One name that kept cropping up in the optics-world is Arken Optics in Sugarland, TX and the qualified reviewers all seem pretty impressed with the US-designed / Chinese-made scopes (CHY-NA) with HD glass and their higher-end line with Japanese glass (EP series). A number of people are putting these up against big-name, expensive glass and wondering if the bigger names were worth the expense, seeing as this little guy punches well above its class.
Long story short, I got a little bonus at work so after adulting with most of it, I decided to treat myself with the remainder and ordered their SH4 6-24x50 FFP scope in mils ($449). It arrived middle of last week so I mounted it - here it is below my Vortex 4-16x;
I finally got the chance to play with it at TDSA today. It was hot as blazes, and the sweat was stinging my eyes but the kit held up well.
I'd boresighted it before I went out, of course, and easily got it dialled in at 100:
For fun, I started shooting quarters taped to paper at 100 yards:
Then it was off to the 400 yard range:
I wanted to see if I could use my previous comeups on the tiny 4" plate at the left in the plate-rack - yep, solid hit first shot, right between the ears:
Excellent scope, very repeatable clicks and good glass - only downside is the eyebox is quite unforgiving; you have to be spot-on.
