Hawke Frontier30 1-6 x 24

Hawke are forging ahead with a very comprehensive and interesting range of optics these days, not only aimed at the hunter but target shooter also, with complimentary binoculars and telescopes. Not only do they offer good designs but also some really useful reticles. Their premium precision built range is the Frontier 30 series that has a choice of Frontier SF, which as the name suggests have a side focus for parallax adjustments down to 10 yds. You can choose between the 2.5-15 x 50mm for £599 or the higher mag 5-30x 50mm model for £649.

These scopes offer excellent optical performance and relaibilty but at an affordable real world price. They all have multi coated lenses and a 30mm tube for strengthened reticle adjustment range. Long eye reliefs and glass-etched reticles and a side mounted 11 position illuminated reticle rheostat are all part of the Frontier range. A little different as to spec is the 1-6 x 24mm, which offers a compact, sturdy and reliable design that is far more practical than its ‘dangerous game’ premise.

Spec

This is a very nice, wellproportioned scope that sits low and is well balanced on the rifle without looking over the top. It has a sturdy, not heavy feel that I like and weighs in at 10.4 ozs and so can take real life hunting knocks out in the field. Overall finish is a satin black anodising to the aluminium body. This is 30mm to allow more strength and also a better range of adjustment for windage and elevation. It is nitrogen-filled and is water and shock proof.

Parallaxed at 100 yds. you can still use it on a rimfire or airgun if you like, as the mag range is low. In fact, the Frontier range here has a very good 6x zoom spread, enabling you to use the 1-6 x 24 for fast moving driven game on 1x, right up to 6x for longer shot on the hill.

The zoom ring is smooth and has a serrated rubber operating rim for a non-slip hold. You also have the obligatory fast focus eye piece. With this power range you have a very good field of view. In fact set at 1x power you can see 108 ft at 100 yards, which is equally handy whether in an enclosed environment such as a wood or out on the wide plains of Africa, as it gives a good sense of what’s happening around you!

You also have a very generous four inches of eye relief, which to me allows you to mount the scope well forward, which looks better and certainly stops your eye contacting it with heavy recoiling rifles like the 458 Lott. I did notice though that eye position is quite critical to keep a perfect centred view but you soon get use to it when mounted on the rifle.

Reticle, adjustment and illumination

You sensibly have low profile adjustment turrets protected by a knurled cap and rubber O-rings to keep the moisture out. Adjustment per click is ¼” @ 100 yards and has 20 segregated marking for 20 MOA adjustments for each full turn of the elevation or windage. There’s no locking ring but the clicks are positive and clear with no backlash, they also track well. Total range is 10 rotations for the elevation and 8 rotations for the windage, although Hawke state 120 MOA max for both planes. Sensibly, the windage has adjustment marks with a central 0 mark and then 1, 2, 3 etc. radiating out both sides of this, so you can click individual settings left and right to 10 MOA, a simple point but often over looked by some manufacturers.

On the saddle is the illumination rheostat that uses a standard CR 2032 Battery, which is supplied but was missing in the test scope. You have very clear and positive as well as audible clicks from 1 to 11 power or illumination settings, or you can skip from 0 to 1or 11 if you like, as it rotates in both directions. It illuminates the central dot only and is very clear, with only some bleed at the higher illumination settings.

The reticle is second focal plane 4A type that is etched on to glass so not heat sensitive at all. The central dot, which I prefer, is floating between the middle stadia and allows a very natural eye centring and quick target acquisition. It has a 30” spacing at 100 yards when set on 4x power.

In the field

I mounted the Frontier to a 458 Lott, 7x57mm AK and new Winchester XPR rifle in .243. I really like the look and the way it sits very low and well forward as it balances very well! With the eye relief sorted the clarity is very good from edge to edge, as is colour rendition for a natural looking image. This is helped by the 21 layers of multi coating and performance in low light is also good, helped by the low magnification and not hampered by the smaller 24mm objective. It’s a great all round scope and I love the reticule as it is very natural and fast to use and the illumination is a bonus at this price point.

Conclusion

Another really well thought and built scope from Hawke and if this model is not to your liking then there are more options in their Frontier range. For £579 you get a well built, reliable and optically very good optic that will perform a multitude of shooting chores without ‘over scoping’ your rifle, I like it!