Arken Optics
- Thread starter Andrewc
- Start date
Andrewc
Silver $$ Contributor
That’s unfortunate, so is it so bad use it on 24x ?
Lkwebb
Gold $$ Contributor
Yes you can but don't expect great clarity.
Midnightmedic2
Gold $$ Contributor
So far I love mine. My .338 dials dead on from 200-1350 yards so far. Never seen a degraded image at 24x, mirage is enhanced as expected but that can be a good thing at 1350yards. For the price they are a super deal.
The search function will find you a thread on it. My review (you'll see a thread on it here) came down to: SH4 6-24x is basically garbage made from sewage. Avoid. The higher end models that were actually good are seemingly no longer available.
We each have our own opinions, I'm not a scope snob so I may not be as picky as some. I mainly bought mine for LR and ELR rimfire shooting with 500 yards being the max I'd more than likely dial to. If I get an opportunity to go farther it has plenty of holdover. A good friend (Randy Wise) showed me the one on his longrange rimfire pistol. He ia a past ELR record holder and is pretty picky about equipment he likes and uses. I can't say from personal experience about longer distance and how the optics look but for my distances and 22 rimfire shooting I like what I see.
For years now I've been a big fan of the SWFA scope line. I still have a couple early mismatched MOA turret/MILDot reticle. They were the first that had a scope with great mechanics and enough elevation travel to fulfill my needs for longrange rimfire shooting. The early 20X models were dark but later models especially the 20X MOA quad had a super reticle with a floating dot. I have quite a few of these and have served me well.
I still feel they are a good value for a shooter to get into longrange rimfire but there have been advancements in technology and new scope companies that give us more to choose from. A friend (Randy Wise) has been telling me about a new scope he's been trying out that he's been really impressed with.
I got to look thru it and check it out at my last match and I was impressed enough to get a couple of them for my Son and I. It's an Arken SH4 6-24x50 FFP. It's a 34mm and I used one of their 20moa one piece mounts on top of a 25moa rail on my Anschutz Exemplar. After getting a 50yard zero I have 103 moa of verticle travel available. There is still an easy 15+ more if I would switch over to Burris XTR rings but being able to dial a bit past 500 yards It's plenty.
So far to say I'm impressed would be an understatement, this scope is nice. It's beefy and has the nicest turrets I think I've ever twisted. Big easy to turn, solid audible clicks, dials you can see even if half blind. The reticle has a nice floating dot with a tad heavier subtension around it then finer from there on out. It does have a Christmas Tree style down below but unless you look for it, it's not overbearing or clutter the view. I'd prefer it didn't have that but unless I look for it it's not there when putting the dot on target.
I like the up/down on the verticle and the big "L" and "R" beside each number on the windage, helps to remind everyone even though we're all guilty of going the wrong direction in the heat of battle. The zero stop is one of the easiest to set I've seen and is absolutely solid and perfect every time you hit it. I would have liked to be able to tweak the stop a tad to allow a few clicks below zero for daily tweaks or shooting closer targets at a match. Not a biggie but would be nice.
After mounting/zeroing it on Big Green I started out thru my plate racks. I did like that the dot was just small enough to center up on a 1/4" circle at 50 yards and still see target around it to center up. I had to tweak a setting in Strelok after shooting the 197 rack but after that every distance I dialed was perfect. I have been watching a lot of video reviews including some that twisted the snot out of the turrets and another where they slammed the buttstock on the bench and dropped the gun and it still held a perfect setting.
Looking forward to showing it to other shooters at mine and other matches, I bet at least 100-150 people got SWFA scopes after trying them out or looking thru them. I really think that after getting behind this Arken they will be as impressed as I am. Randy is always trying out new equipment and when he finds something he likes he shares it and the same for when he doesn't like something. I think he steered me right with this scope.
It's not a $2500 scope but for $450 I think everyone will be more than impressed. Can't wait to try it out at the next match. I will upload a couple pictures later.
Here is one video review to give you an idea of the the value they packed into this scope. It wasn't done by me but compares it with a S&B and an SWFA.
Topstrap
For years now I've been a big fan of the SWFA scope line. I still have a couple early mismatched MOA turret/MILDot reticle. They were the first that had a scope with great mechanics and enough elevation travel to fulfill my needs for longrange rimfire shooting. The early 20X models were dark but later models especially the 20X MOA quad had a super reticle with a floating dot. I have quite a few of these and have served me well.
I still feel they are a good value for a shooter to get into longrange rimfire but there have been advancements in technology and new scope companies that give us more to choose from. A friend (Randy Wise) has been telling me about a new scope he's been trying out that he's been really impressed with.
I got to look thru it and check it out at my last match and I was impressed enough to get a couple of them for my Son and I. It's an Arken SH4 6-24x50 FFP. It's a 34mm and I used one of their 20moa one piece mounts on top of a 25moa rail on my Anschutz Exemplar. After getting a 50yard zero I have 103 moa of verticle travel available. There is still an easy 15+ more if I would switch over to Burris XTR rings but being able to dial a bit past 500 yards It's plenty.
So far to say I'm impressed would be an understatement, this scope is nice. It's beefy and has the nicest turrets I think I've ever twisted. Big easy to turn, solid audible clicks, dials you can see even if half blind. The reticle has a nice floating dot with a tad heavier subtension around it then finer from there on out. It does have a Christmas Tree style down below but unless you look for it, it's not overbearing or clutter the view. I'd prefer it didn't have that but unless I look for it it's not there when putting the dot on target.
I like the up/down on the verticle and the big "L" and "R" beside each number on the windage, helps to remind everyone even though we're all guilty of going the wrong direction in the heat of battle. The zero stop is one of the easiest to set I've seen and is absolutely solid and perfect every time you hit it. I would have liked to be able to tweak the stop a tad to allow a few clicks below zero for daily tweaks or shooting closer targets at a match. Not a biggie but would be nice.
After mounting/zeroing it on Big Green I started out thru my plate racks. I did like that the dot was just small enough to center up on a 1/4" circle at 50 yards and still see target around it to center up. I had to tweak a setting in Strelok after shooting the 197 rack but after that every distance I dialed was perfect. I have been watching a lot of video reviews including some that twisted the snot out of the turrets and another where they slammed the buttstock on the bench and dropped the gun and it still held a perfect setting.
Looking forward to showing it to other shooters at mine and other matches, I bet at least 100-150 people got SWFA scopes after trying them out or looking thru them. I really think that after getting behind this Arken they will be as impressed as I am. Randy is always trying out new equipment and when he finds something he likes he shares it and the same for when he doesn't like something. I think he steered me right with this scope.
It's not a $2500 scope but for $450 I think everyone will be more than impressed. Can't wait to try it out at the next match. I will upload a couple pictures later.
Here is one video review to give you an idea of the the value they packed into this scope. It wasn't done by me but compares it with a S&B and an SWFA.
Topstrap
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Raythemanroe
Bullet Whisperer
Glass is fine, it's functional and without problems but it's not top tier glass.. Turrets are awesome and track better than anything I have seen near it's price..
Ray
Pretty much my thoughts exacty.
I just ordered a second one.
jghoghunter
Gold $$ Contributor
A guy that puts on long range training schools at our club put one on one of his loaner rifles. It compares very fàvorably to the vortex on the other loaner rifle. It has spent all summer going from a 100 yards to 1040 with no issues. That's it that's all I know about that!
Raythemanroe
Bullet Whisperer
If I was going to jump above the SH-4 price range I would go with a Meopta. Meopta has unreal glass for that price range you are shopping in. I like Sightron in that range as well..
Ray
Never heard of Meopta but I will give them a look for sure.
Raythemanroe
Bullet Whisperer
I disagree here. My Arken SH4 6-24 is clear all the way. This is a great scope for the money, but with the 34 MM tube, it's a bit heavy, but lighter than many others with this big tube. Currently, Arken is offering them for $100 off. Next step up IMO is the Athlon Midas Tac.
The 2 I have are clear all the way to 24x. My buddy bought 2 at the same time, I ordered them together. 1 of his is like mine clear all the way to 24x. The other one of his starts getting hazy at 20x. I text them from the range and promptly was text back a form to return for repair/replacement or refund, your choice. After you fill that out they email you a return shipping label. Excellent company to deal with. I'm buying my 3rd this week.
Don Dunlap
I just got one of these for about $400. Good glass and focus.
sightron.com
S-TAC 4-20x50
Built for precision target shooting and hunters. The Sightron's S-TAC 4-20x50 rifle scope with covered turrets delivers superior optics and accuracy when it counts.
sightron.com
Having both the SH4-6x24 and the Midas TAC 6-24, they are different.
The Midas has better glass, consistently. I have seen some Arkens with great glass, mine not so much. Also the eye relief is much more forgiving. Reticle is a bit finer on the Midas as well.
Arken has illumination. Big plus for me, as I shoot night matches sometimes. Arkens 34mm tube lets in more light than the 30mm tube on the Midas. I like the Arken reticle better, but not by much and that is personal to me. Turrets are positive, but also somewhat archaic feeling (I’m not fussy though). 8mil/rev is wierd, and indicates a more coarse adjustment (read: lower cost of machining). QC is definitely lacking on this line and leads to inconsistencies between examples.
I will be reaching out to Arken to either replace or upgrade my SH4 soon. For me, the eye box being super sensitive, the milky glass, and inability to really tune the focus is a no-go. The rest is perfectly acceptable at the price point. If they will let me, I’d like to trade up to the new EP5 model and give it a go. If not and I can get a better example of the SH4 with the issues fixed, I’d still be happy.
I have an EP-5 that I just received last week, Haven't shot it yet but everything looks great so far...
I agree the EP-5 looks pretty good. Hoping to go shoot it this weekend and see how it works and looks at distance.
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