This $749 Arken Scope Punches Above Its Class

Estimated reading time: 10 minutes

The Arken EP-5 GENII 7-35×56 delivers sharp glass, confident tracking, and competition-ready controls for $749. It is not perfect, but this precision rifle scope performs well above the price printed on the box.

The Arken EP-5 GENII 7-35×56 delivers impressive glass, good tracking, and competition-ready features at a surprisingly affordable price. For years, Arken Optics has built a reputation for packing high-end features into optics that cost hundreds less than many competitors. The new EP-5 GENII continues that trend with improved controls, great glass, and a feature set aimed squarely at precision rifle shooters. After spending considerable time behind one, I came away genuinely impressed.

What Comes With the Arken EP-5 GENII?

Arken packages the EP-5 GENII with everything needed to get started except a mount. Inside the box you’ll find the scope, owner’s manual, a sunshade, rubber lens cover, one CR2032 battery, an Allen wrench, and a combination battery cap tool. Arken also throws in a few stickers, which have become almost expected with modern optics.

Precision Rimfire Test Setup: RimX, Proof, and MDT

For this Arken EP-5 GENII review, I mounted the optic in a JP Enterprises one-piece mount with a 20 MOA base on my competition .22 LR precision rifle. The rifle consists of a Zermatt Arms RimX action, Proof Research steel barrel, and MDT chassis.

While a rimfire isn’t ideal for evaluating recoil durability, it is excellent for testing an optic’s elevation range and tracking. A .22 LR drops rapidly at distance, forcing shooters to dial significant amounts of elevation while making frequent wind corrections. As a result, I spent plenty of time running the turrets through their adjustment range.

Arken EP-5 GENII 7-35×56 Specifications

Model	Arken EP-5 GENII 7-35×56
Magnification	7-35x
Objective Lens	56mm
Tube Diameter	34mm
Reticle Tested	TOR Extreme Competition
Illumination	Six settings with an off position between every brightness level
Battery	One CR2032 battery
Price	$749

41 Mils of Reach: Elevation Travel Built for Distance

After zeroing the rifle, I still had exactly 25 mils of usable elevation remaining in the turret. Even better, the TOR Extreme Competition reticle provides an additional 16 mils of elevation holds. Combined, I had roughly 41 mils of usable elevation without needing a different mount.

With my .22 LR load, that was enough adjustment to reach approximately 625 yards. While I didn’t make a hit at that distance, it gives enough range for long-range rimfire competition. Likewise, centerfire shooters will appreciate the generous adjustment range when stretching cartridges beyond 1,000 yards.

Crisp Turrets Built for Confident Competition Dials

Elevation and windage adjustments are both tactile and audible. Every click feels distinct with no noticeable mushiness. I never questioned whether a click actually registered. The knurling is relatively mild compared to some tactical scopes. However, it still provides a decent grip.

Additionally, Arken includes a rotation indicator that clearly shows how many revolutions you’ve dialed. That’s a feature I always appreciate because it reduces the chance of getting lost on the turret during complicated stages.

The zero stop also performs exactly as it should. Every time I returned to zero, the stop gave me immediate confirmation that I was back where I started. My only real criticism is the lack of a turret lock. While I never accidentally moved the turrets during testing, a locking feature would provide additional peace of mind when moving the rifle between positions during a match.

Tracking Test: How Close Did the EP-5 GENII Get?

Accurate tracking separates serious precision optics from everything else. Fortunately, the EP-5 GENII performed well. To evaluate tracking, I zeroed a laser to the optic at approximately 100 yards before dialing various adjustments.

After dialing up 10 mils, the laser aligned at roughly the 9.8 mil mark on the reticle. I then dialed 8 mils left and 8 mils right, and the laser matched both reticle references almost perfectly. Finally, I returned both turrets to zero, and the laser came directly back to center.

If any tracking error exists, I couldn’t observe it in windage, and elevation remained under roughly 0.2 mil across a full 10-mil adjustment. In practical terms, that’s less than a 2% deviation. While I always want results to be perfect, this was close to two tenths over a span of 10 mils and won’t be noticeable for most consumers. However, I still want to make these findings known.

TOR Extreme Competition Reticle: Fast, Fine, and Useful

Arken offers three reticle choices, but the TOR Extreme Competition reticle was my favorite. The center aiming point is extremely fine, making precise shots easy without covering small targets. Meanwhile, the Christmas tree layout provides abundant holdover and wind references for quick corrections.

After several missed wind calls, I found myself making fast follow-up shots simply by using the reticle. I especially appreciate the windage marks at every 0.5 mil of elevation. Those extra aiming points make corrections noticeably quicker than reticles with fewer markings.

The reticle also remains very usable throughout the magnification range. At lower magnification, the thicker outer posts naturally draw your eye toward the center as the finer Christmas tree markings begin to fade. At maximum magnification, the entire grid becomes easy to read without feeling cluttered. Large elevation and windage numbers also help speed up target engagements.

The Biggest Surprise: Glass That Outshoots the Price

This may be the biggest surprise of the entire optic. Simply put, the glass quality performs well above this scope’s price class. I was honestly blown away by how sharp the image remained. Looking at a church roughly 8.9 miles away, I could still resolve surprisingly fine details.

Edge-to-edge performance is also impressive. I noticed almost no distortion around the perimeter, with only a very small blurry area near the 7 o’clock edge on my particular sample. No optic is perfect, especially in this price range. Still, the overall image quality exceeds what I expected by a considerable margin.

Six-Setting Illumination With Smart Off Positions

The EP-5 GENII includes six illumination settings with an off position between every brightness level. I appreciate this layout because it lets me quickly return to a preferred brightness without cycling through every setting.

The brightness range isn’t as broad as some other optics. However, I think it will satisfy the vast majority of shooters. The illumination knob is also slightly firmer than I prefer. On the other hand, that resistance helps prevent accidentally turning the illumination on or off.

The Magnification Ring Works, but It Needs More Speed

The magnification ring works smoothly but is stiffer than I would like. Because of that, moving from 7x to 35x takes me roughly three seconds. That’s certainly usable, but faster transitions would benefit competition shooters.

I also wish Arken included a throw lever from the factory. A simple lever would significantly speed up magnification changes while making the ring easier to operate with gloves.

Arken EP-5 GENII Pros and Cons: Plenty to Like, Little to Hate

• Pros: Sharp glass that performs above its price class, tactile and audible turret clicks, repeatable return to zero, useful rotation indicator, roughly 41 mils of combined adjustment and reticle hold, a fine center aiming point, abundant wind references, and a reasonable $749 price.
• Cons: No turret lock, a stiff magnification ring, no factory throw lever, a firmer-than-preferred illumination knob, and a brightness range that is not as broad as some competing optics.

The Verdict: Is the Arken EP-5 GENII Worth $749?

The Arken EP-5 GENII 7-35×56 impressed me more than I expected. Its feature set and glass quality make its $749 price point quite reasonable. The turrets provide crisp, repeatable adjustments. Tracking proved close throughout my testing, and the TOR Extreme Competition reticle offers an outstanding balance between precision and speed.

Are there areas for improvement? Certainly. I’d like to see locking turrets, a lighter magnification ring, and a factory throw lever. Even so, those complaints are relatively minor.

If you’re looking for a feature-rich precision optic without spending premium-scope money, the Arken EP-5 GENII deserves serious consideration. After my time behind the rifle, I can confidently recommend it to anyone building a budget precision rimfire or centerfire rifle.

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