Hawke Reflex Circle Dot 1x30 Wide View

Until this test, I hadn’t appreciated that this type of sight was included in Hawke’s product line-up. I knew they made the odd red dot units, but this type of small reflex sight is a real eye-opener. I am talking literally here, as there’s no doubt it’s best utilized with both eyes open.

Mini marvel
At a smidgeon over 2” in length, this reflex sight really is a mini marvel. Open the box, and put it in the palm of the hand, and that incredible compactness combines well with a super-robust build quality. The main upper chassis is a single-piece construction, and an all-metal specification (save for the battery compartment bar/tab), gives a feeling of quality from the off. Weighing in at a mere 4 oz also means it’s incredibly versatile, as it will hardly alter balance or handling in the field.

Inclusions
Hawke supplies this sight with a moulded push-fit rubber cover, which gives full protection to the 25-layer, fully multi-coated lenses. Also included is a spare CR2032 lithium battery (one is already loaded), Allen keys, spare screws, lens cloth, instruction leaflet, and even a mini screwdriver, so there’s plenty of attention to detail.

Positioning
The base of the reflex sight is bolted on at the factory, and this is a Picatinny mount with the crossbar, so something to bear in mind. For the purposes of my test, I chose to fix the sight to a Webley break barrel I had lying about, and here, I used Sportsmatch adaptor rails to allow for Picatinny mounting over the gun’s dovetails. Thereafter, bolting the sight in place was a piece of cake. There’s plenty of flexibility where positioning the unit is concerned, given that it has unlimited eye relief, and is parallax-free from 10 yards. With my test set-up, I effectively had around 11” to 12” of eye relief. Fit it to a pistol and the distance will be much greater, but it still works well, despite the illuminated circle dot filling more of the screen area and creating an optical illusion that it’s larger. The reticle is a great design, with that referenced circle 35 MOA wide, with a 2 MOA central dot.

Zeroing
OK, time to get started and zero the unit. There are seven brightness stages, and power comes as mentioned, from the coin-style battery, accessed by removing the two tiny screws and the side plate. Switch on the illumination by pressing the large button front left side, marked ‘+’. Brightness levels are controlled via the +/- buttons, to suit lighting and personal taste. Obviously, bright daylight needs a brighter dot, but go too bright and the ‘circle dot’ reticle can glare. The unit goes into standby mode after five minutes. However, be aware this still uses some power. To turn off the unit, press and hold the minus ‘-’ button.
Windage and elevation are adjusted via their respective recessed socket dials, and the small Allen key supplied is the tool for the job. The dials have no numbers, which is slightly irritating, but have clearly marked increments. Clicks are audible and positive, which is always encouraging, and represent 1 MOA (1/4” of movement over 100 yards) approximately.

Target acquisition
The 1x30 specification means there is no magnification on offer here, and that obviously limits the detail of the target. So, I decided for my test session to fish out some super-bright targets, in the form of Jack Pyke’s dayglo style dots, shot over 30 yards, just to make the task easier. Ideally, centralize the illuminated circle dot inside the screen and over the target, and any parallax error should be minimal.
In practice, this type of sight is all about fast target acquisition, and with effectively an unlimited, so huge, field of view, the shooting experience is somewhat liberating. The downside is the lack of magnification, and the sighting screen being open to the elements to some degree. That said, I don’t tend to stick around in bad weather, but for hardy types that insist on making a splash, perhaps a consideration. It is waterproof and shockproof after all. I managed easy inch groups over 30 yards and finished mightily impressed I have to say.

Verdict
Setting up some tin cans end-on, still a sizeable target I grant you, and blatting away speed-shoot-style can be great fun, and for this adrenaline rush, this sight comes into its own. That said, this diminutive tool can be all things to all people. Ideal for AR hardware, and of course the increasingly popular bullpup style of rifle, where room to mount a scope/sighting system can be compromised.
In short, Hawke deserves praise for a neat, lightweight, easy-to-use, and highly effective companion in the field.

Reviewer: Mark Camoccio