Reply With QuoteRuh roh. Now poor folks can hang with the rich dudes.
Arken Optics is launching their new EP5 today. It will have a 5-25 power magnification range, as well as a 56mm objective. It will be sporting Japanese ED glass, and will come with the full lifetime warranty.
DK
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Ruh roh. Now poor folks can hang with the rich dudes.
The Dunning-Kruger effect is alive and well.
I've got the sh4 that I shoot in PRS-22 competitions. Works great for the money
They who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.
That is a common sentiment psharon97. The EP is a touch of higher quality glass version and the 5X power may even be more better than the 4x power. I am thinking of comparing one the the Cronus.
The Dunning-Kruger effect is alive and well.
I snagged an EP5 with the $100 off coupon to give it a shot... Doubt it touches my Cronus or Tract but hope it decimates the Vortex PST.
I'm sorry, But you get what you pay for with optics. And with the Arken, your getting a $550 scope that's it.
Trying to compare a $550 scope to a $1600 scope is crazy. While in certain conditions, visually they might look great, but that's about as close at it'll get. There's a reason high end scopes cost what they do, they are made better and with better material's with closer tolerances.
I totaly agree TXhillbilly. I do have an added perspective. If you are dialing in your targets, a well mechanical functioning scope can trump a scope with much better optics that a less than accurate dialing system. Where I align with you is I want both! I imagine that for that price you are getting more scope than was formerly available for the same price. My concern is the price may come at the increased risk of getting one were the glass is downright poor. For the guy on a budget the reviews already represent the positive....for most of the purchasers anyway.Originally Posted by Txhillbilly
The Dunning-Kruger effect is alive and well.
The Arken scopes all come with a tracking guarantee as well. So the mechanical aspects are covered. I’ve got the older EP4 version, as well as several SH4 versions. I can tell you for a fact, they punch WAY above their low price tag. They are performers.
DK
[B]Savage - Arken Optics - MDT - Seekins - MOΛΩN ΛΑΒΕ[/B]
In comparing the glass between the Vortex Viper PST 6-24X56 FFP, I can tell you the glass quality is far superior to that of the Arken. The Arken, however has much better turrets and tracking and durability will be much better when compared to much of what Vortex puts out. It doesn't hold a candle the IOR 6-24x56 or the Crusader I have.
There's no such thing as a free lunch. The better the glass, and the more rugged and precise of a scope, will require a larger investment in optics. After 1500 - 2000 in the optics, one does encounter the law of diminishing returns. In order to get a better, more refined, and optical superior scope, one has to spend significant amounts of money for marginal increases. The optical, quality control, and build quality of the Tract is marginally inferior to a Nightforce ATACR class. ZCO class optics is marginally better than a Nightforce ATACR. and Tangent Theta class stands at the top.
They who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.
Agreed.
The Dunning-Kruger effect is alive and well.
Wanted to bring this thread back, now that the Arken ER5 is out & about. Anybody pick one up. I watched Rex Tibor’s review on it, and for its price of $549, it seems to be a solid performer. Not to mention his pretty extensive test on the EP4 in which he tests tracking to hold within 1%, and sticks the optic on his Barrett M82 then process to fire several hundred dollars of ammo through it. Scope holds up just fine. For anyone with an UNDER $500 or UNDER $1K budget, these seem the way to go. I know Rex to be an honest & non bias reviewer, and even though he freely admits to being a Scope Schnob (he loves his Schmidt & Bender PMII’s), and German Glass at that.. but he is very good at not trying to fit HIS agenda. He gives things a fair shake. And really puts the scope’s he reviews through the paces. I surely trust him over many, many Forum guys who have never even TOUCHED one of these, telling us they are no good. (Not saying people have, just an example)
I have one in hand, its a nice scope for the price. Glass get a little milky at higher magnification, the parallax numbers don't line up at all which is a non-issue for me. The turrets are really nice and tactile. I will get it out the range next weekend to really test it out. I think my Athlon ETR will be a better scope but at double the price it should be.
Exactly! This, it seems, is what some don’t understand. People have different budgets. So many times, even here, I’ve seen the response: “Just save for longer until you have enough to get a more expensive scope.” This isn’t an option for everyone. It’s not for me in fact. My budget isn’t a matter of “affording” a $3K optic, it’s a matter of WHAT I’ve decided I am willing to spend on an optic.
I am a patient guy, i have a lot of optics that have sold for $1100-1400 that i got for $620-800. I have never paid more than $800 for a scope, because if you are patient, very good sales are going to come your way. I keep thinking i am going to get a Burris XTR3, and the money isn't an issue, but it is the principle behind spending twice some other very usable and good scopes that is holding me back. I have plenty of other scopes that work great, and i don't NEED a $1700 optic... but one day when the right sale comes along.
Great point.
The EP5 that I had my hands on was phenomenal! I will soon have mine, and I will be getting some pics posted.
[B]Savage - Arken Optics - MDT - Seekins - MOΛΩN ΛΑΒΕ[/B]
They look like winners given the price point. Rex Tibor (TiborasourusRex on YouTube) did extensive reviews on both the SH4/SP5 and was pretty blown away. Held up to tons of rounds of 50BMG From his M82. When speaking of the EP5 he said if scopes like that had been around when he started, he may not have been drawn to Schmidt & Bender. Who know. Point is, they really are a step above the $400-$600 optics over the last, well ANYTIME before this!
It's amazing that the quality of the lower priced scopes has advanced as quickly as it has. Makes spending.$1500+ harder all the time. I have a couple of the Arken scopes. Not showstoppers but for the money quite capable.
Seriously.. Well, it’s to be be expected. I’ve spoken of this before. For one thing, materials don’t cost near what people think. I make custom knives & various machines like my 2”x72” Belt Sander & Surface Ginder Attachment. As such, I buy sheets of High Alloy Steel, & I’ve purchased a great deal of Billet Aluminum over the years for these projects & even Titanium for various bits. I will say Ti is still rather expensive, but take the difference between 6061-t6 & 7075-t6 Billet Aluminum. While 7075 costs more, given that 6061 is SO inexpensive, even if 7075 were DOUBLE the cost, it still does not account the overall cost of a product. Most of a products cost is attached to the R&D in designing said product. But why then do companies with a name charge the SAME astronomical prices when all they did was COPY another product? Or even worse, when they BUY them wholesale and have a bad EXTREME markup price, which is the case with the Primary Arms mount.
Here is a PERFECT example. This is Primary Arms’ new Cantilever Scope Mount. Nice machining, attractive & even made from 7075-T6 Billet! At “ONLY” $249.99, WOW!
Well, here’s a mount I purchased two years ago. ALSO has great machining & is ALSO made of 7075-t6 Billet Aluminum. But I picked this one up for less than $30 on sale. Even after the sale, the price was only $60. You can still find these sold by various companies. Almost all are made of 6061 Aluminum now.
Look similar, don’t they? Well, in fact they are nearly identical. So when two products share the same high quality materials & high quality machining, but are separated in price by more than 4x..., what is the “extra” being paid for besides the name?
Of course now, the Arken or new line of Athlon ETR, a couple others, can not compete with the IOR Valdada, SCHMIDT & Bender Theta or Zero Compremise.., but I’m simply stressing the giant leap that materials & machining has taken in just the last several years. What will happen in 5-10 more years?
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