Wrestling with this same dilemma right now. I have an Arken SH 4-16 (riding on my CZ457 Varmint Chassis) and a Steiner M7XI 2.9-20 (on top of my FNH TSR) and there’s simply no comparison in glass quality, ease/speed of target acquisition, eye box forgiveness, etc. (All those people out there on the internet shilling for Arken saying they’re “just as good as scopes 3-4x the price” are either lying or just have no discernment when it comes to quality optics. Don’t get me wrong, the little Arken definitely packs a lot of features for the price but the excruciatingly small window of sharp focus for the eye box is maddening and makes me way too slow in competition.)
Is the difference as “night and day” between the SE 5-25 and Razor Gen 2 4.5-27 or are they a little closer in quality and capability than my Arken vs Steiner comparison? Is the Razor Gen 3 even worth considering over the Gen 2 (I think I like the lower magnification on the bottom end of the Gen 2)? Will I be happy with the SE or has my exposure to truly quality optics ruined lesser glass for me forever?
This will be an upgrade from an SWFA SS 12x42 for my custom Mauser 7mm Rem Mag which is primarily a long range target gun. If money were no object, I’d definitely just put M7XI’s on all my bolt guns but, since money is a factor, my decision will be driven in some measure by cost. Please help...