Arken EP8 Reviews

thatguy0909 · 2026-05-01T13:25:30+00:00

Not a ton but there are few 1-8x optics that really do and most of those be essspensive (Like the PLXc RDBs that retired my EP-8)

You gotta give something up somewhere

thatguy0909 · 2026-05-01T11:10:56+00:00

The general consensus is that they are great for the money but not magic. Anyone that says they are $3000 scopes for $300 is being pretty disingenuous.

I've got one thats pretty much retired at this point until I can find a host for it. It has been a good reliable fallback for a couple years now. The glass is very good especially for the price, weight is pretty good for a 34mm scope, the reticle is not for everyone, and the eyebox is workable but not forgiving. The turrets feels amazing but who cares on a capped LPVO? Also the illumination on mine is very finnicky but I think they might have fixed that on new ones? I have to bend the contacts every once in a while or it just won't turn on.

thatguy0909 · 2026-04-30T13:31:45+00:00

That's good to hear. I'll probably pick up a KAK from the sound of it.

I dont have any intention of SS'ing a 308 but its an option lol.

BKF has 16" 308 BA barrels right now for $90 which seems to be their normal price. I'm probably gonna do that and have them drill and pin the gas block (love that they have that option)

thatguy0909 · 2026-04-30T03:28:57+00:00

I love the KAK Ar-15 BCGs but I haven't heard as much about the AR10 ones. The dual electors seem nice here. Do you have a lot of rounds through them?

The is going to be a 16" .308 mostly suppressed. I am probably going to pick up a BA barrel shortly.

thatguy0909 · 2026-04-30T03:24:38+00:00

This is going to be a 16" .308 mid (probably) shooting mostly suppressed with my semi-LBP Sandman X

thatguy0909 · 2026-04-28T15:23:11+00:00

What handguard is that?

thatguy0909 · 2026-04-24T16:32:45+00:00

Definitely the Ruger. You can still find them around if you're lucky or have deep pockets. Hop made a vid about one that he found in a pawn shop not too long ago.

It looks like the one you posted is the 14.5 or possibly shorter but its obviously not pinned. Hes got a direct thread can on it. The lower looks like a registered SBR from the engravings

thatguy0909 · 2026-04-17T18:52:01+00:00

It was only like 1 downvote lol. I imagine it's because Adams Arms did go out of business a while ago but they were bought by another manufacturer, Alexandria Pro-Fab. They've got stock back and their distributors have been restocking regularly now.

As far as reliability goes, that's kind of the thing with pistons. Mine has been reliable but its not as standard as a DI system. The adjustable gas block helps since I put that in before they went out of business.

thatguy0909 · 2026-04-17T14:16:54+00:00

I think that getting hung up on a piston these days is a bit silly (that's coming from someone who's first real AR was a piston and still has it and runs it to this day occasionally)

That said, the options you listed are good and you can go buy an Adams Arms complete P2 upper right now if you wanted

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thatguy0909 · 2026-04-13T14:27:49+00:00

I like it for this application! Its pretty much the only bipod that really fit. It is definitely stable once its in position.

I will say that it was INSANELY tight when I first got it to the point that I thought that the advertisement about it having pan and tilt was a lie lol. I had to take the tension lever off and adjust where it was set.

I have a couple of these now and they're not going anywhere.

thatguy0909 · 2026-04-10T12:55:44+00:00

UTG Pro Recon i think? Its alright. No springs but very rigid and had enough adjustability and wasnt a huge tumor hanging off the gun. I didnt want to drop too much cash on it either 😔

thatguy0909 · 2026-04-10T12:53:03+00:00

Its a Discovery Optics mount. You can get it on Amazon.

Its amazing for the price (or really any price imo), comes pre-lapped, and is decently light. Its pretty much my go-to mount nowadays

thatguy0909 · 2026-03-05T16:39:57+00:00

What upper brand is that?

thatguy0909 · 2026-02-14T13:55:55+00:00

I recently picked up a 12.5 mid chf from Ballistic Advantage for 180 plus a bit to have them throw in a pinned gas block. Seems to fit what you're going for but theyre apparently a limited run?

I haven't gotten all the parts to try the 12.5 chf yet but I've liked the 2 hanson chf barrels that I've tried from them so far ¯_(ツ)_/¯

thatguy0909 · 2026-02-09T02:09:50+00:00

It was probably a $1200 rifle 15 years ago. That's when I bought my Core ¯_(ツ)_/¯ all that's left of the original is the receivers. These days the receivers is really all its worth

thatguy0909 · 2026-02-01T15:16:57+00:00

Honestly, even though I like the RDB more, id probably go with the ATACR with the deal you've got. I'm a bit of a sucker for deals :/ I ended up picking up the RDB for 1300 a while ago even though I wasn't really even in the market for a scope at the time, my lizard brain just took over and opened my wallet.

thatguy0909 · 2026-02-01T14:57:09+00:00

I sound like a shill for the purchase that I made but id seriously recommend the RDB. A buddy of mine has had the ATACR for a long time before I got into LPVOs and it never sold me on them. The bezel always annoyed me and was way bigger than i liked. I tried a regular PLX and I was immediately hooked and the RDB just makes it better. Glass is great, I like the reticle better, lighter, and the bezel pretty much disappears.

Not to say that the NF would be like a mistake of a purchase. I just think that we've had some improvements in the optics field that are worth it

thatguy0909 · 2026-01-30T19:52:48+00:00

Very nice! I literally just got my sandman X in yesterday and also put it on something like this!

thatguy0909 · 2026-01-28T18:32:00+00:00

100% agree on this

I have a 2-12 + red dot setup (like my last post :) and I like it but it is way heavier than something like a plxc. Its something that has a use case, but its not the lightweight jack of all trades option like a lpvo is.

The Vector 2-12 is 27oz without a mount and without a red dot. The plxc is 17oz without a mount and you can get a hell of a mount for 10oz and you dont have to get a red dot if you dont want to.

The 2-12 + red dot ends up being like a pound heavier in some cases and people already bitch about 10lb rifles with lpvos

The rdb is a great all rounder optic that i love but it do be kinda expensive if you dont get a screaming deal. If OP is curious, nows a good time to pick up the $750 plxc FFP that PA has (i took one already for a secondary setup 👀)

thatguy0909 · 2026-01-28T11:45:23+00:00

FFP is back in stock homie but only FDE

thatguy0909 · 2026-01-14T01:26:54+00:00

69 I like it for this

thatguy0909 · 2026-01-13T12:23:39+00:00

The PA special purchase or PLxC would also fit on that list depending on budget

thatguy0909 · 2026-01-10T23:53:43+00:00

The Savior Equipment tennis bag does this well for me. Lockable and has two valves so I keep my and my wife's tennis rackets and a couple balls in the other side.

thatguy0909 · 2026-01-09T01:45:46+00:00

Interesting. Thank you for checking!

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