Arken EP5 5-25X56 FFP MIL VPR Review

[Snozzberries]

I picked up an Arken SH4 6-24X50 GEN2, mounted it, sighted it in, shot some groups. I decided it was good, but I wanted something with better glass. The next day Arken released their EP5 5-25x56 (EP5-5251VPR).

Near as I can tell, for $100 extra, it comes with "ED Japanese Glass". (IMO, the zoom range expansion is irrelevant)

I've sent back the SH4, and am waiting for the EP5 to arrive. Has anybody received one yet? Is it better than the SH4?

Based upon the statistics, it looks like the 5-25 has better Field of View ranges. Once I receive it, I'll update this with further comments.

 

[LonewolfMcquade]

I've bought 2 of the SH4' s so far. I was holding off buying the EP5 till I hear some feedback. Arken JUST started shipping out the EP5, should start hearing some feedback in the next week or 2

 

[longrange223]

I'm taking a chance, ordered the EP-5 a couple weeks ago and am waiting patiently, Selling my EP-4 Mil so I hope it turns out to be as good as the EP-4 was! Will have to see when I get it...

 

[Dgd6mm]

I bought my first 2 SH4 6-24x50 Gen2 when they where $399. I ordered a total of 4 at the time, 2 for my shooting buddy. Since then I bought another at $449 and free combo kit. New Year's eve just before midnight I purchased the EP5 for $549. with the free combo kit and I'm waiting on it patiently to be shipped. I'm very happy with the 3 I have and I'll speak for my buddy as being the same. He also ordered a EP5 and combo kit.

 

[longrange223]

Anybody get one yet? Still haven't sold my EP-4 and was kind of waiting around til I see a review of the EP-5...

 

[z71rat]

From all reports out there so far, the EP5 doesn't disappoint. I am anxiously awaiting mine to get here!

 

[DangerRanger]

I’m pretty impressed with mine so far for the price. I do not have any other Arken products to compare to. I was quite pessimistic but so far it feels much better than I expected, and glass quality under 20x or so is quite good. Over that it starts to wash out some but I expected that given the price point. It is still usable but I likely would dial it back to 18-20 for my shooting unless I really needed it.

the turrets feel great, no play whatsoever which is something I’ve not seen at this price point. Does that really matter? No, but it’s nice for the user experience.

i think that stuff is why they get compared to such higher priced scopes. The glass while good is not better than higher priced scopes as I often read. But the feel of the scope is. Best example is say a bushnell lrts. It was under a grand, the glass on the bushnell is better, but the turrets aren’t. The bushnell holds zero and tracks so it does the important stuff. I don’t yet know if the arken does, if I keep it we will find out. Unfortunately I sprung for a razor3 and may need to send this Ep5 down the road prematurely for cash flow.

here’s some photos while I sat inside the other day quarantined During a winter storm. It is literally freezing rain during this. It’s also winter in the eastern US so there is no color in the world.

10x

20x

25x

 

[darkangel_r2]

I bought an EP-5 and just got it a few days ago. Mine has an issue where the image focus is way off from what the parallax knob says. I've got a 2700 yard view across my lake out the back and my parallax knob puts the opposite side in focus on the 200 yard setting. I'm going to test out tomorrow morning if the reticle is stable at that range and setting. If it is its not a problem. 200 yards on the dial becomes my infinity. Won't be able to tell until I mount it. I will contact Arken to talk about it too.

Other than that issue it appears to be a high quality optic. The glass is very nice, better clarity and brightness than my viper pst gen 1 6-24. Turrets are VERY tactile. Zero stop is excellent. Illuminated crosshairs are very nice.

 

[DangerRanger]

My parallax labeled numbers are also off.

this is why I don’t like labeled parallax knobs. I’ve yet to have a scope that’s perfect. And it doesn’t matter as long as they can eliminate parallax error, so just don’t label it. I guess consumers would rather be lazy and wrong than take 5 seconds and do it themselves correctly

 

[Earnhardt]

Great reticle pics, man!

 

[300_whisper]

A non shill review of the Arken…finally.

 

[DangerRanger]

Rambling about optical performance

It’s still raining, and I’m still screwing around in my house bored. I see a lot of people comparing this scope to much more expensive scopes. i get why peoples minds wander, but it’s not very fair to the scope imo. (Un?)fortunately the turret feel on this scope begs it to be compared to scopes it can’t possibly compete with glass wise. It’s really good.

However no free lunch. The eye box is tight, the image gets dark high in the mag range as well as milky. Still, I’m becoming more certain for the price it does really well. It does not however compete in optical performance with scopes 2x the price. Or at least decent ones. Maybe it competes with crappy ones I don’t know

. I put it beside a razor lht, so 2x the price and you can tell the lht is better at equal magnification, in pretty much every way. Color rendition, resolution, eyebox, chromatic aberration (purple and green fringing)

I put it beside the Swfa fixed 10 and the arken bests it(it should, this is an old scope with meh glass at this point)

I put it beside the razor 3 and it’s just not comparable. But that’s a laughable comparison and one would hope it’s not comparable.

Again, it shouldn’t compete with these higher priced scopes in this way, what really matters at this point is, does it track and does it hold zero. Because for 550 it’s doing everything else it needs to right now imo, and the turret feel IS far and away better than anything in this price range.

I’m going to get it out and shoot it some even if I do end up selling it because to be quite honest and as much as it annoys me a little… I like it ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[Earnhardt]

DangerRanger, great review!

 

[bubbalo7]

I'm taking a chance, ordered the EP-5 a couple weeks ago and am waiting patiently, Selling my EP-4 Mil so I hope it turns out to be as good as the EP-4 was! Will have to see when I get it...

Id like to know if the new EP5 5-25x56 has better glass than the EP4 6-24x50 ?

 

[bubbalo7]

Id like to know if the new EP5 5-25x56 has better glass than the EP4 6-24x50 ?

how much you want for your EP4 6-24x50?

 

[longrange223]

Already sold, Didn't take long after I got my new one! Can't wait to try the new EP-5 out, Looks like the glass is a little better, It's brighter, I'll know more when I get it mounted

 

[calinb]

Illuminated crosshairs are very nice.

But just the center is illuminated and not enough to mil with it at night, right?

 

[darkangel_r2]

But just the center is illuminated and not enough to mil with it at night, right?

Correct just the center.

 

[longrange223]

After mounting it on my rifle I can honestly say the glass in my scope is a step above the EP-4, Don't notice much dimming above 20 power, colors are bright and clear, Ordered mine with low rings and they are almost too low, not much room between the center section of the scope and my 20 MOA rail but it does clear, One thing I noticed is there isn't a lot of room for front to back mounting movement, Mine is really tight between the front bell of the scope and the front of my rail, I may mill off a little of the rail to give more clearance just in case, As was stated before, the numbers on the parallax adjustment don't match known distances but as long as it adjusts it out I can live with that...

 

[Snozzberries]

You guys are making me jealous. I ordered mine on December 26th and it's still Awaiting Processing. Grrr.