I've been somewhat of an optics snob for quite some time, but over the past year or so, I've become a fan of Arken optics.
I have and have had Nightforce, Trijicon, Steiner, Swarovski, Khales, etc. I'm not gonna say that the Arkens are as good, but from a practical standpoint, the Arkens are more than good enough in most situations at a fraction of the price. The Arken internals seem stout.
I first got an SH4. It was very nice for the price, but I needed a bit more resolution, so I got into an EP5. It was a nice step up.
I recently got a Ruger American Predator in .308 as a woods beater, hunting rifle and ordered an EPL4 for it. It should make for a nice package with the lighter weight and capped windage turret.
What I'd like to talk about is the elevation turret and zero stop. I've seen people complain that the zero stop doesn't stop at zero and criticize the lack of a turret lock. There are work arounds.
The position of where the zero stop stops is controlled by a ring. If you look closely around the perimeter of the ring, you'll find three VERY small set screws. If you loosen these screws, the ring will turn. You can set the zero stop to stop where ever you want it to. Just take care on how much torque you put on those set screws. It doesn't take much to lock it.
As for the lack of a turret lock, if you screw the zero stop set screw in and leave it so that it's touching the above mentioned collar, the turret won't turn. I mean, you can get it to turn with enough force, but it certainly won't get bumped out of place while you're hunting. I'm toying with the idea of putting a small dimple in the collar to provide the set screw a recess to fit into, thereby making it a true lock. Of course, you'll need a tool to unlock it, but in the field, small adjustments can be made using the reticle.
www.eurooptic.com
