@@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.
I just appreciate a dude that sits down and tells me how it is while spitting facts and showing data. Kinda brings me back to my Nutnfancy days. Subscribed
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.
Let them gawk and feel satisfied when you miss, they are really co signing their own BS on spending a mint on their marginally better if at all glass. If you shoot professionally, internationally compete etc and get sponsored I can see owning a 5-8k optic. For general use arken, athlon, low end Leuopolds etc are great.
They won’t. That’s their edge. It’s within their budget and profit margins. As things change it will go up. I don’t see more than a 200 dollar increase over the next 5 years.
Usually when demand goes up, production gets cheaper(because sometimesautomation or other capital improvements justify themselves). Hopefully their business strategy isn't greed and the prices stay the same.
I currently have six Arkens. The last one I bought was the LH4 4-16 with capped turrets. It too is extremely clear and is easily bright enough to use well past legal shooting light even in the woods. The capped turrets are certainly a plus in hunting, especially in thick cover. My Arkens have replaced Vortex, Leupold, Bushnell, and Athlon. All have been flawless.
Great video. I started taking LR serious about a year ago. I did the same research and found everyone at the range using all the top brand names. Being on a budget I started trying out gear and have found 99 precent of the sport is marketing hype.. I have a Hera Arms heavy barrel in 6.5 CM and using a 250 dollar 5-30 "Monstrum" no name scope off amazon and a sweet airfoil rear bag.. and I consistently outshoot everyone at 600 yards, stacking round with ease.. and I am shooting against folks with custom Tikka and Rome rigs with their 5K scopes.. Its not the gear, its the shooter!
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!
What a great video!!! As the owner of several Arken scopes, including the new EP5 Gen II 7-35x56, this is music to my ears. Many of us have felt what Overton says, but secretly assumed we were fooling ourselves. It's nice to know we weren't.
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.
I see a slight difference in brightness BUT the reticle appears to be more visible on the Arken. I’m buying one for my 6.5prc! Thank you for sharing this
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 haven’t started to do any ELR shooting… well, not yet anyway. So I don’t have any first hand experience with the variables that come into play when comparing different optics in this category. However, your video reminds me of a time when a much younger me was an amateur motorcycle road racer… I wasn’t in a position to have all the best aftermarket “Gucci” parts that many of my competitors were slapping onto their bikes to help them go faster. So, I did what anyone in my position would do, and I asked a couple of guys with quite a bit more experience, who had nothing in it for themselves but had a willingness to help out an excited young man looking to get better at a sport that they also loved. I was able to put a good race bike together using much less expensive, yet equally effective parts. Some of the other riders in the paddock probably chuckled at my race kit behind my back, but they didn’t laugh when I finished ahead of them at the end of the race. Good video, man. Thanks!
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
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.
@@darrylryder8114 I have both Chinese and Japanese optics. I can't really tell the difference in glass quality between the two but the Japanese scope definitely has a more solid mount. Keep in mind they are about the same price point at 3 to 4 hundred.
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.
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.
Overton, thank you! As usual your brutal honesty is refreshing and possibly renewed my faith in humanity that there are still some people out there like me who are not only willing but compelled to speak the truth no matter what the brainwashed masses have to say about it. I knew there were good "cheap" glass out there I just didn't know where to start. Thanks brother!!!
You have no idea how badly I needed to hear this. I can’t afford 2-$3,000 optics and I’m always worried I’ll have sub-standard optics and shoot poorly. Thank you
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.
Great video, first time seeing you on RUclips, can’t believe after all of my searches and videos on Arken I have watched over the last week and half, you finally popped up and… Can’t wait for my EP5 to show up
Depends on the sample size. Real world observation over a larger sample size says something else. The owner of the long range club where I shoot has reported a fairly high percentage that do not track on tall target tests. Some are fine. A fair percentage simply don’t track within reason.
Yeah this dude and the Texas plinking guy have made a pretty dang good case for these scopes for those looking to get into shooting but don’t have all the cash to buy the higher end optics I’m buying an Arken asap nice review thanks for the honesty.
When i started getting into long range shooting i did alot of research and came up with arken ep5 5×25...bought it never looked at a different scope... every scope on every rifle i own has since then been replaced by a arken(14)... im just hoping for 1 thing from them.. a small lightweight 3×16 for 17 hmr and .22 with a dialable elevation turret. All their current models are abit heavy for small short range calibers...Awesome video i love your channel keep up the blunt honesty.. hard to find these days with everyone being sponsored by the companies they swear by!
I own 3 Arken scopes and I absolutely love them. I'm done emptying wallet over a name brand that are no better than the excellent quality of the Arken optics. I'm shooting a 4 inch group at 800 yds through a 300 prc with an Arken ep5. For me I couldn't be happier.
I agree 100% that it really doesn't matter in the long run. I know several people who use Arken and I've personally compared them to my Leupold Mark 4s. And my friends that use Arken have had no issues. For me it's just abiut supporting the American companies. I run the Leupold Mark 4 simply because my M21 and M24 rifles carried them when I was in the Army back in the 1980's. Just been a fan ever since. The Arken appears to be a great performer, especially for the price. Just made on the wrong side of the pond for me. Love the videos man. Keep up the great work...
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 am retired and on a budget, longed for a top tier Vortex or Nightforce, now on my second Arken EP5, consistently ending in the top three of our local F Class comps out to 800m, on a 6.5 Creed Howa 🤫
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.
JOHN!!!! Definitely let us know how it does on your Cheytac!! It'll be awesome to hear. I bet it'll be great, but hearing from you on here would really help. Everyone rags really hard on your Arken at the range, until you outshoot them. I joined the Athlon Pro Staff when they first started. Caught a lot of heat from everyone until I finished as good or better than them. I believe Arken has as good of optics as them, but half the price. Pretty exciting
@@thequackhouse4658 they definitely hit way above their price level. I’ll subscribe to your channel and keep you up on the 2mile rifle progress and performance
I loved this analysis. A few weeks ago I had the first-time opportunity to look through the Arken scopes range, and then checked out Swarovski, Zeiss and Tract glass. I couldn’t separate the Arken and Tract scopes, which both shat on the European glass - to my eye. Needless to say, my next scope purchase will be Arken. Without hesitation.
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!
You've got a Winner my friend. Japanese glass is head and shoulders above Chinese. It's nice to see you address this. I love the bells and whistles of say, a Schmidt & Bender, it's absolutely amazing! Arken is solid with everything needed for ELR, and that is just perfect! If folks don't need fancy things, but want to ring steel waaaay out there, this is for You
on your Japanese glass comment. I used to think the same thing but the chinese glass in my Athlon Ares ETR's gives them a run. They are getting better with their glass. I still have 4 Arkens and 3 Athlons though. Athlon because of the reticle.
@@thequackhouse4658 I just bought another Ares #3. There were two Cronus for sale a gen1 and gen2. I wanted the 2 because of the same reticle as the Ares but the guy was stuck on his price so I went with what I already knew to be good.
@@mlone7, well to my shocking surprise, I went to the range with an Arken's EPL4 4-16x and Athlon Ares ETR UHD 3-18x50mm34mm(T), boy, it has better glass than the ARKEN. This Chinese glass is much better! The price difference is about $250 - $300.
This scope was actually on my radar. On my list of scopes to check out for my next build. I just put it at the top after watching this. I had a hunch, and you confirmed it . 👍
Wow!!!!!! I absolutely loved the review of these two scopes and also appreciated all of the comments which I actually read all of them for a change. Thank you for making this video possible for everyone to see, and allowing everyone to give their own opinions and perspectives on your video review of these two scopes.
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.
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 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.
I got my first arken ep5 gen 1 to prove to myself why I keep buying expensive scopes. Right out of the box I was impressed by the view/clarity (even in low light) and the turret feel. I then had to just assume it doesn't hold up to abuse. It's been on my side by side ripping through the woods, rattling around, in the back of the truck going through down really bad roads/off road, take it out and it's still holding perfect zero. I've bought several arkens since then and I love them all. The new ep5 gen 2 is great, but up at 35x it does get a little dim if it's not bright out, but high magnification does that. I am happy I stepped out of my comfort zone and tried the arken, def punches above it's weight class for sure.
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 RUclips 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
Not going to lie, im glad i saw this video. I was going to try and build me a PRS 22lr rifle and was looking at the arken but saw some videos where you should save for better glass, but this confirms my choice for arken.
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.
I'd highly recommend just getting an Arken and spend the rest on ammo. I compete every month in PRS matches and have converted a ton of folks to Arken's after I took a chance, got a EP5 and brought it to a match to see how it compared. I have a $4k ZCO 527 and the main difference that I see between the two are reticle options and the parallax (zco I will give it the nod as having a very forgiving parallax). Glass clarity I'd say the ZCO feels ~10% better, but you're paying $3500 more.
Love your explanation man, great stuff and I completely agree with you. I just purchased an EP5 5-25 about 2 weeks ago and still waiting on them to take it off the shelf and stick it in a UPS box, lol Cant wait to get it hooked up to an AP Solus to see what she can do.
Best damn video I have ever watched. I too have had some "high end scopes" and own an Arken now. I love that thing. Especially for the price. Good job sir.
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
@@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.
Really appreciate the well-spoken review even though I didn't actually get to see it until 2 weeks after publication... But now I'm a subscriber and I will be buying my Arken(s) using your code.
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.
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.
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.
I had an Arken briefly, and it seemed like a decent scope. What I will say about them, though, is their support was damn quick and easy. I got one that had some weird squigglies around the center of the reticle, so I sent it in. I had a brand new one back within a few days. The day mine got to them they sent one out. Granted, I live like 2 hours from them, but that was still quick and practically no hassle.
I’ve got 3 Arkens and I love them. When I first got into precision shooting I went and plopped down too much on a high end Vortex. I end up using the Arkens more. I’d say you’re getting 90% of what that high end Vortex can do by spending 8x less on the Arkens. They are awesome, especially if you have more than one rifle and don’t like moving scopes back and forth.
My humble opinion being that I’ve only used scopes for hunting and rarely at that is it comes to a point where your skills are met with the universes great law, math. I can say with no embarrassment I’ve dropped more deer on open sights due to my terrain at max 140-160 yards. That’s really nothing to brag about. Scope maybe 4-4 but I didn’t feel like the scope was needed but glad to have had it. These guys that drop serious money on rifles and scopes and all the rest of the gadgets they add on better be decent on math. This is why I like this channel, this dude seems to dumb it down and that’s not taking away the fact that he’s a pretty good shot…
I own a nforce nx8 4-32-50. I have to agree with Overton here, he's not wrong. I've shot several other brands of scopes, and tbh inside of 1000 yards with most modern cartridges you can get by with a duplex for just plinking at steel. But the arkene are pretty sweet. Wish I had went that route myself. Especially trying to hunt when the big bucks don't come out until it's almost dark. I've found that I have to zoom way out to get a good picture late in the evenings. The light transmission isn't what they say it is on the nforce.
Thank you for this video. Not that I was going to drop $3200 on an optic but have been curious about the EP5 vs. a Vortex. After watching this, I may give it a try. Thanks again.
Excellent video! Thank you for the info and opinions based on actual experience. My son just ordered his first Arken. Looking forward to trying it out.
A hundred years ago when I competed in long range high power rifle matches (1000yds) I was a poor graduate student. As such ,I had NO extra money but was determined to compete because it was a TON of fun. This could be a long story but I'll just stick to the optics part. So I got a 300 Winchester built on a Mauser action and needed to have both iron (match) sights and a scope. I too, heard the story about about spending 2-3x the money you spent on the rifle on the glass. It was simple...I didn't have he money so went with what I could afford..Tasco 6-18x42 target scope. It was well known at the time that Tasco was junk. Everybody knew that. Interesting...I made expert shooting that rig. I even used that scope on a 30-378 Weatherby rifle that a friend built for me. Shot a 195 with 7 on 2 occasions with that rig. Junk scope yep. Still functioning today. 31 years later. When used recently on a 22-250 produced a .5 group . My point Overton is...if it works, IT WORKS... and always remember..."opinions are like 'noses' everybody has one and they all smell. (Reggie Jackson) And " ain't no accountin' for taste". (unknown)
Welcome to the Arken world I have mine for almost 2 yrs now. I have mine on a Bergara 14 HMR Wilderness 300 PRC over 200 rounds through it still tracks well and holds zero
100% agreed! I lived and died by NF scopes until about 3 years ago when a friend of mine wanted to get into distance shooting. Money was a little tight for him and I told him to get the best piece of glass he could afford. A few weeks later he showed up with a Arkin EP-5 and I immediately thought wow he bought a piece of junk. Man I was wrong so wrong I now own 2 EP-5’s and a SH-4. My NF scopes I still own because I can’t bring myself to sell them because like you they are supposed to be better right? I think the real reason I keep them is to remind me what a Dumb Ass I am 🤔
I started with the LRH for a hunting rifle, loved it, got a few EP5 since then, and a couple of the 1-8 now also. I have been looking at the 7-35, but if they keep doing what they are doing, I'll be a customer for a long long time.
long comment coming. I have had an identical experience to yours. I have used Steiner, trijicon, vortex razor HD, etc. etc. I kept seeing comparisons where the guy making the video with Arken kept saying "there is no way this is the same quality" as if to justify his own expensive purchases. Then I sourced an arken for a buddy just getting into long range. I look through it, feel it, box test it, I was shocked. I have two EP5's and a SH4. I love them. IRL, I have seen no clarity difference between the vortex razor HD gen 2, in fact the Arken tracks better than the vortex does. My vortex has a 1.1% adjustment error at 30 MOA, there is no discernable error in the EP5. What the hell have I been spending my money on? Arken has done two things. One, they have become a staple in my gun cabinet for serious long-range use. I do not have any reservations about using the Arken for matches or even life and liberty purposes. Two, they have shown me the tactical market BS I have been eaten wholesale for decades. I am happy and angry, bitter and relieved. The same goes for Daniel defense and the "better than Milspec" hype surrounding other gear items that I have found does not matter at all. I have a $700 Saturn built upper receiver that outshoots my noveske and colt rifle hand over fist with cheap ammo. This video hits the mark 10/10. I am glad I am not the only one...
I have owned Leup, Zeiss, Burris (back when all were made in USA), Nightforce,Steiner, and Sightron. I am leaning to Sightron SIII's as my go to scope. After watching several vids on the Arken J series. I believe I will give them a go. Thanks for making this vid.
I've had 5 Athlon scopes, ALL HAVE GONE SOUTH!! Last one just got sent in, it's a Ares that retails for $ 1200!! The internal lens with reticle etched, came loose! Went from sub MOA, to 5 moa!! When I get new one back, I'm going to sell it and get another Arken or vortex!!
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.
When nikon got out of the scope game, they admitted it wasnt because they weren’t making money, in fact, they had super high margins in their scope line. They knew ppl will pay large sums of money for slight increases in performance.
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.
This is a lesson that's had me acratching my head for a while. When I got my first Vortex [Viper 3moa red dot] it was "cheap chinesium shit. Free lifetimenreplacement because they have lile $0 in each one." That Viper outlived every firearm it was on, and mow Vortex is "one of the best on the market. They have that lifetime warranty, and you know how important that is!" Same story with the Primary Arms 1-6 LPVO i bought - "cheap ass shit" but no one who uses one is complaining about it. I shot through an Arken and a Nightforce side by side, locally - and maybe it's my eyes, but I didn't notice any functional difference and I'm not going to pay 3, 4, or 5x as much for "performance" that doesn't seem applicable outside a lab. [Edit] In the lowlight portion, to my eyes, it appears that the tree is a fair bit crisper on the NF than the Arken - But I'm not interested in the background, when scoping something except as pertaining to verifying it is not my target - and I could still clearly make out the target, and differentiate it from the environment. If we were talking camera resolutions, and JUST the lowlight application, then yeah. I'd want that apparently crisper overall image, but I still don't think I'd pay that much more for it. I like my Pentax, and can clean up the image in post-processing
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.
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.
thanks man, you convins me ! i also think the seam not all expansiv are the best and not all the cheap are shit ! you got some serious good point from me ! I appreciate people that can be honest and judge correctly With no biased, Keep it like this you're in the good way happy new new year
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.
If you're not sold... read these comments. 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
and that sob that bumped your rifle off got nothing?
I just appreciate a dude that sits down and tells me how it is while spitting facts and showing data. Kinda brings me back to my Nutnfancy days. Subscribed
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.
Let them gawk and feel satisfied when you miss, they are really co signing their own BS on spending a mint on their marginally better if at all glass. If you shoot professionally, internationally compete etc and get sponsored I can see owning a 5-8k optic. For general use arken, athlon, low end Leuopolds etc are great.
"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
Sounds like something Hathcock would say…. Or my grandpa in a whiskey induced moment of clarity
We need to stop talking about this before Arken starts pricing their scopes accordingly. 😶
They won’t. That’s their edge. It’s within their budget and profit margins. As things change it will go up. I don’t see more than a 200 dollar increase over the next 5 years.
Usually when demand goes up, production gets cheaper(because sometimesautomation or other capital improvements justify themselves). Hopefully their business strategy isn't greed and the prices stay the same.
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
I currently have six Arkens. The last one I bought was the LH4 4-16 with capped turrets. It too is extremely clear and is easily bright enough to use well past legal shooting light even in the woods. The capped turrets are certainly a plus in hunting, especially in thick cover. My Arkens have replaced Vortex, Leupold, Bushnell, and Athlon. All have been flawless.
Great video. I started taking LR serious about a year ago. I did the same research and found everyone at the range using all the top brand names. Being on a budget I started trying out gear and have found 99 precent of the sport is marketing hype.. I have a Hera Arms heavy barrel in 6.5 CM and using a 250 dollar 5-30 "Monstrum" no name scope off amazon and a sweet airfoil rear bag.. and I consistently outshoot everyone at 600 yards, stacking round with ease.. and I am shooting against folks with custom Tikka and Rome rigs with their 5K scopes.. Its not the gear, its the shooter!
You sir are single handedly redeeming the gun culture. Your honest is admirable and why I follow… that and we speak the same humor.
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!
What a great video!!! As the owner of several Arken scopes, including the new EP5 Gen II 7-35x56, this is music to my ears. Many of us have felt what Overton says, but secretly assumed we were fooling ourselves. It's nice to know we weren't.
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.
I see a slight difference in brightness BUT the reticle appears to be more visible on the Arken. I’m buying one for my 6.5prc! Thank you for sharing this
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
To quote the late great @Paul Harrel (may he forever watch over us amen) "Not enough difference to make a difference". RIP Paul
I've got a Nightforce NXS since years and bought an Arken EP5 a couple of month ago and was amazed how clear the Arken was.
I haven’t started to do any ELR shooting… well, not yet anyway. So I don’t have any first hand experience with the variables that come into play when comparing different optics in this category. However, your video reminds me of a time when a much younger me was an amateur motorcycle road racer… I wasn’t in a position to have all the best aftermarket “Gucci” parts that many of my competitors were slapping onto their bikes to help them go faster. So, I did what anyone in my position would do, and I asked a couple of guys with quite a bit more experience, who had nothing in it for themselves but had a willingness to help out an excited young man looking to get better at a sport that they also loved. I was able to put a good race bike together using much less expensive, yet equally effective parts. Some of the other riders in the paddock probably chuckled at my race kit behind my back, but they didn’t laugh when I finished ahead of them at the end of the race. Good video, man. Thanks!
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
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.
@@darrylryder8114 I have both Chinese and Japanese optics. I can't really tell the difference in glass quality between the two but the Japanese scope definitely has a more solid mount. Keep in mind they are about the same price point at 3 to 4 hundred.
This was an excellent video. I just purchased my first Arken for a new Browning XBolt LR Max. Love the honesty here
I just got an X Bolt LR Max myself. Will also likely run a EP5.
This video has been SOOOOO needed!!! Well done sir and I extrmely appreciate your humor! Well! Done!
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.
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.
Excellent video. I wish I would’ve found you sooner. I applaud your honesty. Thanks for sharing facts instead of bogus opinions. Carry on good sir
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
Overton, thank you! As usual your brutal honesty is refreshing and possibly renewed my faith in humanity that there are still some people out there like me who are not only willing but compelled to speak the truth no matter what the brainwashed masses have to say about it. I knew there were good "cheap" glass out there I just didn't know where to start. Thanks brother!!!
You have no idea how badly I needed to hear this. I can’t afford 2-$3,000 optics and I’m always worried I’ll have sub-standard optics and shoot poorly. Thank you
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.
Great video, first time seeing you on RUclips, can’t believe after all of my searches and videos on Arken I have watched over the last week and half, you finally popped up and… Can’t wait for my EP5 to show up
The tracking above all else is where these shine. About as perfect as can be.
Depends on the sample size. Real world observation over a larger sample size says something else. The owner of the long range club where I shoot has reported a fairly high percentage that do not track on tall target tests. Some are fine. A fair percentage simply don’t track within reason.
Yeah this dude and the Texas plinking guy have made a pretty dang good case for these scopes for those looking to get into shooting but don’t have all the cash to buy the higher end optics I’m buying an Arken asap nice review thanks for the honesty.
When i started getting into long range shooting i did alot of research and came up with arken ep5 5×25...bought it never looked at a different scope... every scope on every rifle i own has since then been replaced by a arken(14)... im just hoping for 1 thing from them.. a small lightweight 3×16 for 17 hmr and .22 with a dialable elevation turret. All their current models are abit heavy for small short range calibers...Awesome video i love your channel keep up the blunt honesty.. hard to find these days with everyone being sponsored by the companies they swear by!
I own 3 Arken scopes and I absolutely love them. I'm done emptying wallet over a name brand that are no better than the excellent quality of the Arken optics. I'm shooting a 4 inch group at 800 yds through a 300 prc with an Arken ep5. For me I couldn't be happier.
300 prc is such a fascinating round
@Ron-ni8uu to be perfectly honest it has amazed me with its capabilities.
Guys that say "poors" & "cope" are punching the air right now. (I own an Arken EP5 5-25X56..... Love it )
I agree 100% that it really doesn't matter in the long run. I know several people who use Arken and I've personally compared them to my Leupold Mark 4s. And my friends that use Arken have had no issues. For me it's just abiut supporting the American companies. I run the Leupold Mark 4 simply because my M21 and M24 rifles carried them when I was in the Army back in the 1980's. Just been a fan ever since. The Arken appears to be a great performer, especially for the price. Just made on the wrong side of the pond for me. Love the videos man. Keep up the great work...
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
There are very few, as in like nobody, that I can listen to for this long in a video. And I just listened to this long in a video. Well done sir!
I am retired and on a budget, longed for a top tier Vortex or Nightforce, now on my second Arken EP5, consistently ending in the top three of our local F Class comps out to 800m, on a 6.5 Creed Howa 🤫
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.
JOHN!!!! Definitely let us know how it does on your Cheytac!! It'll be awesome to hear. I bet it'll be great, but hearing from you on here would really help.
Everyone rags really hard on your Arken at the range, until you outshoot them. I joined the Athlon Pro Staff when they first started. Caught a lot of heat from everyone until I finished as good or better than them. I believe Arken has as good of optics as them, but half the price. Pretty exciting
@@thequackhouse4658 they definitely hit way above their price level. I’ll subscribe to your channel and keep you up on the 2mile rifle progress and performance
I loved this analysis. A few weeks ago I had the first-time opportunity to look through the Arken scopes range, and then checked out Swarovski, Zeiss and Tract glass. I couldn’t separate the Arken and Tract scopes, which both shat on the European glass - to my eye. Needless to say, my next scope purchase will be Arken. Without hesitation.
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!
You've got a Winner my friend. Japanese glass is head and shoulders above Chinese. It's nice to see you address this. I love the bells and whistles of say, a Schmidt & Bender, it's absolutely amazing! Arken is solid with everything needed for ELR, and that is just perfect! If folks don't need fancy things, but want to ring steel waaaay out there, this is for You
on your Japanese glass comment. I used to think the same thing but the chinese glass in my Athlon Ares ETR's gives them a run. They are getting better with their glass. I still have 4 Arkens and 3 Athlons though. Athlon because of the reticle.
@mlone7 Outstanding. I haven't run the Ares, I'm running the Cronus and Midas Tac, and just love them.
@@thequackhouse4658 I just bought another Ares #3. There were two Cronus for sale a gen1 and gen2. I wanted the 2 because of the same reticle as the Ares but the guy was stuck on his price so I went with what I already knew to be good.
@@mlone7 They definitely are getting better!!
@@mlone7, well to my shocking surprise, I went to the range with an Arken's EPL4 4-16x and Athlon Ares ETR UHD 3-18x50mm34mm(T), boy, it has better glass than the ARKEN. This Chinese glass is much better! The price difference is about $250 - $300.
This scope was actually on my radar. On my list of scopes to check out for my next build. I just put it at the top after watching this. I had a hunch, and you confirmed it . 👍
I will be looking into the Arken scopes. Thank you
+1000 I have been using Arken scopes from almost as long as they have been available. My latest is an EP-5, 7-35×56 and the thing is amazing.
Wow!!!!!! I absolutely loved the review of these two scopes and also appreciated all of the comments which I actually read all of them for a change. Thank you for making this video possible for everyone to see, and allowing everyone to give their own opinions and perspectives on your video review of these two scopes.
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.
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 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.
Its nice to see a counter offensive being launched against the optic shilling. Cant wait for my arken to get in😎
I got my first arken ep5 gen 1 to prove to myself why I keep buying expensive scopes. Right out of the box I was impressed by the view/clarity (even in low light) and the turret feel. I then had to just assume it doesn't hold up to abuse. It's been on my side by side ripping through the woods, rattling around, in the back of the truck going through down really bad roads/off road, take it out and it's still holding perfect zero. I've bought several arkens since then and I love them all. The new ep5 gen 2 is great, but up at 35x it does get a little dim if it's not bright out, but high magnification does that. I am happy I stepped out of my comfort zone and tried the arken, def punches above it's weight class for sure.
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 RUclips 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
Not going to lie, im glad i saw this video. I was going to try and build me a PRS 22lr rifle and was looking at the arken but saw some videos where you should save for better glass, but this confirms my choice for arken.
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
I'd highly recommend just getting an Arken and spend the rest on ammo. I compete every month in PRS matches and have converted a ton of folks to Arken's after I took a chance, got a EP5 and brought it to a match to see how it compared. I have a $4k ZCO 527 and the main difference that I see between the two are reticle options and the parallax (zco I will give it the nod as having a very forgiving parallax). Glass clarity I'd say the ZCO feels ~10% better, but you're paying $3500 more.
Thank you for the honesty, I been using the hawke 6x24 with reasonable results helping out my local mom & pop store
Love your explanation man, great stuff and I completely agree with you.
I just purchased an EP5 5-25 about 2 weeks ago and still waiting on them to take it off the shelf and stick it in a UPS box, lol
Cant wait to get it hooked up to an AP Solus to see what she can do.
Best damn video I have ever watched. I too have had some "high end scopes" and own an Arken now. I love that thing. Especially for the price. Good job sir.
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
@@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.
This is incredibly refreshing. I’ve found the same conclusions with all sorts of gear over the years.
Really appreciate the well-spoken review even though I didn't actually get to see it until 2 weeks after publication... But now I'm a subscriber and I will be buying my Arken(s) using your code.
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.
Yup. Had an ep5 shipped to Canada. Favourite scope I own!
The man that tells the truth we need more of you on You Tubers
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.
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.
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.
I had an Arken briefly, and it seemed like a decent scope. What I will say about them, though, is their support was damn quick and easy. I got one that had some weird squigglies around the center of the reticle, so I sent it in. I had a brand new one back within a few days. The day mine got to them they sent one out. Granted, I live like 2 hours from them, but that was still quick and practically no hassle.
I’ve got 3 Arkens and I love them. When I first got into precision shooting I went and plopped down too much on a high end Vortex. I end up using the Arkens more. I’d say you’re getting 90% of what that high end Vortex can do by spending 8x less on the Arkens. They are awesome, especially if you have more than one rifle and don’t like moving scopes back and forth.
My humble opinion being that I’ve only used scopes for hunting and rarely at that is it comes to a point where your skills are met with the universes great law, math. I can say with no embarrassment I’ve dropped more deer on open sights due to my terrain at max 140-160 yards. That’s really nothing to brag about. Scope maybe 4-4 but I didn’t feel like the scope was needed but glad to have had it. These guys that drop serious money on rifles and scopes and all the rest of the gadgets they add on better be decent on math. This is why I like this channel, this dude seems to dumb it down and that’s not taking away the fact that he’s a pretty good shot…
I own a nforce nx8 4-32-50. I have to agree with Overton here, he's not wrong. I've shot several other brands of scopes, and tbh inside of 1000 yards with most modern cartridges you can get by with a duplex for just plinking at steel. But the arkene are pretty sweet. Wish I had went that route myself. Especially trying to hunt when the big bucks don't come out until it's almost dark. I've found that I have to zoom way out to get a good picture late in the evenings. The light transmission isn't what they say it is on the nforce.
Thank you for this video. Not that I was going to drop $3200 on an optic but have been curious about the EP5 vs. a Vortex. After watching this, I may give it a try. Thanks again.
I bought an SH4J and used it weekly for almost a year. When I needed another scope I didn’t hesitate and ordered another.
Excellent video! Thank you for the info and opinions based on actual experience. My son just ordered his first Arken. Looking forward to trying it out.
A hundred years ago when I competed in long range high power rifle matches (1000yds) I was a poor graduate student. As such ,I had NO extra money but was determined to compete because it was a TON of fun. This could be a long story but I'll just stick to the optics part. So I got a 300 Winchester built on a Mauser action and needed to have both iron (match) sights and a scope. I too, heard the story about about spending 2-3x the money you spent on the rifle on the glass. It was simple...I didn't have he money so went with what I could afford..Tasco 6-18x42 target scope. It was well known at the time that Tasco was junk. Everybody knew that. Interesting...I made expert shooting that rig. I even used that scope on a 30-378 Weatherby rifle that a friend built for me. Shot a 195 with 7 on 2 occasions with that rig. Junk scope yep. Still functioning today. 31 years later. When used recently on a 22-250 produced a .5 group . My point Overton is...if it works, IT WORKS... and always remember..."opinions are like 'noses' everybody has one and they all smell. (Reggie Jackson) And " ain't no accountin' for taste". (unknown)
Welcome to the Arken world I have mine for almost 2 yrs now. I have mine on a Bergara 14 HMR Wilderness 300 PRC over 200 rounds through it still tracks well and holds zero
100% agreed! I lived and died by NF scopes until about 3 years ago when a friend of mine wanted to get into distance shooting. Money was a little tight for him and I told him to get the best piece of glass he could afford. A few weeks later he showed up with a Arkin EP-5 and I immediately thought wow he bought a piece of junk. Man I was wrong so wrong I now own 2 EP-5’s and a SH-4. My NF scopes I still own because I can’t bring myself to sell them because like you they are supposed to be better right? I think the real reason I keep them is to remind me what a Dumb Ass I am 🤔
Ordered my first two Arken scopes with code Overton yesterday, thanks for the savings!
Been waiting for a sale on a vortex through Cabela’s. Halfway through your videos I purchased this scope with your code.
I started with the LRH for a hunting rifle, loved it, got a few EP5 since then, and a couple of the 1-8 now also. I have been looking at the 7-35, but if they keep doing what they are doing, I'll be a customer for a long long time.
I've bought 2 Arken scopes . Could not be happier.
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..
long comment coming. I have had an identical experience to yours. I have used Steiner, trijicon, vortex razor HD, etc. etc. I kept seeing comparisons where the guy making the video with Arken kept saying "there is no way this is the same quality" as if to justify his own expensive purchases. Then I sourced an arken for a buddy just getting into long range. I look through it, feel it, box test it, I was shocked.
I have two EP5's and a SH4. I love them. IRL, I have seen no clarity difference between the vortex razor HD gen 2, in fact the Arken tracks better than the vortex does. My vortex has a 1.1% adjustment error at 30 MOA, there is no discernable error in the EP5. What the hell have I been spending my money on?
Arken has done two things. One, they have become a staple in my gun cabinet for serious long-range use. I do not have any reservations about using the Arken for matches or even life and liberty purposes. Two, they have shown me the tactical market BS I have been eaten wholesale for decades. I am happy and angry, bitter and relieved. The same goes for Daniel defense and the "better than Milspec" hype surrounding other gear items that I have found does not matter at all. I have a $700 Saturn built upper receiver that outshoots my noveske and colt rifle hand over fist with cheap ammo.
This video hits the mark 10/10. I am glad I am not the only one...
I have owned Leup, Zeiss, Burris (back when all were made in USA), Nightforce,Steiner, and Sightron. I am leaning to Sightron SIII's as my go to scope. After watching several vids on the Arken J series. I believe I will give them a go. Thanks for making this vid.
I've had 5 Athlon scopes, ALL HAVE GONE SOUTH!! Last one just got sent in, it's a Ares that retails for $ 1200!! The internal lens with reticle etched, came loose! Went from sub MOA, to 5 moa!! When I get new one back, I'm going to sell it and get another Arken or vortex!!
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.
YOU HAVE MADE ME BELIEVE. WAITING FOR THE ONE I ORDERED AND WILL BUY ANOTHER ONE IF IT MEETS THE GLASS I NEED. AND WILL SELL THE SCOPES AS A DEALER
When nikon got out of the scope game, they admitted it wasnt because they weren’t making money, in fact, they had super high margins in their scope line. They knew ppl will pay large sums of money for slight increases in performance.
One of your better video man. Thank you for doing a fact based test and bring the photo results to us.
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.
This is a lesson that's had me acratching my head for a while.
When I got my first Vortex [Viper 3moa red dot] it was "cheap chinesium shit. Free lifetimenreplacement because they have lile $0 in each one."
That Viper outlived every firearm it was on, and mow Vortex is "one of the best on the market. They have that lifetime warranty, and you know how important that is!"
Same story with the Primary Arms 1-6 LPVO i bought - "cheap ass shit" but no one who uses one is complaining about it.
I shot through an Arken and a Nightforce side by side, locally - and maybe it's my eyes, but I didn't notice any functional difference and I'm not going to pay 3, 4, or 5x as much for "performance" that doesn't seem applicable outside a lab.
[Edit]
In the lowlight portion, to my eyes, it appears that the tree is a fair bit crisper on the NF than the Arken - But I'm not interested in the background, when scoping something except as pertaining to verifying it is not my target - and I could still clearly make out the target, and differentiate it from the environment.
If we were talking camera resolutions, and JUST the lowlight application, then yeah. I'd want that apparently crisper overall image, but I still don't think I'd pay that much more for it.
I like my Pentax, and can clean up the image in post-processing
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 bought the Arken EP5 first and was pretty happy. So I bought the Night Force ACTAR thinking...this is gonna be good! My ASS!!! no difference
Absolutely love this video. So much truth. Subscribed immediately.
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 bought a 4x16 Arken because of you. Thanks man
I'm all with you, sailing my NF and getting two EP5s for NRL22 and SPC rifles... and still keeping the two SH4s for other rifles.
First video I’ve seen from this channel. Immediate sub 😁
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.
thanks man, you convins me ! i also think the seam not all expansiv are the best and not all the cheap are shit ! you got some serious good point from me ! I appreciate people that can be honest and judge correctly With no biased, Keep it like this you're in the good way happy new new year
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.