Sir, you are slowly becoming my favorite guntuber. Love your style, your editing, presentation, and how you focus on the craft of shooting and getting into the details. Keep up the good work.
Without a doubt, your channel is one of the best in educational content delivered with topnotch clarity. The EP8 and the EP5 will be my next two scopes. Thank you.
We have 5 Arkens. Unfortunately I am now a hopeless fanboy 😊. Fyi they are a very small company and got slammed during the last part of 2023. They are catching up now but a lot of people had to wait a lot longer than they expected to get theirs. They are worth every minute and dollar saved. Good luck.
You know I thought about taking the 6arc when I went in December but decided the 14.5” 6.5cm would be a little more challenging. If I go back again though I’d very likely take a 6arc. That said I’ve got lots more 6arc content planned this year so if you’re into that stick around!
Your durability test is one of the more realistic one I have seen so far and I appreciate you for putting these optics through its paces! Awesome segment. Perhaps you would consider more initial impressions and reviews for budget style optics down the line at longer ranges like you did with both your arken vids. Reviews do exist but I have yet come across one taking these budget optics through its paces in your format and doing scope cams, shooting + long range reviews with them. Perhaps you could also consider that and it may be fun for you. Your videos are very in depth and deserve quite the amount of credit for your efforts! As always, love the videos and its great to see you having a blast while shooting.
This is the most underrated gun channel, this guy is amazing, others gun tubers will compare this optics with high end product and will trashed. I like it very much always very honest reviews
Really appreciate you taking the time to watch my videos and support the channel! Your support doesn’t go un noticed! Lots of new content in the works so hope you’ll stay tuned to check it out.
That's what is called "true honest review". Some of others claimed their videos as "honest review" (sounds like as long as bashing Arken it would be "honest"), yet they were biased from the beginning. On RU-vid, you're one of the two most trustworthy Arken reviewers, the other is X-ring.
There is an easier way to sight in the scope. You shot the first two shots and confirmed they were good. Use a caldwell rest or anything that will hold the gun firm. Put the dot back on the center of the target like when you shot. Without moving the gun/scope, adjust the turrets to make the dot align with the bullet holes. Confirm with third shot hitting the bullseye. Takes all the guess work on how much to adjust the turrets. Saves ammo.
Great point and an effective method for sure. I don’t use sleds or rests though so not a method I’ve ever used. Appreciate you taking the time to watch!
Optics, Lol! It's hilarious that you think, with his knowledge, that he doesn't know this. Too funny! His response is very professional, to say the least.
Great video! I have both the EP5 5-25x and the EP8. The EP5 on my Sig Cross .308 and the EP8 on my LWRC .223. Both are an incredible value for what you get. Solid mounts and clear glass. Plus Arken stands behind their products and answered my questions quickly. Would highly recommend.
I love my Arken optics. Great value… but I think an NCStar would have survived those tests. 😂 I love the channel and look forward to more videos like this.
This was my first time viewing your channel and I have to say I am very impressed. Your presentation style and editing are a breath of fresh air. Thank you for being so clear and thorough. Subscribed!
I actually can’t wait to see how I can do with it. It’s been years since I shot a dmr match but hopefully it’s like riding a bike and I can make some hits on camera for the viewers haha. Stay tuned!
Although I appreciate the more harsh durability tests that other reviewers provide, I feel this test was more realistic and practical for the average use case. Thanks for doing this! This is quickly becoming one of my favorite channels.
Glad to hear you enjoy this kind of testing! Certainly we could test to the point of failure but I wanted to take a more realistic approach and put the scope through testing in line with what most shooters will experience. More content coming so hope you’ll stay tuned!
@@MountainsMulletsMerica I will absolutely stayed tuned! I like you style and the information you provide. You're carving out your own way as opposed to being a carbon copy of other channels. So much similar content out there. It's nice to see something different and more inline with what I'm looking for.
Watching your video makes me think the Arken is a worthwhile investment. Great production. Thank you Suggestion: Evaluate the low budget SIG SAUER TANGO-MSR LPVO 1-6x24mm Rifle Scope, 30mm Tube, Second Focal Plane. Also, you can evaluate the ability to use this and the Arken in close quarters like the EOTECH.
Great video. I just got my first lpvo. I'm excited to try it. Im used to red dots, so this will be a new experience for me. Keep the vids coming, thank you.
I would love for you to review the vector continental fiber sites. I'd bet they would send you some. I got the 1-6x24i fiber scope and love it. Also, love Griffin. They are such a dark horse in the industry.
Got mine when they were available put it on my AR-10 308. So far I've shot out to 700 yds with no problem. I also have the 5-25 Arken on my 300WM and it's freaking awesome.
@@markgunn-og8xb it's a Noveske 16" rifle length gas barrel with the headspaced bolt. I'm really impressed with their 16" 308 barrel. Oh I zeroed mine at 50 yds for now will try different zeros a little later when I have time.
This is a first time I have viewed your channel. It's also far and away the best review of a rifle scope that I have seen on RU-vid. Thank you very much, I really appreciate you taking the time to be so thorough and so descriptive. I look forward to seeing more of your videos. Please keep up the good work.
As soon as I heard that Arken was coming out with an LPVO I said “shut up and take my money!” and preordered it. i havent’ been disappointed. it is an awesome scope that feels like it’s worth 3x what I paid for it.
You're good at this, please them coming. I like videos that are short and sweat that still cover all the bases that matter. Nothing fancy, just a stream of information that matters, unlike so many ego driven videos on Y.T. these days. They want to be a star, but that's not what us shooters want, we just want your expert opinion and you do a great job of providing that. I have owned a really nice Steiner Military scope that is a 1-4X 24 that is near perfect glass and works great, 15 years ago, that was the bomb but now, so many 1-6X and 1-8X have come out that have me thinking about upgrading, but the problem is, they are only upgrades in power, everything else, like glass quality and build quality and warranty are not upgrades at all. So, it's a hard choice for me, but your work helps a lot. I just don't always trust most of the other channels these days. Thanks for your good work.
Thanks for the review! This is the only Arken scope I own, since its release really coincided with my need for another budget LPVO, I thought I'd try it. I honestly didn't trust their scopes before that. My personal experience: a few range trips so far and it managed to maintain zero despite bouncing around the car all the time. I saw the EP5 seems to work well in practice like the 1k challenge on Texas Plinking, so now I think Arken is decent for its price point. Hope to see more of these videos covering other scope brands, and I appreciate the work that goes into them.
Great review. I’m looking forward to more videos on the optic and the reticle. It’s been an optic of interest to me since I dipped into the world of LPVOs. Would love to see more drops and harder use. Something like a red dot torture test format. Again, great review!
We have a handful of LPVO’s including a very expensive PA PLX-c and the Arken EP-8 is a toss up compared to it and smokes the rest. I love the reticule and the very large field of view. God bless.
@@markgunn-og8xb I’m really enjoying learning about LPVOs and long distance shooting. I bought a PA LPVO they had the Aura reticle. It was the special purchase optic on Black Friday. The glass is clear and reticle easy to pick up. I’ve not had it to the range just yet, but hopefully soon. The EP8 is very very interesting. The idea behind it and its usage fits what I want. I may have to give one a try.
Love your content man, I really appreciate the work you put into these videos, and the fact that you're a real shooter and not another BS tacticool guntuber trying to sell people crap. Solid collection of rifles as well.
Really awesome to hear you’re enjoying the content and appreciate your support! My goal with each video is to provide the viewer some kind of value along with the entertainment. I feel like I’ve found a unique niche in the guntube space and so far it seems to be working. Hope you’ll stick around to catch future videos and don’t forget to share with your buddies!
Great first watch on the channel. Subscribed scrolling the ‘thoughtful’ comments section for your professionalism. Could be I’ve been binging the Arken EP8 currently in transit. . . my first LPVO. Thank You. (edit: binging = bingeing.)
Really glad of the review, I have been interested in this scope for a while, but I wanted to learn a little more about it before dropping 500 schmeckles on something.
Hey really appreciate you taking the time to support the channel, it doesn't go un noticed! I've got a lot of new content in the works so hope you'll stay tuned to check it out!
I have one on my SFAR and I absolutely love it. Arken has been great to work with and the build quality is amazing for the price point. Love the videos and keep up the good work.
Great content as always. I have a Athlon 1-10 on my POF Revolution DI. It’s pretty dang good for a $500 optic, and just about perfect for a 16” 308. I’d love to see you do a review on the POF DI.
@richardmangus8776 , I'll check them out. I know primary Arms is getting a lot of praise these days for price/ quality. I just have Dots. I've never owned a scope. i used a lot of them when I used to hunt, but there were borrowed. It seems like no matter what scope is used, people complain about all of them! I guess it's the nature of the Interenet. Thanks.😀
I think if you're buddy keeps knocking your rifle around he's gonna get an adjustment 😂 kidding 🤣. Great testing Buddy. Everyone says really good things about Arken optics . It's a perfect 556 scope , do all !
Thanks for the vid,well done & informative. I'm a fan of Arken optics,& I have 2,a SH4gen2/6-24X,& a EP5/5-25X. The SH4 is ok for the price point,but does have a cpl deficiencies...the eye box is pretty finicky & eye relief is a tad short,& the glass,while usable,is mediocre. The EP5 though(IMO)is very nice,for it's price point...good eye box,good eye relief,& the glass is quite nice & deficiencies aren't really noticeable until you get above 20X(but still usable nonetheless). As with all Arken scopes,they track exceptionally well w/audible & tactile clicks,& do have a zero stop,although I really wish they had locking turrets. I've been very interested in the EP8,but was waiting for a few different reviews to be released to buy one,& I definitely see one on my AR in the near future
VIDEO Idea - just found Long Distance Air Guns! I was looking for another Varmint Gun for Prairie Dogs in South Dakota and a video of guys taking Prairie Dogs at 300+ yrds with a PCP Air Gun!!!! Should make some Very Unique comparison videos for you. Especially with ammo prices and shortages with ammo priced in the $25 for 300 shots, aught to have a lot of interest by us 'Real Gun' guys. Been a subscriber since your 1st visit to Texas Plinking. He got me to check you out - YOUR content is why I stayed.
I recently purchased an ep5 from Arken and I have to say I am really impressed at what they offer vs what they cost. Not sure you could do better for the money.
Awesome video! Ive been looking at getting the ep8 as i have a ep5 on my 6.5. I was really impressed with the ep5 for the money. I have a few vortex razors in gen2 and gen3. With those being the more expensive scopes i have the ep5 was definitely in the wheel house of that but at a tremendous difference in price. I love the fact you are doing a more practical durability test on the ep8 and doing stuff thats more likely to happen. But i think you need to get a new buddy thats not as clumsy. So im here when ya need me. 😂 keep up the great content brother! 👏 👍
Trex just dropped a video testing a Chinese fake vortex where he shoots 100yards but changes from 1x to 3x to 6x to see if they land the same . I have one coming shipped last Friday.
On a bright day, would you say that without illumination, the center of the reticle has enough contrast to see it at 1x? It seems like the center horseshoe is definitely a tad small at 1x.
I can’t wait to see what happens at distance as well! Should have video from the dmr match coming in early Feb so hope you’ll stay tuned to check it out!
Firstly: really appreciate your work in setting up all these evaluations- I bet there's a lot that goes on behind the scenes that you do to achieve such quality content. Appreciate it! Am unsure if just the recording device- but the views do seem to have some chromatic aberration/rainbow effect, particularly around the edges of the white targets, did that appear to you IRL, or is it just due to recording? I know a lot of 'gucci-optics guys' complain about chromatic aberration, but it doesn't seem like it really mattered when it came to getting good solid hits on target. How did you feel the field of view was in comparison to other LPVOs? What did you think of the unusual stair-step reticle, was it too busy, or does it really help when estimating range off a silhouette? Cheers and thanks!
Really appreciate you taking the time to stop by and check out my content! Lots more content just like this in the works so hope you’ll stick around to check it out!
This is fine for substitute For say a Red Dot/ magnifier type doctrine but most of the people are not avg and stacking all these averages together gives you a lot of holding in dead space but a fairly decent scope overall
Looks pretty cool. I would love to see you do a video on a 14.5 with a basic eotech 3-0 and 3x and see how far you can push it reliably. I’m setting up a GPR with an eotech and magnifier for 0-400 shooting while staying short enough to run through an urban area. I used to use an 11.5 but after seeing all the trench clearing videos from Ukraine, I have a feeling an 11.5 will not defeat body armor which most people are now purchasing. So 14.5 it is lol.
Really thought you were going to run it over with the tractor 🤣 Honestly it’s hard to find anybody shitting on Arlen. Seems they are pretty solid for the price.
Interesting and good to know. I wasn’t specifically checking the eye box in this video but I also don’t remember anything being out of the ordinary. I’ll see how it feels later this month shooting it on the clock in the dmr match. Will try to give my thoughts after that experience.
@@MountainsMulletsMerica thank you for responding. I was missing impacts at distance when on 6-8 cause of the eye box pushes you into the black. Up close when moving the black is everywhere. I liked the reticle and the glass in nice for its cost. I run other Arken scopes. I don’t know what the deal is, but I got a scope with tiny work space. Sold it as fast as I could.
Hey Bill, once again really appreciate your continued support! Lots of content planned this year and this level of support helps make this possible. Hope you enjoy what I’ve got coming!
Would be interested to see your thoughts on low light performance. I have one and I thinks it is solid in good lighting, but mediocre light transmission as it gets darker.
