Hawke Eclipse 30 IR Side Focus

Good things come to those that wait they say, and it's certainly true of shooting equipment. Telescopic sights with the parallax adjustment on the side were once incredibly expensive bits of kit, out of the reach of most ordinary shooters. These days however they're in every gunshop, and prices have come down considerably. Deben have had side-wheel scopes in their range for years now, and I was recently sent an example of one of their new offerings to try.  The Hawke Eclipse 30 IR Side Focus features a robust, one-piece 30mm tube, coated in hard wearing matt black anodising. The model sent for review has a magnification range of 4-16 power (a 6-24 model is also available) and has a 50mm objective lens. The build quality is very good and certainly looks the part. The elevation and windage adjusters are protected by screw on caps, and this model is available with 1/4 M.O.A @ 100 Yards per click or 1cm @ 100m should that be required. I was sent a metric model, and I must admit that once zeroed I didn't actually use the turrets, preferring to use the mil dot reticle for hold over. The clicks are reassuringly precise though, and the point of impact returned to zero even after a lot of fiddling with the adjusters. A coil erector spring is fitted to the bottom of the saddle, and this is a belt and braces extra that keeps the scope's adjustments more secure.

The all-important side focus parallax adjuster turns smoothly, without any tight spots, and there's plenty of grip thanks to the ridges on the circumference. The scope focuses down to 10 yards on full magnification and out to as far as the eye can see. One nice touch is the positioning of the index mark for the magnification collar. This is usually found on the top of the scope, but because there is a dial on top of the objective lens housing for the reticule illumination, it's been repositioned on the left hand side. Another thing I really like is the way the centre section (with the Hawke logo on it) stays still when the outer wheel rotates. It's not a vital feature of course… I just like it! Targets snap into focus nicely, and thanks to the quality lenses, a clear image is produced all the way to the edge. The lenses are coated to enhance light transmission through the scope, and to improve image brightness.

The centre of the mil dot reticule can be illuminated if required, by using the adjuster on top of the ocular lens housing. The dot can be either red or green, and there are 5 levels of intensity in each colour to suit all shooting conditions. The lowest settings are ideal for night shooting, and the higher ones for during the day when shooting into cover. I personally find the illuminated centre dot superior to a reticule that is lit entirely, as it is less distracting than one completely lit up. The ocular lens is of the 'fast focus' style, in that the adjuster has a coarse not fine thread, and a locking collar is fitted to ensure the adjustment doesn't alter.

Overall length of the scope is 14" with a weight of 1lb 12 ounces. It also comes with a set of flip up lens covers, which is a nice idea. 

Conclusion

I used the Eclipse 30 IR Side Focus on a number of air rifles, including an FX Verminator and a John Bowkett .25 BSA Ultra, as well as my Ruger 10/22 rimfire. It was a pleasure to use on all the above guns, providing a crisp, clear image in all lighting conditions, including whilst out lamping. The 4-16 X 50 is £179 and the 6-24 X 50 is £199.