Arken Scopes comparison and testing (in progress)

[powermad]

It all depends on the glass that is used.
Made in China got china made glass.

Now made in China can be assembled with Japanese glass that has better coatings and such.
The new Arken 1-8 has Japanese glass, FFP kills it for me though.

In it's price range the Arken is a solid choice and hard to beat IMO.
I bet that if you took an SH4 and upgraded it with Schott glass that it wouldn't be $299 anymore, you could probably buy 10 of the SH4's for the cost of one of those.

12 power seems to be the sweet spot anyway on mine.
Higher than that and mirage starts getting heavy, useful for gauging wind speed and direction though.

 

[12Bravo20]

I'll find out how the Arken SH-4J with Japanese glass compares to the SH-4 with Chinese glass as soon as the SH-4J arrives.

And as far as having things made overseas, the factories will make what ever you want to your specs. And this is true no matter what country the factories are located in.

I also have scopes from Primary Arms and Swampfox Optics, both made in China to their specs. And some of the low end Vortex scopes are also made in China. I can say that the glass used in the Swampfox Patriot 6-24 is slightly better than the Arken SH-4 6-24. I don't have a 6-24 scope from PA to compare to the others, but the 4-14 ACSS HUD glass is on par with the Swampfox scopes I have.

I do have to agree that the Arken scopes do get a lot of hype in online reviews. They are budget scopes and will never compete with higher end scopes. As long as you realize and remember this, then you won't be disappointed. After using both Arken and Swampfox scopes for a while now, both fill a niche for people on a tight budget.

As I said before, if I was competing at pro or semi pro levels, I sure wouldn't use a budget scope. But for my causal shooting the budget scopes work.

 

[troy fairweather]

Well leupold uses Chinese glass and there turrets suck, and I like leupold but don't live up to much of the things said about them, there light and usually have good eye relief and a good warranty but that's about it.

 

[45/30-06OKIE]

Well leupold uses Chinese glass and there turrets suck, and I like leupold but don't live up to much of the things said about them, there light and usually have good eye relief and a good warranty but that's about it.

Hmmm interesting.... Well crap, I was debating saving up for a Leupold scope for my 6.5 creedmoor AR10 but I decided to just swap my RDS over from my 5.56 SBR instead lol.

 

[LoonWulf]

Not quoting everyone......cause lazy.....

So i do want to address some points.

#1 there is alot of bias surrounding everything, and optics seem to generate more strong opinions than other items/subjects.
The "Made In" absolutely effects peoples opinions, as does the over hyping and crapping on, so do our personal preferences/uses.

Id like this thread to be as fair a comparison as possible, but i also understand that we ALL bring some bias to the table, myself included.
which is why i feel we need to get input from more than one source, so i appreciate what other folks add to the discussion.

#2 Which is already covered....Is that optics, and parts in general, are sourced from many different places.

#3
In the optics range we're talking about, there will always be trade-offs. What one is willing to give up and what one is not is something to be considered.

Some personal notes mostly to show personal preferences.

Ive had Schott glass in my Zeiss HD5, and i may have it in my Meopta, i cant remember.

I KNOW my Meopta beat my Zeiss to my eye, but so does dads Sightron S3 thats probably Chinese glass with Japanese coatings and assembly.

Ive had a whole BUNCH of 3-9s, with my last being Leupolds. Optically i think I prefer the Philippines made scopes (also likely using Chinese glass and coatings to the rest). I have leupolds on specific rifles for specific reasons tho.


Again, this is an open discussion.

 

[45/30-06OKIE]

Not quoting everyone......cause lazy.....

So i do want to address some points.

#1 there is alot of bias surrounding everything, and optics seem to generate more strong opinions than other items/subjects.
The "Made In" absolutely effects peoples opinions, as does the over hyping and crapping on, so do our personal preferences/opinions.

Id like this thread to be as fair a comparison as possible, but i also understand that we ALL bring some bias to the table, myself included.
which is why i feel we need to get input from more than one source, so i appreciate what other folks add to the discussion.

#2 Which is already covered....Is that optics, and parts in general, are sourced from many different places.

#3
In the optics range we're talking about, there will always be trade-offs. What one is willing to give up and what one is not is something to be considered.

Some personal notes mostly to show personal preferences.

Ive had Schott glass in my Zeiss HD5, and i may have it in my Meopta, i cant remember.

I KNOW my Meopta beat my Zeiss to my eye, but so does dads Sightron S3 thats probably Chinese glass with Japanese coatings and assembly.

Ive had a whole BUNCH of 3-9s, with my last being Leupolds. Optically i think I prefer the Philippines made scopes (also likely using Chinese glass and coatings to the rest). I have leupolds on specific rifles for specific reasons tho.


Again, this is an open discussion.

I wholeheartedly agree with all three points of yours. I do like my vortex viper HS scopes which are made in the Philippines and are very clear and bright to my blind self. Haha. I know that the country of manufacture isn't necessarily the end all be all, as I have/had USA made hand tools that are not that great... And what's funny is that my Starret and MAC dial calipers are both made in China and are both still very good quality tools. They feel good in the hand and are very repeatable in measuring things.
Hmmm, you know what, I'll see if we can get an Arken at dealer cost and compare one to my vortex viper HS scopes...
Edit, Chattanooga and Davidsons don't offer Arken scopes... Hmm...

 

[troy fairweather]

I did ask sightron the s3 glass is Japanese

 

[LoonWulf]

I wholeheartedly agree with all three points of yours. I do like my vortex viper HS scopes which are made in the Philippines and are very clear and bright to my blind self. Haha. I know that the country of manufacture isn't necessarily the end all be all, as I have/had USA made hand tools that are not that great... And what's funny is that my Starret and MAC dial calipera are both made in China and are both still very good quality tools. They feel good in the hand and are very repeatable in measuring things.
Hmmm, you know what, I'll see if we can get an Arken at dealer cost and compare one to my vortex viper HS scopes...
Edit, Chattanooga and Davidsons don't offer Arken scopes... Hmm...

What one would you like to try? Ill send you one of mine to test after i get rhem all to the range together.

 

[LoonWulf]

I did ask sightron the s3 glass is Japanese

Cool, i was under the impression they sourced the raw materials primarily from china and did the grinding and coating locally.

 

[troy fairweather]

Cool, i was under the impression they sourced the raw materials primarily from china and did the grinding and coating locally.

everything is in house, he said the stac tubes were made in the Japan factory and assembled is there Philippines factory, said there the biggest scope maker in the Philippines forget what the company's name is and wonder what other scopes they make. The other big one there I the one that makes the Burris and others.

 

[45/30-06OKIE]

What one would you like to try? Ill send you one of mine to test after i get rhem all to the range together.

I guess the epl 4 is closest to my Viper HS scopes as in they are the same zoom range, objective lens, and tube diameter. They are different focal planes and reticles though but that's not really something I can control lol. Are you needing/expecting anything in return? I assume you'd want it back after we do some testing obviously lol.

 

[LoonWulf]

everything is in house, he said the stac tubes were made in the Japan factory and assembled is there Philippines factory, said there the biggest scope maker in the Philippines forget what the company's name is and wonder what other scopes they make. The other big one there I the one that makes the Burris and others.

Very cool! and good info!
Theres quite a few scopes made in the Philippines, most of which i really like.

Every Sightron ive used has been very good, especially for the prices.

 

[LoonWulf]

I guess the epl 4 is closest to my Viper HS scopes as in they are the same zoom range, objective lens, and tube diameter. They are different focal planes and reticles though but that's not really something I can control lol. Are you needing/expecting anything in return? I assume you'd want it back after we do some testing obviously lol.

Scope back whenever your pau with it is all, i have spares (and a few ridding around on my buddy Dells guns lol).

 

[12Bravo20]

I agree that more honest reviews will help others. Now if I could only figure out how to take good photos through my scopes with an iPhone 14.

 

[45/30-06OKIE]

Scope back whenever your pau with it is all, i have spares (and a few ridding around on my buddy Dells guns lol).

Sounds good to me sir! This will add to the whole "more reviews" thing you are talking about.

 

[Walkalong]

Well leupold uses Chinese glass and there turrets suck, and I like leupold but don't live up to much of the things said about them, there light and usually have good eye relief and a good warranty but that's about it.

In their bottom end scopes, but they also make midrange and top end scopes as well, like many of the big name makers do these days.

 

[Walkalong]

I did ask sightron the s3 glass is Japanese

My S3 is (was, gave it to my son), very nice glass. Zero complaints about the scope period. The two S-Tacs I had were nice too, but not in the S3's league.

My Vipers are pretty good, not great, not very good. My PST Gen II is very nice.

 

[LoonWulf]

My S3 is (was, gave it to my son), very nice glass. Zero complaints about the scope period. The two S-Tacs I had were nice too, but not in the S3's league.

My Vipers are pretty good, not great, not very good. My PST Gen II is very nice.

Dell has an older Viper on his wifes RPR and and ive spent some time behind it. Thats about how id categorize it also, i wasnt impressed, but i also wasnt disappointed. I still havent got ahold of one of the new ones tho.

My buddy up the street also had two Vipers fail exactly the same way back to back. I cant remember what versions his were, but ill admit that effected my views on them.....even tho ive never seen another Vortex fail.

 

[mavracer]

The new Arken 1-8 has Japanese glass, FFP kills it for me though.

I don't like the reticle in the Arken 1-8 but after using a couple FFP LPVO's I really like them for most of my shooting.

 

[mavracer]

I guess the epl 4 is closest to my Viper HS scopes as in they are the same zoom range, objective lens, and tube diameter. They are different focal planes and reticles though but that's not really something I can control lol.

I had a 6-24 Vortex HST on my 6 Creed and swapped it to a SH5 5-25 and am very happy with the swap.
The image quality is close enough IMHO to be a wash and the turrets are way better.

 

[LoonWulf]

Bit more poking and prodding on the Epl4 done tonight.

I tossed together a quick 1moa grid and ran a box test. Unfortunately i didnt get to it till near dark, and only had 30yds to do it on.

Reticle, and tracking matched well considering my marks arnt exactly on point
Return to zero running stop to stop was perfect..

Visibility was also good. My other good scopes dont focus that close, but i did check them against the boards across the street, and found very little difference between use ability of the Epl, EP, and my Meopta.
The image thru the Meopta is brighter, and definition is better as the light drops, but its not stupendously different.


Added hashes kinda wiggly, but made it easier to see return to zero. Maybe 5mins after the first photo.


24x

Same boards

6x

 

[troy fairweather]

Looks pretty good, when I was messing with it I was surprised how well it focused close in. I had it on 24 and was able focus on my garbage cans that were 10-12 yards from were I was sitting. Still weird how it goes from like 200 yards right to infinity or whatever it was on the side focus.

 

[LoonWulf]

Looks pretty good, when I was messing with it I was surprised how well it focused close in. I had it on 24 and was able focus on my garbage cans that were 10-12 yards from were I was sitting. Still weird how it goes from like 200 yards right to infinity or whatever it was on the side focus.

Ive noticed that the closer a scope focuses the tighter the upper end of the focus range usually becomes.

Most of my Athlons will do 10-25yds (cant remember) and you have to have a light touch to get perfect focus outside of 200ish as the adjustment range has gotten real short.

 

[Walkalong]

and you have to have a light touch to get perfect focus outside of 200ish as the adjustment range has gotten real short.

Yep

 

[12Bravo20]

Here is a good honest review of the Arken EP-5 5-25 and SH-4J 6-24. I thought the guy was spot on and very honest in his review of both scopes.