Are Arken Rings Junk? Probably, but I’m gonna try them anyway.

[CMcCormick1805]

Today I picked up the Arken Halo Ti rings. On paper they look like they may be solid but also they are made in China by Arken.

Initially the rings seemed nice but the fasteners looked cheap. They were easy to mount and I do like that there are torque specs on the rings themselves. My go to ring has been the Leupold PRW2 and they are noticeably better build quality compared to the Arken options.

I did the rational thing anyone else does and mounted a Trijicon Credo HX on my .223 Trainer to test. Fantastic scope and cheap rings. Surely nothing can go wrong.

I went with the Arken recommendation on torque specs which was 5 inch pounds heavier than that of my Leupold PRW2. I used the same method of mounting as I do any other rings. I clean my screws with Isopropyl alcohol and then apply blue locktite once dry.

Another guy in hunting group bought some similar rings and mounted an Arken on his 7PRC. So far they have survived ~30 rounds.

Over the next couple of months I’m gonna watch the rings and see performance. If I can get my hands on a RUM to shoot I’ll try them there. I can also say that my .223 gets abused so these rings have a lot to live up to.

Does anyone have any experience with these rings they’d want to share?

 

[CMcCormick1805]

Range Day 04/06/2026

Today the rings functioned as they should. Nothing of note happened during the range session therefore I have no insightful photos.

The rings were mounted at Arken recommended torque a screws were witnessed with paint pen upon mounting.

I affixed the scope to my Savage Axis Pro .223 Training rifle. I shot 80 rounds at various positions and got an initial zero on my Trijicon Credo HX. On a separate note I have found a true love for the scope on my initial shoot with it.

I can’t speak to zero retention as this scope was just zeroed today. Of course the scope is not permanent as it will be attached to my main hunting rifle with a fresh set of Nightforce Rings.

A shooting partner was also out with the same model of Arken rings that I did the same mounting job to. So far the rings have around 50 rounds on them with a heavier recoiling 7PRC. No issues were observed today. I’m hoping to use his set as observed season use during Montana Spring Bear.

Next range session I plan to mount the same scope and rings to a higher recoiling rifle or something that has a higher rate of fire.

More to come.

 

[CMcCormick1805]

Did some tinkering today. I found a small issue on the Arken Rings.

I witnessed each fastener with paint pen and noticed the slightest change in my admittedly sloppy witness marks on the fastener closest to the rear of my trainer rifle. I took the trusty Milwaukee screw driver to it and found the screw to be barely hand tight.

Each base screw required a bit of weight to torque back down to factory Arken Spec at 30 inch pounds.

I elected today to swap to a Zero Tech chineseium scope and replace the rings on a higher recoiling rifle. I’m also going to put a touch more torque on the base screws.

The ring top screws were rock solid and held roughly the same torque.

These rings are gonna be swapped over to a .308 rifle and tested for another ~50 rounds.

My next plan is to attach the rings and a scope to an AR15 upper on a lower with what I affectionately call the expensive setting.

Overall I’m concerned but not ready to give up on the Arken rings. I can say anecdotally I have not had any mount screws come loose on my Leupold PRW2 rings.

I should have a 1st hunt report on the Arken rings from a Bear hunt next week. I’ll be there live and in person to see how well the rings do. I’m also gonna take a torque driver in the truck to confirm the fastener torque after the first hunt.

More to come.

 

[BLJ]

I used the same method of mounting as I do any other rings. I clean my screws with Isopropyl alcohol and then apply blue locktite once dry.

Did you clean the holes in the bases as well?

 

[CMcCormick1805]

Did you clean the holes in the bases as well?

Forgot that step I’ll get it cleaned out real well when I mount it up to this second rifle. That would make sense on the failure! Good point! As usual the human element is the problem!

 

[BLJ]

Forgot that step I’ll get it cleaned out real well when I mount it up to this second rifle. That would make sense on the failure! Good point! As usual the human element is the problem!

I’ve been the victim of the “human element” myself.