I've been using a Viper PST Gen 2 5-25X50 and have really enjoyed it. Clarity is very good for the price... especially if you can get one on sale for around $600. It tracks very well and the only complaint I have is when I zeroed the turret. Had to use an Allen wrench and took longer than I wanted it to.
Thanks for telling like it is. Many reviewers won't even mention the chromatic aberration. This is why a lot of buyers get really upset when the scope they receive isn't up to what the reviewers raved about.
I’m looking at the primary arms 3-18 but this seams like a good option anyone have any advice. I have the 4.5-27 on my 6.5creedmoor browning xbolt I like it but I’m looking for a scope for my AR10
Are you going to be doing an actual review for the arken ep5 anytime soon? I really want one but I need your opinion. I have to special order it from the u.s and the importing is a giant pain in Canada
@@rickb5575 Well actually I bought 2 of their newest EP5 and EPL4 scopes and matter of fact just got them today. I have to say these new ones are much clearer than the ones I looked through a year ago. Talk about night and day clearer than the older ones. Even at 25x maximum magnification they are both surprisingly clear it's incredible. I'd say they're really close to the clarity of the Athlon Midas Tac and Ares BTR Gen 2 almost like neck and neck in clarity when all of them were compared at their maximum magnification side by side. I couldn't see any chromatic aberration at all with either of these new EP5 scopes. The EPL4 4-16x44 is clearer than anything in the sub $500 price point and looks clear even at it's 16x maximum magnification and I couldn't see any chromatic aberration at all. I decided that buy a couple of each before the prices went up and the dealer offered a Black Friday Cyber Monday additional site wide discount on top of Arken's 25% off discount. The 6-24x50 EPL4s were out of stock and they had to order more from Arken to fulfill my order and just waiting for them. I think nothing can touch these EP5 and EPL4 4-16x44 at their previous prices. Some dealers may still offer the old prices until beginning of January 2024 if you call them to inquire over the phone. I only glassed through them at 100 yards and 600 yards for now and haven't mounted them yet to put them through their paces but all I can say is their glass are fantastic and way clearer than the last year one (EP5) I looked through. I looked through one of the earlier EPL4 6-24x50s close to a year ago and it had very bad chromatic aberration past 18x. Hopefully the new ones are going to be better. Maybe I lucked out and got couple of their good ones IDK but there have been reports of varying quality control. Overall satisfied with my recent Arken EP5 and EPL4 purchase for now. They look clearer than my Strike Eagle when compared on high magnification and definitely clearer than the Element Titan and Helix for sure. I'll compare it to the Element Nexus my other friend has later and I think it's going to be really close or probably even beat it. I planned on returning them if they sucked but I'm definitely keeping them. I also noticed that the EP5 has a very noticeably wider field of view compared to most other scopes.
I compared a few razors & a viper to Arken scopes, .....have to say NO thanks on the vortex, not to mention the prices of vortex & the reputation they have for using their "vip - warranty",.....I got guaranteed to use it on 2 vortex's I had bought in Jan.2013 - they were supposed to be their "top-of-the-line" each one was $1000.00 /pc......NO more for me Thank You......not just my experience, but, way TOO many others I read about on-line plus friends of mine aswell......just say'n....
Most people that bash on vortex are repeating something they heard from someone else. The bad rep comes from their gen 1 scopes and the low end stuff. I personally own quite a few including the new venom. Very nice for the price. The viper line is a bit outdated now. Gen 3 should be out in the next year. I've yet to see a positive video on the arken that wasn't a paid review. The wait time when I looked in to it was rediculous so I went with something else. Currently looking at getting Athlon ares etr 3-18.
Arkens definitely need to start using better glass in both of their SH and EP models, at least as good as the Athlon's HD glass starting in their Midas line and above.
@@commonsense5709 .....I'll have to check them out because the only next expensive scope I will buy is the new German made Zeiss S5. I find it comical how so many vortex fanboys get SO dramatic & defensive about them dreaming up excuses to cover-up the unjustified price they paid - for what they got, just like ar fanboys, maybe they told their wives a different price....lol....atleast Steve pretty-much tells it the way he see's it
@@eggbert191 Did you buy the Athlon Ares ETR yet? I think it's pretty nuts to spend that much for anything made in China. I'd recommend the Philippines made Burris XTR 3 with illuminated reticle or the new 2023 model Primary Arms GLX 3-18x for a lot cheaper also made in the Philippines. Made on China is meant primarily for corporate profits not quality but the Ares ETR is probably the best China has to offer but still ridiculously marked up.
Find it here: bit.ly/3Ja1mUs #aff
I've been using a Viper PST Gen 2 5-25X50 and have really enjoyed it. Clarity is very good for the price... especially if you can get one on sale for around $600. It tracks very well and the only complaint I have is when I zeroed the turret. Had to use an Allen wrench and took longer than I wanted it to.
Agreed first zero blows.
Thanks for telling like it is. Many reviewers won't even mention the chromatic aberration. This is why a lot of buyers get really upset when the scope they receive isn't up to what the reviewers raved about.
Thanks I am trying to improve
I’m looking at the primary arms 3-18 but this seams like a good option anyone have any advice. I have the 4.5-27 on my 6.5creedmoor browning xbolt I like it but I’m looking for a scope for my AR10
Good review Steven. Thanks
You are welcome
The Vortex PST 2 shouldn't have any image quality issues especially for it's MSRP price.
reticle VS Brownells MPO?
Are you going to be doing an actual review for the arken ep5 anytime soon? I really want one but I need your opinion. I have to special order it from the u.s and the importing is a giant pain in Canada
Probably not. I believe my buddy @slaguns or @affordableopticsandriflereviews has one.
@@Bullets4Bucks ya I watched his. Awesome scope guy
The EP5 is great up until 20x. Both of their SH4 models are good until 15x.
@@commonsense5709I take it you don’t like the EP5
@@rickb5575 Well actually I bought 2 of their newest EP5 and EPL4 scopes and matter of fact just got them today.
I have to say these new ones are much clearer than the ones I looked through a year ago. Talk about night and day clearer than the older ones. Even at 25x maximum magnification they are both surprisingly clear it's incredible.
I'd say they're really close to the clarity of the Athlon Midas Tac and Ares BTR Gen 2 almost like neck and neck in clarity when all of them were compared at their maximum magnification side by side. I couldn't see any chromatic aberration at all with either of these new EP5 scopes.
The EPL4 4-16x44 is clearer than anything in the sub $500 price point and looks clear even at it's 16x maximum magnification and I couldn't see any chromatic aberration at all.
I decided that buy a couple of each before the prices went up and the dealer offered a Black Friday Cyber Monday additional site wide discount on top of Arken's 25% off discount. The 6-24x50 EPL4s were out of stock and they had to order more from Arken to fulfill my order and just waiting for them.
I think nothing can touch these EP5 and EPL4 4-16x44 at their previous prices. Some dealers may still offer the old prices until beginning of January 2024 if you call them to inquire over the phone.
I only glassed through them at 100 yards and 600 yards for now and haven't mounted them yet to put them through their paces but all I can say is their glass are fantastic and way clearer than the last year one (EP5) I looked through.
I looked through one of the earlier EPL4 6-24x50s close to a year ago and it had very bad chromatic aberration past 18x. Hopefully the new ones are going to be better.
Maybe I lucked out and got couple of their good ones IDK but there have been reports of varying quality control.
Overall satisfied with my recent Arken EP5 and EPL4 purchase for now.
They look clearer than my Strike Eagle when compared on high magnification and definitely clearer than the Element Titan and Helix for sure. I'll compare it to the Element Nexus my other friend has later and I think it's going to be really close or probably even beat it.
I planned on returning them if they sucked but I'm definitely keeping them.
I also noticed that the EP5 has a very noticeably wider field of view compared to most other scopes.
I compared a few razors & a viper to Arken scopes, .....have to say NO thanks on the vortex, not to mention the prices of vortex & the reputation they have for using their "vip - warranty",.....I got guaranteed to use it on 2 vortex's I had bought in Jan.2013 - they were supposed to be their "top-of-the-line" each one was $1000.00 /pc......NO more for me Thank You......not just my experience, but, way TOO many others I read about on-line plus friends of mine aswell......just say'n....
Most people that bash on vortex are repeating something they heard from someone else. The bad rep comes from their gen 1 scopes and the low end stuff. I personally own quite a few including the new venom. Very nice for the price. The viper line is a bit outdated now. Gen 3 should be out in the next year. I've yet to see a positive video on the arken that wasn't a paid review. The wait time when I looked in to it was rediculous so I went with something else. Currently looking at getting Athlon ares etr 3-18.
@@eggbert191 The Athlon Area ETR is undeniably the best Chinese scope money can buy. They even rival Japanese scopes.
Arkens definitely need to start using better glass in both of their SH and EP models, at least as good as the Athlon's HD glass starting in their Midas line and above.
@@commonsense5709 .....I'll have to check them out because the only next expensive scope I will buy is the new German made Zeiss S5. I find it comical how so many vortex fanboys get SO dramatic & defensive about them dreaming up excuses to cover-up the unjustified price they paid - for what they got, just like ar fanboys, maybe they told their wives a different price....lol....atleast Steve pretty-much tells it the way he see's it
@@eggbert191 Did you buy the Athlon Ares ETR yet? I think it's pretty nuts to spend that much for anything made in China. I'd recommend the Philippines made Burris XTR 3 with illuminated reticle or the new 2023 model Primary Arms GLX 3-18x for a lot cheaper also made in the Philippines. Made on China is meant primarily for corporate profits not quality but the Ares ETR is probably the best China has to offer but still ridiculously marked up.