The Warhorse scope is Swampfox’s first LPVO with a reticle in the FFP.
You might question a FFP reticle with a 1-6x configuration or wonder if the illumination is daylight bright or be curious if it’s a true 1x scope.
I’ve been in and out of the field with the Swampfox Warhorse 1-6x24 FFP LPVO to satisfy these musings.
It’s been put through the wringer to challenge its build integrity, daylight illumination, focus and magnification workings, mounting quality, and more.
I shoot it to you straight with my hands-on observations in my Swampfox Warhorse 1-6 review.
Quick Overview...
What I Like: Optical performance
What I Don’t Like: Flip-up cap moves diopter
Best Uses: Hunting, Target Shooting, Duty Use, Home Defense, Small to Heavy Caliber, Shot Guns, FFP Reticles, Illumination
- Magnification: 1-6x
- Objective Diameter: 24 mm
- Coatings: FMC
- FOV: 105.68 – 18.32 ft/100 yds
- Eye Relief: 3.5-3.43”
- Adjustments: 0.1 MIL/0.25 MOA
- Dimensions: 10 x 3 x 2.5” / 23.4 oz
My Verdict: The Warhorse 1-6x FFP is a win. The Dragoon is usable and effective, though maybe a smidgen small (could be me), and without doubt there’s a market for an FFP reticle in a 1-6x. Though there will be a 1-8x and 1-10x Warhorse, the 1-6x will pacify a tight budget and may keep overall weight in check.
Why Trust Me?
After hundreds of hours of hand-testing scopes 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 rifle shooting, hunting, trouble-shooting, and field-testing has been integral in putting together this Swampfox Warhorse 1-6x FFP scope review.
Who is the Swampfox Warhorse 1-6x24 FFP Best Suited to?
Let’s get straight to it. Not everyone is going to be enthusiastic of a 1-6x with a reticle in the FFP. While there are both for and against positions, it can’t be denied that there is a target clientele who want an FFP reticle in their 1-6x…
Maybe those who don’t have enough time to crank up the magnification or those who have been burned by their own mistakes of using a SFP reticle… mistakes like thinking you cranked it up to max mag (but didn’t) and missed your mark.
I’m personally on the FFP reticle in the 1-6x band wagon if it’s done right. The benefit is that the Dragoon reticle is going to be accurate at any mag for whatever reason like moving targets, follow-up shots, time-restrained engagements, etc.
Though this is the 1-6x scope, Swampfox intends to release 1-8x and 1-10x models. The nice thing about the 1-6x is that it will be the most affordable option, and it’ll probably be a hair lighter than the other two.
If you want an LPVO with all the perks and that means an FFP drop reticle, intermittent off, exposed elevation, locking turret, MOA or MIL options, red or green illumination, flip-up caps, and an included throw lever, you have it all with the Warhorse. You will want for nothing with this scope.
Swampfox literally gave the Warhorse all the upgrades. As is, I do recommend it for range use, some hunting, possibly competition, home defense, and you can absolutely qualify with it to put it on a duty rifle. It’s a good LPVO with all the perks.
How Does the Swampfox Warhorse 1-6x24 FFP Perform?
Overall, the Swampfox Warhorse 1-6x FFP LPVO is a very durable, high-performing scope. The glass is clear. The turrets track. The adjustments are crisp. The illumination works. The throw lever is easy to use. The Warhorse can take a beating. So far, it covers everything you need in a scope.
I think the downsides that most critics will point out is its weight of 23.4 oz. Meh, LPVO scopes are heavy, and the Warhorse falls in line with this truth.
The eyebox at max magnification is nothing to write home about. I’m pretty sure the battery life is around a couple weeks if it’s left on, and I’d describe the illumination as daylight visible, not daylight bright. Even with its weaknesses, the Warhorse has met all my expectations as a mid-range scope.
The locking turret has not once come out of place. I deliberately didn’t reset my zero to ‘0’ for a while to test this. The scope has been mounted to my digiscoping rig, taken off, mounted to my rifles, taken off; thrown into a case, taken out, scrutinized in the hand, put back; sat on my desk, thrown around, and then put back on the rails all over again. That turret hasn’t moved.
The Warhorse is a very good-looking optic on the rail especially when paired with the Swampfox Freedom Mount. Between the oversized turrets, aggressive knurling, husky 34mm tube, and the hunky skeletonized mount, it’s a sexy rig that palpably has the ‘it’ factor.
Features & Benefits
Optical Performance
The optical performance of the Warhorse 1-6x is very, very good. Although it isn't advertised to have ED glass or anything special, the optical system provides a clear and bright sight picture redolent of premium glass.
No chromatic aberration was observed under proper use of the scope, but at 6x I did catch an unconcerning amount of CA in those high-contrast conditions. In short, CA is a non-issue.
Color fidelity is neutral (to my eyes), so I don’t think the multiple coatings push the image into either the warm/yellow or cool/blue tones.
In my opinion, the Warhorse has darn near close to true 1x performance that it would be fair to say that it is indeed a true 1x LPVO.
Though I’m pleased with its 1x, there appeared to be an insignificant amount of fisheye at the very edges of the FOV, but it was very hard to tell sometimes. You’ll get some image distortion if there are close-range objects (like up to 15-ish yards) inside the sight picture in the bottom 10% of the FOV. But that’s sort of an issue for all sports optics, so I’m not holding it against the Warhorse.
There’s a lot that determines whether you see true 1x. User error, visual acuity, eye relief and eyebox finagling, target distance, and more affects how you see 1x through a scope. For all intents and purposes, the Warhorse has true 1x.
Like many LPVOs, the eyebox is tight at max magnification. It’s actually not as bad as I thought it would be, but I’d still avoid any awkward shooting positions at 6x.
I was very impressed with the resolvable optical performance of the Warhorse at max 6x. With LPV scopes, there may be a balancing act to do with the diopter to acquire good focus at 1x and good focus at max power.
This is a compromise to get the best of what you can get out of the optics. However, I don’t have to compromise with the Warhorse. I set my diopter for reticle clarity and true 1x, and I actually had excellent focus at max mag.
Overall, the sight picture is very clear, crisp, and natural. You will want to maintain a good and consistent weld to avoid some of those optical aberrations that you could experience. This will also help with pushing past the optical limits of a scope with fixed parallax at 100 yards if you’re going the 600-yard distance that the Dragoon can take you to.
Dragoon MIL Reticle
The Dragoon is the designated reticle for the Warhorse LPVO. It comes illuminated with either red or green illumination and is in the MIL or MOA with matching turrets. Located in the FFP, the Warhorse is a first for Swampfox, their first FFP LPVO.
The Dragoon seems small at first, but you’re looking at a 7.7 MIL horseshoe from outer edge to outer edge with a 6 MIL BDC tree and 0.5 MIL center dot. If you opt for the MOA version, the horseshoe is 26 MOA wide with a 30 MOA BDC tree and 1.2 MOA dot. That’s arguably big enough for reticle visibility with fine subtension to reach out to that mid-range distance of 600 yards.
However, I do find the reticle small, and at 1x I’m solely dependent on that horseshoe because I can’t see the 0.5 MIL dot without illumination. I think this drives home the point that you really need the illumination when using it in the low powers. I actually really like the Dragoon at 1.5x and sorta wish it was that big at 1x.
Since it is in the FFP, you can use those holds at any magnification range. I’d say you can start using it at about 3x.
Having a BDC reticle like this means you won’t have to dial in for those longer shots. Since this is probably going on a duty or home defense rifle, the reticle choice is an appropriate one – you don’t mess with your zero, you hold.
There could be argument over matching a BDC reticle with an exposed turret – like, why have an exposed turret if you’re not dialing because you’re using the reticle to hold? Exposed turrets on every and all scopes are a ‘thing’ right now, so I reckon Swampfox covered their butt with a locking turret. Not everyone puts a lock on exposed turrets… not mentioning any names here… EOTech Vudu 1-6x… oops.
At any power range, the auto-ranging is accurate – not just at max mag. Put that horseshoe on a torso, and if it fills it, the target is at 100 yards.
The Dragoon is unquestionably bigger than the EBR-8 (Vortex Strike Eagle FFP), but it’s smaller than the ACSS Raptor M6 (Primary Arms GLx 1-6x FFP). I really like the colossal size of the ACSS Raptor, so the Dragoon has earned some criticism because I’ve experienced bigger (that’s what she said).
Overall, I think the Dragoon in the FFP will be fantastic on the 1-8x and 1-10x configurations. It works on the 1-6x, but I think personal preference will have a significant role to play here.
Build Quality
I have no doubt that the Warhorse is going to hold up impressively well under normal use and conditions. The build is tight, solid, and although there are some oversized components, they add to the well-constructed constitution of the scope.
Under normal conditions at home, in the field digiscoping, and at the range, it’s gotten a bit dusty. The only tiny bit of finish wear I’ve spotted is around the ring screws on the mount – which has nothing to do with the build quality of the scope!
I felt like the Warhorse could handle a beating, so I drop tested it not once, not twice, but three times. It was thrown twice into the far beyond and dropped from a 4-foot height right onto a dirt road. I gave it a ‘clean’ with the hose.
The only damage I found (and twice it landed on a rock) was a tiny chip in the windage turret cap and some scratch marring on the rear flip-up cap.
Illumination still works and I cannot detect any water or dust residue inside the tube, so no leaks in and around any of the O-ring seals. I still have my flip-up caps. The locked elevation turret didn’t move! And can I just point out the unbelievably perfect finish?
Turrets & Tracking
There’s plenty of adjustment travel to get you all the way to 1000 yards I’d think if you’re dialing it in at the bench. My Warhorse has about 43 MILS in elevation adjustment travel – geez! The MOA model has 150 MOA of travel. This scope ought to have a generous travel range because it has a very fat 34mm tube.
I like the positive feel I get from the elevation turret when I pull it out. The feel, sound, and tactile feedback is up to scratch. People like the audible feedback that they synonymously apply to ‘tactical’ scopes. However, if you want to be sure you locked it in place when you’re done with adjustments, just go ahead and smack it down.
It’s the best way to confirm that the elevation turret is locked in tight as there is no audible confirmation or a physical ‘snap-n-lock’ feel when pushing it down.
By the way, the windage turret is capped – makes sense. You can reset your zero to ‘0’. The adjustments are in 0.1 MIL clicks and are crisp and audible, and so far with hundreds of rounds downrange over the course of several months, it’s tracked true.
Illumination & Battery Life
In total, the Swampfox Warhorse FFP LPVO has 12 brightness settings. Like so many LPVO scopes before it, it’s not daylight bright by any means. It could stand to be brighter for daylight use especially in terrain where it’s likely to get lost easily.
I can think of some pretty bad LPVO illumination in daylight conditions *cough Vortex Crossfire 1-4x cough*, and the Warhorse isn’t that bad. Though the illumination does show up at max brightness in urban and rural terrain during the day, it’s not as daylight bright as the Vortex Strike Eagle FFP – I’ve yet to come across an LPVO that beats out the Strike Eagle in illumination.
Still, the illumination is better than average and of course it’s a mega champion in lowlight conditions. You can use it with NODS because setting 1 and 2 are night vision compatible, so it’s not going to blow out any image intensifier tubes.
I think being an FFP LPVO, the illumination is extremely important. Considering the reticle does look small at 1x all the way to about 1.5x, you’ll need the illumination for the eyes to quickly acquire the reticle.
The illumination is powered by a CR2032 battery that’s supposed to come in the box. The included S-wing wrench is the perfect tool to easily and quickly get the battery compartment cap off.
You will need this tool about every two weeks if you leave the illumination on, so it is a battery sucker. The best way to conserve battery life is to turn it off. Swampfox made it incredibly convenient with intermittent off positions. Use it.
Mounting
Mounting the Swampfox Warhorse scope is child’s play. You can technically use any 34 mm cantilever mount if it’s going on a flat-top rifle, but either way don’t forget that you will need 34 mm rings. I used the Swampfox Freedom Mount with a 1.6” optical height and weight of 5.5 oz.
The ring screws almost allow the ring caps to sit flush. Some people might give the rings a lap, but most people won’t. With this mount, I didn’t even think about it. I’m very happy with the tight fit I have here, and it’s certainly one of the best cantilever mounts I've used.
On the inside of the rings is some sort of tape. It’s an extra perk because I’m guessing it’s supposed to be added reassurance that the scope won’t move inside the rings or maybe it’ll protect the scope from some finish damage.
Base and ring screws are all still tight after trips to the range and many months of remounting from rifles to my digiscoping rig, and that’s exactly what I expected from the Freedom mount.
Included Accessories
The Swampfox Warhorse FFP LPVO comes with everything you need on an LPVO except for a sunshade. The flip-up caps are your standard snap-on kind. They don’t have multi-stop positions, but they do flip all the way back and fit snug to the scope.
The throw lever is super rigid, not too tall, and is quite comfortable to grip and move. I like the double knurling (on the power ring and the band throw lever). It hasn’t come loose at all from the day I installed it.
The motion is smooth and trouble-free. It’s one of the better throw lever and power ring combos I’ve field tested. However, the stiff resistance makes it a smidgen slow to actually ‘throw’ it back and forth between 1x and 6x. I’m being over critical at this point because this is common between LPV optics.
Other than these two accessories of note, you’ll also get a battery, full-size microfiber lens cloth, necessary tools, and scope and reticle manuals.
Limitations of the Swampfox Warhorse 1-6x24 FFP
Flip-Up Cap Moves Diopter
The rear flip-up cap changes the diopter setting. While it tells you that the caps fit snugly (which is a good thing in my opinion), it does raise an eyebrow because once you set the diopter, you really shouldn’t have to mess with it again.
Throughout field testing, I was constantly taking caps off and putting them back on. It was frustrating to come back to the scope and realize that my focus was off, and I needed to adjust the eyepiece again.
You have a couple options here. The first is to put some tape on the eyepiece and then put the flip-up cap back on. This should prevent the rear cap from moving the diopter.
If you don’t want to put anything on your scope, just use the cap itself as a marker. Normally you’d use the dot on the diopter ring to mark your setting, but the cap physically covers it and you’d need to memorize where the dot is supposed to be.
Instead, keep it simple. Go ahead and set the diopter for your vision. Carefully put the cap back on the scope. Put it on like normal so that it flips upward in the 12 o’clock position.
Now, whenever the cap gets shoved out of place, consequently moving the diopter, just physically move the cap back to the 12 o’clock position, thus putting the diopter back into its focused spot. Note: don’t take the cap off the scope! Just rotate the cap back in place. Simple.
Obviously, it would be better if the cap didn’t affect the diopter at all, but it is what it is.
Popular Questions About the Swampfox Warhorse 1-6x24 FFP
The Swampfox Warhorse 1-6x LPVO does not come with an included mount. A 34mm mount must be purchased separately. It’s worth stressing that a 30mm mount will not fit the Warhorse scope as it has a 34mm tube.
The windage turret on the Swampfox Warhorse 1-6 scope is not a locking turret like the elevation turret. The windage turret is capped. Use the Dragoon reticle for the wind holds. The Dragoon MIL reticle has wind holds in 0.5 MIL increments while the Dragoon MOA has wind holds every 2.5 MOA.
The Warhorse FFP has 12 illumination intensities with 1 and 2 being night vision compatible. The knob has intermittent off positions between each of the illumination settings to extend battery life. I highly recommend getting used to manually turning the illumination off. It’s so easy – use it.
In general, the Warhorse 1-6x FFP scope is covered by the same warranty that backs all Swampfox’s optics, the Limited Lifetime Warranty. However, the LED illumination system is only covered for a period of 10 years.
The Warhorse: “The Next Evolution of Swampfox Riflescopes”
If the next evolution of scopes means crisp glass-etched reticles, tank-like builds, precision tracking, sharp focus, good illumination, intermittent off, locks on exposed turrets, etc., then that’s a future to look forward to. News flash. That future has arrived. This is the Warhorse.
I also think the Tomahawk is a fantastic example of a next gen scope for Swampfox, and it’s unequivocally one of the best LPVO scopes for the money. But the Warhorse is most certainly an upgrade. In my opinion, the Warhorse is a high-performance 1-6x LPVO for CQB to those middling ranges.
As far as aesthetics go, I think the Warhorse is the best looking LPVO I have in my arsenal to date but there’s more to it than just looks… hence my in-depth, forever long review on it. You’re welcome.
Thank you to Swampfox Optics for sending me this riflescope 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
