13 replies to this topic

[Brant]

New lineup.

[Rob]

Terrific upbeat report on Hawke...but the real gem here was the FREE Hawke Ballistic Reticle Calculator software.Download Choices:One is for center fires - http://www.hawkeopti...s/brc/index.phpThe other is for folks with Hawke glass on their Air Rifles.Center Fire Download:I down loaded the tool and it was a little over my head...but after a quick contact with Mike Kurta (support at Hawke) he got me over to the "Help" page (on the download, NOT the web site). This is where all the instructions can be found. I was looking at the web site...DOH Check it out if you are working in standard calibers and have got some of the good glass from Red. Very cool stuff.

[Brant]

The software is perfect with the 1/2 mildot 20x reticle (of course it works with the others too). With Marauder .25 it predicted with 1/2" at 112 yds using their BC/ED # fpr Kodiaks. I was impressed.

[CA Desert Dog]

I have been trying to spread the word here regarding Hawke optics and I think it is finally beginning to sink in. Introducing any new (to the U.S.) optics line is not easy, especially when Hawke is not schooled regarding American marketing. It's a great company but their media ads leave much to be desired. We have hammered the Brits on this but they just don't get it.Anyway, the scopes are very nice and with the addition of the free ballistic program, they are a killer deal. Our Hawke scope sales are doing very, very well and I have never had one scope returned for a defect yet. All of our customers are very satisfied and so far, we have had a 100% positive response. We are very happy that we are exclusive Hawke dealers and it is a great company to do business with.

[Brant]

With some of the very positive technical reviews occuring on the SWFA forum comparing higher price scopes I am afraid the prices might climb as the popularity increases. I didn't realize how popular Hawke scopes were in Britian. Like cars I guess it is a bit sad that US scopes are being challenged so significantlly in the world market recently in the bang for buck category and even customer service.

[Braz]

Hey Desert Dog, how come you guys don't have any of the Hawke spotting scopes on your web site?

[winxp_man]

I have two of the SideWinder 30 Tac series and the one that is on my AR-15 6.8 SPC I actually dropped (from about 3-4 feet high, off the hood of my buddies truck) and its still on target I love mine and recently shot a 2.52" group @ 534 yards.

[Brant]

The weight is similar to the the Nightforce NSX 8-32x56 I use on regular basis. I have compared these scopes extensively side-by-side for hours (The NF NSX 8-32 and my Hawke Tactical 6.5-20) . There is no longer any way in my mind to justify the $1100+ difference in price for my shooting (unless I win the lottery). The differences in performance have become much more subtle. I actually prefer the etched glass 1/2 mil dot reticle on the SW Tact over the NP-R1 reticle on the Nightforce I use but they are very close in quality in my opinion. Three of us have checked the results on clarity and brightness testing (to see if one of us was just off) and the differences are becoming difficult to detect (my buddy's light meter showed less than a 1.5% light difference at 20x and it was difficult to tell a resolution difference at 20x on a very fine test pattern (even at the lens edges) by the naked eye even in glare and low light. Both scopes are known to handle a ton of recoil and harsh climate changes. Don't get me wrong, the Nightforce tops the SW Tact and for the cost it should but depending on the shooting you do with it the difference in cost may no longer be justified. Interestingly the turret adjustments on both scopes are a bit mushy but very accurate and the SW's turrets lock down to avoid accidental changes. The NF scope I use has a BORS on it and you mess up the zero if you adjust the elevation turret with the BORS off. Eye box sensitivity at 20x is similar with both scopes. The NF is ever so slightly better but not by much. We also tested the POI through magnification changes and none were noted. If someone were to tell me that the inside of the Hawke was junk and the NF was great I might believe them but it isn't evident in testing.I did my own research to find out that the lens polishing and coating quality on the higher end Asian scopes has vastly improved over even a few years ago since the manufacturing is now automated and the equipment the Chinese are using now is Japanese or European at some plants. My local high volume gun shop/reloading supply tells me that their return rate on the high end US made scopes and the high end Asian scopes (excluding low-end Barskas and other junk scopes) are much closer now and only the Japanese top both. They also say that the Japanese scope manufacturers that have moved assembly to the Phillipines (like Nikon) are having the same return rates (mainly assembly issues) as the US and Asians now. This is a much different spot than we were in only a few years ago with the lessor Barskas and BSAs and the like blazing the Asian trail.My $.02 on scopes.

[mtn dog]

[Brant]

[CA Desert Dog]

Hey Desert Dog, how come you guys don't have any of the Hawke spotting scopes on your web site?

We can get em' Braz, I have been a little behind on updating the web store.

[CA Desert Dog]

Naturally, I enjoy reading all of the positive reviews on Hawke optics. We have a lot of very satisfied customers. Three years ago when John and I attended our first Shot Show in Orlando, we looked at optics from every manufacturer on the planet. Our quest was to find one line of optics that impressed us, was high quality, priced reasonably and was backed by a reputable company that would honor the performance claims of their products. For three days we looked over brands time and again, from the big names to products represented by foreign factories (contract builders). After all was said and done, we both agreed that Hawke packed the most punch for the dollars our customers have to spend. The key was finding that magic word, "Value". We believe that Hawke Optics represent real value and if we could arrange a side-by-side, blind test with the big (expensive) name scopes; very few people could distinguish the Hawke scopes/binoculars, etc. from the optics costing three or more times the price. We are not some big operation that wants to handle 12 different lines of scopes, we simply wanted to sell a great product at a fair price. Other lines of optics (names you are all familiar with) offer a more generous profit for retailers but the optical quality and additional features just weren't there. We want our business to grow and with the internet providing instant opinions and buying experiences; if we sold equipment that didn't make the grade, we'd be out of business very quickly. I am happy to say that shooters are catching on to the Hawke optical line and popularity has grown to the point that sometimes we are simply out of stock on certain items. For instance, the first shipment of the new Night-Eye Digital scopes sold very quickly. The next shipment won't be in until May. I have a few left and I know they won't last long either.Personally, I have only one big complaint about Hawke. Their print advertising is horrible. The Brits don't understand the American market and a 5th grader could put together a better print ad. I even offered to have a new ad designed for them but the powers that be in jolly old England are set in their ways. Their graphic arts person must be related to one of the company owners. Heaven knows I have no doubt insulted them because of my constant complaining about the crappy ads. We realize that it is hard to purchase something sight unseen at a web store. Also, many folks are just plain brand name conscious and won't try anything new or different than what they are comfortable with. That proves that effective advertising works. All I can say is that customer satisfaction is very important to us. If you purchase a scope from us and decide that you don't think it's everything we say it is, return it in the shape you received it in the original packaging and we will cheerfully refund your money. However, I am confident you will be impressed.

[Brant]

I still love this Hawke reticle  shooting_rest_006_web.jpg   69.88K   38 downloads

[rude robert]

I was saving up money to buy one here soon, then i was informed last sunday night that the toilet was on the brinks. I had to call the plummer out then. I have my brother in law living with us so the only bathroom would have been in our room. I didnt want him and my kid coming in and out of there all day. I sleep during the day when i work, and at night when i am off. I don't want any unwanted intruders in there lol. so now, i have to start all over again.