Huskemaw Tactical 5-30X56 Riflescope Review
By Nicholas Gebhardt
I first learned of the new Huskemaw Tactical 5-30X56 riflescope while attending a precision rifle competition in central Montana. A two man team was using the new scope and were gracious enough to allow other competitors to check out the new product. I'm always excited to hear of new offerings and was impressed with the new scope at the end of the competition, as that team came out in first place among numerous other excellent teams. Obviously Huskemaw is doing something right with these new scopes, so I was pretty thrilled when Len Backus asked me if I'd like to conduct a review of this new scope for his web site.
The new Huskemaw Tactical boasts an amazing 6X erector system providing a magnification of 5-30X, is built on a 34mm main tube, and sports a 56mm objective. Total length of the scope is 14.25 inches and it weighs 35 ounces, which is about normal for this type of scope. A second focal plane reticle is used and is what Huskemaw calls the 12 MOA Hunt Smart Reticle. This reticle has 12 MOA of windage indications on each side of center in 1 MOA increments, along with hash marks on the lower portion of the vertical crosshair that are spaced at 2 MOA increments for a total of 10 MOA.
The parallax turret is located on the standard left side of the scope, with a patented dual interlocking elevation turret on top with the Huskemaw Rapid Field Ballistic Compensator (RFBC), and the windage turret on the right side of the adjustment housing. This scope utilizes a very large, coarse type knurling around the outer top edges of the turrets and turret caps that provide a secure grasp. The elevation and windage are graduated in Minute of Angle (MOA) and utilize 1/3 MOA clicks, which is different than any other tactical scope on the market which use 1/4 MOA or Milliradians. Thirty MOA of elevation are available in one revolution of the turret, which also has a zero stop ring that the user can elect to set or not utilize at all. The magnification ring is very similar in grasping surface but with larger grooves that are spaced a little further apart. The numbering around the magnification ring is sufficiently large to be easily seen but not so large as to detract from the overall aesthetics of the scope. A slight angle on the magnification ring placed the numbering at a comfortable viewing position that only required a minor head lift from the stock to check.
One final feature not found in many other scopes, but one that Huskemaw felt compelled to include, is an internal bubble level for ensuring the scope is perfectly level prior to taking a shot. The internal level is situated at the bottom of the field of view, is easily seen, but is out of the way. This was a handy feature to have while conducting this review. Ensuring the scope is level is critical to making accurate long range shots whether those are on paper, steel, or fur. Please see the article by Carl Taylor detailing the importance of reticle cant.
http://www.longrangehunting.com/articles/canting-rifle-long-range-accuracy-1.php
A nice dull black anodize rounds out the package and covers the scope, leaving little shine on a bright day. Huskemaw ships the scope with a DVD detailing mounting procedures for Talley rings, lapping procedure, leveling the scope, and their process for obtaining ballistic data in order to develop the customer's specific RFBC turret along with a user manual that covers their other scope offerings.
Hunt Smart Reticle and Internal level. Optical quality not representative as shown.
Rapid Field Ballistic Compensator elevation turret and parallax markings.
Scope details and testing
The analysis of this optic began with a cursory inspection of the scope for any visible flaws on the lenses or scope body itself. No imperfections were present and the scope had a nice feel to all adjustments. The scope is marked "MADE IN JAPAN" and I suspect by one of the same companies producing other high quality riflescopes. When I inquired about the testing I planned to do which can be abusive, my contact at Huskemaw gave me full liberty to test out the scope, and flat out told me the scope would hold up. I like that kind of confidence in a product!
Water immersion test with turret caps removed.
By Nicholas Gebhardt
I first learned of the new Huskemaw Tactical 5-30X56 riflescope while attending a precision rifle competition in central Montana. A two man team was using the new scope and were gracious enough to allow other competitors to check out the new product. I'm always excited to hear of new offerings and was impressed with the new scope at the end of the competition, as that team came out in first place among numerous other excellent teams. Obviously Huskemaw is doing something right with these new scopes, so I was pretty thrilled when Len Backus asked me if I'd like to conduct a review of this new scope for his web site.
The new Huskemaw Tactical boasts an amazing 6X erector system providing a magnification of 5-30X, is built on a 34mm main tube, and sports a 56mm objective. Total length of the scope is 14.25 inches and it weighs 35 ounces, which is about normal for this type of scope. A second focal plane reticle is used and is what Huskemaw calls the 12 MOA Hunt Smart Reticle. This reticle has 12 MOA of windage indications on each side of center in 1 MOA increments, along with hash marks on the lower portion of the vertical crosshair that are spaced at 2 MOA increments for a total of 10 MOA.
The parallax turret is located on the standard left side of the scope, with a patented dual interlocking elevation turret on top with the Huskemaw Rapid Field Ballistic Compensator (RFBC), and the windage turret on the right side of the adjustment housing. This scope utilizes a very large, coarse type knurling around the outer top edges of the turrets and turret caps that provide a secure grasp. The elevation and windage are graduated in Minute of Angle (MOA) and utilize 1/3 MOA clicks, which is different than any other tactical scope on the market which use 1/4 MOA or Milliradians. Thirty MOA of elevation are available in one revolution of the turret, which also has a zero stop ring that the user can elect to set or not utilize at all. The magnification ring is very similar in grasping surface but with larger grooves that are spaced a little further apart. The numbering around the magnification ring is sufficiently large to be easily seen but not so large as to detract from the overall aesthetics of the scope. A slight angle on the magnification ring placed the numbering at a comfortable viewing position that only required a minor head lift from the stock to check.
One final feature not found in many other scopes, but one that Huskemaw felt compelled to include, is an internal bubble level for ensuring the scope is perfectly level prior to taking a shot. The internal level is situated at the bottom of the field of view, is easily seen, but is out of the way. This was a handy feature to have while conducting this review. Ensuring the scope is level is critical to making accurate long range shots whether those are on paper, steel, or fur. Please see the article by Carl Taylor detailing the importance of reticle cant.
http://www.longrangehunting.com/articles/canting-rifle-long-range-accuracy-1.php
A nice dull black anodize rounds out the package and covers the scope, leaving little shine on a bright day. Huskemaw ships the scope with a DVD detailing mounting procedures for Talley rings, lapping procedure, leveling the scope, and their process for obtaining ballistic data in order to develop the customer's specific RFBC turret along with a user manual that covers their other scope offerings.
Hunt Smart Reticle and Internal level. Optical quality not representative as shown.
Rapid Field Ballistic Compensator elevation turret and parallax markings.
Scope details and testing
The analysis of this optic began with a cursory inspection of the scope for any visible flaws on the lenses or scope body itself. No imperfections were present and the scope had a nice feel to all adjustments. The scope is marked "MADE IN JAPAN" and I suspect by one of the same companies producing other high quality riflescopes. When I inquired about the testing I planned to do which can be abusive, my contact at Huskemaw gave me full liberty to test out the scope, and flat out told me the scope would hold up. I like that kind of confidence in a product!
This scope is sold in the LRH Store HERE.
Before going to the range to check the optics and conduct other testing, I decided to immediately immerse the scope in a sink full of water for an hour. I've had other very expensive scopes fail this simple test, so it is one of the first things I check on my personal scopes as well as for these articles. After one hour of submersion, I removed the scope and inspected for any water intrusion into the scope. Noting that there wasn't any moisture present internally, I decided to remove the turret caps from both the elevation and windage and place the scope back in the water for another hour to verify the integrity without these protective covers in place. I'm happy to report that no moisture crept inside the scope with the turret covers removed. This is exactly how a product should perform.
Water immersion test with turret caps removed.
- Next page: Huskemaw Tactical 5-30X56 Riflescope Review
