Athlon Helos BTR G2 vs Arken SH4 G2

[Butleroutdoors]

Good Evening:
I got GAS ( Gun Acquisition Syndrome)! Looking to add a third truck gun to the fleet. Hoping Howa will release a mini action in 20” heavy barrel 6mm ARC. Since I have time before I can get the rifle or Ammo, researching optics.
Wanting zero stop, locking turrets, MOA, max 16-20x, reticle w/stata, Max 1400 yards but nor 100-600 yards. $400-$500 price range.
Really liked Sig Tango 4 but then noticed no parallax adjustment. Narrowed down to two scopes: Athlon Helos Gen 2 BTR 4x20 MOA ($463) or Arken SH4 Gen 2 4x16 ($399)
These two scopes fairly new to the market, features seem similar. Really interested in glass quality. Arken states HD glass whereas Athlon is not.
Any experience with these scope, would appreciate your feedback as well as any alternatives you might offer as well.

thank-you in advance

 

[FrozenMinnesotan]

I have a 2-12 helos g2 and a 4-20 on order. I like it so far. And you can actually get it compared to the arken.

 

[CK1.0]

I'm sure there are some other nice scopes in the ~$400ish range, but if you can wait for it, you really need to give the Arken a hard look. They're seriously messing with what people expect "good glass" to cost.

I have the 6-24x50 SH4 Gen2, they're backordered forever because if you get a good one you cannot get your hands on a better scope for less than ~$2000.
I had planned to stop being cheap-ass and just buy a Razor HD Gen2 like everyone else if the Arken wasn't all it was promised to be, but now I'm not getting another scope until I stumble upon something really swanky in the PX like a Minox, ZCO, Kahles, etc, and then probably only if it's too good of a deal to pass on.

The glass quality isn't top-shelf with the Arken, but it's not crap either, it's way better than any other $400-1500 scope I've ever looked through, really it's better than pretty much anything short of a Razor HD Gen2 (though the Arken's turrets are better IMO), and even then it's close enough if you can learn to live with some chromatic aberration at max magnification. When run in the middle of the magnification (14-18x for me), looks great. It's not going to be the best glass ever, it also doesn't cost $3000+... but for the money, I think it has no peer currently.

It shouldn't matter, but it makes other budget optics look like toys too, it's giant and beefy.

I've got over 1000rds on the scope now, zero issues. Much like the Howa's, the Arken punches way above its weight.



Howa/Arken

1000 yards, crappy Howa and cheap-ass china scope

 

[Butleroutdoors]

thanks ceekay, I wonder how much better the EP4 glass is, but I don't think it comes in MOA?
Sounds good on your Howa, I hope they come out with it in 20" bull barrel mini-action 6mm ARC, I think that would be a good 3rd truck gun. 4 more and I will have one for each day!

 

[chutinlead]

I have one of the Help 4-20 and it instantly replaced the 3-15 PST I had. Glass is solid and the more internal adjustment, locking turrets, 10yd min parallax distance, all within a 30mm tube is a win. It also doesn't "feel" extra bulky. Not quite sure how to describe it, but some of the 6-25 or 5-25 scopes just feel huge on top of a rifle, whereas this one does not.

Cameraland has them 10% off this weekend too

 

[Eric_F]

I have one of the Help 4-20 and it instantly replaced the 3-15 PST I had. Glass is solid and the more internal adjustment, locking turrets, 10yd min parallax distance, all within a 30mm tube is a win. It also doesn't "feel" extra bulky. Not quite sure how to describe it, but some of the 6-25 or 5-25 scopes just feel huge on top of a rifle, whereas this one does not.

Cameraland has them 10% off this weekend too

Old post I know, but hoping for a follow-up on this. Is the 4-20 Helos still doing well? Noticed any zero shift issues (cough LHT cough)? How is tracking if you've tested it?

I'm looking for a decently lightweight FFP scope with locking turrets in the 3-18ish mag range for an elk trip, and this seems to fit very well. I'm also considering the Optika6 3-18, LRHS2, and LHT 4.5-22.

 

[chutinlead]

Old post I know, but hoping for a follow-up on this. Is the 4-20 Helos still doing well? Noticed any zero shift issues (cough LHT cough)? How is tracking if you've tested it?

I'm looking for a decently lightweight FFP scope with locking turrets in the 3-18ish mag range for an elk trip, and this seems to fit very well. I'm also considering the Optika6 3-18, LRHS2, and LHT 4.5-22.

Well I wish I had more of a report to give. One lives on a 22LR that I've been shooting at our indoor range matches and not subjected to any abuse whatsoever. The other is on an AR I haven't shot since I mounted it.

I will say that I hunted with a 3-15 LHT with good success this year and have a 4.5-22 I plan on putting on my Tikka for this year.

 

[AleksanderSuave]

I'm sure there are some other nice scopes in the ~$400ish range, but if you can wait for it, you really need to give the Arken a hard look. They're seriously messing with what people expect "good glass" to cost.

I have the 6-24x50 SH4 Gen2, they're backordered forever because if you get a good one you cannot get your hands on a better scope for less than ~$2000.
I had planned to stop being cheap-ass and just buy a Razor HD Gen2 like everyone else if the Arken wasn't all it was promised to be, but now I'm not getting another scope until I stumble upon something really swanky in the PX like a Minox, ZCO, Kahles, etc, and then probably only if it's too good of a deal to pass on.

The glass quality isn't top-shelf with the Arken, but it's not crap either, it's way better than any other $400-1500 scope I've ever looked through, really it's better than pretty much anything short of a Razor HD Gen2 (though the Arken's turrets are better IMO), and even then it's close enough if you can learn to live with some chromatic aberration at max magnification. When run in the middle of the magnification (14-18x for me), looks great. It's not going to be the best glass ever, it also doesn't cost $3000+... but for the money, I think it has no peer currently.

It shouldn't matter, but it makes other budget optics look like toys too, it's giant and beefy.

I've got over 1000rds on the scope now, zero issues. Much like the Howa's, the Arken punches way above its weight.



Howa/Arken
View attachment 7605449

1000 yards, crappy Howa and cheap-ass china scope
View attachment 7605455

Im gonna have to disagree on a lot of these. Anyone can see based on my post history alone that I have no warm and fuzzy feelings for Burris, but the XTR III would be miles ahead of this scope, and below $2000.

Similarly, Athlon Ares and Cronus, both below $2000, having held both side by side, and messed with Arken some more last friday, you can see CA pretty immediately on the Arken scopes when compared side by side with a better option (Ares OR Cronus).

The Arken scopes are decent for $500. They're certainly not competing with anything in the $2000 price range.

 

[CK1.0]

I had a Howa/KRG/Arken back when I posted that… now I have a Big Horn/Manners/ZCO… is it a better setup, yep, but not by nearly as much as guys go on and on about or even close to the difference in cost.