Prism scopes are making a comeback.
This means my hands-on review of the Swampfox Trihawk 3x prism scope is well timed.
I’ve got more than a handful of months behind the Trihawk scope to give it a thorough run-through regarding caps and illumination to its ginormous size and integrated mount.
I don’t think the Swampfox prism scope is good or even great.
I think it’s the best.
Quick Overview...
What I Like: Auto-on wake-up illumination
What I Don’t Like: Size
Best Uses: Recreational Use, Duty Use, Tactical, Security, Some Hunting, Close to Mid-Range, AR-15, For .22LR,
- Magnification: 3x
- Coatings: FMC
- Eye Relief: 2.36”
- Reticle: Trident BDC
- Adjustments: 0.5 MOA
- Battery Life: 3000-40,000 hours
- Dimensions: 4.55 x 2.28 x 3.43” / 15.4 oz
- Mount: Lower 1/3 integrated mount
My Verdict: For the money, the Trihawk gets my recommendation. As a scope under $300, it will be extremely difficult to find one better in quality and performance. I should know – I’ve spent more than half a year of my life with it by the time you read this.
Why Trust Me?
After hundreds of hours of hand-testing riflescopes & red dots in the field and on the hunt, and thousands more hours researching, writing, photographing and creating videos about them, I feel I have earned the title of expert when it comes to optics!
Optics are not just my passion, but also my full-time job!
I get my hands on as many of the optics I test as possible (through buying, borrowing or begging!) and run them through their paces to make sure they will perform out in field.
Check out our optics testing process here.
Over a decade of experience hunting, target shooting, troubleshooting my own scope/mount problems, etc. has been integral in putting together this Swampfox Trihawk 3x30 prism scope review.
Who is the Swampfox Trihawk 3x30 Best Suited to?
The Swampfox Trihawk 3x30 prism scope is best suited to those who need an etched reticle, low magnification, and who require the best performance from their red dots. The Trihawk fits the criteria with its Trident BDC or MOA reticle, 3x magnification, and proven performance.
From spending several months field testing the Swampfox scope, I reckon it’s worthy on top a duty rifle. I think it provides low enough magnification for those who need sight, and the reticle will never fail you even if the illumination does.
How Does the Swampfox Trihawk 3x30 Perform?
Right away, one thing I thought was weird was the illumination buttons. There are two to operate the illumination brightness. The button pointing away from you actually decreases the brightness. The button facing you increases brightness. I swear it’s the other way around for most red dots, so it took me a minute to figure out what was going on. Other than that surprise, the brightness is awesome.
The optics are fantastic for a prism scope at its price point. It’s super clear, the color fidelity is neutral, and the resolution detail is excellent for all your shooting needs from point-blank range to about 500 yards.
There’s a lot to love about the Trihawk but I think one of its most noteworthy features is the super wide field of view. At a whopping 52 feet (@100 yards), it’s massive compared to alternatives. Primary Arms SLx MicroPrism with 38 feet, Vortex Sptifire HD Gen II with 37.9 feet, Monstrum Blackbird with 39.3 feet, and the Trijicon ACOG 3.5x with 28.9 feet. Got the point?
Shoot more, see more, and save more with the Trihawk 3x. This is a big but hardworking prism scope that’s worth the cost. If you find something cheaper, I don’t know that it could beat the Trihawk in performance and quality. Remember, you get what you pay for. Buy once, cry once.
Features & Benefits
Auto-On Wake-Up Illumination
The Shake ‘N Wake feature is Swampfox’s motion sensor technology that regulates reticle illumination while the prism scope is in use and not in use. The reticle is illuminated when the optic (or rifle) is moved, like shouldering the rifle for instance.
The illumination is cut off from the power supply (stand-by mode) deactivating reticle illumination when there hasn’t been any movement after a short period of time. For the Trihawk, this would be after four minutes.
There are a ton of illumination settings. Yes, the dimmest settings are night vision compatible. What I really care about is testing its max brightness. As I thought, it’s alright. It’s not nuclear bright, but it’s passable in bright conditions. It’s not reflex red dot bright by any means, but it’s better than the illumination in many riflescopes to be sure.
Given the consistent performance of the illumination and Shake ‘N Wake system, I’m confident in recommending the Trihawk as a scope suitable for more than just recreational applications. I think it could be a workhorse duty-grade scope, and it will definitely be a nice upgrade to what’s currently on your truck gun.
Trident BDC Reticle
I opted for the Trident BDC reticle since I knew this was going to go on a 5.56 anyway. I zeroed the Trihawk for 50 yards with no issues at all (except for irritatingly obnoxious wind speeds upwards of 20mph!).
Tracking test was next and went as expected – pretty perfect except for when it wasn’t due to user error. Okay I may have jerked a couple shots, give me a break.
Everything was standard and boring as usual until the fun part happens where you get to shoot stuff because you’re all sighted in. I had the Maven S.3A set up because why not? With that, I shot a bowling pin at 200 yards in that foul wind. I would be happier if I actually got it on camera, but I didn’t. We don’t always get what we want.
I put the Trihawk on the 15/22 as well because I love that thing so much and despite the “calibrated” reticle, you can always punch it into Strelok Pro and get immediate values for your .22 – duh. I didn’t need to do that. I just got it zeroed for 50 yards and went from there.
With the prism scope mounted, it was so cute to hear tiny, little pings on steel at 130+ yards. The flapping steel target was all me – not the wind!
The reticle is technically calibrated for the 5.56 NATO trajectory, though you can use it for the .308 WIN as well (says Swampfox). You’ll always want to confirm your own values. For red dots, I like the 50/200 and the 100-yard zero.
The Trihawk is designed for the 50/200-zero so that you can try your hand to 800 yards with the BDC ladder. I won’t go that far with it just because I need more than 3x magnification (personal preference) and I’m yet to find a hidey hole of my own to go that distance. But for my red dot needs, I’ll use this consistently (and have for the past six months) to about 200-300 yards.
I won’t lie though - seeing the bottom of that chevron is very difficult as it’s extremely small. I’m not going for precision at 300 yards. If I hit steel, I’m happy. But if you’re after precision, you may want to look to their riflescopes instead.
Build Quality
My first impression is that the Trihawk is a beast in a big and heavy, bulky and obnoxious kind of way. Honestly though, I suppose it’s no bigger than the Vortex Strikefire II or the ACOG. The Trihawk is a prism scope vs the reflex Strikefire, but the Trihawk won’t hurt your funds like the ACOG can.
There is legitimate heft to the Trihawk though. After all, it does weigh a pound. I don’t really add any tacti-cool crap to my rifle, so it’s not like I’m tacking on poundage just for looks, so the weight of the Trihawk doesn’t bother me at all.
It’s IPX7 rated, so it’s waterproof for everything you’ll end up doing with it. The X just means that it hasn’t been dust rated. Knowing that the Trihawk is waterproof and O-ring sealed, it’ll be fine if you’re going to sentence your Trihawk to an awful existence of shelf sitting (shame on you). In all seriousness, I worry about dust because I live in a dusty, deserty (not a word) area. I can’t drive a mile without dirt and dust covering my vehicles, clogging my air filters, and making its way into places it should never be. Long story short, the Trihawk is gonna be just fine since it's survived my Arizona mountain dirt.
There are a lot of grooves and fancy edges on this thing. I think it could do with less but I’m just in a mood so I’m being nit-picky. Though I wouldn’t say the caps are the easiest to get off, I do really like that they’re tethered and it ain’t that stink elastic rubber - it's a cute steel cable.
Moving Components
The flip-up caps are great! These ones haven’t come loose at all. These caps are definitely better than the included Vortex flip-up caps (yep, I said that). The adjustment caps are knurled just right and are really threaded on there. It feels like it takes me forever to unthread the caps.
The diopter works exactly as it should. Unfortunately, it will move if you have the flip-up cap on there and you turn the cap.
The adjustments are good and crisp. I wouldn’t say they’re audible with ears on unless you have electronic ears or transparency mode activated. I’m always, always a fan of caps with the built-in tool. I will much prefer to use the integrated tool on the cap than have to haul out another tool from my gear bag.
Battery Life
I’ve been super impressed with the battery life. Prism sights don’t have award-winning run times like reflex red dot sights do, but the Trihawk does a darn good job of trying. The specs say the runtime is approximately 3000 hours. That equates to something like four months.
Over the course of several months (six and counting), I’ve had the Trihawk on and off and left it sitting with the illumination on – lots of times (unintentionally of course because I’m just like every other forgetful fool out there). The CR123A battery “keeps going and going” like the Energizer Bunny.
Interestingly on the box, the battery runtime is stated to be from 3000 to 40,000 hours of course depending on brightness setting etc. I’d give the Trihawk the benefit of the doubt that it could run well past 3000 hours, but to 40,000 hours, I dunno about that.
I’d credit its long-lasting battery life to the Shake ‘N Wake tech. For any serious kind of work, it’s a must-have feature.
Mount Quality
You can bet that the integrated mount is responsible for some of the heft the Trihawk is packing. This thing is a one-piece beast. Not only does the base take fat T25 star crossbolts, but it also accounts for the battery compartment.
If you wanted to put a skeletonized riser on this thing or change out the mount, you’re outa luck.
Not to worry though because the mount is solid. Torque it down to spec, and it’ll hold zero. This one has double built-in recoil lugs and the crossbolts also engage the rail. I’ve yet to have an issue with my Swampfox mounts.
As far as optic height, I’m pretty sure it’s at a lower third height on the high end. With my M4, the A2 front sight is still in the pic but just way down there not being obtrusive at all.
Limitations of the Swampfox Trihawk 3x30
Size - It’s Just so Big
Arguably, it’s not just the physical size of the Trihawk that makes it seem so big, it’s the weight. The 15.4 oz weight for a fixed 3x scope does seem a little extreme. However, this is pretty much normal in the prism scope field. It’s a red dot, it’s just not a teeny tiny reflex red dot.
The pros of a prism scope are all there: etched reticle, illumination not required, always ready, diopter for customized vision, etc. However, the cons, which is usually size, is an obvious deterrent.
The Trihawk is not a teeny tiny scope. It’s a solid and quality optic with 3x magnification, a robust mount, and parts that will last a really long time.
Popular Questions About the Swampfox Trihawk 3x30
The Swampfox Trihawk 3x30 prism scope can be purchased with red illumination or green illumination. The Trihawk does not have dual illumination, meaning it does not offer interchangeable red or green illumination – you can only choose one color.
In total, the diopter ring on the Swampfox Trihawk prism scope offers up to 2 dioptric corrections in both negative and positive directions. That’s not a whole lot of correction but that can be enough to mitigate for some near and farsightedness.
The Trihawk 3x30 prism scope is available with the Trident MOA or Trident BDC reticle. Like choosing the illumination color that you want, you will also choose the type of reticle you want at the time of purchase.
While the Swampfox Trihawk 3x scope does have an integrated mount, the base is fitted to mount to a Picatinny rail. The built-in mount cannot be removed, so this may not be the appropriate scope if you want a different style mount.
The lifetime warranty offered by Swampfox is standard for what we now expect from optics manufacturers. The body/housing/functionality is warranted for a lifetime. The electronics are covered for 10 years. If using it for military or law enforcement, it’s a 5-year warranty.
If you purposely tamper with your scope, it’s not covered. This is a warning for people like me.
Best 3x Prism Scope: Swampfox Trihawk
In general, from spending so much time with the Swampfox Trihawk 3x, I’m convinced that it’s the best prism scope for the money and quality. It’s been a dependable, consistent performer that will provide value to the buyer, and it outweighs the minor cons such as the bulky size.
Not only do I name the Swampfox Trihawk the best 3x prism scope here in this review, I make it my number one 3x scope in the round-up. I like it that much. Sure, someone is going to have an opinion about their Vortex one or their Primary Arms alternative. That’s all good and dandy, but I have my opinion on the Trihawk... it'll eat yours for breakfast.
So much thanks to Swampfox Optics for sending me this prism scope to field test. Please note, even though this product was provided by the manufacturer, all opinions expressed are my own and are not in any way influenced by any manufacturers.
Further Reading
