Arken SH4 or ???? For rimfire build

Bartojc

Bartojc

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I’ve decided to do a budget sort of rimfire build. It may or may not contain any Ruger 10/22 parts but it will be a 10/22 build as I bought a stock .

The Arken SH4 gets a lot of rave reviews for its price range. In the same price range with similar features what else should I be looking at ?

Uses for the rifle will be informal target work out to 100-200 yards, shooting small groups or ringing steel. Perhaps pest control. 95 percent target and range or informal plinking.

Jeff
 
One thing to keep in mind is it's a hefty scope.
My 4-16X50 with an MWI QD mount is 3 pounds.
Next to a 2.5-10x42
9MNCkYbl.jpg

In that price range they are hard to beat for what you get.
I like the reticle quite a bit and it's usable throughout the power range.
HEJytN9l.jpg
The illumination is meh, but for $400 I'm not expecting it to be like a Razor.
I haven't used the SH4 6-24 but from some of the reviews and such it seems the budget scope comes shining through on that one at higher magnification.

If I was to buy another in that price range it would be the new EPL4, 4-16x44
A bit lighter and smaller than the SH4 but still has most of the same features and better glass, the windage has a capped turret.
Which is fine for me as I don't fiddle with the windage after it's zeroed anyway.
 
Here is a short review I did comparing the Arken SH4 6-24 MIL scope to a Swampfox Optics Patriot 6-24 MIL scope.

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/swampfox-vs-arken.911404/

The Arken SH4 is a decent scope for the price, especially if you use their code and get the combo kit with it. I like the SH4 enough that I bought a couple more after my initial testing.

I happen to qualify for Swampfox Optic's MIL/LEO discount so the price difference between the Arken SH4 and Swampfox Patriot was under $50.

Both scopes have done very well for me when using them on rimfire rifles where I am only shooting out to 300-350 yards at the most. I will say that the Arken is definitely a heavy scope so look elsewhere if you are building a hunting rig. If you are shooting off of the bench or props then the weight won't matter as much. I will say that the Arken definitely tracks well with solid and definite turret clicks.

Now you will end up getting all kinds of recommendations with a lot of people saying to avoid cheap chinisium scopes. But just ignore some of those comments. The Arken, Swampfox, and a few other scope brands are actually good scopes for the price point.

As long as you realize and remember that any scope in this price range will never compete with a more expensive scope then you will be fine.
 
Also have a SH4 6-24 as well as an EP5.
Besides the glass on rhe SH4 being slightly inferior to some if the other options in the price range I really like both. The turrets are the best ive felt on any of the scopes ive used, and the reticle is simple, uncluttered and intuitive (for me, it dosent offer as much options or information as others do).

Theres quite a few good options in the price range also, but the Arkens turrets are standouts.
 
We see EP5s at NRL-22 matches, folks like them, my Buddy Jeff has looked through a couple and says the glass is good. Not great, but good, but at that price point you're getting excellent turrets, 34 MM tube, zero stop, and clear glass that is more than up to the NRL-22 challenge. And of course it will focus down to 25 yards.
 
Bartojc said:
What else is there in the sub $400 range ? I’m not familiar with the Athlon brand but maybe something there ? Others ?
Jeff
Click to expand...
In that range youve got the Athlon Argos BTR, HMR. The Hera SPR and Midas BTR might be available under 400 on sale.

The Blackhound Genesis ive got is a solid option, with slightly better glass and decent turrets.

Riton x5 Primal and Conquer are both very nice, tho one is a hunting scope the other about double the msrp (i got my Conquer on sale).

There are also the Sightron S-Tacs, and the little USO TS12 (mine is sfp), both of which are up near the top optically for me, but come with the simplest reticles. Both do have pretty good turrets tho.

None of those tho have the adjustment range or turrets of the SH4 tho. Which seems to be the trade off Arken was going for. For another 100-150 bucks or so the EP5 has noticably better glass, and the same turrets, but weights more and has a slightly tighter eye box, again tradeoffs.

What works best will usually be choosing the trade-offs that work best for YOU.
I prefer to have about the best glass i can get for money, reasonably accurate turrets, and some form of graduation on the reticles horizontal. I can live without the rest....and some of my favorite scopes dont have all three of those features, but excell at the other two.
 
Thanks for all the replies. A lot to think about. I think things I want are FFP, Mil, at least 14x or 16x prefer 20+, and usable turrets. Sounds like the Arken Glass falls a bit flat at higher distance and magnification.

I am really enticed by shooting a 22 LR at 200, 300 yards. Would I also need elevation built into the rail or rings to get to 300 yards with a 22 ? My scopes and optics have always been limited to a hunting rig, MOA, and strictly holdover if needed for distance. I'm excited to try something different to see if an old dog can still learn something.

-Jeff
 
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Bartojc said:
Thanks for all the replies. A lot to think about. I think things I want are FFP, Mil, at least 14x or 16x prefer 20+, and usable turrets. Sounds like the Arken Glass falls a bit flat at higher distance and magnification.

I am really enticed by shooting a 22 LR at 200, 300 yards. Would I also need elevation built into the rail or rings to get to 300 yards with a 22 ? My scopes and optics have always been limited to a hunting rig, MOA, and strictly holdover if needed for distance. I'm excited to try something different to see if an old dog can still learn something.

-Jeff
Click to expand...
The Sh4s glass works fine, buts its not as "nice" as some of the scopes whos trade offs favor glass/coating quality.

For what your looking for id probably suggest the Athlon Argos BTRg2 or Blackhound Genesis 6-24s. Both should have enough up to get you out to 300ish sans canted rail. Pretty nice glass, and decent turrets.
 
powermad said:
A 34mm tube shouldn't need to be canted with a .22 at 300 yds, which is around 40 MOA elevation.
Click to expand...

300yrds with a 22LR is ~40moa from a 100yrd zero, and a 100yrd zero in 22LR already has compensated for ~17-19moa of gravitational drop, so a scope needs ~120moa of total elevation to dial to 300yrds for 22LR - Most scopes don’t have this much. The 4-16x SH4 does - but that NXS pictured beside it doesn’t, nor does the SH4 6-24x, most scopes don’t.

For a long range 22LR, using a 20moa rail only gets us HALF of our scope’s usable elevation beyond a 100yrd zero - a 20moa rail only gives us back optical center at 100yrds. In many scopes - most scopes - where we tap out at 100moa or less, we need at least 20moa to get to 300yrds. Without a 20moa rail, a 100moa scope runs out of elevation around 250yrds; 20moa for 100yrd zero plus 30moa for the drop from 100-250. Add a 20moa rail, we get access to 50MOA, which gets us to about 325.

Personally, I prefer 40-50, even 60moa+ of base and rings for a long range 22LR, which gives me access to dial fully top to bottom, or nearly so, reaching 475-500yrds with SV ammo. But that relies upon having scopes with 90-100moa of elevation.
 
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We are straying off topic a bit, but I’m understanding this and am interested in learning

Varminterror said:
For a long range 22LR, using a 20moa rail only gets us HALF of our scope’s usable elevation beyond a 100yrd zero - a 20moa rail only gives us back optical center at 100yrds. In many scopes - most scopes - where we tap out at 100moa or less, we need at least 20moa to get to 300yrds. Without a 20moa rail, a 100moa scope runs out of elevation around 250yrds; 20moa for 100yrd zero plus 30moa for the drop from 100-250. Add a 20moa rail, we get access to 50MOA, which gets us to about 325.
Click to expand...

If I add a 20 MOA rail would I be able to get down to a 50 yard zero ? My definition of long range for .22 is 300 yards. I doubt I’d go further but you never know I guess. I might really like it.

Jeff
 
Bartojc said:
We are straying off topic a bit, but I’m understanding this and am interested in learning



If I add a 20 MOA rail would I be able to get down to a 50 yard zero ? My definition of long range for .22 is 300 yards. I doubt I’d go further but you never know I guess. I might really like it.

Jeff
Click to expand...

Yes you can use a 50 yard zero depending on what scope you use. With the Arken SH4 6-24 MIL scope and a 50 yard zero you would need to dial up 12.4 MILS or 124 clicks. That info is from putting data into Strelok Pro using CCI AR Tactical. For CCI Standard Velocity you would have to dial up 14.3 MILS or 143 clicks.
 
Bartojc said:
We are straying off topic a bit, but I’m understanding this and am interested in learning



If I add a 20 MOA rail would I be able to get down to a 50 yard zero ? My definition of long range for .22 is 300 yards. I doubt I’d go further but you never know I guess. I might really like it.

Jeff
Click to expand...

There’s only about 9moa of difference in gravitational compensation between 50 and 100yrds. Considering optic height around 2”, 4moa at 50, we end up dialing “up” about 12moa from optical center to zero at 50yrds, and end up dialing up 19moa from OC to zero at 100. A 20moa rail would put your scope ~8moa “down” for a 50yrd zero instead of ~12moa “up”. So any scope that could be zeroed at 50yrds with a flat rail could be zeroed at 50yrds with a 20moa rail (distance from optical center is closer with the 20moa rail than with a flat rail!!!).

So if you want to zero at 50 and shoot to 300, add a 20moa rail - it just means you’ll have to dial to 49moa instead of 42 at 300yrds, and you just need a scope with 80+ MOA of total elevation.
 
LoonWulf said:
Ya know.....i managed to forget about zeroing the rifle lol.
Click to expand...

Most folks kinda neglect the zeroing drop and scope height compensation, because we are used to shooting centerfire, where we typically only have ~1mil/4moa of elevation compensation in a 100yrd zero for gravity and scope height, so we instinctively just simplify it to “we can dial half of our scopes capacity.”

But 22LR drops like a brick. 5.5 mils built into a 100yrd zero, not just ONE Mil.
 
I use a 20 or 25 MOA mount for my rimfire rifles. On my AR22's with the Arken SH4 scopes, I use the 20 MOA mount from Arken. On my bolt action rifles I use the DIP 25 MOA mount. I am currently running a Swampfox Optics Patriot 6-24 MIL scope n my Savage MkII and the Arken SH4 6-24 MIL scope on one of my AR22's. I bought both to compare inexpensive scopes for long range rimfire shooting last year and you can read my side by side comparison in the link I provided in post #3 above.

As Varminterror stated, having a mount with at least 20 MOA will definitely help out when shooting 22LR at long distances. You will have less drop if shooting high velocity 22LR ammo but have a bigger spread at long distances. With standard velocity 22LR ammo, you will have more drop but les spread at the same distances.
 
powermad said:
The scope mount that comes in the Arken combo pack has a 20 MOA cant.
Click to expand...
They're also a bit tall for a 10/22 to my liking. I got their medium height rings for my RPRR but it already had a canted rail.

I've got a Bushnell Engage 6-24X SFP that's comparable to the Bushnell Match Pro on my 10/22 it's good but the turrets on the Arken are way better.
 
The one piece mount center line is 1.5" from the rail, better suited for an AR.
My smallest Ariska scope level didn't fit this mount though, scope's a fatty.

When you add the combo pack it turns out to be a pretty good deal.
7mBjES9l.jpg
I picked up the SH4 when it came out and with the bundle it was $399.
$299 for the scope now and $67 for the bundle, looks like you get a shirt and hat also now.
 
Ended up ordering a Bushnell Match Pro Illuminated for $399. Oddly enough not suggested in this thread at all LOL . Should be here in a few days and I’ll be able for get it mounted and start testing. Seems to get decent reviews, hopefully it will work well.

Jeff
 
I have not purchased a Bushnell scope in quite some time so I can't comment on the quality now days. I do have an older Bushnell Elite 4500 6-24 MIL-DOT scope that is really nice and has held up well over the years mounted on my Savage Model 12 308.
 
Bartojc said:
Ended up ordering a Bushnell Match Pro Illuminated for $399. Oddly enough not suggested in this thread at all LOL . Should be here in a few days and I’ll be able for get it mounted and start testing. Seems to get decent reviews, hopefully it will work well.

Jeff
Click to expand...
Ive wanted to check out a MatchPro, but havent had an excuse to buy a new scope for a while.
Ive had a Prime and a Forge and was pretty happy with both except the Prime cracked a lense which ive never seen happen before.
 
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