Arken Optics Zulus 5-20x Day/Night Digital Scope: Unboxing, Mounting, Remounting, and Initial Test

[@behrridgeoutdoors]

I think I want that. It’s so clear.

[@huntleague]

Wally and I shot it yesterday for the first time. It was unreal! The one shot zero is crazy. I did the entire adjustment from my phone and couldn’t believe it. Wally was talking about how impressive the screen was and that was before we realized it was in night mode which only shows black and white. Once we switched it to day mode it was just that much better.

[@storminmoorman7444]

Just got mine out of the box while watching your video. I'm pretty impressed with it as well. I hope you'll do a video on using all the functions and zeroing it in. The manual doesn't do a great job of explaining it.

[@huntleague]

I used it the other day at the range. Took me a little bit to figure out how to sync with my phone and move the reticle. I posted that video this week but it’s not instructional. Definitely going to have to make a follow up instructional video. It is such a cool little scope.

[@karalewis2908]

Love your video.What's the most recoil or highest caliber rifle this scooe can take?

[@huntleague]

I just pulled this from Arken: "All our optics are rated to 50 bmp. The concern on a higher recoil rifle and night vision optics is the closer eye box and the recoil that can potentially give one the old "scope bite". That said some of our Arken folks have shot it with a 50 bmp. use that eye-piece protector and add some weight to your rig to help mitigate that recoil would be my suggestion." I would feel comfortable shooting it with an AR10 chambered in .308 or 6.5CM. Your eye is pretty close though so I personally wouldn't be looking to shoot something with a lot of recoil. It will start getting a little subjective here as the recoil starts to depend on the weight of the rifle, do you have a brake or are you shooting suppressed, stance, is it mounted to a tripod, etc. So to really make the response long, the optic itself is rated for just about anything you want to mount it on. I just measured the rubber eye cup piece and it is only around 1.5". The eye piece has two ports for air so that when it compresses to your face it doesn't create a suction cup. With your eye further away from the optic the screen fisheyes or distorts a little. The distortion is more around the edges than it is in the center of the reticle and if you can see the reticle and target it should not impact your point of aim. You are looking at a screen and not through glass so technically you could back off the scope as far as your vision would allow.

[@Impossibly-Possible]

imma get this for sure

[@Wallymakesstuff]

Looks sweet! I may have to hold out for an lvpo version of it in 1-8 or 1-10!

[@huntleague]

I think you can switch the reticle to the same as their LPVO or something similar. Can't wait to capture and share some footage with this real soon!

[@janacox3686]

During daylight hours, how clear is the picture at full zoom at say 800 yards?

[@huntleague]

The screen is super clear and the focus is very precise but you are looking at a screen which has it's limits compared to looking through glass. I have not shot or even aimed that far yet. I have this mounted on a 5.56 that I would only walk out to about 600yds with. I have a 6.5CM that is sitting idle and this would be a fun scope to mount on that but I would need to mount a different top rail. I probably wouldn't put it on a rifle with more than 12-15ft/lbs of recoil though so depending on the weight of your rifle, caliber, velocity, muzzle brake, etc you may not be looking to take this scope out to 800yds. The Arken EP5 and EPL4 scopes will have zero problems reaching out to those distances and beyond. Those are easily +1,000yd scopes with tracking that is absolutely spot on.

[@MrProfchaos71]

I think the eye relief makes this a non starter for me and the gun I want to put it on…plus the base magnification sucks. Can’t find the 3x12 anywhere

[@huntleague]

I wish it started with 2.5x instead of 5x. I just used it on a bear hunt in CA over bait. Most of the bait piles at the different stands were placed at 15-40 yards. Anything within 20 yards was tough to get a good sight picture at 5x. It still did things that I was so impressed with and being able to capture video in super low light was amazing without even turning on the IR. For the price it is still worth it to me even though it has its limitations.

[@MrProfchaos71]

@@huntleague ok so I found the 3x12. So the choice is this vs The 4K night stalker. Recoil eye relief being a factor and the gun is Ruger 450 bushmaster. Which one you going with ? What gun did you use for bear and was scope bite a problem? Apparently you can get a 60 mm relief but no clue where. I’ll be shooting 300 yards and closer

[@cha-ka8671]

I can tell you this is better than any $1k+ scope on the market. You don’t need to worry about the eye relief. You can back up from the eye piece and still see perfectly. It’s not like using a normal scope where you lose your field of view. The 3-12x will get you out far as hell unless you need to shoot 1000 yards. They have a stronger one.

[@ychongy]

​@@cha-ka8671 How far do you think the 3-12x can get. I have the 5-20x and even shooting target 50-100 yards I like it zoomed closer to the target. Dont think the 3-12 can get as far. But when finding what you are shooting at. The 3x is more useful with wide view. Still debating to exchange my 5-20x for 3-12x. Mostly do squirrel hunting

[@maranatha4492]

Heard a rumor the Chinese can find your location (in a Red Dawn incident say) using hidden download when wifi/blutooth is used. Any idea if this is true?

[@huntleague]

No idea if anything is true these days! Pretty sure they can already do that with just our phones. I don't know if we should be more worried about the Chinese or our own government!

[@janacox3686]

Has anyone done a drop test on this from 5 ft to see if it holds 0 and/or still works after dropping it?

[@huntleague]

I didn't do a drop test so you may have to look for another channel that is monetizing their videos or where Arken is sending out products for testing. The scope feels super solid though and I believe the mount would be more stable than traditional rings. It's rated for 50BMG recoil so it can take a beating although the eye relief is not adequate in my mind for something with heavy recoil. I have never used an optic that is so easy to zero though. If I ever dropped a rifle, which I have once on a deer hunt slipping on rocks, I would always recommend confirming zero again anyway even if a drop test showed the scope/rifle combo could take it.

[@ychongy]

Why doesnt this have auto focus and image stabilization.. its digital

[@JustDooItDude]

How far can you see bullet to paper?

[@huntleague]

I have not shot at paper past 100 yet but the 5-20X magnification and clarity is super impressive. You can see the follow-up video where I did a one shot zero using my phone and then backed it out to to 300 on a steel target. No problem seeing impact and filming through the optic works so amazing. I am not sure with a .223 caliber if I would be able to see bullets on paper much past 100 anyway. WIth a .308 I bet you could see holes out to at least 200yds with this optic. This little scope is so cool. It performs way better than I expected. I don't have a ton of time on it yet though to say how well it holds zero but the battery life is great, video quality and sound are awesome. I didn't hesitate buying another and then I added one more with the the built in laser rangefinder. You can see the rangefinder at night with the IR on which was interesting. The rangefinder is either on or off so you don't have to tap it every time you want a reading. If it is on it is continuously scanning and updating the yardage at the top of the screen. After messing with that unit which is more expensive I don't know if I would recommend it. Not because I am disappointed in any way but because during the day I can use my regular rangefinder and at night I would limit shooting distances to 200yds and in. For a 5.56/.223 caliber that point of impact may only be a 1.5" difference. So no regrets about buying the optic itself. Just not sure I would spend the extra money on the rangefinder model although it is nice having both. Give me a little more time in the field to really form my opinion on that but right now I am thinking the base model is the way to go.