Rifle Scopes Kahles K318i vs. K525i

[cashewnut]

Hi all. First time poster here, long time reader. I'm looking to pick up a scope for longer range work and have been eyeing Kahles' two new offerings for 2018.

The MAP for the K318i and K525i is only $100 apart. Street price isn't that far apart either. So, I consider them costing roughly the same. Given that, why would one choose the K318i over the K525i? The K318i is obviously shorter, lighter, and more compact. Does it have any other inherent advantages? Would it be more wise to go with the scope with more reach if one doesn't care about physical size and weight?

Perhaps my question is more a general one, not specific to Kahles. The Nightforce ATACR 4-16 F1 and 5-25 F1 are also very similarly priced, for example.

 

[NotMalware]

To me the question to ask is "what am I going to do with this optic"? If your targets are very small then maybe higher power is the direction you want to go. I think, people tend to use 14x to 18x power for PRS and field matches anyway, so the top powers are more of a special use thing or a personal preference. Think of the weight of the optic in combination with the rest of your system. How far do you plan on carrying that rifle, and do you actually care what it weighs? A lot of people don't care if the rifle is 18 lbs. Do you like the reticle offered in the scope. There are huge personal preferences in considering reticles. There are also other features to consider like turret click density. Some scopes have a lot of space from click to click on the elevation turret while others are very closely spaced. I personally prefer more space like the NF atacr turrets; although I like the way the Kahles turret markings added different height lines to help you distinguish the setting more clearly. What are you looking for in the optic?

 

[cashewnut]

To me the question to ask is "what am I going to do with this optic"? If your targets are very small then maybe higher power is the direction you want to go. I think, people tend to use 14x to 18x power for PRS and field matches anyway, so the top powers are more of a special use thing or a personal preference. Think of the weight of the optic in combination with the rest of your system. How far do you plan on carrying that rifle, and do you actually care what it weighs? A lot of people don't care if the rifle is 18 lbs. Do you like the reticle offered in the scope. There are huge personal preferences in considering reticles. There are also other features to consider like turret click density. Some scopes have a lot of space from click to click on the elevation turret while others are very closely spaced. I personally prefer more space like the NF atacr turrets; although I like the way the Kahles turret markings added different height lines to help you distinguish the setting more clearly. What are you looking for in the optic?

I'm mostly asking about mid vs. long range scopes in the same family, which tend to be priced almost the same. The two Kahles' I mentioned both have the same turrets and same reticle options. Likewise for NF, etc. The Kahles K525i is only 1.6 oz heavier than the K318i - not significant. The K525i is 2.5" longer, which is significant if you care about that sort of thing. Why choose the K318i over the K525i unless you want something physically shorter? Is the field of view for example worse on a higher magnification scope than a lesser one? E.g. the K525i at 5x vs. the K318i at 5x.

The differences between the NF 4-16 vs. 5-25, for example, are a little more stark. The latter being 8 oz heavier and 2.77" longer.

 

[5RWill]

Application specific i guess. I have the 525 on order to go on my comp rig and a k318i on my hunting rig to keep the weight somewhat down and i like the aesthetics of a much shorter optic on a short hunting hunting rig. Though if you're looking at it from a value standpoint the 525 is the clear winner. I got my 318 at a phenomenal price also.

 

[NotMalware]

Ultra short scopes are the new fad. The longer optical systems are going to be more forgiving; I don't have the details of the prescription, but I think we can be confident that a larger objective lens will yield less sensitivity to eye position at the same power. Some people seem to favor low power field of view as a desirable quality while others like more magnification and are happy with 5x or 7x or whatever. Personally, I like a lot of magnification, but practically I haven't really noticed a lot of capability difference between the NF 5-25 Beast and the S&B 3-20 ultra short. Practically, any one of those are going to work. I think it's more about preference unless you're running night vision. If you're running NV then the ultra short scope may be more convenient.

 

[Stoweit]

I can only say that so far the 3.5-18 has so far surpassed my expectations. No CA that I can see compared to my 5-25 ATACR. Parallax seems so close to actual markings. Not so with My, NF, and I know I can adjust the NF. It’s just interesting that the Kahles is so close out of the box. So far I’ve been impressed with the Kahles, resolution and reticle have been great. No regrets on this purchase. Can’t always say that about some of my other high end purchases. YMMV.

 

[CSTactical]

Hi all. First time poster here, long time reader. I'm looking to pick up a scope for longer range work and have been eyeing Kahles' two new offerings for 2018.

The MAP for the K318i and K525i is only $100 apart. Street price isn't that far apart either. So, I consider them costing roughly the same. Given that, why would one choose the K318i over the K525i? The K318i is obviously shorter, lighter, and more compact. Does it have any other inherent advantages? Would it be more wise to go with the scope with more reach if one doesn't care about physical size and weight?

Perhaps my question is more a general one, not specific to Kahles. The Nightforce ATACR 4-16 F1 and 5-25 F1 are also very similarly priced, for example.

The size and magnification are the main differences between the two, while there will be more reticle choices and Left Side Windage for the K525i when they are released. It's hard to go wrong with either one Feel free to call us at 916-670-1103 for any specific questions.