Tag Archives: rifle scope

Shooting Sports

Arken Outrider 3-18×50

The Outrider is something most people do not expect from a tactical long-range scope company like Arken: fudd. The Outrider is a traditional hunting scope: second focal plane duplex reticle, and capped low-profile turrets.

When Arken released their first 2-12×42 Outrider, it was generally praised, but there was a common complaint: the Outrider lacked an adjustable parallax focus. Arken listened, and quickly released the Outrider 3-18×50.

The Outrider features edge-to-edge sharpness and a color-accurate image. They offer an illuminated fiber optic center dot that is daylight-bright and a cheaper model without illumination. It has a good eyebox and is pretty lightweight, especially compared to Arken’s other scopes. Moreover, the Outrider is covered under Arken’s U.S. lifetime warranty.

My only remaining criticism is the Outrider could be improved by adding discrete BDC stadia to the vertical reticle stem for elevation holdover; a standard feature with Vortex, Burris, and Zeiss hunting scopes. But ask 10 different people their opinion on a reticle, and you’ll get 20 different opinions.

For those looking for a Arken quality for practical hunting instead of long-range competition, the Outrider is your scope.

SHOP

https://arkenopticsusacom.sjv.io/xJvLkR
Discount code: Moondog2A

RESOLUTION

Group -1 / Element 3

SPECS

Outrider

Magnification: 3-18x

Objective: 50 mm

Tube Size: 30 mm

Eye Relief: 3.5 in

FOV: 39 – 6.5 ft @100 yd

Click Adj:  1/4 MOA

Focal Plane: Second

Elevation Adj. 56 MOA

Windage Adj. 48 MOA

Parallax: 10 yards – ∞

Length: 14.4 in

Weight: 29.2 oz

Battery: CR2032

Gadgets, Shooting Sports

Tarantula LRF 25-256 Thermal Scope

To be honest, I’d never heard of the Vistaget brand before they approached me to test their thermal hunting scope. The Tarantula is a thermal scope with a heavy-duty body and recoil abosorbing integrated picatinny base. It provides day/night performance with an OLED display and a built-in laser rangefinder.

Build in rangefinders are the new must-have when hunting with night vision as determining the range to a target is critical when adjusting for ballistic drop. The Tarantula can also store up to 10 different ballistic profiles and adjust the reticle for point of impact. Unfortunately the laser ranging button is also the MENU activation and selection button which caused numerous mistaken function when I tested it.

Its controls and adjustments aren’t intuitive. The optical focus knob is at top of the scope insead of a side focus more commonly found in optical scopes. Instead the side knob is the digital zoom which would be better placed near the eye piece. Ergonomics overall are an area for improvement with this scope.

Despite its ergonomics, its thermal performance and resolution and were excelent under 50 yards and good enough to spot racoon at over 100 yards; you would be hard pressed to differentiate a dog from a coyote at that distance. It had a good variety of false color options. You can record video and photo still in its internal 32GB memory accessable via USB-C and wifi connectivity to phones.

Best of all, it has a dual-power system allowing it better than average endurance. Night vision and thermal optics are notrious for their short battery life. But the Tarantual has a built-in battery allowing its primary CR123A cells to be hot-swapped.

While not perfect, the Tarantala is a solid thermal optics for hunting and game observation.

SHOP

Coupon Code 8% Off: VGSCOPE8 (valid until Jan 31, 2027)

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SPECS

TARANTULA LRF 25-256

Objective Lens: 25 mm

Glass: UHD

Thermal Resolution: 256 × 192 pixels

Thermal Sensitivity: ≤ 15 mK (25 °C)

Magnification: 3.49×

Close Focus: 3.5m

FOV: 281 fr. @ 1000 yrds

Display: 0.49-inch OLED 1440 × 1080

Laser Rangefinder: 1000m max

Recoil Rating: 1200G 

Waterproof: IPX67

Dimensions: 6.5″ x 5.1″

Weight: 32 oz

Shooting Sports

OSight R

OSight makes some of the smallest enclosed-emitter red dots and now they’ve made their largest. The mode R is a rifle-sized, enclosed-emitter, multi-reticle reflex sight. It comes with an Aimpoint T1/T2 compatible AR co-witness height mount. At launch, OSight offers a promo package that includes a high 1.93″ mount. It’s fair to say it’s a knock off Holosun AEMS but it’s about hundred clams less.

 OLight designed the R with a 7075 body, able to hold zero over 10k rounds and survive a 1-mile height drop (or so they’ve tested, I have not). It has clever, see-through hinged lens covers, which can be swapped out for the included hex kill flash.

The unit has a motion-activated reticle with a 2MOA dot or 65MOA circle options. It uses a standard CR2032 coin battery with an 85,000hr rated run-time. I didn’t notice it at the range, but my sample did have edge distortion along the top edge of my window. In my live-fire testing, the unit provided an excellent sight picture to my target at 50 yards, and I was able to quickly and repeatedly get the dot on target. 

SHOP

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H417MDMT?ref=t_ac_view_request_product_image&campaignId=amzn1.campaign.2RWVHXWHCS61G&linkCode=tr1&tag=moondogindu05-20&linkId=amzn1.campaign.2RWVHXWHCS61G_1790132739581

SPECS

Magnification: 1x
Window Size: 1.10 × 0.87 in
Eye Relief: Unlimited
Reticle: Red 2 MOA Dot, 65 MOA Circle
Brightness Settings: 9 daylight / 3 NV
Windage Adj: 50 MOA
Elevation Adj: 50 MOA
Click Value: 0.5 MOA
Battery Type: CR2032
Max Runtime: 83,000 hours
Housing: 7075-T6 Aluminum
IPX: 8 waterproof
Dimensions: 2.72 × 1.42 × 2.52 in
Weight: 7 oz

Shooting Sports

CVLife EagleVanta 6-24×50 FFP

Continuing CVLife’s proud tradition of smashing animal names into a random name, we get the EagleVanta 6-24×50 FFP. “Vanta” still means “boast” in Italian, and this one boasts a proper first-focal-plane Christmas-tree MOA reticle, a 34 mm tube, zero-stop elevation, and side parallax that actually goes down to 10 yards. Not bad for a scope that costs less than a decent night out.

The scope has fully multi-coated ED glass, comes comes with flip-up caps, a sunshade, and a nice set of rings. But perhaps to accomodate any strange rifle setups, these are high rings which are about 1/2″ too high for any of my rifles unless you prefer a see-through setup for your iron sights?

It’s not going to dethrone a high-end Japanese or German optic, and at nearly 30 ounces it’s no featherweight. But for the money it delivers real long-range tools—FFP holdovers that work at every magnification, decent tracking, and enough adjustment to get you into trouble—without requiring a second mortgage.

SHOP

Amazon https://amzn.to/4A3FuUA
10% Off Code: MOONDOG2609

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SPECS

  • Magnification: 6-24x
  • Objective: 50 mm
  • Tube: 30 mm
  • Reticle: FFP Christmas Tree
  • Illumination: Red 11 levels
  • Eye Relief: 3.9″
  • FOV @ 100 yds: 21.3-5.4 ft
  • Click Value: 1/4 MOA
  • Elev Adj: ±70 MOA
  • Wind Adj: ±70 MOA
  • Parallax: 15 yds – ∞
  • Battery: CR2032
  • Length: 14.2″
  • Weight: 24.4 oz

Shooting Sports

Arken Outrider 2-12×42

Just before its official release, Arken sent me an Outrider, their new traditional hunting scope. This new scope was not something I was expecting to come from Arken. It’s not tactical. It’s Fud.

Arken shook up the firearms industry with their SH4 and EP5; long-range scopes for half the price of the competition. Scopes with oversized turrets, zero-stop, and a first focal plane reticle with a detailed tree and fine subtensions. Scopes made for PRS competition shooters or counter-snipers.

The Outrider is the antithesis of tactical. It has a traditional hunting scope: second focal plane duplex reticle, capped low-profile turrets, and a fixed 100-yard parallax focus. It has a small fin that you can screw into the magnification ring, but it feels unnecessary as the ring turns butter smooth.

But the Outrider isn’t a step backward in quality. It has Japanese HD glass delivering a sharp and color-accurate image. It has an LPVO’s fiber optic center dot that is daylight bright and an unusual 2x low end providing an exceptionally wide field of view. It has a good eyebox and is pretty lightweight, especially compared to Arken’s other scopes.

The Outdrider may be a traditional hunting scope, but it has Arken’s trademark quality optics, robust build, and affordable street price (~$300.)

BUY

https://arkenopticsusacom.sjv.io/QYxrxA
Discount code: Moondog2A

Amazon: https://amzn.to/4g4E8Q7

RESOLUTION

Group -1 / Element 1

SPECS

Outrider

Magnification: 2-12x

Objective: 42 mm

Tube Size: 30 mm

Eye Relief: 3.5 inches

FOV: 58.3 – 9.73 ft @ 100 yards

Click Adj:  1/4 MOA

Focal Plane: Second

Elevation Adj. 90 MOA

Windage Adj. 80 MOA

Parallax: 100 yards

Weight: 22.4 oz

Battery: CR2032

Shooting Sports

Arken EP5 Gen2 5-25×56

The Arken EP5 redefined what you can expect from a “budget scope”. The EP5 Gen 2 offers improved glass on an already legendary scope. Side-by-side, you’d be hard-pressed to tell them apart. Same 5-25x magnification range. Same 56mm objective. Same 34mm tube. Same tank-like construction. The most obvious external difference sits on the illumination turret: the battery compartment knob.

The Gen 1 had a slightly larger diameter knob with the Arkin logo etched into it. The Gen 2 is sleeker, plainer, and features a simple slot instead. New Federal laws require that any device using coin batteries be tool-accessible to keep curious kids from getting at the CR2032.

The reduced diameter on the illumination knob is actually a smart ergonomic improvement. Since it shares a turret with the parallax focus, the size differential helps your fingers distinguish between the two without looking. No more accidentally cranking your illumination when you meant to dial parallax. Small thing, but thoughtful.

The Gen 2 sports improved glass over the already-impressive Japanese ED glass in the original. And the difference is subtle but noticeable.

The eyebox remains unforgiving. At high magnification, you need to be positioned correctly or you’ll see that black edge creeping in. But that’s physics—high magnification means tight eyebox. Given the price point, it’s not bad.

Side-by-side, the Gen 1 initially appears brighter. But look closer. That “brightness” is actually haze and warm tinting. The Gen 2 offers superior color balance and significantly higher contrast. It’s the difference between an older LCD television and a modern OLED—darker darks, details pop more, and the overall image feels more refined. The Gen 1 was never bad; the Gen 2 is just better.

Arkin changed the landscape for budget precision optics. Before the EP5, getting Japanese ED glass, legitimate tracking turrets, and PRS-ready features meant spending north of two grand. Arkin brought that performance to the rest of us—the ones without tech money or sponsor deals.

The Gen 2 continues to improve on an amazing scope. Same price point. Better glass. Incremental ergonomic improvements. Improved customer service. Is it perfect? No. The eyebox is still tight. But for the money? Nothing touches it.

BUY

Amazon: https://amzn.to/4wl2OdA

RESOLUTION

Group 0 / Element 1

SPECS

EP5 Gen II

Magnification: 5-25x

Objective: 56mm

Tube Size: 34 mm

Eye Relief: 3.4 inches

FOV: 25.3-4.9 ft @100 Yards

Click Adj:  1/10 MIL or 1/4 MOA

Focal Plane: First

Elevation Adj. 32 MIL or 110 MOA

Windage Adj. 16 MIL or 55 MOA

Adj. Per Revolution: 10 MIL/25 MOA

Parallax: 25Yds – Infinity

Weight: 39.2 oz

Battery: CR2032

Shooting Sports

DiscoveryOpt LHT 6-24×44

They say, you get what you pay for. In the case of the Discovery LHT, you’re also getting less because this is one of the lightest 6-24x scopes I’ve tested; it is 4 oz lighter than the Vortex Viper. The LHT has the slim profile of a traditional 3-9x hunting scope, with cross-over tactical features like a FFP reticle and exposed locking turrets.

This LHT 6-24×44 is nearly identical to the LHT 3-12×42 scope, but with a longer tube section forward of the turrets. Its glass performed like a budget optic. It has noticeable distortion and softening on the outer edges with some chromatic aberration. But its higher top end of 24x provided acceptable resolution at the center of its image to identify target rings at 100 yards.

What makes LHT scopes stand out is its value. This LHT has a street price of $150, making them a better value than Walmart-grade scopes. Its light weight and above-average performance make this a serious upgrade to modern or vintage rifles. I’m putting this on my Glenfield 60.

BUY

Amazon: https://amzn.to/4xxVgpn
10% Discount Code: MOONDOG2A

RESOLUTION

Group -1 / Element 2

SPECS

Magnification: 6-24x

Objective.: 44mm

Tube Diameter: 30mm 

Click Adjustment: 1/4 MOA

Elevation Adj. Range: 60 MOA

Windage Adj. Range: 60 MOA

Focal Plane: First

Parallax Adjustment: 25Yds-Infinity

Eye relief: 3.5 in (89mm) -3.3 in (85cm)

Exit Pupil: 7.5~1.8mm

Length: 14.3in (362mm)

Weight: 18.5 oz (525g)

Shooting Sports

Discovery Optics LHT 4.5-18×42

The LHT 4.5-18×42 is the newest model of their LHT 3-12×42 scope. This scope has the lightweight, slim profile of a traditional 3-9x hunting scope, with an cross-over tactical features like a FFP reticle and exposed locking turrets.

This LHT 4.5-18×42 is practically identical to the 3-12×42, save for 1.5″ longer tube section forward of the turrets. Its glass performed like a budget optic. It has noticeable distortion and softening on the outer edges with some chromatic aberration. But its higher top end of 18x provided acceptable resolution of at the center of its image to identify features on my reference targets at 100 yrds.

What makes both LHT scopes stand out, is its value proposition. Both LHT’s have a street price under $150, making them a better value than even Walmart grade 3-9x scopes. Its modest size and above-average performance make this an ideal standard scope for my 10/22 takedown.

BUY

Amazon: https://amzn.to/42n69Mv
10% Discount Code: MOONDOG2A

RESOLUTION

Group -1 / Element 2

SPECS

Magnification: 3-18x

Objective.: 42mm

Tube Diameter: 30mm

Click Adjustment: 1/4 MOA

Elevation Adj. Range: 86 MOA

Windage Adj. Range: 60 MOA

Focal Plane: First

Parallax Adjustment: 10Yds-Infinity

FOV @ 100y: 26.0 FT(7.9 m)-6.4FT(1.9 m)

Exipt pupil diameter(mm):9-2.2mm

Eye relief: 85mm (3.3 inch)

Length: 335mm (13.2 inch)

Weight: 515g (18.2oz)

Shooting Sports

Aquilifer EP 6-24×50

Aquilifer is a budget scope brand that takes its name from the Aquilifer, the soldier in the Roman Legion given the honor of holding the golden eagle standard. Their EP 6-24×50 FFP is the smaller brother of the EP 5-25×56 scope, with a lower price just above $200.

To achieve this low price, this optic made some trade-offs. It has a tight eyebox, though better than its 5-25×56 sibling. It is a heavy scope at nearly 2lbs. Its elevation turret only offers a pittance of 9 MRAD of adjustments.

Its value-tier price and overall performance make up for many of its shortcomings. It has ED (Extra Low Dispersion) glass, which allowed me to see a good level of detail at 24x, though the image lacked contrast and sharpness above 16x. Its limited range of elevation adjustments makes this a poor choice for PRS or NRL-22 competition, but its thin tactical reticle is ideal for bench rest.

SHOP

Amazon Discount Code: MOONDOG6
https://www.amazon.com/promocode/A2ARBF65XBCGRF

Official Website Discount Code: MOONDOG
https://aquiliferopt.com?bg_ref=isb72pKXeY

DiscoveryOpt 6061 scope rings (10% Discount Code: Moondog) https://discoveryopt.com/products/6061-series-aluminum-scope-rings-medium-profile-30mm-34mm-35mm-scope-mount-for-picatinny-rail?variant=49658216972554

RESOLUTION

Group -1
Element 4

SPECS


EP

Magnification: 6-24x

Objective: 50mm

Eye Relief: 3.74″–4.33″

Exit Pupil: 8.3mm –2.08mm

Parallax Focus: 10y – ∞

FOV @ 100y: 15ft-45ft

Click Value: 0.1 MRAD

Max Elev Adj: ±9 MRAD

Max Wind Adj: ±20 MRAD

Tube Diam: 30mm

Length: 14.48″

Weight: 27.5oz

Illumination: 11 levels red

Battery: CR2032

Shooting Sports

Aquilifer EP 5-25×56

https://youtu.be/RJ7wTW-XKZo

Aquilifer is a budget scope brand that takes its name from the Aquilifer, the soldier in the Roman Legion given the honor of holding the golden eagle standard. Their EP 5-25×56 FFP is their new flagship long-range optic, but with a budget to mid-range price point of around $300.

To achieve this low price, this optic made some trade-offs. It has a very unforgiving eyebox that’s tight even at its lowest 5x magnification. It is also a heavy scope at over 2lbs. Its Vortex-style turrets only offer a middling 26 MRAD of adjustments.

Its value-tier price and overall performance make up for many of its shortcomings. The scope has well-made turrets with a Vortex-style zero stop. Its illumination is almost daylight bright. It has ED (Extra Low Dispersion) glass, which allowed me to see a good level of detail at 25x, though the image lacked contrast and sharpness above 16x. Given its weight and limited range of elevation adjustments, I wouldn’t recommend this for PRS or NRL-22 competition, but it’s a good entry-level scope for mid-range bench rest.

SHOP

Amazon Discount Code: MOONDOG8
https://www.amazon.com/promocode/AKUYIHFAMMKYK

Official Website Discount Code:
MOONDOG
https://aquiliferopt.com?bg_ref=isb72pKXeY

RESOLUTION

Group -1 / Element 4

SPECS


HT
Magnification: 5-25x

Objective: 56mm

Eye Relief: 3.54″–a4.33″

Exit Pupil: 11.2mm –2.24mm

Parallax Focus: 15y – ∞

FOV @ 100y: 22.9ft-4.4ft

Click Value: 0.1 MRAD

Max Elev Adj: ±26 MRAD

Max Wind Adj: ±26 MRAD

Tube Diam: 34mm

Length: 15.26″

Weight: 35.2oz

Illumination: 12 levels red

Battery: CR2032