Swampfox Warhorse 1-6×24 [Review]: Battle Steed or Pony?
We take a look at how the budget-minded Swampfox Warhorse LPVO holds up after a year of testing and more than 1000 rounds.
USMC Veteran. Concealed Carry & NRA Pistol Instructor. 3-Gun Competitor. Career firearms writer
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Swampfox Warhorse Pros & Cons
Pros
- Attractive price point
- Dragoon reticle is easy-to-use
- Adjustments feel excellent
- Smooth magnification adjustment
- Good eye relief
Cons
- Low-light performance leaves room to be desired
- Heavy
The Bottom Line
The Swampfox Warhorse is a solid First Focal Plane optic at a mid-tier price point, featuring an easy-to-use reticle, clear glass, and numerous small details that elevate it to a higher level. That comes at a cost of weight and some loss of low-light clarity.
I’m a firm believer that guns and gun accessories are getting better. You can always tell that the gun industry is getting better by looking at the budget options available.
Swampfox is a well-known budget brand, but its products continue to improve in quality with no significant price increase.
The Warhorse is one of Swampfox’s pricier optics at around $550. At that price point, can it still deliver the value that Swampfox is known for? That’s what we intend to find out today.
I’ve taken the Warhorse to the range and woods in both bright and low-light situations to see if the Swampfox Warhorse is a steed or a pony.
Table of Contents
Specs & Features
Specs
- Magnification: 1-6X
- Tube Diameter: 34mm
- Objective Diameter: 24mm
- Focal Plane: First Focal Plane
- Reticle: Dragoon MIL or MOA
- Illumination: Red or Green
- Illumination Settings: 12 (2 NV compatible settings)
- Length: 10.08 inches
- Weight: 23.37 ounces
- Battery: CR2032
- Comes With: Lens caps, battery, tool
Features
- First focal plane design
- Illuminated reticle with stop positions between each setting
- Zero reset turrets
- 34mm main tube
Swampfox Warhorse Backstory
Swampfox has been producing budget-friendly LPVOs for a long time. They’ve always been a great way for new shooters or those on a budget to get into the world of modern magnification. Their optics have never been high-end optics you’d confuse with a Nightforce, but they do the basics well.
With the Warhorse, Swampfox has taken a few steps toward the higher end of optics. It’s still not a Nightforce, but it’s a big jump from something like their Tomahawk LPVO. The Warhorse is a move into a refined optic with a first focal plane design, featuring the Dragoon reticle, a 34mm tube, enhanced durability, and improved optical clarity.
At The Range With the Swampfox Warhorse
I mounted the Warhorse to my Colt EPR using the Swampfox Hostile Engagement mount. The first thing I noticed was the weight; it’s a hefty 23 ounces, and you feel it.
As always, the first step is to zero the optic. I set up a quick zero station at 50 yards and got to work.
A nice set of fingertip-adjustable turrets graces the scope. They offer tactile and audible feedback, and the clicks are incredibly satisfying.
The Warhorse uses MIL measurements, which are incredibly precise. I’m an MOA guy because I’m an optic simpleton. It took me a little longer to get zeroed simply because the adjustments were so small and I was taking my time.
Once I was properly zeroed, I started dropping rounds at ranges varying from 25 to 200 yards.
Reticle
The Dragoon reticle offers a dynamic aiming point for a wide range of distances and features a three-quarter circle with a dot in the center, as well as an elevation and windage tree for bullet drop and windage. The circle and dot are the illuminated portions.
The reticle is daylight-bright, but not quite true red-dot-bright. It’s bright enough to see the color and to catch the eye for close-range shooting.
Since the reticle expands and contracts as you adjust the magnification to 1X, the three-quarter circle is small but visible when illuminated. It’s small enough to be used as what’s basically a red dot at closer ranges.
At longer ranges, the reticle expands and becomes easier to see, making it better suited for long-range shooting. The reticle is crisp and clear, looking fantastic. It’s not overly obstructive of your view and isn’t overly complicated.
The reticle is a MIL design with a six MIL ladder for elevation compensation. It’s not a BDC, so you’ll need to know your ballistics in order to calculate the MIL ladder holdovers correctly.
My range maxes out at 200 yards, and I had zero issues striking steel targets in a prone position at that distance. The awesome glass clarity allows me to see dull-colored steel targets against a mostly green-foliage background. I can easily put shots into a six-inch gong at 200 yards.
Glass Quality
The optics are clear enough that I can watch that gong swing back and forth and time my shots to hit the gong on the upswing.
When using white paper targets I printed at home, I could see traces of chromatic aberration. That little blue, electric-like tint was evident but not too distracting. The clarity was edge-to-edge without any blur near the edge of the lens.
I took the optic off the range and used it just to look around at longer ranges. I looked across pastures and fields, and out to 300 yards, it’s quite clear. It’s a little hazy past that, but if it were a man-sized target, I’d feel comfortable in my ability to land accurate hits out to 600 yards without much difficulty.
I started doing some low-light testing, and clarity dips as the sun sets. In the early evening, it’s fine, but around 8 PM, there is a noticeable drop as the summer sun begins to set. I can still see targets, but a blue tint settles in, and things get a little hazy even at 100 yards.
In a heavy canopy, in the middle of the afternoon, it works well. I’d be confident using it to hunt in the swamps of Florida.
Main Tube
The Warhorse features a large 34mm main tube, which offers a few advantages. It makes for a tougher, more rigid optic, while the larger tube diameter allows for more maximum adjustment.
Many people will be quick to point out that a larger main tube offers increased light transmission. While 34mm tubes can be used to create a brighter optic, other factors must be considered.
Swampfox elected to pair a 34mm tube with a relatively small 24mm objective lens. This isn’t the best route to take if you are really looking for low-light performance. I feel like they could have done better by opting for a larger 30mm objective lens to help complement the larger main tube and pull in more light.
Ergonomics: Fit and Feel
Outside of weight, everything on the Warhorse is quite nice. The magnification adjustment moves smoothly, and the included throw lever makes it fast and easy to adjust.
The turrets deliver audible and tactile clicks and can be easily reset to zero. The illumination dial has off positions between each setting, allowing you to transition immediately to your preferred setting.
The generous eye relief and eye box can be forgiving at close range. When you go fast, that little extra can be beneficial. Getting everything perfect when you are rushing to get a shot on target in less than a second is tough.
A little leeway goes a long way to make sure I can land those hits in under a second within 25 yards.
Improvements We’d Like to See
Ditching the 34mm tube or embracing a 30mm objective lens would be the route to take. Is the extra weight of the 34mm tube worth it without a larger objective lens? I’m not so sure. That’s my biggest complaint.
I’d also like to see a brighter reticle, but I’ve said that about almost every LPVO that costs less than a grand.
Who Is This For?
There is a gap in the LPVO market. We have a wide range of scopes, from those priced over $750 to those under $300. The Warhorse fills a mid-tier, mid-price gap for LPVOs.
It’s a decent optic for a cash-strapped cop. For competitions like 3-Gun, it can be a viable choice that won’t break the bank. For medium-range hunting, it’s also a good option.
The Warhorse offers shooters a lot of value for its price point. If you can’t dedicate more than $500 or so to an optic, you’d have a hard time finding a tougher, clearer, more intuitive LPVO than the Warhorse.
By the Numbers
Reliability: 5/5
I’ve been shooting with the Warhorse for over a year now, and it’s maintained a zero through bumps, tip-overs, and life in an overcrowded gun safe.
Ergonomics: 4/5
I like the controls, I love the eye relief, but I’m not a big fan of the weight.
Value: 4/5
The Warhorse isn’t the cheap budget LPVO, but it’s a solid mid-tier priced optic with some high-tier features.
Overall: 4/5
The Warhorse is a solid optic at a good price point. It might be a little heavy, and finding mounts isn’t always easy, but it delivers when it comes time to press the trigger.
How We Tested The Swampfox Warhorse
I mounted the Warhorse to my Colt EPR AR-15 and gave it a run at carbine ranges. I shot at targets from 15 to 200 yards and observed performance. I shot from multiple positions, including standing, prone, and kneeling. I observed for clarity at ranges out to 600 yards and used the optic in various lighting conditions.
I have had this optic mounted on my carbine for well over a year. It has been used for hunting, pest control, and training purposes. This scope has seen over a thousand rounds fired without a problem.
Meet the Experts
Pew Pew Tactical author Travis Pike wrote this article. Travis spent a lifetime shooting as a kid and later joined the United States Marine Corps, where he spent five years as an infantryman.
His experience as a machine gunner, recreational and competitive shooter, hunter, and concealed carry instructor has given him unique insight into various weapon platforms. Additionally, Travis has thousands of articles to his name with a variety of publications, and has tested countless guns and other firearm accessories.
Final Verdict
After a year of use, the Swampfox Warhorse has become my go-to recommendation for a value-centric LPVO, right ahead of the Primary Arms SLX.
I think it offers just a little more in the features department than its competitors and pushes its way to the front of the line.
What are your thoughts on the Swampfox Warhorse? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below! If you are interested in other optics, be sure to check out our article on the Best LPVO Scopes!