Rifle Scopes Arken Zero Stop, set up for speed drop?

[yosemite_sam]

Interested in the Arken optics with zero stop. Sounds like their zero stop design is the same across optics. I like to run speed drop/dial down 1.6 for my specific setup.

Would the Arken zero stop design allow me to set the zero stop 1.6 mil below "0". My Vortex optic only allowed me to dial down 0.5 mil from zero. From the videos I've watched it looks like Arken may allow this but I wanted to know for sure before making a purchase.

Thanks!

 

[Mike Casselton]

Their zero stop is true zero

 

[db2000]

I believe so but will wait for someone to confirm. I have several but only set to “0”. I don’t see why, with the ways the zero set screws adjust, you couldn’t. Also, if looking at 7-35 but DNT, not Arken. The zero stop is the same.

 

[Mike Casselton]

The zero stop bumps against a machined ridge. The only way to go below zero is to raise the stop adjustment screw up. Once you do that it ceases to function

 

[yosemite_sam]

The zero stop bumps against a machined ridge. The only way to go below zero is to raise the stop adjustment screw up. Once you do that it ceases to function

Right but it looks like in the how to set Arken zero stop videos you manually move the turret…click click click until it’s at “0” then you set the stop. Why could one not dial down to -1.6 and set the stop?

Slipping the turret to your zero and setting the zero stop look like two different operations.

 

[yosemite_sam]

I believe so but will wait for someone to confirm. I have several but only set to “0”. I don’t see why, with the ways the zero set screws adjust, you couldn’t. Also, if looking at 7-35 but DNT, not Arken. The zero stop is the same.

If you didn’t mind do you think you could try setting your stop at -1.6 and not re slip your turret? You should have it set to your speed drop anyways if that’s an option!

 

[Mike Casselton]

Here are a couple of images of the pieces and parts, and how it works.



This little machined ridge is the actual zero stop.

This is the adjustment screw that bumps against the bottom and the machined ridge.
It is held in place with the horizontally mounted brass set screw above the 0.

This is the turret with the zero stop adjustment screw at the correct height and held in place with the brass set screw.

If you raise the zero stop screw to clear the machined ridge, you have no zero stop until it makes the next revolution.



With all of that said.
It APPEARS, and I say APPEARS, you could loosen the three, very, very tiny zero stop collar screws and POSSIBLY rotate the collar clockwise to gain a below zero setting.

If it worked, you would lose the solid zero stop and it would need to be manually set along the verticle zero line to actually be zeroed.
You would want to set your zero stop to bump the ridge at the below zero number you choose, or you would never know your actual zero.



OR, you could just use the available 4 Mils above the horizontal to hold under...

 

[db2000]

^^^what he said

 

[yosemite_sam]

thanks for all the help/input y'all!

 

[FuhQ]

I believe so but will wait for someone to confirm. I have several but only set to “0”. I don’t see why, with the ways the zero set screws adjust, you couldn’t. Also, if looking at 7-35 but DNT, not Arken. The zero stop is the same.

+1 on buying the DNT over the Arken recommendation... I'm getting rid of all my Arkens, and replaced a few with the DNT 7-35x56 instead. MUCH better glass, and more accurate parallax.

 

[yosemite_sam]

I understand that I could use the hash marks above the center point to hold under, but my goal in dialing down is to easily set to my speed drop number, which for me is 1.6 on my MK12 type rifle. Additionally I know about the superiority of DNT but 35x is way too much mag for my uses. I'm happily using 10x at 500 yards/spotting misses.

 

[Bmghunter]

YES you can adjust the zero stop to go below zero. I have done so myself. That inner ring with the ridge has some set screws using tiny Allen keys I believe. I had to buy special tiny Allen keys for that, forget if it’s metric or imperial. Anyways, loosen those set screws, put the cap back on but not tighten the screws and rotate the cap with the zero stop down to rotate the inner ring, stop when you rotated enough down for the stops you want.

 

[mmlook]

YES you can adjust the zero stop to go below zero. I have done so myself. That inner ring with the ridge has some set screws using tiny Allen keys I believe. I had to buy special tiny Allen keys for that, forget if it’s metric or imperial. Anyways, loosen those set screws, put the cap back on but not tighten the screws and rotate the cap with the zero stop down to rotate the inner ring, stop when you rotated enough down for the stops you want.

you dont need to touch the inner ring.

just loosen the top set screw, dial to what you want the "zero stop" to be
- say -1.0mil
- then run the top set screw down, lock it down with the brass one
- now your "zero stop" will stop at -1.0mil, instead of zero

it should be a 2mm for EP5's

 

[yosemite_sam]

you dont need to touch the inner ring.

just loosen the top set screw, dial to what you want the "zero stop" to be
- say -1.0mil
- then run the top set screw down, lock it down with the brass one
- now your "zero stop" will stop at -1.0mil, instead of zero

it should be a 2mm for EP5's

I’m not totally sure if I’m following you!

 

[Mike Casselton]

you dont need to touch the inner ring.

just loosen the top set screw, dial to what you want the "zero stop" to be
- say -1.0mil
- then run the top set screw down, lock it down with the brass one
- now your "zero stop" will stop at -1.0mil, instead of zero

it should be a 2mm for EP5's

It doesn't work like that

 

[mmlook]

I’m not totally sure if I’m following you!

It doesn't work like that

let me find my EP5's

I have them both set to 0.5mil under zero, cause I used to run them in NRL22, had to do that for the stupid 25-35yd shots

 

[mmlook]

ok, just checked on my 7-35 EP5

I can get it to go 0.4mil under zero

yeah, anything under that, you need to mess with the inner ring.

 

[Mike Casselton]

ok, just checked on my 7-35 EP5

I can get it to go 0.4mil under zero

yeah, anything under that, you need to mess with the inner ring.

Sounds like you have the zero set screw pretty high on the ridge and it's basically bumping the upper edge of it.
Doesn't that make the zero stop petty mushy?

Gonna grab mine and mess with it for a bit.

 

[Mike Casselton]

Just played with my zero stop.
I can get mine to .5 under, but it's sketchy. Some times it goes past the zero stop

 

[yosemite_sam]

Thanks for y’all all fooling with your scopes for me! I’m curious if it could be reset to go down as far as -1.6

 

[Mike Casselton]

Thanks for y’all all fooling with your scopes for me! I’m curious if it could be reset to go down as far as -1.6

It can, if you're willing to move the zero stop plate. Otherwise, you'll have no operational zero stop.
I don't know if the zero stop plate holds any seals in place, so be careful to just loosen, rotate without lifting and then retorque those tiny set screws.

 

[Ronws]

Yes, you can set the stop wherever you want.

 

[Mike Casselton]

Just thinking.
Wouldn't it be just as easy to set your impact 1.6 low and then just use the zero stop as is?

 

[yosemite_sam]

Just thinking.
Wouldn't it be just as easy to set your impact 1.6 low and then just use the zero stop as is?

It would be a cool way to do it if I wanted to keep the optic in zero drop all the time and then just dial my range in mils. I kinda like this idea! But I do lose the flexibility of being able to dial in exact elevations, unless I wanted to work out a new dope card that factors in the -1.6 mils

 

[spife7980]

It would be a cool way to do it if I wanted to keep the optic in zero drop all the time and then just dial my range in mils. I kinda like this idea! But I do lose the flexibility of being able to dial in exact elevations, unless I wanted to work out a new dope card that factors in the -1.6 mils

A lot of calculators have the offset ability to take that into account on the card

 

[DFOOSKING]

I have a question in regards to the OP's optic.

Is it possible to NOT set the zero stop at all?

I mean.....its safe to assume that your scope has revolution index lines.

Just do what us old guys did before zero stop was even a thing......remember your rev count in regards to your zero, log it.......and roll on.

Then you can dial your speed drop on and go back to a traditional zero if you want.

OR zero with your speed drop figure dialed on and adjust your dope figures on your data card with the offset factored in.

So if 200 was range to target and it was 0.5 mils.... and -1.6 was your speed drop (which is now set to "0".....dial 2.1 and drill him for the precise shot. Versus using "Two for 200 on the reticle" the quick and dirty way.

 

[Tx_Aggie]

It would be a cool way to do it if I wanted to keep the optic in zero drop all the time and then just dial my range in mils. I kinda like this idea! But I do lose the flexibility of being able to dial in exact elevations, unless I wanted to work out a new dope card that factors in the -1.6 mils

There's another way to use speed drop that doesn't require you to dial down from zero. You can use a mental speed drop factor and subtract that from the range. This is probably easiest with round numbers, so I'll usually dial up enough to turn my actual speed drop into a round number.

For example, if your actual speed drop factor is 1.6, you can dial up 0.4 mil, and use a "mental" speed drop factor of 2.0 mils.

If say, 450 yards is within your window for speed drop, you would just subtract 2 from 4.5 and hold 2.5 mils.

550 would be: 5.5-2 = 3.5 mils, and so forth.

It's not quite as fast as if you dial the actual speed drop factor onto the scope, but it's still pretty quick. This is how I make speed drop work with the scopes I have that use a fixed zero stop (like the Razor Gen II).

 

[yosemite_sam]

I have a question in regards to the OP's optic.

Is it possible to NOT set the zero stop at all?

I mean.....its safe to assume that your scope has revolution index lines.

Just do what us old guys did before zero stop was even a thing......remember your rev count in regards to your zero, log it.......and roll on.

Then you can dial your speed drop on and go back to a traditional zero if you want.

OR zero with your speed drop figure dialed on and adjust your dope figures on your data card with the offset factored in.

So if 200 was range to target and it was 0.5 mils.... and -1.6 was your speed drop (which is now set to "0".....dial 2.1 and drill him for the precise shot. Versus using "Two for 200 on the reticle" the quick and dirty way.

Have you ever been a whole rev off, under pressure? It kinda blows.

I do currently have my turret marked with red enamel paint for when my "0" on the cap aligns with the actual zero its easily noticeable. That way there isnt a danger of being a rev above or below my true zero. That being said, it takes a lot more time and attention to check and than a zero stop. Also in low light it would take even more time to verify.

 

[yosemite_sam]

There's another way to use speed drop that doesn't require you to dial down from zero. You can use a mental speed drop factor and subtract that from the range. This is probably easiest with round numbers, so I'll usually dial up enough to turn my actual speed drop into a round number.

For example, if your actual speed drop factor is 1.6, you can dial up 0.4 mil, and use a "mental" speed drop factor of 2.0 mils.

If say, 450 yards is within your window for speed drop, you would just subtract 2 from 4.5 and hold 2.5 mils.

550 would be: 5.5-2 = 3.5 mils, and so forth.

It's not quite as fast as if you dial the actual speed drop factor onto the scope, but it's still pretty quick. This is how I make speed drop work with the scopes I have that use a fixed zero stop (like the Razor Gen II).

Strongly trying to avoid more mental math than using a wind rose in a comp or tactical situation.