Trijicon Tenmile HX Long-Range Hunting Riflescope: Dialed In

Glyn Bindon reimagined optical illumination with the release of his Spectrum tritium fiber-optic riflescope in 1985, and since then the company he founded—Trijicon—has continued to produce some of the best illuminated optics for the military, hunters and target shooters.

The company also offers several scopes that do not rely on tritium or fiber optics to power their illuminated reticles. Among that number are the Tenmile and Tenmile HX riflescopes. They are designed for long-range target and tactical shooting. The primary difference is that the Tenmile uses mil adjustments while the Tenmile HX uses m.o.a. adjustments.

The Tenmile HX is available in 3-18x44mm, 5-25x50mm and 6-24x50mm versions. The 30mm main tube is made from 6061 aircraft-grade aluminum and has a black satin finish. The 3-18X is 15 inches long and weighs 24.4 ounces. It’s available only with a front-focal-plane MOA Precision Tree reticle. This reticle offers both green and red illumination and is powered by a single CR2032 battery. There are 10 brightness settings with intermediate off settings.

The MOA Precision Tree is one of my favorite reticles because it offers so many reference points for holdover and windage adjustments without feeling as cluttered as some Christmas tree-style reticles. The reticle offers 40 m.o.a. of holdover and windage adjustments built in, and when you need to make shots in a hurry it’s not difficult to locate the proper stadia line. There are additional m.o.a. windage data points as holdover increases.

Front Focal Plane

Because the Tenmile HX is a front-focal-plane scope, the holdover and windage markings on the reticle are accurate at any magnification.

As popular as dialing for distance has become, I still prefer using a reticle to account for distance when fast shots are required, and designs like this make it simple to adjust wind holds on targets. And while some reticles are too fine for use at relatively low magnification, the Trijicon is a versatile design that is functional at most magnifications. Even at 6X I am still able to discern windage/elevation holds; at 3X the stadia lines disappear and the reticle acts very much like a standard duplex.

Most shooters prefer to dial, though, and the Trijicon’s exposed elevation turret makes that simple, too. Each click offers 1/4 m.o.a. of elevation adjustment with 20 m.o.a. per revolution and a total of 60 m.o.a. of elevation travel. There are white indicator lines that show the number of revolutions. You can also order custom turrets cut to match your rifle, load and environmental conditions through Kenton Industries via the Trijicon website.

There’s a zero stop that allows you to return the optic to the original zero quickly and efficiently. To do so, simply rotate the threaded top cap counterclockwise, remove it, and remove the turret. You can then loosen the hex screws around the return-to-zero disk with a 1.5 mm hex wrench. Reset the scope once the return-to-zero disk is in the proper position and reinstall the top cap.

Adjustments

There’s a capped windage adjustment turret as well, and it too provides 60 m.o.a. of adjustment. The dial is demarcated for left and right adjustments and offers 20 m.o.a. per revolution and revolution indicators. The windage turret is well marked. For example, if you adjust point of impact four clicks to the right, the turret is marked R1, indicating that you have adjusted one m.o.a. to the right.

I tested this optic on an elk hunt in Texas, and during that hunt I had the opportunity to spend time with Trijicon’s director of marketing, Josh Lyall. Lyall told me the reliability and performance of a scope is largely a result of the quality of components that are used to construct the optic, and that starts with lenses.

The Tenmile HX, like Trijicon’s other scopes, uses Japanese glass. It’s more expensive than glass that’s ground in other countries, but it’s very precise, which is why Trijicon uses it.

Lens coatings are another critical factor. Premium lens coatings offer increased clarity and color fidelity, and the Tenmile HX lenses feature multicoated, broadband, anti-reflective lens coatings—part of the reason Trijicon’s scopes are so bright in low light.

Rigorous Testing

Tenmile HX scopes come with a throw lever that’s easy to use and allows for fast magnification changes. The throw lever can be repositioned or removed if you prefer to change magnification by rotating the ring itself.

Lyall told me all Trijicon’s optics are subjected to the company’s testing protocol, which involves drop, vibration and solid zero testing. They’re also tested from -20 to 140 degrees—the company’s “Alaska-to-Africa” test—and they are immersion tested.

It’s a rigorous evaluation, but it’s one reason Trijicon scopes have such an outstanding reputation for reliability. I once had a front sling stud let go on an elk hunt, and my rifle fell scope-first onto a pile of rocks. Much to my surprise my Trijicon was only 3/4 m.o.a. off the original point of impact at 100 yards.

I wasn’t able to do a standard box test with the Tenmile HX, but I had the opportunity to shoot the rifle to 800 yards on steel at a range. The holdover adjustments measured true, and I was able to ring steel on my second shot at 800 yards.

Bull Elk Worthy

I had zeroed the scope in Ohio at 1,000 feet of elevation, but in west Texas I was hunting at nearly 5,000 feet. Thinner air caused my bullet to strike higher than at home, but I was able to reset my zero quickly and easily.

My chance came on the third day of the hunt when we heard a bull bugling in a stand of junipers high on a mountain. We made our way slowly toward the trees, and as the distance shrank I turned down the magnification using the throw lever because the shot would likely be quick. When he stepped clear of the trees I took the shot.

The bull managed only 30 yards before piling up. I hadn’t needed the MOA Precision Tree reticle, but at relatively close quarters and on low power the reticle looked very much like a standard duplex. On the opposite end of the spectrum, when I had the scope cranked up earlier in the hunt, it offered a generous eyebox.

One evening at camp, several fellow hunters and I compared our scopes’ low-light performance as the first stars began to appear. The Tenmile HX held its own against models from Swarovski and Zeiss. The Tenmile HX lens coatings also worked well against the desert glare. Lyall shot a bull facing directly into the setting sun, a feat not possible unless your optic is equipped with premium lens coatings.

At $2,345, the Tenmile HX is not inexpensive, but it offers loads of features in a hunting-size package and some of the best lenses and lens coatings in this price range. Combine this with Trijicon’s famous durability and this is certainly one of the best all-around rifle optics available today at any price.

Trijicon Tenmile HX Specs

• Power x Obj.: 3-18x44mm (tested)
• Length/Weight: 15 in., 24.4 oz.
• Main Tube: 30mm
• Reticle: MOA Precision Tree, 1st focal plane; red/green illumination
• Adjustments: exposed turret; 1/4 m.o.a.; 60 m.o.a. travel; resettable zero stop
• Parallax: 15 yds. to infinity
• Eye Relief: 3.4–3.9 in.
• MSRP: $2,345
• Manufacturer: Trijicon, trijicon.com

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