How to Use an Arken Riflescope at Different Distances

A riflescope doesn't have one setting that works perfectly for every distance.

As your target moves from closer to farther away, you may need to adjust your magnification, use your reticle, or account for changes in your bullet's trajectory. Understanding how these features work together can help you get a clearer sight picture and make more informed adjustments.

Whether you're using an LPVO for closer to mid-range shooting or a high-magnification precision riflescope for longer distances, the basic idea is the same: match your scope settings to the shooting situation.

Here's how to get started with your Arken riflescope.

1. Start With a Confirmed Zero

Before using your scope at different distances, start with a confirmed zero at a known distance.

Your zero is the distance at which your rifle and scope are set up so that your point of aim and point of impact match each other.

For example, if your rifle is zeroed at 100 yards, that 100-yard zero becomes your reference point when you move to other distances.

It does not mean your rifle will have the same point of impact (POI) at every distance. Your gun is not a laser and you are not in space. Your bullet will fall to the ground due to gravity, as the bullet travels farther away from your, its trajectory changes, so you may need to account for that change.

That's why zeroing should always come first.

Tip: Always confirm your zero with your actual rifle, ammunition, and shooting setup rather than relying on a general rule.

2. Choose Riflescope Magnification Based on the Situation

One of the most noticeable adjustments you can make is magnification.

It's tempting to think that more magnification is always better, especially when shooting at longer distances. In practice, the most useful magnification depends on the target, distance, movement, and how much of the surrounding area you need to see.

Closer Distances: Keep a Wider Field of View

At shorter distances, lower magnification can make it easier to locate your target and maintain a wider field of view.

For example, an LPVO such as the Arken EP-8 1-8x28 FFP starts at 1x, giving you a low-magnification option when a wider field of view and quick target acquisition are priorities.

Mid-Range Distances: Find the Balance

As the target gets farther away, increasing magnification can make it easier to see details and aim more precisely.

For mid-range shooting, a moderate magnification setting can provide enough detail without unnecessarily narrowing your field of view.

Longer Distances: Increase Magnification When It Helps

At longer distances, a higher magnification setting can make smaller targets easier to see and provide a more detailed sight picture.

The EP-8, for example, goes from 1x to 8x, letting you dial up the magnification when you need more detail. But higher magnification is not exclusively used for longer distances, you can use the higher magnification of the EP-8 to be more precise at a close range target especially of shot placement is critical.

For a higher-magnification setup, scopes such as the Arken EP-5 GENII 5-25×56 FFP provide a much wider magnification range for shooters working with smaller or more distant targets.

But remember: maximum magnification isn't automatically the best magnification.

The goal is to use enough magnification to see and aim at your target clearly while maintaining a useful sight picture. 

3. Pay Attention to Your Field of View

Magnification and field of view are closely connected.

As magnification increases, the portion of the scene you can see through the scope generally becomes smaller. This can give you more target detail, but at the cost of smaller FOV. It can make target acquisition more difficult.

That's why a lower magnification setting can be useful when you need to find a target quickly, while higher magnification can be helpful when precise aiming and target detail become more important.

A simple way to think about it:

Lower magnification → wider field of view → easier target acquisition

Higher magnification → more target detail → narrower field of view

There isn't a single correct setting for every distance. The right choice depends on what you're trying to see and how you're shooting.

4. Understand How Your Reticle Works

Your reticle is another important part of using a riflescope at different distances.

Some reticles provide additional reference points that can be used for elevation or windage holds. How those references work depends on the specific reticle design and whether your scope uses a First Focal Plane (FFP) or Second Focal Plane (SFP) reticle.

FFP Reticles

In an FFP scope, the reticle changes in apparent size as you change magnification.

The reticle's subtensions, however, remain proportional to the target at different magnification settings.

This can make an FFP reticle useful when using its reference points across the scope's magnification range.

For example, the Arken EP-5 GENII uses an FFP reticle, allowing its reticle references to remain consistent relative to the target as magnification changes. FFP reticles can be used like a ruler to measure how far your point of impact was from your point of aim (POA). Regardless of magnification level, the subtensions will be the same, so if your shot was 1 mil to the right, that distance is still 1 MIL if you are at base magnification or at max magnification. At base magnification the reticle will be smaller and thinner. It will get bigger as you increase magnification. You also will crop out the bottom of your reticle so you will see less sub tensions as you increase magnification.

SFP Reticles

With an SFP scope, the reticle remains the same apparent size as magnification changes.

However, the relationship between the reticle's subtensions and the target is tied to a specified magnification setting. If you're using the reticle for holdovers or other measured references, make sure you understand the intended magnification setting for your particular reticle. This is typically at the maximum magnification level.

You can learn more about the differences in our guide to [FFP vs. SFP Riflescopes].

5. Know When to Use Your Elevation Adjustment

When you move away from your zero distance, the bullet’s trajectory changes. Depending on your shooting setup, you may need to account for that change by adjusting your elevation turret or by using a reference point on your reticle.

Understanding what each turret click represents can help you make more informed adjustments.

For example, the Arken SH-4J 6-24x50 features 0.1 MIL / 0.25 MOA turret adjustments. This means each click represents a small angular adjustment, with the corresponding point-of-impact change depending on the shooting distance.

For example, a 0.1 MIL adjustment corresponds to approximately 0.36 inches at 100 yards and 0.72 inches at 200 yards. The same principle applies to MOA adjustments, using the MOA value specified for the scope configuration.

The key point is that a turret does not move the point of impact by a fixed number of inches. It makes an angular adjustment, so the resulting point-of-impact change increases with distance.

Before making an adjustment, always check the specifications of your particular Arken riflescope and confirm whether your scope uses a MIL or MOA configuration.

If you're not familiar with MIL and MOA, our guide [MIL vs. MOA: Understanding Scope Adjustments] explains how these systems work.

Important: Distance alone does not tell you how much elevation adjustment is required. The actual correction depends on factors including your rifle, ammunition, zero distance, ballistic characteristics, and environmental conditions.

6. Dial or Hold? Understand Your Options

When you need to account for a change in trajectory, there are two common approaches.

Dial the Elevation

You can use your ballistic data to determine the appropriate elevation correction and dial that correction into your turret.

This approach can be useful when you have reliable data for your particular rifle and ammunition. As you shoot farther away your bullet will drop farther and farther from your zero. So you may need to zoom in to see more detail but now your point of impact may be below your FOV. Also a scope’s optical clarity is at its best at or near the center of the lenses. So aiming and observing your point of impact at or near the edges of your FOV is not going to be as good. Another benefit is the use of windage sub tensions if your reticle only has them at the center of the reticle.

Use a Reticle Hold

Alternatively, you can use a suitable reference point on your reticle instead of dialing the turret.

This can be useful when your reticle provides clearly defined subtensions and you understand how those references correspond to your shooting setup. This is beneficial for closer distances and speed. If your bullet drop is not that much, then you do not have to dial, you can just hold at the corresponding subtension on your reticle as your new point of aim.

Neither approach is universally correct. Your choice depends on your scope, reticle, available ballistic data, and shooting situation.

7. Use Ballistic Data as a Starting Point

When working at longer distances, ballistic data can help you estimate the correction required for a particular distance.

A ballistic calculator takes factors into account when calculating a trajectory, such as:

•  Zero distance

•  Muzzle velocity

•  Bullet weight

•  Ballistic coefficient

•  Scope height

•  Environmental conditions

These are not the only data points a ballistic calculator takes into consideration when generating a ballistic solution.

DNT's Ballistics App provides a way to organize this type of information and calculate trajectory data for your setup.

But a calculated result should be treated as a starting point rather than a substitute for actual confirmation.

Your rifle and ammunition combination may perform differently from the theoretical model.

8. A Practical Example: Moving From 100 to 300 Yards

Let's put these ideas together.

Imagine your Arken riflescope is zeroed at 100 yards, and you're preparing to shoot at a target at 300 yards.

Here's a simple way to approach the change:

Step 1: Confirm Your Zero

Start by making sure your rifle is still properly zeroed at 100 yards.

Step 2: Choose Your Magnification

Increase magnification as needed to get enough target detail while maintaining a usable sight picture.

The appropriate setting will depend on the size of the target and your shooting conditions.

Step 3: Check Your Ballistic Data

Use data specific to your rifle, ammunition, and zero to determine the expected correction for 300 yards.

Step 4: Decide Whether to Dial or Hold

Depending on your scope and reticle, you may choose to dial the elevation correction to move the reticle to the new point of aim or use an appropriate point along the reticle as your new point of aim.

Step 5: Confirm the Actual Point of Impact

Make the adjustment and verify the result at the new distance.

If your actual impact doesn't match your expected result, use that information to refine your data and make a correction in your point of aim. If you have a FFP reticle with subtensions then you can use them like a ruler and measure how far your POI was from your POA. Now you can dial that difference into the scope or hold that much to get your hit.

Remember: There is no universal "300-yard adjustment." Even two different rifles using the same ammunition can require different corrections at the same distance.

9. Common Mistakes to Avoid

Always Using Maximum Magnification

Maximum magnification isn't always the most useful setting.

If your field of view becomes too narrow or target acquisition becomes difficult, reducing magnification may give you a better overall sight picture.

Assuming Distance Alone Determines Your Adjustment

A target at 300 yards does not automatically require one specific elevation correction. Some bullets are faster than others so they do not drop as much at that distance while slower bullets will drop faster and may require more correction of your POA.

Your ballistic setup matters.

Ignoring Your Reticle Design

FFP and SFP reticles behave differently as magnification changes.

If your reticle has subtensions, know how your particular reticle is designed before using it for holds or corrections.

Mixing MIL and MOA

MIL and MOA are different angular measurement systems.

Make sure your ballistic data and scope adjustment system use the same units. Also make sure your friends are using the same system if they are helping to spot your POI. Giving you corrections is MILs does not help if your scope and reticle uses MOA.

Relying Entirely on a Ballistic Calculator

Ballistic calculations are useful, but actual shooting results provide an important check.

Confirm your data whenever practical.

Do Not Change Too Many Variables at Once

If you're trying to understand a change in point of impact, keep your setup as consistent as possible.

Changing ammunition, zero, magnification, and other variables at the same time can make it difficult to determine what caused the difference.

Get to Know Your Scope

Using an Arken riflescope at different distances doesn't require memorizing a complicated set of settings.

Start with a confirmed zero. Choose magnification based on the sight picture you need. Understand how your reticle works, know your adjustment system, and use ballistic data specific to your setup.

Most importantly, confirm what actually happens when you move to a new distance.

The more familiar you become with your rifle, ammunition, and scope, the easier it becomes to make adjustments with confidence.

Know your setup. Use the features that matter. Confirm the results.