Leupold’s first focal plane Mark 5HD 2-10×30 riflescope, is still the smallest member of the Mark 5HD scope family. When I first saw it at SHOW Show ’23, the year the Oregon optics company launched it, this compact tactical riflescope immediately caught my attention because of my specific interest in lightweight and handy optics, such as LPVOs or 2-10x traditional riflescopes.
Moreover, this variant of the Leupold Mark 5HD called to me because Leupold developed this optic to be the “spiritual successor” of sorts to the classic Leupold Mark 4 LR/T scopes issued with Mk.12 SPRs, those famously accurized 5.56 mm AR variants of GWOT fame. My Mark 5HD 2-10×30 scope even uses the classic Leupold TMR reticle found on some Mark 4 LR/T models.
Mark 5HD 2-10×30 FFP Overview
The Mark 5HD 2-10×30 is built around a 5x optical zoom factor and a 35mm diameter anodized aluminum main tube with Leupold’s M5C3/M1C3 locking turrets. The rear half of this 2-10×30 has the exact same layout and feel as any other member of the Mark 5HD family. And like every other member of the Mark 5HD family, all 2-10×30 sub-variants are first focal plane riflescopes available in MRADs or MOA. They also possess the same wide ocular lens Mark 5 scopes are known for.
Unlike its larger siblings, the 2-10×30 has a very small objective bell that doesn’t take up much space. Because its footprint is so small, there is no risk of the bell clashing with the top of the rifle’s barrel or handguard. Likewise, because the entire scope is only 11 inches long, it doesn’t hog up much space over a rifle or carbine. Lengthwise, it’s comparable to most of the established LPVO models on the market.
Like every other Mark 5HD optic, the 2-10×30 is also assembled with Leupold’s Professional Grade Optical System consisting of the company’s highest tier of optical “high-definition” glass. Frankly, between this 2-10×30 and my other Mark 5HD 3.6-18×44, looking through their glass is an amazing experience.
There might be a tinge of chromatic aberration over bright daylight, but nothing outside of the norm at their price point. After racking up plenty of hours behind Mark 5HD scopes by now, their roomy eye boxes are very “comfortable,” especially during extended shooting sessions.
Mounting And Shooting the Mark 5HD 2-10×30
Even though 35 mm is a less common tube diameter than the “wide” standard of 34 mm, enough third-party companies that sell mounts and rings offer 35 mm options. Leupold offers some of their hunting scope models with 35 mm tubes as well, and they naturally offer hunting-grade and tactical scope rings for this diameter. In my case, I mounted the Mk.5-HD 2-10×30 to a 35mm 0-MOA Leupold Mark AR IMS 1.5-inch tall one-piece scope mount.
To date, I’ve been shooting the Mark 5HD 2-10×30 with this mount combination on different carbines for different tasks, reviews, and courses. So far, the most significant experience I’ve had with this scope was when I mounted it on a 16-inch 5.56 mm upper and took it to Green Ops’ comprehensive 2-Day LPVO class.
The course covers shooting with LPVO from 10 to 500 yards. So, this training event provided an abundance of opportunities to shoot targets at different distances with the 2-10×30 Mark 5HD. Shooting scenarios varied from running rapid-fire CQB drills, shooting and moving with a 2-point sling, and shooting at further distance steel targets from the prone.
In short, I was able to use the scope at high and low magnification to truly get a feel for it (and how it compares to an LPVO). Even though I had an offset auxiliary red-dot on-board, I made it a point to shoot with the scope at close distances, too.
Testing the Mark 5HD
When I reviewed the .22 LR S&W M&P 15-22, the shooting portion mostly consisted of grouping various types of .22LR ammunition at 50 yards off a bench. However, I also burned a few magazines of closer-in rapid fire, not unlike what I practiced with during my Green Ops course.
Shooting a rimfire rifle off a bench is hardly a challenge for a riflescope, but the Mk.5-HD’s glass and optical attributes provided a very comfortable experience. The scope worked so well that I almost took it for granted while I was focusing on my shots.
That afternoon was overcast and gloomy, yet the HD glass did a wonderful job of projecting a clear and bright image. By the end of the session, my vision didn’t feel strained in spite of the fact that I was shooting groups for nearly three hours.
At the time I pen this, the Leupold Mk.5-HD 2-10×30 and its Mark AR mount sit over a 5.56 mm Big Tex Ordnance/Hodge Upper Receiver with 12.5-inch Rosco Sage Dynamics stainless steel barrel.
Despite its shorter length, this AR-15 configuration shows a lot of promise, and this 2-10 riflescope is the perfect candidate for glass duty on this compact upper.
All About The Reticle: The TMR
A core feature of any magnified optic is its reticle. The Mark 5HD 2-10×30 is available with three different reticles: an MOA PR-1 reticle and two MRAD versions with Leupold’s classic TMR (Tactical Milling Reticle); one of these is illuminated.
My scope, SKU #179702, has the un-illuminated MRAD TMR reticle. The Tactical Milling Reticle, which is now old enough to be considered classic, has been a staple in many tactical Leupold riflescopes including the issued Leupold Mark 4 optics for the Mark 12 SPR.
To Be Continued In Part 2
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