@@OvertonWindex Oh you know. The money goes towards schools and potholes..... The same failing educational system and all the potholes they've been saying they're going to fix since I started voting 25+ years ago.
I have several Arken scopes, after purchasing the first one and looking through it, I removed a Nikon FX1000 and a Vortex from rifles to replace with Arkens. As far as the glass everyone screams about, the Arken EP5 and SHJ have Japanese glass. There is one reason I don't have Nightforce scopes on my rifles, the ridiculous cost. I used Nightforce scopes on my military issued rifles and can afford Nightforce scopes, but can't bring myself to pay that cost. Something happened last year that made me decide that Arken may be the only scopes I will purchase from now on. I went to the range, had not shot the rifle since the last range trip approx. a month earlier so it had traveled and been moved around. I sat the rifle on the shooting bench on the bipod. A Daniel Defense MK12, Magpul PRS stock, Arken SH4 scope, Atlas bipod that weighs 12.2 lbs on a scale without mag. A guy walked by the bench and bumped the rifle, it rolled off of a 42" tall table and landed scope down on the concrete. A real drop test, not dropping on grass or any nonsense. First thing another guy said was, you couldn't give me that rifle now. I replied, if the rifle or scope can't take that, I don't need it. But I knew the rifle could take it. There was not a scuff on the rifle, the top of scope took the full impact of that 12 lbs dropped on concrete. The elevation turret was scratched up but still usable, and the objective lens cap landed on the top hinge, it exploded apart on impact. I picked it up, ran the elevation knob, all seemed good, so I dialed it back to zero and shot a 5 shot
Those guys have warranties too. What you should spend on a scope depends on the application and the use you are intending. You don’t buy a high price point optic to impress friends.
@@thomaskingsbury6560 - I would think the other brands have a good warranty, probably not replacement parts mailed out the same day as Arken did. But that wasn't even a warranty issue, that was no fault of the product. The impressive part was the impact on concrete on the elevation knob and top of objective housing. Didn't bend the bell, no cracked glass, didn't lose tracking.
He's saying the quiet part out loud that a lot of people are unwilling to admit. 3-$400 chinesium optics like Arken's now are on par with high end American or German glass from 10~20 years ago. They are pretty capable and you have to pay a lot more for small increases in performance.
The Arken scopes are good for what you buy, and you have young eyes to see everything with them. We all have a problem, and we all will encounter it, poor eyesight. It happened to me at age 46, now 72, and I have cataracts from my exposure to Agent Orange during the Vietnam War. Not so much the glass but the coatings applied to the glass. I made a comparison between these scopes - Tract Toric, Arken EPL4 4-16x, Vortex PST, and Athlon BTR UHD 3-18x, the only scope that I could still see was Tract Toric 4-20x. What type of vision will you have 10 to 15 years down the road? Won't be the same more than likely. Buy wisely today. And, you don't need an NF, Tract Toric 5-25x50mm costs about $1600 cheaper than an NF scope. Arken’s good to go.
@@rudolphferdinand3634first off, welcome home and thank you for your service. Second yes the tract and the maven have better glass but they're three times as much money
Knives are similar. Chinese knives are pretty good these days. Japanese knives are better. Seki City made knives have a good reputation for decades and sought after.
That is essentially the reality. Until they start running ED glass in camera lenses like Nikon has. The variance is not too much. Pretty much is where the extreme high end optics started. Now such glass is easily achievable by partnering with a company like Hoya or Nikon.
This is the first video Ive seen from this creator. Really love and appreciate the perspective. As someone in a similar position, who was previously confined to budget options (that were in fact garbage at the time) and now has moved on to more prestigious options, I have had an eye on Arken from afar. Ive heard enough great things Ive been recommending it as a budget option to those in my circle. This content is compelling enough it actually makes me want to buy one for myself. Thanks for the data!
I bought an Arken EP5 and put it on my rifle and it is great. Clear glass, tracks well and is bright enough for me to shoot as distance. Thanks for the recommendation 1 1/2 years ago....that's when I bought it. Nice work on the testing and look forward to whatever comes next.
Honesty is what we all need, sometimes we might not want to hear it because sometimes honesty can hurt the ego. You being honest about all of this is what keeps me coming back and looking at your uploads. Thanks.
@@mostdavestdave69 Exactly. They are so financially invested in it that they can't see how a $400 Scope could ever be close to there Leupold, Steiner, or Nightforce
@@mostdavestdave69 im not really sure what there is to disagree with. He says, blatantly, that there is a difference. But its small and most people wont use/need that 10% better for 5x the cost. Thats pretty fair.
@@mostdavestdave69Application Dave , if the low price point optic serves your need then go for it. I own low , medium and high price point optics depending on their application. I have no regrets as they are excellent for their job.
I have been watching your content for quite some time now, and the items you suggest hold up to my expectations. I trust the thing you review on, because you show a non biased opinion and could give to shits less about the masses opinions are. I got a microtech houndstooth after seeing several of your videos about how smooth the action is and how durable they are. I am a glock fan and love how you put the naysayers to bed with your videos like breaking off the rear sight and still hammering nails. Recently for about a year I have been kicking around what optic to put on the 3 rifles I have sitting in boxes waiting for the glass to take them out. Your Arken durability tests and honest no shit feedback stopped me from buying a leupold 6hd patrol twice, and I just yesterday ordered an Arken with scope rings for $425 with your code. Thank you for doing what you do and giving the little guys who cannot get some factory sponsorship to fund their hobby some good reviews with practical uses to base purchases off with our own hard earned dollars. Sincerely, Pauly
I've owned the Arken EP5 since it came out. I've felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand up when the judgemental eyes at the gun range see what I'm shooting. With their custom $10k rigs, I can feel their satisfaction when I miss the X at 1000 yards. Every time I have a bad day at the range, I think to myself, why did I buy this thing? But I can not pin down a single instance where I thought this scope wasn't the best I've ever owned by a landslide. I've been full if self doubt since the moment I missed my first center X with this thing on my rifle. Constantly wondering if I made the right decision. Thank you for making this video. Coming on youtube in today's environment of cancel culture and claiming your Arken is better than your Nightforce takes balls. Perhaps next time I miss the X at the range, I will blame the real problem, me. Seriously, thanks so much for this. It means a lot.
Back in the sixties my dad was in the army. To supplement his income he sold fire extinguishers. So he would get the customer to stand back and pour a line of gas on the ground perpendicular to them and light it, the customer would see a wall of fire and he would put it out with that little extinguisher. They were really impressed with the demonstration. That is how I see this, you people think this is as great as sliced bread and shirt pockets. For what it is it is, and for what it ain’t it ain’t.
After running a Leupold Mk5HD, Vortex Razor Gen 3, and most recently a Primary Arms GLX and PLX series optic, I have been convinced that price point no longer equals quality as you clearly demonstrated. Use to be you were paying for better quality control measures and accurate turret adjustments but with companies like Primary Arms and Arken stepping up the competition, they are making it harder and harder to justify the higher-end optic brands as a worthwhile investment.
I've run into this a lot in the car world. Everyone says you need bug money parts to go fast, but my friends and I are going just as fast on chinesium stuff we paid a quarter of the price for. I just got into the gun world maybe a year ago and started outfitting my AR and battle belt. My buddy dogged me for using Amazon mag holsters and pouches on my belt, but they're literally just bags with molle. Same with the fore grip and qd mounts on my rifle. Obviously spend the money where it counts. The operating parts of the rifle are important, and that's why i scooped up an Aero M4e1 used for a good deal. Spend money where it counts, save where you can.
Thanks! You just saved me a ton I can now spend on ammo. I was looking at all the big name “nice” glass but something told me to do a little looking at Arken as I’ve seen it pop up.
Been shooting arkens since they first came out, I have swore by them ever since. Have dealt with brand whores for years giving me shit until they got out shot. I can't bring myself to spend big money on optics anymore when arken is out there. People are skeptical cause of all the features for the price point. At one point I was getting sh4 4x16x50 for like 230 bucks and that was with the caps, level, shirt and all that jazz.
I was planning on getting a Night Force for my 6.5 Creedmoor AR10 and take my Strike Eagle 5-25 off of it and replace the Crossfire II 6-24 on my Mosin with it. Still am moving the Strike Eagle to my Mosin, but after seeing your discovery this past week I am 100% getting an Arken 7-35 for my AR10. Thank you good sir.
I have the gen 1 EP5. Works great. I won a Zeiss S3 so I switched it out and haven’t looked back. But will say the Arken is great for the money. Good glass and features. Would still be using it if I hadn’t won the Zeiss. I haven’t had any problems with the Arken but do know someone who had an EP5 and it wouldn’t track right. So he sent it back and got another and it had the same problem. So idk. Once I get my MPA that I ordered I will be putting the EP5 back on my Seekins. Still working good
Good to hear the truth. I bought a very expensive scope some years ago, a S&B Ultra Short FFP with low lockable turrets. When I zeroed the scope and used the turrets up and down to make sure it was returning to zero etc., well the turret slipped unknown to me and when I fired my next shot it struck the ground several feet in front of target, it done this many times from then on, no matter what was done, tightened grub screws more, checked them every time I’d go to use it, didn’t matter, it would still let me down. Eventually S&B replaced it with one the same,and guess what, the replacement done the exact same. No one will tell you this though. Flawed new turret system of that I have no doubt because the old 5-25 S&B with the older turrets never ever done this no matter how many times it was used, tried and tested system that was excellent. Those two S&B Ultra Short scopes were the worst pieces of crap I ever owned , and the most expensive. Now there’s more truth not many want to hear. Thank you for your honesty.
But this can’t be!!! This performance that you’re showing us doesn’t align with my feelings! That’s a summary of the comments from the haters in my latest video haha. I love your commentary here!
Been bunging your channel lately, aming the top. I saw in your Arken video comments with a lot of hating on idea it was a commercial. Hey at least you used the product dhoung us in use ability if it was a commercial. Better than the Demo Ranch types hey so and so gve this to me to show off. Too bad I wont zero it or shoot further than a hundred yards, really just 25 feet..
I se ignorance on both sides of the equation. If you use the equipment rarely these scopes are marvelous. It all boils down to what is the application, period. If your use justifies the high price point optic then go for it. If you are a part timer who shoots occasionally and at limited distances and hunt one time a year I would laugh at you for spending a ton on that optic. Now , today we are blessed to have a range of optics for every niche of shooting discipline we can think of. So let us be free to purchase what works for us and leave the derision at the door, we don’t need it.
@@thomaskingsbury6560 I shoot 3 different Arkens every single day. One of them... this one, the EP5, at over 2,000 yards, every single day. I don't case my rifles, they get tossed in the truck, in a pile of other rifles. I don't understand anymore what more you could want.
@@OvertonWindex I don’t want anything just leaving a comment to boost Al gore ithm. I’m not noking the scope. I may buy one for my Grendel. Ahm jes sayin.
I own 4 Arkens including an EP5. Best scope at the price point by far. Great tracking and decent glass. But.... shooter in bright light and target in shadow they have cost me points. Many points. They wash out far more than even my Athlon Ares ETRs and are no where near as good in those conditions as my Leupolds or Trijicons. I'm limited by MSRP in that dividion, so the Arken stays even though I'd rather use one of my other scopes. Also, on none of mine is the point of minimum parallax the same as in focus, regardless of diopter adjustment. Some are better than others but they all suffer from it to some extent. I'll bet there's some that don't have this problem as I think it's the luck of the draw on lens placement when assembled. Some end up in the right place, some not so much and the QC isn't there to catch and fix it. Not a problem with my "better" brand scopes. At the end of the day, the only way to prove they can hang with the big dogs is to win match after match with them and that hasn't been happening with any regularity. For those that need to prove they're just as good... go win some things. Big things. Day after day. Until that happens the big guys will still have something to hang their hats on.
This is exactly the scenario that I’m in right now. Saving for a Night force. I’m willing to give Arken a shot after seeing a viewpoint of someone that isn’t pushing it for money. I appreciate the work put in to make this.
Damn it. Now I really need to watch this vid. I was scrolling the comments. I am saving for a leupold Mark 5. But that might take some time and I don’t know if I want to wait that long for it some glass to shoot.
I currently have an arken on a 378 weatherby that blew the insides of a Nightforce up after 60 rounds I have 160ish rounds with Arken mounted and it leaves sub moa groups.
if you are not competing dont waste the money on NF or comparable glass. if you are competing then dont waste the money on the arken. those small differences will show once you get out to range. Short range i think the arkens work just fine. if you stay under 500-600 the arken works just fine.
I don’t have a ridiculous budget, but my favorite rifle is my Savage 18” AR15 chambered in 224 Valkyrie. I’ve replaced nearly every part on it minus the lower and barrel and it still flat out shoots. I’ve been on the Arken train from the beginning so I have it topped with an EP4 that I got a few years back. At the range a guy critiqued my gun, he had a Defiance action 6.5 creedmoor with a Proof barrel in a KRG C4 chassis topped with a Mk5 Leopold. I told him that my gun can shoot better than I can. We each shot a couple groups at 100 yards and then went to the 1000 yard range and it went well for me. At the end he looked thru my Arken and said he was gonna order a couple. Win win.
Have a EP-5 5-25 been out to a mile with my 6.5 PRC. Switched from a bushnell elite and never looked back. Currently building a .375 Cheytac on a bat machine action with a ARS ELR chassis to get out to 2 miles will be using the ep5 7-35 on it.
I have NF ATACR, Vortex Razor III, bunch of arkens, including EP5 G2. Also have NF NXS. Arken isn't better than ATACR or Razor. LH4 is compatible with NXS on resolution and aberration departments, but looses in color and parallax. Resolution is fine on arkens, chromatic aberrations are bad on sh 4 g2, a touch better on sh4g2j, but you can also see it in NXS. Where arkens loose the most though, is the color and parallax. Color transmission is subpar, to the point when colors close on the spectrum are blending in together. Parallax is also terribly shellow, even on smaller magnifications, if you plan to shoot targets more than a few yards further from each other, be prepared to fine tune it constantly. Lens uniformity isn't the best either - sharp in the center, blurry and dark on the sides. Arkens are great scopes for the money. EP5 gen 1 is for sure better than vortex strike eagle and 25% cheaper. But by no means arkens are in top tier. Good, but not perfect.
@@helikon06 For those unaware, "copium" (coping + opium) and "huffing copium" (inhaling this metaphorical drug) came about as a meme not too long ago, usually meanining something along the lines of denying and rejecting a tragic event/ending to the point of delusion, while kinda sorta being in on the joke. Adverse effects on cognitive development: Evidence suggests that children's mental development can be damaged by prolonged internet use, including the development of memory skills, attention span, abilities for critical reasoning, language acquisition, reading, and learning.
@@helikon06 its not copium lol. its reality. the big thing is does that matter to the shooter. Ive had three arkens. every single one had parallax issues, especially past 600. i still use them on my steel bangers, but not on anything competition.
@@OvertonWindex i dont understand the hate for people that say that nicer scopes are actually better. Is it enough better to justify the extra cost? that depends on the shooter. Most people just need good enough.
Finally, someone stepping up to the plate and saying out loud what many of us knew. I don't have some U-tube platform or any interest in it, I'm just a regular guy who uses the Arken, loves it and have kicked myself in the ass for spending money elsewhere. Because well, because someone who supposedly knows more than I do told me and I ate it up. Thank you sir.
I was someone who made a comment on one of your shorts. I said that it’s rare to see an Arken recommendation without a coupon code attached at the end of that recommendation. I much prefer long form videos over reels because if I had seen a 20 minute anecdote of your experiences and then the arken coupon code, I probably would not have commented anything. Instead, I likely would have put this in the, “I am now more interested in buying this product” category of content.
I was VERY apprehensive about putting the EPL-4 on my very first custom build, but once I did and started running rounds down range out to 600 yrds. all daught was gone!!! You can’t get hurt by the money…..buy an ARKEN and you won’t be disappointed. End of story!
Love my arkens and really appreciate your insight and sharing your knowledge. The problem with these videos is more people are going to find out how amazing the arken optic is! I'm seriously hoping they keep the prices as low as they have because I know without a doubt they will always have amazing quality in their products! Great video as always, and I will be using your code this week. Thank you.
First time I watch a longform video...happy I did, you seem happier in this style! I started to get interested in "long range" (3 to 4 hundred yards) shooting recently. I didn't use to have wide clearing where I hunt, but lumberjack came by, so I got to learn. Thanks for the insights!
I have two Arkens and love them. I have been behind steiner, Vortex and Leopolds. The difference between them and Arken is mostly in the feel of the scope. Not the turrets but just how the scope feels in the hand. Silly because its not in your hands when you use it.
Just recently bought two Swarovski Z3 3x10. Best scopes I've owned. Dont need a bunch of knobs and nonsense, just need to be able to see at 49 like I did when I was 19.
I have a couple Arken EP4, a Nightforce, and couple Vortex Razor scopes. I like the Arken, but i don't prefer them. The biggest difference that i see is when zooming in, the eye relief doesn't change as much on the more expensive scopes. I find myself neck craning forward on my Arkens at full power. That said i would buy another one tomorrow but they aren't as good, however they do there job. Just my 2 cents.
I shoot photos and video for a living. It’s crazy to me that optics don’t hold their value in the firearm field when it’s the inverse in the camera field. Lenses hold their value, cameras don’t and the more you spend for lenses you absolutely get sharpness and ruggedness. My brain is trying to make sense of disparity. Arken seems to be the company just throwing the industry ass over tea kettle (kinda like some Chinese lenses in the cinema industry). Wild.
Hi. EXCELLENT presentation, and a new subscriber here. This is long, but real-world experience. The following is no BS and 'believe it or not', I don't care, I have NEVER received a 'free ANYTHING'! Retired Engineer, ex-Navy Gunner's Mate. Been shooting for 6 decades. Currently reload 40 different cartridges. I have a HUGE collection of Varmint/Target rifles from 22lr to 50 BMG. I must have 60+ scopes at the present, most mounted, but a lot of 'spares', as I upgrade the older ones. (I NEVER sell anything)! Last year, I 'discovered' Arken kind of by accident. I saw some reviews on 'Rimfire Central' and was curious. I started off with the SH-4. Not bad. As they outgrew their initial 'growing pains', I kept up to date. (I'm a member of the Seal Foundation, which is AWESOME). Let me cut through the fluff. Present day: All the following scopes were purchased from Amazon. For the retail price. I now own 4 EP5s. An SH-4J, and several 6-24 Gen lls. I have had ZERO issues with any. As much as I enjoy them, (as they replace Athlons, Vortex Vipers, etc in inventory), here's a 'tip'. Read the Amazon reviews and the UA-cam reviews of the new Discovery 5-25X56 PRS Gen lls. You should be able to tell which 'reviews' are honest and not a 'Schill'. I can. I just received Discovery 5-25X56 PRS Gen ll # 4. It has Hoya Japanese glass and currently on sale at Amazon for $299. Several 'testers' like the Discovery glass better than the Arken. Yeah, they are both HUGE scopes, but I no longer care to hunt, just target practice on my 2 private ranges. Late last year, I bought a new Vortex 5-25X56 Strike Eagle from Amazon. BOTH the Arkens and Discovery scopes were an improvement over the $800 Vortex. Just as a goof, Amazon was offering a new optic, a CV 5-25X56 scope for $199. (all of the scopes mentioned here, are the same power and 34mm tube size. When I got the CV, I took that rifle it was mounted on and the rifle with the Vortex SE to my range. Guess what? The glass on the CV was BETTER than the SE. and I still don't need glasses! The turrets were not quite as good as the Vortex, but 100% useable! I have a VERY accurate Savage M12 Varmint SS rifle with a Sightron Slll. Also, a Barrett M107A (50BMG) with a very HIGH END Leupold that belongs to my boss (he won't shoot it). He's a millionaire who likes to have the 'good stuff'. ha ha So, I know about shooting. I think a lot of the glass 'snobs' are butt hurt because they spent WAY too much $ on their glass. Would I like to have S&B, ZCO, etc on my guns? hell yeah! But like you, I can't see anything better in my inventory than the above glass. Just a quick note: I recently saw evidence on a Discovery website that showed the Discovery and Arken Zero stop mechanism being adjusted. Correct verbiage, but wrong pictures. Probably the same OEM. Ranking: 1-Discoverty PRS Gen ll (ps: check out their NEW 'honed' ring sets! The new Gen lls come with the upgraded rings, but I still purchase the lower 0.097" rings for my bolt rifles. The included rings are perfect for an AR platform. 2-Arken EP5 3-CV Life (I now have 4!!!) 4- Vertex Strike Eagle do some research........ ron
I replaced a Strike Eagle with an EP5. Way nicer scope, I found my strike eagle was really hard to get parallax dialed out and focused properly. I could never get focus and zero parallax at the same time. Arken is super easy to use, perfectly focused, zero parallax at any magnification or distance. Now just ordered the SH4 to use on a 22nrl.
I’ve got Tikka’s in 7RM and .308 win, factory stocks with trigger springs at 2.5#, quality scope rails and rings… Nikon FX-1000 on 1 and a Vortex PST Gen 2 on the other.. Both are solid at 800, 7RM to 1000… range limitations.. AND they are both actually usable! Under 10 pounds easily… All those range toys at 16 pounds and up… just not real world usable by anybody unless they’re fit!
Nice to know for the future. I also started with the Vortex strike eagle 5x 25. I also spent some coin on the Vortex razor gen 3. Most expensive scope I have purchased. I baby the dam thing because it cast way too much.
Thank you for this, I too have a few of the others also and since I’ve got my first Arken, I now have 4 of them and love every one of them. Great job on this
I too fell into the "need for tier 1 optics" thing to. And I have come to the same realization you have. Arken is changing the game. The EP5s 5-25 and 7-35 with the Japanese glass are indistinguishable from the glass in my athlon cronus btr.
Got my Arken ordered. Sorry, it was before I found you. Thanks for your honest review. I just want to enjoy myself a few times a year shooting out to 600 and paying the same price for the scope.
Thank you! I have used low coast scopes and have found them to work well. I shoot thousands of rounds a year at squirrels long range. Having a lot of rifles it gets expensive to scope them all with high dollar scopes. I am setting up as many of my rifles with weaver - Picatiny rails so scopes can be moved easily and fast. I have a few rifles with proprietary mounts. Knowing what I do now I wouldn’t have bought them. Weaver rails only will save you on scopes.
Thank you for this video, just bought my first bolt gun, been looking at different scopes and I keep on coming back to the Arken, I really want a first focal plane scopes but I my make an exception with the Arken
Just make sure you have some Vibra Tite VC-3 on hand. You need some thread locker for the allen set screws on the turrets. The turrets will spin freely after some range trips. I got that advice from Arken tech support for the few that I own. Also, others more visible than me have had a problem with Arken turrets slipping after a range day. Oopsies...
Put it on one of the most slept on rifles, the CVA Cascade, and youre just over $1k for a $2-3k experience. These use Bergara barrels and a good leap ahead of the off the shelf ruger american or rem700 receiver/stock fit.
I’ve been shooting for 40 years. Recently picked up the Arken EPL-4. 6-24x50. Unbelievable at only$399 I’ve shot and looked through almost everything on the market and these will compare to anything on the market at 5 or 6 times the price. I don’t know if they’re marketing these at cost to get their name out there. But these optics are probably the best value in the market right now.
There are gate keeping experts in every industry. Got my arkin yesterday. Just looking in the box , the thing looks serious. At that price it won't hurt to test it out. It's the same range as holosun red dot.
I like my two Arken scopes. I have an old Leupoldo Mark IV that the EP5 replaced, I needed a scope with a lit reticle and I wanted to try Mil Mil. It’s been working out great. I don’t shoot distance frequently enough to justify a higher end scope and good enough for a weekend plinker is perfect for me.
I’m glad you showed me Cylee. I bought a pistol dot and a rifle dot and they’re both fantastic. You should make a video explaining why people don’t need to spend 1000 bucks on an aimpoint.
I live in Europe. Country of Croatia. Using german rifle Sauer 100 Classic XT 308win. In combo with Arken ep5 5x25x56. And i can confirm everything is truth that this man said in the video. Busted my balls to get one of this scope but never regret it. It is awsome ❤! Awsome video mate 🔥🔥🔥
I bought 5 Arken scopes last year and I absolutely agree that they are of the best scopes made and Yes they are cheap in comparison : ) 😊 Some Arken scopes come with Japanese optics with extreme glass quality.
The very fact that you're even discussing a $500 scope as being even remotely comparable to a $3600 NF is a remarkable statement to its quality. I ordered mine a couple weeks ago, I guess the mount is holding up shipping. Can't wait to get my hands on it!
The correct tool for the job is the one that gets the Job done. One personal experience I'll share is that. I received and ruger 77 mark2 270win and swift 3x9x40 with silver finish. That was 1991 and I was 13. I just turned 47 and still hunt with that combo. It's only needed rezeroed 3 times. When new and when my little cousin fell down ,and it was off by 3 feet at 100 yards. That was about 96 and once more in about 05 when a youth hunter polevaulted with it across a creek. And it was my only deer rifle for many of the first 20 years or so. I know that rifle better than any other. From a few yards out to 400 and some change. Just after legal light to technically after after sunset. I had to keep careful track of the time in the evening with that swift scope that cost 79.99 in 91. Considering and 6x25x50 sightmark is 200 and I have it on and 22/250. And for 300 bucks i can get and usable scope that the glass and turrets don't just suck. I've wasted more for less .
Dude - thanks for this. I’ve been wondering about Arken after seeing so many videos and reviews. I don’t have one yet but I figure it will be my next optic.
Ive shot 2k with mine and saw the impact indicator. First round impact at 1k. Walked it out to a mile quick. Went to 2k the following day. Measured my miss with the reticle . Dialed it and impact. Thats when i became a believer. And i own 5. I made impacts with an arken on top of RPR 300PRC, that custom builds didnt. Ruger precision is equally an eye opener
I have 3 Arlen EPL-4s. It goes like this. If you drop, loose, it gets stolen, or damaged. You hadn’t lost much. The scopes work well for the $$#. Arken optics has upset the apple cart!! That’s my story and I am sticking to it.
i hate even asking questions about things, because the first thing out is if its a sub 5k weapon system its no good. here i am sitting with maybe a 1200 system. Its how you adapt to your system for your use. i have the Arken LH 4x16, and couldnt be happier. many a hog and deer put in the freezer with it so its awesome stuff to me lol
Then grabbed a Savage Desert Tactical in 6.5 CM… slapped an Arken on it! It weighs a freakin ton BUT it’s easily as good or better than both my other optics, previously mentioned, at tracking and clarity.. actually better past 18x… the Achilles heel of most optics I’ve ever seen! Past 18x… dark and cloudy fuzz..
Okay good man! I have had a very different approach to shooting challenges. I initially bought two Nikon 3 to 9 x scopes. It was 2019 and I was basically an old guy joining a challenge experience. I subsequently collected family heirlooms of 1955 rifles and scopes. Those scopes did not have the reticle that could lead to precision shooting. I proceeded to improve those scopes with minimum dollar and that was easy. Subsequently this year I purchased three upgrades at next to nothing costs. All equipment is better than I am. If I accomplish some precision in my shooting then maybe I will consider more dollars into the game. So I have at this point a 10/22, mini 14, Seiko 222 and a Remington 270. With that the Scopes are vortex mainly with the nikons delivered to the 2019 purchases. I'm in business at the limit of my abilities and look forward to improving the abilities before expending more money on equipment.
The EP5 line at least uses the vaunted Japanese glass hard to find in other brands for less than $1,500. I just got the EP5 5-25x and it looks great. Pretty heavy but for the magnification it is fine. Looking to get one if the 4-16x scopes.
I totally agree with you. I once had a bushnell scope 3x9x40 and my rifle fell into bunch of large rocks with my weight on it. It was stuck on 4x. I thought my hunt was over, but my dad told me to try and shoot it, to see where the bullet will strike on a paper plate at 100 yards. I put 3 shots dead center ( 1.1 inches) on that plate. Yes the glass isn’t as clear as a Leupold or The scopes you are talking about. But that $75 dollar scope held it’s zero. But I am a Leupold fan. But I see what you are saying 👍
Thank you for an honest opinion everybody says those scopes aren't that good. I've always wanted one but now I don't need 1 because it's not as good as the cheaper 1. I have an arkan EPL 4 on my 6 arc. It's 6 to 2450 mm and it's light it only ways 25 oz great for hunting onto my ARI think. I'll buy another one with more magnification for my bigger guns. Thank you.
I love my Arken I had a guy at the range next to me and we started chatting like you do he asked if he could look through my Arken as he had big ass Nightforce and he was blown away at how good it was and he paid all that money and my lil Arken was just as good. Like I said I love it Im no competition shooter I just love shooting and smacking targets at all ranges and I know I dont need no Big name scope to Impress people I dont know. Have a good day people and remember Dont be a asshole you dont know what people are going through you just might come unstuck. Cheers
The 5-15 is asome and life of scope warranty and if some one says that they need more magnification so now arken has released a 7-35 x50 also more magnification means better glass so more asome
Dude...great video! I have a couple of SH4Js and I love them. At the range, where I shoot, there are a quite a few PRS guys shooting. Of the guys I've shot with, they all use high end Leupolds, Vortex Razors, NightForce, or Kahles optics. I have shot some of their guns and these optics are very nice, there is no question, but I can't see a difference between their scopes and my Arkens. I shoot out to 1200 yards and I'm making hits just like they are. I have decided I am not going to spend that kind of money on an optic, as long as Arken is out there.
THIS Scope: bit.ly/4cJVRZj Use Code: "Overton" to Save $150 Bucks!
Awesome review/promotion man. I can get that rifle/scope setup I want now.
Damn! 25% discount! That's a real discount. These other sites using 10-15% are barely covering taxes.
@@mostdavestdave69aaahhhh taxes… no sales tax in Montana. Don’t understand why you guys put up with that shit
@@OvertonWindex Oh you know. The money goes towards schools and potholes..... The same failing educational system and all the potholes they've been saying they're going to fix since I started voting 25+ years ago.
Great job! Good info!
I have several Arken scopes, after purchasing the first one and looking through it, I removed a Nikon FX1000 and a Vortex from rifles to replace with Arkens. As far as the glass everyone screams about, the Arken EP5 and SHJ have Japanese glass.
There is one reason I don't have Nightforce scopes on my rifles, the ridiculous cost. I used Nightforce scopes on my military issued rifles and can afford Nightforce scopes, but can't bring myself to pay that cost.
Something happened last year that made me decide that Arken may be the only scopes I will purchase from now on. I went to the range, had not shot the rifle since the last range trip approx. a month earlier so it had traveled and been moved around. I sat the rifle on the shooting bench on the bipod. A Daniel Defense MK12, Magpul PRS stock, Arken SH4 scope, Atlas bipod that weighs 12.2 lbs on a scale without mag. A guy walked by the bench and bumped the rifle, it rolled off of a 42" tall table and landed scope down on the concrete. A real drop test, not dropping on grass or any nonsense. First thing another guy said was, you couldn't give me that rifle now. I replied, if the rifle or scope can't take that, I don't need it. But I knew the rifle could take it. There was not a scuff on the rifle, the top of scope took the full impact of that 12 lbs dropped on concrete. The elevation turret was scratched up but still usable, and the objective lens cap landed on the top hinge, it exploded apart on impact. I picked it up, ran the elevation knob, all seemed good, so I dialed it back to zero and shot a 5 shot
Those guys have warranties too. What you should spend on a scope depends on the application and the use you are intending. You don’t buy a high price point optic to impress friends.
@@thomaskingsbury6560 - I would think the other brands have a good warranty, probably not replacement parts mailed out the same day as Arken did. But that wasn't even a warranty issue, that was no fault of the product. The impressive part was the impact on concrete on the elevation knob and top of objective housing. Didn't bend the bell, no cracked glass, didn't lose tracking.
Hope the clutz has a black eye. 😆
@@chrism2042 Bravo Arken!
KnifeMaker
"Not only our ability, but our unyielding desire to enact our will at a distance is the essence of being human." - Old neighbor of mine
This has been your most interesting "series" by far. Very cool find
I like this plan… if I get something new… I want to just obsess over it for a week
He's saying the quiet part out loud that a lot of people are unwilling to admit. 3-$400 chinesium optics like Arken's now are on par with high end American or German glass from 10~20 years ago. They are pretty capable and you have to pay a lot more for small increases in performance.
The Arken scopes are good for what you buy, and you have young eyes to see everything with them. We all have a problem, and we all will encounter it, poor eyesight. It happened to me at age 46, now 72, and I have cataracts from my exposure to Agent Orange during the Vietnam War. Not so much the glass but the coatings applied to the glass. I made a comparison between these scopes - Tract Toric, Arken EPL4 4-16x, Vortex PST, and Athlon BTR UHD 3-18x, the only scope that I could still see was Tract Toric 4-20x. What type of vision will you have 10 to 15 years down the road? Won't be the same more than likely. Buy wisely today. And, you don't need an NF, Tract Toric 5-25x50mm costs about $1600 cheaper than an NF scope. Arken’s good to go.
Not Chinese but Japanese glass, way better in my opinion. But there are better scopes out there just not at that price point
@@rudolphferdinand3634first off, welcome home and thank you for your service. Second yes the tract and the maven have better glass but they're three times as much money
Knives are similar. Chinese knives are pretty good these days. Japanese knives are better. Seki City made knives have a good reputation for decades and sought after.
That is essentially the reality. Until they start running ED glass in camera lenses like Nikon has. The variance is not too much. Pretty much is where the extreme high end optics started. Now such glass is easily achievable by partnering with a company like Hoya or Nikon.
This is the first video Ive seen from this creator. Really love and appreciate the perspective. As someone in a similar position, who was previously confined to budget options (that were in fact garbage at the time) and now has moved on to more prestigious options, I have had an eye on Arken from afar. Ive heard enough great things Ive been recommending it as a budget option to those in my circle. This content is compelling enough it actually makes me want to buy one for myself. Thanks for the data!
arken has done a great job at building a good enough scope at a reasonable price for the options. they are a great deal and perform above their cost.
I bought an Arken EP5 and put it on my rifle and it is great. Clear glass, tracks well and is bright enough for me to shoot as distance. Thanks for the recommendation 1 1/2 years ago....that's when I bought it. Nice work on the testing and look forward to whatever comes next.
Honesty is what we all need, sometimes we might not want to hear it because sometimes honesty can hurt the ego. You being honest about all of this is what keeps me coming back and looking at your uploads.
Thanks.
The people that disagree probably have to reassure themselves after dropping $1000's of dollars on their optic.
@@mostdavestdave69 Exactly. They are so financially invested in it that they can't see how a $400 Scope could ever be close to there Leupold, Steiner, or Nightforce
@@mostdavestdave69 im not really sure what there is to disagree with. He says, blatantly, that there is a difference. But its small and most people wont use/need that 10% better for 5x the cost. Thats pretty fair.
@@mostdavestdave69Application Dave , if the low price point optic serves your need then go for it. I own low , medium and high price point optics depending on their application. I have no regrets as they are excellent for their job.
@@McgSpook I said blatantly that there is a difference... but, I cannot find it.
The tracking above all else is where these shine. About as perfect as can be.
I have been watching your content for quite some time now, and the items you suggest hold up to my expectations. I trust the thing you review on, because you show a non biased opinion and could give to shits less about the masses opinions are. I got a microtech houndstooth after seeing several of your videos about how smooth the action is and how durable they are. I am a glock fan and love how you put the naysayers to bed with your videos like breaking off the rear sight and still hammering nails. Recently for about a year I have been kicking around what optic to put on the 3 rifles I have sitting in boxes waiting for the glass to take them out. Your Arken durability tests and honest no shit feedback stopped me from buying a leupold 6hd patrol twice, and I just yesterday ordered an Arken with scope rings for $425 with your code. Thank you for doing what you do and giving the little guys who cannot get some factory sponsorship to fund their hobby some good reviews with practical uses to base purchases off with our own hard earned dollars.
Sincerely,
Pauly
I've owned the Arken EP5 since it came out. I've felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand up when the judgemental eyes at the gun range see what I'm shooting. With their custom $10k rigs, I can feel their satisfaction when I miss the X at 1000 yards. Every time I have a bad day at the range, I think to myself, why did I buy this thing? But I can not pin down a single instance where I thought this scope wasn't the best I've ever owned by a landslide.
I've been full if self doubt since the moment I missed my first center X with this thing on my rifle. Constantly wondering if I made the right decision.
Thank you for making this video. Coming on youtube in today's environment of cancel culture and claiming your Arken is better than your Nightforce takes balls. Perhaps next time I miss the X at the range, I will blame the real problem, me.
Seriously, thanks so much for this. It means a lot.
This video has been SOOOOO needed!!! Well done sir and I extrmely appreciate your humor! Well! Done!
Back in the sixties my dad was in the army. To supplement his income he sold fire extinguishers. So he would get the customer to stand back and pour a line of gas on the ground perpendicular to them and light it, the customer would see a wall of fire and he would put it out with that little extinguisher. They were really impressed with the demonstration. That is how I see this, you people think this is as great as sliced bread and shirt pockets. For what it is it is, and for what it ain’t it ain’t.
Guys that say "poors" & "cope" are punching the air right now. (I own an Arken EP5 5-25X56..... Love it )
After running a Leupold Mk5HD, Vortex Razor Gen 3, and most recently a Primary Arms GLX and PLX series optic, I have been convinced that price point no longer equals quality as you clearly demonstrated. Use to be you were paying for better quality control measures and accurate turret adjustments but with companies like Primary Arms and Arken stepping up the competition, they are making it harder and harder to justify the higher-end optic brands as a worthwhile investment.
I've run into this a lot in the car world. Everyone says you need bug money parts to go fast, but my friends and I are going just as fast on chinesium stuff we paid a quarter of the price for. I just got into the gun world maybe a year ago and started outfitting my AR and battle belt. My buddy dogged me for using Amazon mag holsters and pouches on my belt, but they're literally just bags with molle. Same with the fore grip and qd mounts on my rifle. Obviously spend the money where it counts. The operating parts of the rifle are important, and that's why i scooped up an Aero M4e1 used for a good deal. Spend money where it counts, save where you can.
We need to stop talking about this before Arken starts pricing their scopes accordingly. 😶
Thanks! You just saved me a ton I can now spend on ammo. I was looking at all the big name “nice” glass but something told me to do a little looking at Arken as I’ve seen it pop up.
Been shooting arkens since they first came out, I have swore by them ever since. Have dealt with brand whores for years giving me shit until they got out shot. I can't bring myself to spend big money on optics anymore when arken is out there. People are skeptical cause of all the features for the price point. At one point I was getting sh4 4x16x50 for like 230 bucks and that was with the caps, level, shirt and all that jazz.
I was planning on getting a Night Force for my 6.5 Creedmoor AR10 and take my Strike Eagle 5-25 off of it and replace the Crossfire II 6-24 on my Mosin with it. Still am moving the Strike Eagle to my Mosin, but after seeing your discovery this past week I am 100% getting an Arken 7-35 for my AR10. Thank you good sir.
I have the gen 1 EP5. Works great. I won a Zeiss S3 so I switched it out and haven’t looked back. But will say the Arken is great for the money. Good glass and features. Would still be using it if I hadn’t won the Zeiss. I haven’t had any problems with the Arken but do know someone who had an EP5 and it wouldn’t track right. So he sent it back and got another and it had the same problem. So idk. Once I get my MPA that I ordered I will be putting the EP5 back on my Seekins. Still working good
that was me jason. im on the 3rd and just decided it wasnt gonna get fixed so i make due. congrats on that zeiss and fatboy tripod btw.
The difference between budget and premium optics has diminished over the last 15 years but the opinions about cost vs quality have not changed.
The surprise for me was to see how the EP5 kept working flawlessly in bad weather conditions.
I will be looking into the Arken scopes. Thank you
Good to hear the truth. I bought a very expensive scope some years ago, a S&B Ultra Short FFP with low lockable turrets. When I zeroed the scope and used the turrets up and down to make sure it was returning to zero etc., well the turret slipped unknown to me and when I fired my next shot it struck the ground several feet in front of target, it done this many times from then on, no matter what was done, tightened grub screws more, checked them every time I’d go to use it, didn’t matter, it would still let me down. Eventually S&B replaced it with one the same,and guess what, the replacement done the exact same. No one will tell you this though. Flawed new turret system of that I have no doubt because the old 5-25 S&B with the older turrets never ever done this no matter how many times it was used, tried and tested system that was excellent. Those two S&B Ultra Short scopes were the worst pieces of crap I ever owned , and the most expensive. Now there’s more truth not many want to hear. Thank you for your honesty.
But this can’t be!!! This performance that you’re showing us doesn’t align with my feelings!
That’s a summary of the comments from the haters in my latest video haha. I love your commentary here!
Been bunging your channel lately, aming the top. I saw in your Arken video comments with a lot of hating on idea it was a commercial. Hey at least you used the product dhoung us in use ability if it was a commercial. Better than the Demo Ranch types hey so and so gve this to me to show off. Too bad I wont zero it or shoot further than a hundred yards, really just 25 feet..
I se ignorance on both sides of the equation. If you use the equipment rarely these scopes are marvelous. It all boils down to what is the application, period. If your use justifies the high price point optic then go for it. If you are a part timer who shoots occasionally and at limited distances and hunt one time a year I would laugh at you for spending a ton on that optic. Now , today we are blessed to have a range of optics for every niche of shooting discipline we can think of. So let us be free to purchase what works for us and leave the derision at the door, we don’t need it.
@@thomaskingsbury6560 I shoot 3 different Arkens every single day. One of them... this one, the EP5, at over 2,000 yards, every single day. I don't case my rifles, they get tossed in the truck, in a pile of other rifles. I don't understand anymore what more you could want.
@@OvertonWindex I don’t want anything just leaving a comment to boost Al gore ithm. I’m not noking the scope. I may buy one for my Grendel. Ahm jes sayin.
I own 4 Arkens including an EP5. Best scope at the price point by far. Great tracking and decent glass. But.... shooter in bright light and target in shadow they have cost me points. Many points. They wash out far more than even my Athlon Ares ETRs and are no where near as good in those conditions as my Leupolds or Trijicons. I'm limited by MSRP in that dividion, so the Arken stays even though I'd rather use one of my other scopes.
Also, on none of mine is the point of minimum parallax the same as in focus, regardless of diopter adjustment. Some are better than others but they all suffer from it to some extent. I'll bet there's some that don't have this problem as I think it's the luck of the draw on lens placement when assembled. Some end up in the right place, some not so much and the QC isn't there to catch and fix it. Not a problem with my "better" brand scopes.
At the end of the day, the only way to prove they can hang with the big dogs is to win match after match with them and that hasn't been happening with any regularity. For those that need to prove they're just as good... go win some things. Big things. Day after day. Until that happens the big guys will still have something to hang their hats on.
This is incredibly refreshing. I’ve found the same conclusions with all sorts of gear over the years.
This is exactly the scenario that I’m in right now. Saving for a Night force. I’m willing to give Arken a shot after seeing a viewpoint of someone that isn’t pushing it for money. I appreciate the work put in to make this.
Damn it. Now I really need to watch this vid. I was scrolling the comments. I am saving for a leupold Mark 5. But that might take some time and I don’t know if I want to wait that long for it some glass to shoot.
@@b.a_charlie2228 I cant stand the redicles for leupold
I currently have an arken on a 378 weatherby that blew the insides of a Nightforce up after 60 rounds I have 160ish rounds with Arken mounted and it leaves sub moa groups.
I have several arkens. They're great scopes. Try one out you won't be disappointed
if you are not competing dont waste the money on NF or comparable glass. if you are competing then dont waste the money on the arken. those small differences will show once you get out to range. Short range i think the arkens work just fine. if you stay under 500-600 the arken works just fine.
I don’t have a ridiculous budget, but my favorite rifle is my Savage 18” AR15 chambered in 224 Valkyrie. I’ve replaced nearly every part on it minus the lower and barrel and it still flat out shoots. I’ve been on the Arken train from the beginning so I have it topped with an EP4 that I got a few years back. At the range a guy critiqued my gun, he had a Defiance action 6.5 creedmoor with a Proof barrel in a KRG C4 chassis topped with a Mk5 Leopold. I told him that my gun can shoot better than I can. We each shot a couple groups at 100 yards and then went to the 1000 yard range and it went well for me. At the end he looked thru my Arken and said he was gonna order a couple. Win win.
Have a EP-5 5-25 been out to a mile with my 6.5 PRC. Switched from a bushnell elite and never looked back. Currently building a .375 Cheytac on a bat machine action with a ARS ELR chassis to get out to 2 miles will be using the ep5 7-35 on it.
Ordered my first two Arken scopes with code Overton yesterday, thanks for the savings!
I have NF ATACR, Vortex Razor III, bunch of arkens, including EP5 G2. Also have NF NXS.
Arken isn't better than ATACR or Razor.
LH4 is compatible with NXS on resolution and aberration departments, but looses in color and parallax.
Resolution is fine on arkens, chromatic aberrations are bad on sh 4 g2, a touch better on sh4g2j, but you can also see it in NXS. Where arkens loose the most though, is the color and parallax. Color transmission is subpar, to the point when colors close on the spectrum are blending in together. Parallax is also terribly shellow, even on smaller magnifications, if you plan to shoot targets more than a few yards further from each other, be prepared to fine tune it constantly. Lens uniformity isn't the best either - sharp in the center, blurry and dark on the sides.
Arkens are great scopes for the money. EP5 gen 1 is for sure better than vortex strike eagle and 25% cheaper.
But by no means arkens are in top tier. Good, but not perfect.
The copium
@@helikon06 Well he's not using the EP series...
@@helikon06 For those unaware, "copium" (coping + opium) and "huffing copium" (inhaling this metaphorical drug) came about as a meme not too long ago, usually meanining something along the lines of denying and rejecting a tragic event/ending to the point of delusion, while kinda sorta being in on the joke. Adverse effects on cognitive development: Evidence suggests that children's mental development can be damaged by prolonged internet use, including the development of memory skills, attention span, abilities for critical reasoning, language acquisition, reading, and learning.
@@helikon06 its not copium lol. its reality. the big thing is does that matter to the shooter. Ive had three arkens. every single one had parallax issues, especially past 600. i still use them on my steel bangers, but not on anything competition.
@@OvertonWindex i dont understand the hate for people that say that nicer scopes are actually better. Is it enough better to justify the extra cost? that depends on the shooter. Most people just need good enough.
Finally, someone stepping up to the plate and saying out loud what many of us knew. I don't have some U-tube platform or any interest in it, I'm just a regular guy who uses the Arken, loves it and have kicked myself in the ass for spending money elsewhere. Because well, because someone who supposedly knows more than I do told me and I ate it up. Thank you sir.
I was someone who made a comment on one of your shorts. I said that it’s rare to see an Arken recommendation without a coupon code attached at the end of that recommendation. I much prefer long form videos over reels because if I had seen a 20 minute anecdote of your experiences and then the arken coupon code, I probably would not have commented anything. Instead, I likely would have put this in the, “I am now more interested in buying this product” category of content.
I was VERY apprehensive about putting the EPL-4 on my very first custom build, but once I did and started running rounds down range out to 600 yrds. all daught was gone!!! You can’t get hurt by the money…..buy an ARKEN and you won’t be disappointed. End of story!
Especially if you are not a competition shooter.
Love my arkens and really appreciate your insight and sharing your knowledge. The problem with these videos is more people are going to find out how amazing the arken optic is! I'm seriously hoping they keep the prices as low as they have because I know without a doubt they will always have amazing quality in their products! Great video as always, and I will be using your code this week. Thank you.
First time I watch a longform video...happy I did, you seem happier in this style!
I started to get interested in "long range" (3 to 4 hundred yards) shooting recently. I didn't use to have wide clearing where I hunt, but lumberjack came by, so I got to learn.
Thanks for the insights!
I have two Arkens and love them. I have been behind steiner, Vortex and Leopolds. The difference between them and Arken is mostly in the feel of the scope. Not the turrets but just how the scope feels in the hand. Silly because its not in your hands when you use it.
Just recently bought two Swarovski Z3 3x10. Best scopes I've owned. Dont need a bunch of knobs and nonsense, just need to be able to see at 49 like I did when I was 19.
I have a couple Arken EP4, a Nightforce, and couple Vortex Razor scopes. I like the Arken, but i don't prefer them. The biggest difference that i see is when zooming in, the eye relief doesn't change as much on the more expensive scopes. I find myself neck craning forward on my Arkens at full power. That said i would buy another one tomorrow but they aren't as good, however they do there job. Just my 2 cents.
First video I’ve seen from this channel. Immediate sub 😁
Don't forget to sign up for rewards, they add up quick and after a few purchases you will earn enough to cut the price in half, if not more.
I shoot photos and video for a living. It’s crazy to me that optics don’t hold their value in the firearm field when it’s the inverse in the camera field. Lenses hold their value, cameras don’t and the more you spend for lenses you absolutely get sharpness and ruggedness. My brain is trying to make sense of disparity.
Arken seems to be the company just throwing the industry ass over tea kettle (kinda like some Chinese lenses in the cinema industry). Wild.
It blows my mind that my (target cam) p1000, costs a grand.... It 1000 times clearer and better than any firearms scope in the world. Why.
@@OvertonWindex is it variable power, how many lenses does the light pass through ?
@@OvertonWindex never mind my question, just looked up this camera. The Nikon p1000 looks impressive. 125x optical zoom
Lenses loose their value as well as improvements are made. 10k lenses sell for 3.5K
Osprey runs all Hoya glass. I have one and its stupid clear compared to my Vortex scopes. Eye relief is much better.
Hi. EXCELLENT presentation, and a new subscriber here. This is long, but real-world experience.
The following is no BS and 'believe it or not', I don't care, I have NEVER received a 'free ANYTHING'!
Retired Engineer, ex-Navy Gunner's Mate. Been shooting for 6 decades. Currently reload 40 different cartridges. I have a HUGE collection of Varmint/Target rifles from 22lr to 50 BMG.
I must have 60+ scopes at the present, most mounted, but a lot of 'spares', as I upgrade the older ones. (I NEVER sell anything)!
Last year, I 'discovered' Arken kind of by accident. I saw some reviews on 'Rimfire Central' and was curious. I started off with the SH-4. Not bad. As they outgrew their initial 'growing pains', I kept up to date. (I'm a member of the Seal Foundation, which is AWESOME).
Let me cut through the fluff. Present day: All the following scopes were purchased from Amazon. For the retail price.
I now own 4 EP5s. An SH-4J, and several 6-24 Gen lls. I have had ZERO issues with any.
As much as I enjoy them, (as they replace Athlons, Vortex Vipers, etc in inventory), here's a 'tip'.
Read the Amazon reviews and the UA-cam reviews of the new Discovery 5-25X56 PRS Gen lls.
You should be able to tell which 'reviews' are honest and not a 'Schill'. I can.
I just received Discovery 5-25X56 PRS Gen ll # 4. It has Hoya Japanese glass and currently on sale at Amazon for $299. Several 'testers' like the Discovery glass better than the Arken.
Yeah, they are both HUGE scopes, but I no longer care to hunt, just target practice on my 2 private ranges.
Late last year, I bought a new Vortex 5-25X56 Strike Eagle from Amazon. BOTH the Arkens and Discovery scopes were an improvement over the $800 Vortex.
Just as a goof, Amazon was offering a new optic, a CV 5-25X56 scope for $199. (all of the scopes mentioned here, are the same power and 34mm tube size.
When I got the CV, I took that rifle it was mounted on and the rifle with the Vortex SE to my range.
Guess what? The glass on the CV was BETTER than the SE. and I still don't need glasses!
The turrets were not quite as good as the Vortex, but 100% useable!
I have a VERY accurate Savage M12 Varmint SS rifle with a Sightron Slll. Also, a Barrett M107A (50BMG) with a very HIGH END Leupold that belongs to my boss (he won't shoot it). He's a millionaire who likes to have the 'good stuff'. ha ha So, I know about shooting. I think a lot of the glass 'snobs' are butt hurt because they spent WAY too much $ on their glass.
Would I like to have S&B, ZCO, etc on my guns? hell yeah! But like you, I can't see anything better in my inventory than the above glass.
Just a quick note: I recently saw evidence on a Discovery website that showed the Discovery and Arken Zero stop mechanism being adjusted. Correct verbiage, but wrong pictures. Probably the same OEM.
Ranking:
1-Discoverty PRS Gen ll (ps: check out their NEW 'honed' ring sets! The new Gen lls come with the upgraded rings, but I still purchase the lower 0.097" rings for my bolt rifles. The included rings are perfect for an AR platform.
2-Arken EP5
3-CV Life (I now have 4!!!)
4- Vertex Strike Eagle
do some research........
ron
I replaced a Strike Eagle with an EP5. Way nicer scope, I found my strike eagle was really hard to get parallax dialed out and focused properly. I could never get focus and zero parallax at the same time. Arken is super easy to use, perfectly focused, zero parallax at any magnification or distance. Now just ordered the SH4 to use on a 22nrl.
I’ve got Tikka’s in 7RM and .308 win, factory stocks with trigger springs at 2.5#, quality scope rails and rings… Nikon FX-1000 on 1 and a Vortex PST Gen 2 on the other.. Both are solid at 800, 7RM to 1000… range limitations.. AND they are both actually usable! Under 10 pounds easily… All those range toys at 16 pounds and up… just not real world usable by anybody unless they’re fit!
One of your better video man. Thank you for doing a fact based test and bring the photo results to us.
Nice to know for the future. I also started with the Vortex strike eagle 5x 25. I also spent some coin on the Vortex razor gen 3. Most expensive scope I have purchased. I baby the dam thing because it cast way too much.
You are the man sir. Thanks a lot for doing this vid. Super valuable time watching it 🫡
Just ordered my second Arken and I couldn’t be any more pleased.. In my opinion the glass is better and more crisp than my Razor..
Thank you for this, I too have a few of the others also and since I’ve got my first Arken, I now have 4 of them and love every one of them. Great job on this
I too fell into the "need for tier 1 optics" thing to. And I have come to the same realization you have. Arken is changing the game. The EP5s 5-25 and 7-35 with the Japanese glass are indistinguishable from the glass in my athlon cronus btr.
Got my Arken ordered. Sorry, it was before I found you. Thanks for your honest review. I just want to enjoy myself a few times a year shooting out to 600 and paying the same price for the scope.
Thank you! I have used low coast scopes and have found them to work well. I shoot thousands of rounds a year at squirrels long range. Having a lot of rifles it gets expensive to scope them all with high dollar scopes. I am setting up as many of my rifles with weaver - Picatiny rails so scopes can be moved easily and fast. I have a few rifles with proprietary mounts. Knowing what I do now I wouldn’t have bought them. Weaver rails only will save you on scopes.
Thank you for this video, just bought my first bolt gun, been looking at different scopes and I keep on coming back to the Arken, I really want a first focal plane scopes but I my make an exception with the Arken
Every single one of Arken scopes is first focal plane
Just make sure you have some Vibra Tite VC-3 on hand. You need some thread locker for the allen set screws on the turrets. The turrets will spin freely after some range trips. I got that advice from Arken tech support for the few that I own.
Also, others more visible than me have had a problem with Arken turrets slipping after a range day.
Oopsies...
For sure! that's one of the videos on the list, Gotta thread lock those
I personally have 3 Arken rifle scopes, and I won't be looking at others from now on. Great video. Keep well and raise hell. Dave & The Girls
Put it on one of the most slept on rifles, the CVA Cascade, and youre just over $1k for a $2-3k experience. These use Bergara barrels and a good leap ahead of the off the shelf ruger american or rem700 receiver/stock fit.
I second this, 6.5 PRC with an Arken. Great shooter.
I’ve been shooting for 40 years. Recently picked up the Arken EPL-4. 6-24x50. Unbelievable at only$399 I’ve shot and looked through almost everything on the market and these will compare to anything on the market at 5 or 6 times the price. I don’t know if they’re marketing these at cost to get their name out there. But these optics are probably the best value in the market right now.
Luckily, I learned a long time ago that expensive doesn’t mean quality
There are gate keeping experts in every industry. Got my arkin yesterday. Just looking in the box , the thing looks serious. At that price it won't hurt to test it out. It's the same range as holosun red dot.
I like my two Arken scopes. I have an old Leupoldo Mark IV that the EP5 replaced, I needed a scope with a lit reticle and I wanted to try Mil Mil. It’s been working out great. I don’t shoot distance frequently enough to justify a higher end scope and good enough for a weekend plinker is perfect for me.
Just ordered the 5x25 based on your recommendation & used your code, thanks Overton.
The Ep5? 5-25? The one in the video? Can't find anything about it that leaves me wanting. Even owning all the expensive ones.
To quote the late great @Paul Harrel (may he forever watch over us amen) "Not enough difference to make a difference". RIP Paul
Its nice to see a counter offensive being launched against the optic shilling. Cant wait for my arken to get in😎
I’m glad you showed me Cylee. I bought a pistol dot and a rifle dot and they’re both fantastic.
You should make a video explaining why people don’t need to spend 1000 bucks on an aimpoint.
I live in Europe. Country of Croatia. Using german rifle Sauer 100 Classic XT 308win. In combo with Arken ep5 5x25x56. And i can confirm everything is truth that this man said in the video. Busted my balls to get one of this scope but never regret it.
It is awsome ❤!
Awsome video mate 🔥🔥🔥
I bought 5 Arken scopes last year and I absolutely agree that they are of the best scopes made and Yes they are cheap in comparison : ) 😊
Some Arken scopes come with Japanese optics with extreme glass quality.
The very fact that you're even discussing a $500 scope as being even remotely comparable to a $3600 NF is a remarkable statement to its quality.
I ordered mine a couple weeks ago, I guess the mount is holding up shipping. Can't wait to get my hands on it!
The correct tool for the job is the one that gets the Job done.
One personal experience I'll share is that. I received and ruger 77 mark2 270win and swift 3x9x40 with silver finish. That was 1991 and I was 13. I just turned 47 and still hunt with that combo. It's only needed rezeroed 3 times. When new and when my little cousin fell down ,and it was off by 3 feet at 100 yards. That was about 96 and once more in about 05 when a youth hunter polevaulted with it across a creek. And it was my only deer rifle for many of the first 20 years or so. I know that rifle better than any other. From a few yards out to 400 and some change. Just after legal light to technically after after sunset. I had to keep careful track of the time in the evening with that swift scope that cost 79.99 in 91. Considering and 6x25x50 sightmark is 200 and I have it on and 22/250. And for 300 bucks i can get and usable scope that the glass and turrets don't just suck. I've wasted more for less .
Thank you Mr. Windex. I’ll be getting one of those.
Best video ever, 10 out of 10 would Arken again.
The only thing I hear is the reliability of the NF is it will always hold it's zero. I've compared the glass and agree with you!
Dude - thanks for this. I’ve been wondering about Arken after seeing so many videos and reviews. I don’t have one yet but I figure it will be my next optic.
Going to buy the EP8 for a 22lr build. Thank you for your $3k sacrifice 🙏
Thank you for this info. Really appreciate your time.
Made the Arken switch a couple years back. Just too good to ignore, and affordable to be paced on all of your distance rifles.
Ive shot 2k with mine and saw the impact indicator. First round impact at 1k. Walked it out to a mile quick. Went to 2k the following day. Measured my miss with the reticle . Dialed it and impact. Thats when i became a believer. And i own 5. I made impacts with an arken on top of RPR 300PRC, that custom builds didnt. Ruger precision is equally an eye opener
I have 3 Arlen EPL-4s.
It goes like this.
If you drop, loose, it gets stolen, or damaged.
You hadn’t lost much.
The scopes work well for the $$#.
Arken optics has upset the apple cart!!
That’s my story and I am sticking to it.
i hate even asking questions about things, because the first thing out is if its a sub 5k weapon system its no good. here i am sitting with maybe a 1200 system. Its how you adapt to your system for your use. i have the Arken LH 4x16, and couldnt be happier. many a hog and deer put in the freezer with it so its awesome stuff to me lol
I appreciate the side by side honest look at these scopes. I have always wondered if these are worth the money and time.
Then grabbed a Savage Desert Tactical in 6.5 CM… slapped an Arken on it! It weighs a freakin ton BUT it’s easily as good or better than both my other optics, previously mentioned, at tracking and clarity.. actually better past 18x… the Achilles heel of most optics I’ve ever seen! Past 18x… dark and cloudy fuzz..
Very happy with mine. I’ve been called a shill just for expressing that. Thanks for the video.
Okay good man! I have had a very different approach to shooting challenges. I initially bought two Nikon 3 to 9 x scopes. It was 2019 and I was basically an old guy joining a challenge experience. I subsequently collected family heirlooms of 1955 rifles and scopes. Those scopes did not have the reticle that could lead to precision shooting. I proceeded to improve those scopes with minimum dollar and that was easy. Subsequently this year I purchased three upgrades at next to nothing costs. All equipment is better than I am. If I accomplish some precision in my shooting then maybe I will consider more dollars into the game. So I have at this point a 10/22, mini 14, Seiko 222 and a Remington 270. With that the Scopes are vortex mainly with the nikons delivered to the 2019 purchases. I'm in business at the limit of my abilities and look forward to improving the abilities before expending more money on equipment.
The EP5 line at least uses the vaunted Japanese glass hard to find in other brands for less than $1,500. I just got the EP5 5-25x and it looks great. Pretty heavy but for the magnification it is fine. Looking to get one if the 4-16x scopes.
Sh4J
@@OvertonWindex other than weight, any major differences between the EP5 and SH4J?
I’ve got a Leupold VX-6HD and an Arken EP-5…I put my Leupold on my hunting rifle and the Arken on my 6.5 ELR setup.
Completely agree with this video.
I totally agree with you. I once had a bushnell scope 3x9x40 and my rifle fell into bunch of large rocks with my weight on it. It was stuck on 4x. I thought my hunt was over, but my dad told me to try and shoot it, to see where the bullet will strike on a paper plate at 100 yards. I put 3 shots dead center ( 1.1 inches) on that plate. Yes the glass isn’t as clear as a Leupold or The scopes you are talking about. But that $75 dollar scope held it’s zero. But I am a Leupold fan. But I see what you are saying 👍
7:29 Pure gold
Overton brother you're making a difference what you're doing matters to a hell of a lot of boys keep doing it brother
Thank you for an honest opinion everybody says those scopes aren't that good.
I've always wanted one but now I don't need 1 because it's not as good as the cheaper 1. I have an arkan EPL 4 on my 6 arc. It's 6 to 2450 mm and it's light it only ways 25 oz great for hunting onto my ARI think. I'll buy another one with more magnification for my bigger guns.
Thank you.
This is very appreciated. I have yet to dive into the ranged optics game and this type of content is very useful!
Just received a EP5 last Thursday from Arken and haven’t had a chance to shoot with it yet but fit,feel and glass seems very impressive for price.
I have 2 SH4 gen II scopes. One 5-25 and the 4-16. I absolutely love them and have never had an issue with them.
Love it, I use nothing but Arkens anymore. Have for years!
Thank you Overton !!!
I own an Arken for hunting and really like it.
I am by far not a expert on long range shooting, or optics. But i was extremely happy with the Arken i bought about a year ago now.
I love my Arken I had a guy at the range next to me and we started chatting like you do he asked if he could look through my Arken as he had big ass Nightforce and he was blown away at how good it was and he paid all that money and my lil Arken was just as good. Like I said I love it Im no competition shooter I just love shooting and smacking targets at all ranges and I know I dont need no Big name scope to Impress people I dont know. Have a good day people and remember Dont be a asshole you dont know what people are going through you just might come unstuck.
Cheers
The 5-15 is asome and life of scope warranty and if some one says that they need more magnification so now arken has released a 7-35 x50 also more magnification means better glass so more asome
Dude...great video! I have a couple of SH4Js and I love them. At the range, where I shoot, there are a quite a few PRS guys shooting. Of the guys I've shot with, they all use high end Leupolds, Vortex Razors, NightForce, or Kahles optics. I have shot some of their guns and these optics are very nice, there is no question, but I can't see a difference between their scopes and my Arkens. I shoot out to 1200 yards and I'm making hits just like they are. I have decided I am not going to spend that kind of money on an optic, as long as Arken is out there.
"MY SUSPICIONS THAT EVERYONE IN THE WORLD IS FULL OF SHIT"...LMFAO