JG26Irish_2
AH fanatic
- Joined
- Aug 22, 2023
- Messages
- 537
- Reaction score
- 1,483
- Location
- United States
- Media
- 12
- Member of
- Bluegrass Safari Club, SCI
- Hunted
- RSA-Limpopo, Free State, USA - KY, WV, TN, ND, SD, NM
The easy answer is Swarovski. I like the Z6 1-6x reticle much better than the Z8. Clear and bright with nice illumination features that make sense to hunters. One of my DG rifles wears one.
My last option is blasphemy to some. Arken Optics EP-8, 1-8x LPVO. This is a FFP optic with stunning clarity for about 12% the price of the Swaro or Kahles (~315 +tx) has at least 80-90% the clarity, I cannot usually tell any difference. It has better turrets and better illumination and a better reticle than both and is a 34mm tube with FFP. I have used them a lot on smaller rifles such as 7mm/08, and 30/06 with good results. Recently, I began torture testing a pair of them by fitting one onto a Ruger M77 Compact in 338rcm. This is a 6lb rifle that shoots a 225g projectile at 2750fps. Felt recoil is only slightly less than my 375HH. I also have one a Sako M85 in 338wm. I want to see how the Arken holds up to the recoil. They claim it is rated for up to 50BMG but rifles that shoot the big 50 are usually 20-30lb things with muzzle brakes and really do not kick as much as the 338's do. Jury is still out on how it holds up. But I am up to 60rds on the 338rcm with no issues. Holds zero and works fine so far. I would want to test it longer to trust it for a DG rifle but for regular PG hunting,,, no sweat. I took one to Africa on my little 7mm/08 this year and it preformed like a champ. Made some 300y+ shots with it. Honestly, the EP-8 has become my favorite hunting scope because of its clarity, very functional, easy to use reticle, great illumination, and wide field of view and yet possesses enough zoom to shoot with precision out to any reasonable hunting shot distance for me. That limit for me is about 400y. I have tgt rifles that I shoot further but they wear larger scopes with more magnification and my hunting does not require such. If I was out West or in a Texas Bean field, it might be different but I am not.
For $315 ea you can try one and if you don't like it, it still makes a great squirrel rifle optic. BTW - I have no business connection to Arken at all. I am just a customer that knows what he likes. I have put their larger target scopes up against Vortex GenIII Razors and NF ATACR top tier optics. Both are about as good as it gets and the Arken stands up well in that company. It is better? I cannot say that and who knows which will last the longest. But the small issues with the Arken are so small as to be nearly impossible to quantify and would count as nit picking.
- Like day bright and low-light illumination settings that switch back and forth instantly.
- +/- adjustment of reticle illumination that stays the way you set it.
- The illumination turns off when you sling the rifle muzzle up or down and automatically turns on when you shoulder the rifle (if the switch is turned on) - this is a battery saver and it is faster than you are. Love that feature when stalking in dense cover.
My last option is blasphemy to some. Arken Optics EP-8, 1-8x LPVO. This is a FFP optic with stunning clarity for about 12% the price of the Swaro or Kahles (~315 +tx) has at least 80-90% the clarity, I cannot usually tell any difference. It has better turrets and better illumination and a better reticle than both and is a 34mm tube with FFP. I have used them a lot on smaller rifles such as 7mm/08, and 30/06 with good results. Recently, I began torture testing a pair of them by fitting one onto a Ruger M77 Compact in 338rcm. This is a 6lb rifle that shoots a 225g projectile at 2750fps. Felt recoil is only slightly less than my 375HH. I also have one a Sako M85 in 338wm. I want to see how the Arken holds up to the recoil. They claim it is rated for up to 50BMG but rifles that shoot the big 50 are usually 20-30lb things with muzzle brakes and really do not kick as much as the 338's do. Jury is still out on how it holds up. But I am up to 60rds on the 338rcm with no issues. Holds zero and works fine so far. I would want to test it longer to trust it for a DG rifle but for regular PG hunting,,, no sweat. I took one to Africa on my little 7mm/08 this year and it preformed like a champ. Made some 300y+ shots with it. Honestly, the EP-8 has become my favorite hunting scope because of its clarity, very functional, easy to use reticle, great illumination, and wide field of view and yet possesses enough zoom to shoot with precision out to any reasonable hunting shot distance for me. That limit for me is about 400y. I have tgt rifles that I shoot further but they wear larger scopes with more magnification and my hunting does not require such. If I was out West or in a Texas Bean field, it might be different but I am not.
For $315 ea you can try one and if you don't like it, it still makes a great squirrel rifle optic. BTW - I have no business connection to Arken at all. I am just a customer that knows what he likes. I have put their larger target scopes up against Vortex GenIII Razors and NF ATACR top tier optics. Both are about as good as it gets and the Arken stands up well in that company. It is better? I cannot say that and who knows which will last the longest. But the small issues with the Arken are so small as to be nearly impossible to quantify and would count as nit picking.