I’m not a big LPVO user. I think they’re fine, but their price, weight, length, and durability concerns have always been downsides I take seriously. I prefer a prism scope or magnifier with a red dot, especially since, in my area, I don’t have any range that goes beyond 200 yards. Still, I felt a need for an LPVO just to learn a bit, experiment, and make a more informed decision if I decided to pursue the LPVO option seriously. I wanted something budget-friendly, but I didn’t want a piece of junk. I eventually settled on a Swampfox Warhorse with a Swampfox mount.

My Quest: Find a Budget Worthy LPVO Setup

I searched, Googled, and jumped between multiple websites to find the right setup. I got frustrated quickly. I’m spoiled by being able to buy a red dot or prism with an integral mount and hit the “Buy It Now” button. I’d find an optic I liked, but I couldn’t find a mount I wanted, and when I did, it blew my budget.

Then, I crept over to Swampfox. I’ve tested, used, and reviewed optics from Swampfox a good bit. I’ve tried their prisms and red dots, and they pulled off both genres well. How about their LPVOs? Not only did they have LPVOs, but they also had mounts, backup mounts, and backup red dots. I fired an email off, and Swmapfox sent me a complete LPVO setup consisting of the Warhorse 1-6x LPVO, a Hostile Engagement Mount, and a Swampfox Liberty red dot.

After spending a little time at the workbench with a vise, torque wrench, and level, I had my Colt EPR decked out and equipped with a complete LPVO setup. Before we get to the range performance bit, let’s break the setup down a bit.

The Warhorse 1-6X – The Star of the Show

In a world where 1-8x, 1-10x, and 1-12x LPVOs exist, I still like the 1-6x setups. I see the LPVO as an exceptional tool at 300 yards and capable of reaching up to 500 yards, but with a lack of parallax correction and a small objective lens, it’s not a long-range optic regardless of the top level of magnification.

The Warhorse 1-6x is a first focal plane option that retails for less than $700. It’s designed to be the premier LPVO of the Swampfox lineup. The setup comes with either a BDC-style reticle or a MIL reticle. There is also an option for MIL or MOA turrets, but I went with the MIL model.

The optic has a 34mm tube, weighs 23.37 ounces, is 10.08 inches long, and has a 24mm objective lens. It’s a hefty optic, but it’s a well-made design. I can’t find any basic faults in its construction, and it comes with a push/pull elevation turret and a capped windage turret.

The illuminated reticle features 12 different illumination settings, with an off position between each setting. It consists of a large, illuminated three-quarter circle with a dot in the center. To the sides, we have crosshairs that steer your eyes toward the illuminated portions. Underneath, we have an MOA BDC or MIL ladder for ballistic drop and windage.

It sounds busy, but it’s not. When magnification is maximized, everything becomes big and easy to use. When you drop it to 1x, the reticle becomes a small set of crosshairs with some illumination. LPVOs are supposed to be versatile, and the reticle represents versatility.

The Hostile Engagement Mount

Swampfox offered a 34mm option with their Hostile Engagement mount, and I jumped on it. One thing I have learned about LPVOs and AR-height mounts is to go big. Lightweight mounts are great, but they do break easily unless you spend a small fortune.

Even then, some high-end companies have had issues with lightweight mounts. I’ll eat the weight if it ensures reliability. (I guess I am an average Trijicon user…)

The Hostile Engagement is a big beefy mount that’s plenty strong. It uses T25 Torzx bolts and integrated recoil lugs to keep it in place. The mount weighs 8.25 ounces, bringing me two pounds of optics and mounts. It pushes the optic to a 1.6-inch centerline for easy use with any AR-type rifle or weapon with an inline stock.

The rings also have an RMR footprint, so you can mount a backup optic directly to the optic’s mount, eliminating the need for an offset optic mount.

The Swampfox Justice 2

If I have a mount for an offset red dot, I might as well add one. The Justice 2 is big for a micro red dot. It’s perfectly suited as a minimalist rifle optic or a backup red dot. I used the multi-reticle version. I want one of the big ring reticles.

It’s an offset optic for close-range engagements, so I want a big, easy-to-see reticle that might be forgiving if I don’t have a great cheek weld.

The optic has shake-awake tech, four reticles, big adjustment buttons, and a 50,000-hour battery life. It’s not revolutionary but well-suited for the offset dot role.

Putting It All Together

With the setup mounted, I proceeded to zero the optics. I zeroed in on the Warhorse first. I used a simple 50/200 zero and confirmed at 200 yards. It’s mostly on the money at 200 yards with M855 bulk ammo. I zeroed the Justice 2 at 20 yards. Within 20 yards or closer, the red dot is accurate enough to put lead into something quickly and efficiently.

Both optics provide great adjustments. We get tactile and audible feedback. The Warhorse proves to be dead on MIL adjustments per click. The turrets are very easy to adjust but secure. The Justice 2 requires a small take, and the adjustments are a broad 1 MOA per click, but that’s not a problem with a dot like this. I’m not looking to measure groups at 100 yards.

With everything zeroed, I had some fun with the setup. I ran a drill that involved me shooting a playing card at 25 yards, transitioning to the red dot, and hitting an IPSC target also at 25 yards. It’s a blast to switch gears from a fairly slow, precise shot on a small target to laying lead on a big, close target as fast as possible.

Doing that slight twist to move from Warhorse to Justice is always fun. It proved the setup worked well in tandem.

Going Fast

I remained up close and played with some basic drills with the Justice 2. I hit a Bill Drill, a Failure to Stop, and a string of double taps across three targets. It’s odd not to have a cheek weld, but while it was a new experience, it was easy to adapt.

I settled on the big segmented circle reticle. It’s easy to use, and I can fill my target with the dot and let lose with confidence, knowing the shots will be in that circle from 15 to 35 yards. If anything comes closer, we will have some offset. If there is anything further, we’ll switch to the LPVO anyway.

The Warhorse has the same problems as any LPVO. It wants to be red dot fast but just can’t do it. The eye box and eye relief are both modern and relatively generous, but they are still more restrictive than red dots. They are not outstanding but good, especially for the money.

The reticle brightness suffers like all do. It’s not red dot bright. At high noon in Florida, I can barely make out the illumination. SFP LPVOSs tend to handle illumination a bit better, but LPVOs generally just can’t compete with red dots regardless of the money you spend.

Strutting Back

Things get a lot better when we walk back to 200 yards and start to invoke magnification. From 3x to 6x, the Warhorse shines. It’s super clear and very crisp, and it tends to have a bit of a warm look to it. I can easily see a wide variety of colors and make out my targets against various backgrounds.

Hitting targets isn’t a problem. I love this reticle. The Dragoon, as they call it, provides a nice little aiming dot that’s precise and easy to use. At 200 yards, I hit a ten-inch gong consistently if I took my time. The center dot didn’t obscure the target by any means.

The field of view is 18.32 feet at 100 yards at 6x magnification. That’s not exceptional, but it’s pretty good, and the obscure view makes it easy to observe and find targets. I would love to see it be just a hair wider, but for the money, I won’t complain too loudly about it.

The Warhorse most certainly shines when magnified, reinforcing my idea to use an offset red dot alongside the 1-6x LPVO.

The Setup

The Warhorse, Justice, and Hostile Engagement setup delivers an excellent LPVO setup. It’s a bit hefty at two pounds altogether, but very capable. If you’re like me and are curious about LPVOs, it’s a great way to dip your toe into the world. You’re getting a high-quality setup that won’t completely drain your wallet. The Warhorse might not satisfy optics snobs, but for the everyday user, it’s a fantastic value and a very capable option.