Rifle Scopes Arken SH4 Gen2 6-24x50 VPR MIL

I wonder what N2 gas is? 🤔🤔🤔

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So what's everyone's experience with the EP4? I'm assuming it's the same Japanese glass as the new EP5? Seems like a worthwhile upgrade from the SH model.
The SH4 Gen2 is HD glass, so it's not bad at all. Especially for a $450 scope. Through my eyes, it's better than my $1,000 MSRP Vortex HS-T scopes, and it's right beside my new Vortex Strike Eagle 5-25x56 EBR-7C.

The ED glass might be an upgrade, and for only $100 more, plus 10 MIL revs and a 56mm obj. I'd say the EP5 will be a banger of a deal. I'd like to buy one, but kinda broke at the moment since I just bought my 3rd SH4, and then they drop the EP5 several months ahead of schedule... 🤦🏼🤦🏼🤦🏼

Maybe since I started this thread, and this thread has inadvertently gained them lots of sales, @ArkenOpticsUSA would be really cool and send me a new EP5 to try out to compare and to post and review??? 🤷🏼 Wishful thinking, but hey, you never know until you ask. 🤣
 
.....just got my email from Arken alerting me to the new EP5 release, I'm seriously considering it. I have a "yet to be mounted" SH4 4-16 Gen2 for my 6ARC build and I'm thinking the EP5 would be a good fit for my pending 6.5CM build, the "itch" is ever increasing to be scratched, LOL. I had hoped they came out with a QD mount for AR's.

**** For those reading this and about to pop for the new EP5, use the code SAVE$170 to basically get the combo pack of mount/rings, lens caps, bubble level, throw lever, rear bag and badge/sticker for FREE.
 
39 ounces, that thing is a tank.
32 mils of travel. It’s so damn tempting.
That first run though….

.....well, its already been proven multiple times that Arken honors their guarantee so IF you did get a defective unit, you can be assured Arken WILL make it right ;)

...to be honest, I think that all of the issues experienced with earlier releases gave Arken valuable data and info to impart to their OEM to improve and incorporate into their manufacturing process and QA procedures. I can't speak to what internal changes were made to internals, but outwardly the obvious change is the 56mm objective.
 
...most likely, don't believe they would offer is as an add-on option to the EP5 if fitment was an issue as that would be a negative PR blunder. It could also be that they have a new EP5 specific set of caps.
I ask because it was a tight fit stretching over the 50mm objective. Just looked at specs again, says cap fits up to 59mm. Should be GTG.
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I ask because it was a tight fit stretching over the 50mm objective

....a hair blow dryer on the caps could ease that I would imagine, if necessary.

...I didn't find it excessive when I was testing everything out when my SH4 arrived, just worked them on then back off, but that was MY experience.
 
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Well, I took the plunge and ordered a EP5, had to see what it's all about. I wanted to try a EP4 a while back and never could find one. Probably put this thing on a CTR 260 and see how it does...
LOL, ...that PayPal tune is getting louder in my ears, singing its seductive siren song to me...:LOL:

...I do like the thought that I could have the same reticle in 2 different magnification ranges on 2 different caliber platforms to decrease any translation issues/errors when transitioning from one to the other.

...it is a good rationalization to push me over ;)😂
 
LOL, ...that PayPal tune is getting louder in my ears, singing its seductive siren song to me...:LOL:

...I do like the thought that I could have the same reticle in 2 different magnification ranges on 2 different caliber platforms to decrease any translation issues/errors when transitioning from one to the other.

...it is a good rationalization to push me over ;)😂

....I may have inadvertently silenced that PayPal siren song thats been running thru my mind since the EP5 email was received..or at least delayed it for a bit 🤦‍♂️ ...just looked thru my SH4 4-16 Gen2 at a cell tower mast that is over a mile away and was literally blown away. To be honest this was the first time I've looked thru it in daylight outside since I received it, haven't even mounted it yet, still in the box. At 4x I was excited, at 10X I was really excited, at 14x I was 😳...followed by the biggest 😊. Clarity was outstanding, very much better than I anticipated. Granted, this was a cursory "look thru" while holding the bare scope in my hands, but 1st impressions are lasting...
 
Still debating on what to put my Arkens on... I'll probably have to go down the rabbit hole to the safe and pull a bunch of rifles out and mull it over and mentally swap things around before making a decision. 🤦🏼

Yes, my decision making process can be exhausting, not only for onlookers, but also for me as well. Being an INFJ that's how I rationalize, I work best when I can SEE how things will come together 100% before I even start loosening screws. Sometimes it can create massive mental blocks and severe procrastination when I seem to not be able to logically put 2 things together out of long-term lack. For example, if I like it too much, I lack the funds to replace all my others with Arkens, so they are all uniform, the reticles are the same, so are the turrets, and the familiarity is there, making transitioning between rifles less mental, and more natural.
 
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Still debating on what to put my Arkens on... I'll probably have to go down the rabbit hole to the safe and pull a bunch of rifles out and mull it over and mentally swap things around before making a decision. 🤦🏼

Yes, my decision making process can be exhausting, not only for onlookers, but also for me as well. Being an INFJ that's how I rationalize, I work best when I can SEE how things will come together 100% before I even start loosening screws. Sometimes it can create massive mental blocks and severe procrastination when I seem to not be able to logically put 2 things together out of long-term lack. For example, if I like it too much, I lack the funds to replace all my others with Arkens, so they are all uniform, the reticles are the same, so are the turrets, and the familiarity is there, making transitioning between rifles less mental, and more natural.
One guy said his CC bill mentioned it was for counseling. That might be a sign to order as much as possible.
 
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ok, i mentioned a page back, i was pretty sure the Arken i had just received and opened had been used and returned. Faint ring marks, body marks. But Thought what the hell i'll give it a try since i did find a pair of rings i had forgotten i had. Mounted it up, illuminated reticle wouldn't work,. tried 2 different batteries that i knew were good , still a no go. No illumination. Today was a beautiful bright sunny day, great day to shoot, Took it out , put it on the paper target at 100 yds , couldn't get a decent look no matter what i tried. Pretty hazey, no sharpness at all. Couldn't make out the holes in the paper from the 6.5SS i had just finished shooting. If this was the first one i had ordered, i would have never ordered another, but the first one was sharp as heck. I'll send them an email in the morning and see if i can add some extra dollars to it, send it back, and get one of the new ones that just came out. Hopefully they've got good CS. If not, i'll chalk it up to another learning experience and stay with NF , Kahles, Steiner, or order one of those new Zeiss's i've been wanting to try. It's been super hard passing on a couple of NF 7-35 mil-xt's that have been showing up in the px lately. Still the best scope i have hands down.
 
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ok, i mentioned a page back, i was pretty sure the Arken i had just received and opened had been used and returned. Faint ring marks, body marks. But Thought what the hell i'll give it a try since i did find a pair of rings i had forgotten i had. Mounted it up, illuminated reticle wouldn't work,. tried 2 different batteries that i knew were good , still a no go. No illumination. Today was a beautiful bright sunny day, great day to shoot, Took it out , put it on the paper target at 100 yds , couldn't get a decent look no matter what i tried. Pretty hazey, no sharpness at all. Couldn't make out the holes in the paper from the 6.5SS i had just finished shooting. If this was the first one i had ordered, i would have never ordered another, but the first one was sharp as heck. I'll send them an email in the morning and see if i can add some extra dollars to it, send it back, and get one of the new ones that just came out. Hopefully they've got good CS. If not, i'll chalk it up to another learning experience and stay with NF , Kahles, Steiner, or order one of those new Zeiss's i've been wanting to try. It's been super hard passing on a couple of NF 7-35 mil-xt's that have been showing up in the px lately. Still the best scope i have hands down.
That sucks, none of mine are like that. All 3 of mine are sharp as tacks... Yeah, I'd say something is definitely wrong with that one. They will probably let you upgrade to the new one for a few more bucks, especially since they sent you a used scope at new pricing.

I wouldn't try to compare the glass to a Zeiss, Kahles, NF, or Steiner... But to each, his own... I wouldn't be too disappointed when a $550 scope doesn't stack up to a $4,500 scope. 😂

Yeah, I'd shoot them an email. The email address I have that works and gets me responses within a few hours, is: [email protected] . The Guy I typically talk to is James Craig.
 
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That sucks, none of mine are like that. All 3 of mine are sharp as tacks... Yeah, I'd say something is definitely wrong with that one. They will probably let you upgrade to the new one for a few more bucks, especially since they sent you a used scope at new pricing.

I wouldn't try to compare the glass to a Zeiss, Kahles, NF, or Steiner... But to each, his own... I wouldn't be too disappointed when a $550 scope doesn't stack up to a $4,500 scope. 😂

Yeah, I'd shoot them an email. The email address I have that works and gets me responses within a few hours, is: [email protected] . The Guy I typically talk to is James Craig.
i don't expect it to stand up to the top tier scopes. I don't even expect it to stand alongside my mid tier scopes, but i do expect to see bullet holes on 24X at 100 yds on white paper. Like i mentioned, the first one i received was really sharp and i was impressed enough to order another. I've sent them an email and we'll see what goes. I'm sure they'll stand behind it.
 
i don't expect it to stand up to the top tier scopes. I don't even expect it to stand alongside my mid tier scopes, but i do expect to see bullet holes on 24X at 100 yds on white paper. Like i mentioned, the first one i received was really sharp and i was impressed enough to order another. I've sent them an email and we'll see what goes. I'm sure they'll stand behind it.
They should do you right... Keep us updated on here how it goes. I'm not brand-loyal. I started this thread to report the good, bad and ugly.

Shit happens. Hell, I've been waiting over a year for one of my cans from a dealer that had an ATF audit that caused a whole big clusterfuck of shit to happen, including the ATF having to disapprove and remove from processing over 100 Form-4's (including 1 of mine) until they got the shit straightened out because of an incompetent employee... They finally resubmitted back in September, and it got re-cashed on 10/17/21. But still no word on the 1 month expedited turn-around. I finally called the dealer last week to see WTF was going on, and they said, "All of them came back, but a handful, we still got your can, just no stamp yet..." So I called the ATF, come to find out, someone put it in the wrong pile, and it was going through NORMAL processing again, and hadn't even been assigned to an examiner yet, after 2 months of check cashing...Instead of the expedited 1 month turn-around. The lady was nice and sympathized with the ordeal, and said she'd get it sent straight to her, approved, and then out to the mailing room in the next 1.5 weeks. If I had never called, I probably wouldn't see that can until mid-2022...Or later.

Stuff like that is why I'm never afraid to call these companies or send emails. Shit happens. Especially with as many orders as they have going out. The scope you got probably got set on the wrong pile and ended up getting packed and shipped-out by accident.
 
I put in an order for another 4x16 late sunday the 19th — no shipped email yet, still “awaiting processing”
I’m beginning to wonder. I know it’s only been 2 days but...
I ordered one on the 16th after I found out about the discount code. On the 17th I got an email with a tracking number that came back "label processed, waiting for item to arrive at USPS facility" (or something to that effect). Which stayed that way until Monday night, when all of a sudden it was at the local distribution facility. Got to the local PO early yesterday morning, was delivered around noon yesterday. Geez, what tank these things are! LOL Just looking it over, very impressed; hopefully it will hold up decent. Going to be visiting with my step son over the holidays, so we'll compare it to his Kahles and Bushnell DMR scopes, just for shits and giggles. I may have to order another before the discount goes away...just because... :)
 
Just got my SH4 4-16 today. What a scope it is! It just does everything well. The glass isn't bad at all, especially for the price. It's made me more excited to try the EP5 with Japanese glass.

The sub $500 market right now has nothing to compare with these, unless you want one or more of the following: mushy turrets, poor glass, no zero stop or illumination, no rev indicator to know where your at with elevation, or a decent reticle.

We're all very fortunate to live in such a value rich scope market.
 
After watching the VSO torture test, and the IV8888 torture test, they're stout scopes. I don't know many scopes on the market (in ANY price range) that could handle the torture VSO put his through. And then beat the turret back straight on the edge of a table, and it goes back to zero and starts tracking straight again. 😂
 
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I put in an order for another 4x16 late sunday the 19th — no shipped email yet, still “awaiting processing”
I’m beginning to wonder. I know it’s only been 2 days but...

Mine showed up on my front porch without ever getting a tracking update.

That's on the US Postal Storage system not updating.
 
Mine showed up on my front porch without ever getting a tracking update.

That's on the US Postal Storage system not updating.
Covid has only made the USPS even MORE worthless than they already were.

Every package I've tracked in the last 2 years has been at least a day or 2 behind on updating their website.
 
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