringes of woodland, could be a real pain, especially if they made it to the wood. Finding, extracting and gralloching in the dark was, for me, never worth the hassle!

That's experience, can I find it, well the dog can, can I get a vehicle to it?
 
I have a Hawke on a .22lr, cant fault it its a 4-12 x 40 AO. mill dot retical is a bit thick if I'm being picky but that's about it.

i think it depends on what you want, I'm not a glass snob at all, I have all sorts of glass but the one i like the most and have 2 of them is the Element Optics Helix, the value for money is outstanding, life time warranty! very good clear optics, and its all singing all dancing turrets etc. if i was going for something more simple i would be looking at Hawke or Element these days. i think the days of really expensive glass for quality is long gone.
 
I have two Hawke Endurance scopes both with 1" tubes on my rifles at present. I am not a late night shooter so pack up at grey dark. I took off a Leupold and a Zeiss dailyt and to be honest the reticles and images of the Hawke scopes are just as good with my eyes.
These are on a 22/250 and an unmodified 25-06.
 
Tris88 said:
So obviously I know that most people only stalk with Swaro or one of the big boys, and we can all see large amounts of difference between a 3k scope and and 2.9k scope with a different name.

Where is the level of diminishing returns?

I’ve got an 8x56 Swaro and used S&B 8x56s, Ziess V4 and a bunch of digital and thermal scopes.

What’s the modern hawke stuff like. I keep looking through their binos and can’t thousands of difference.

I’m going to put a smaller objective on my S&L so it’s more classic looking and am looking at used Swaro 10-15y old. However am interested in anyone that has experience with the latest iterations of Hawke.

I’ll be honest, 5mins of difference at last knockings won’t worry me too much.
Click to expand...
I have Hawke 3-9 x 50 on my air rifle, then a Hawke 4-12x56 on my .22lr. Can't fault either of them, both have good clarity and fine for rabbits etc.
I also use a pair of their Binos for stalking, again no issues with clarity/low light performance or FOV.

As others have mentioned they are cheaper than most, but the performance is close to some of the higher end brands. The gap between the lower end manufacturers and premium optics is closing, and while brands such s Swaro, Zeiss etc are worth the money in some cases, for most stuff the cheaper glass will do job just as well. You mentioned you wont be shooting right at last knockings anyway so should be fine - I didn't have any issues at last light with my Hawke on the .22.
Warranty and customer service also very good, similar to Vortex.
 
Tris88 said:
So obviously I know that most people only stalk with Swaro or one of the big boys, and we can all see large amounts of difference between a 3k scope and and 2.9k scope with a different name.

Where is the level of diminishing returns?

I’ve got an 8x56 Swaro and used S&B 8x56s, Ziess V4 and a bunch of digital and thermal scopes.

What’s the modern hawke stuff like. I keep looking through their binos and can’t thousands of difference.

I’m going to put a smaller objective on my S&L so it’s more classic looking and am looking at used Swaro 10-15y old. However am interested in anyone that has experience with the latest iterations of Hawke.

I’ll be honest, 5mins of difference at last knockings won’t worry me too much.
Click to expand...

If your you young and have good eyes then you can tell the difference. Same image quality but find swaro more natural in colour and schmidt very bright

If you eyesite is pretty shot then theres no difference between a hawke scope and a swaro in image quality...
 
I, as many did, did a lot of my early shooting 'back in the day' when scopes were a luxury. When the time came I treated myself to a Tasco scope and a LOT of squirrels were unhappy about it (albeit very briefly ;) ) I found it hard to imagine that things could get much better.
Over the years since I have had the opportunity to either shoot with, or look through, many fine and very expensive scopes but only one ever really gave me that feeling of "Oooh, If only I could !" It was a S+B PM11 5-25x56 and at about £4000 probably worth more than the entire contents of both my gun safes.

I reasoned that my scopes had to be good enough to do what I needed them to do, no matter what, but had to be affordable (to me). I now use that original Tasco on an old air rifle but both my foxing rifle (.204 Howa) and stalking cannon (.270 Sako) proudly sport Hawke Vantage SF 6-24x44 scopes. I can honestly say that they do all I would ever expect in terms of clarity, ease of use and light gathering. I can quickly get a pin-sharp image of whatever I am looking at. The 1/2 mil-dot reticle is nice to use as I don't 'knob twiddle'. I learn my trajectories and aim high/low accordingly.
I was one told by an observer that the very edge of the sight picture was not quite as clear in my scope as it was in his (very expensive) Swarovski. My answer was that if I wanted to look at something on the very edge of the sight picture that closely I might move where I was pointing the scope ! :lol:

Due to my general cack-handedness my scopes have been dropped, knocked and even dropped and fallen on. On one memorable occasion one of them (along with the .270) was even thrown about 20 feet, (I went down like the proverbial sack of something, from running) landing in a very stony field. Still fine :)

Would I say Hawke offer good value and perfectly good enough scopes for what 99% of us do ? Erm, Yep ! :)
 
I alternate between my old Kahles stalking scope and a Hawke Endurance 1-4 x 24, they are used on a 30-06 and the Hawke has highly impressed me. With quick release mounts I've put 50 rounds through it on a running boar training day and it has no shoft in zero, the light transmission is pretty good and I got it in a sale for only £350.
 

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