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Rifle Scopes Kahles... new scopes?

I was fantasizing about this scope all day after seeing the pictures. I think it would be ideal for a semi-auto ultra-light 6.5 rifle 18"-20"? Oxymoron? A little heavy but worth the compactness. What say you?
 
I have no inside track or anything like that but I'd give it a chance to get actual pricing before jumping ship. I called a dealer (and SH Vendor) Friday. Even though he wasn't able to give me a sale price he did say MAP 3,199. I'm really hoping street price comes in around 2,700-2,800.
 
I was fantasizing about this scope all day after seeing the pictures. I think it would be ideal for a semi-auto ultra-light 6.5 rifle 18"-20"? Oxymoron? A little heavy but worth the compactness. What say you?


This is exactly what I am wanting to do. I have a 20" 6cm barrel being spun up for an AR right now.
 
Love my 3-20 US but this does look very interesting. The field of view is a little disappointing though. Still, with the reticle it could be an awesome hunting scope.
 
I have no inside track or anything like that but I'd give it a chance to get actual pricing before jumping ship. I called a dealer (and SH Vendor) Friday. Even though he wasn't able to give me a sale price he did say MAP 3,199. I'm really hoping street price comes in around 2,700-2,800.

If MAP is $3,199 USD that will definitely put this in the running and bring it back to the conversation but it's still at the higher end and competition is going to come from Schmidt and now ZCO, I'm sure we'll know a lot more after this week at SHOT. It could be that Kahles is wanting to test the waters a bit here in the US and my guess is that SHOT will provide the feedback they're looking for in order to make final decisions on pricing for the US. If overall feedback is that anything over $3000ish would mean shooters would look to the S&B US 3-20 then that might influence Kahles to lower the price for US. I agree Kwilm, street pricing around $2,500 - $2,700 I think would allow this scope to be more feasible for a lot of shooters. If the ZCO ZC420 comes in between $2000 - $2500 that will put even more pressure on Kahles, but their pricing has not been announced either.
 
The more I read on this site the more I learn. I'm not a marketing type but if feedback from this site has any bearing on MSRP, please bring the price down. I have nothing but the highest of praise for the Kahles line. But 3K is the tipping point. I will go TT and not look back.
The buyer always has the advantage. Just say no.
 
I love my K624i AMR scopes - they're all mounted on competition rifles, which don't get shot as much as some of my other rifles with lower priced optics. So it's always a pleasure to take one of my Bighorn rifles down to the range and get that 'ah ha' moment when I take the first look through the Kahles - it always reminds me why I was willing to spend the $$$ on the 2nd & 3rd Kahles scopes after moving up from Sightron SIII 6-24x50 sfp scopes.
4-20x50 at 12 inches and under 30oz. That would be excellent.
That would be excellent but it would probably also cost 5 grand considering their 3.5-18 is at 3100....(which is insane) and the next best option is the Schmidt and Bender 4-20x50 which is about 4500 dollars.....there’re a huge gap in the tier one market for a mid size optic that does t cost a kings ransome.....I still don’t understand how the Kahles 3.5 (really 4) -18x50 is more EXPENSIVE than the Kahles 6-24x56 by almost 25%....
 
That would be excellent but it would probably also cost 5 grand considering their 3.5-18 is at 3100....(which is insane) and the next best option is the Schmidt and Bender 4-20x50 which is about 4500 dollars.....there’re a huge gap in the tier one market for a mid size optic that does t cost a kings ransome.....I still don’t understand how the Kahles 3.5 (really 4) -18x50 is more EXPENSIVE than the Kahles 6-24x56 by almost 25%....
 

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OH NO! it’s GRANDPA,.......DANG IT.....
CD17855C-5479-4D91-82AD-5528E735CD6E.jpeg
he’s drunk again, and has nothing better to do than to begin chortleing about other people’s post...
.....is grandpa really have nothing better to do with his precious time?
 
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That would be excellent but it would probably also cost 5 grand considering their 3.5-18 is at 3100....(which is insane) and the next best option is the Schmidt and Bender 4-20x50 which is about 4500 dollars.....there’re a huge gap in the tier one market for a mid size optic that does t cost a kings ransome.....I still don’t understand how the Kahles 3.5 (really 4) -18x50 is more EXPENSIVE than the Kahles 6-24x56 by almost 25%....

Okay, I'll bite...

First off, Schmidt and Bender doesn't make a 4-20x50 scope so did you mean their Ultra Short 5-20x50? Also, where are you looking where you see this scope for $4500, maybe a couple years ago but today you can get the 5-20 US and 3-20 US for well under $4k??? Can you explain your remark about the Kahles K318i really being a 4-18 vs a 3.5-18? If you're talking based on FOV then you'll have issues with many manufacturers, while it's nice to have generous FOV it does not determine the magnification of a particular design. In regard to why the K318i costs more than the K624i is mostly likely due to several factors:
  • New Optical Formula
  • 5x Erector Design
  • Better materials (potentially)
  • Ultra Short Design
I agree that the K318i draws a hefty chunk of change and I wish it were less; however, it is not out of reason when compared to other Tier 1 Ultra Short designs like Schmidt & Bender and ZCO
 
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Excuse me for my failure to correctively write the proper magnification ifvthe optic ON THE S&B (3&5 are both next to 4 ).....

U had enough insight to point out u understood what I was stating regarding 3.5 is really 4 in reference to FOV.

I simply wrote this after working for 48 hours in the er so I am still tired.

The S&B 3-20x50 was what I was referencing
 
Excuse me for my failure to correctively write the proper magnification ifvthe optic ON THE S&B (3&5 are both next to 4 ).....

U had enough insight to point out u understood what I was stating regarding 3.5 is really 4 in reference to FOV.

I simply wrote this after working for 48 hours in the er so I am still tired.

The S&B 3-20x50 was what I was referencing
Yes, understand about the exhaustion and thanks for the clarification
 
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Just handled the 3.5-18 Kahles at EuroOptic.....very nice! Compared the S&B 5-20 Compact.....very nice. Looked out to 1000+yds through some fog/rain and both did great. Looking for a short optic for my LH Desert Tech Covert. I'm running the 16" 308 and 18" 338L....both suppressed. Their accuracy guarantee holds up. 308 175 Fed Match and 338L Norma Match 250 work extremely well. The 3.5-18 Kahles could be the ticket. Need a 20MOA mount since the factory put no slope in the rail surface. Did check out the 5-25 EOTech also but the turrets are a bit mushy but great glass also. The only thing the S&B has no daylight illumination? Illumination on the Kahles is awesome. The Vortex 3-18 Razor is a tank but very nice glass but a big scope. It's FOV was very nice a 3x. so was the S&B! Was amazed at the glass quality for all. The Leupold 3.6-18 was nice and so was the Nightforce ATACR 4-16 F1 but the reticles are lacking a bit. Feeling spoiled looking through all this glass on hand. Always get treated awesome a EuroOptics. Currently running a 3-10 SHV Nightforce which is a great scope also. Even at 10x shooting steel prone at 500M seemed easy. The Magpul Bipod also works well for this small package.
 
ILya and Bill both have had very positive things to say about the k318i. Amazing little ultra-short. Honestly FOV and DOF withstanding the new Kahles are phenomenal scopes. Just wish those weren't drawbacks of the k525i.
 
ILya and Bill both have had very positive things to say about the k318i. Amazing little ultra-short. Honestly FOV and DOF withstanding the new Kahles are phenomenal scopes. Just wish those weren't drawbacks of the k525i.

ILya and Bill both have had very positive things to say about the k318i. Amazing little ultra-short. Honestly FOV and DOF withstanding the new Kahles are phenomenal scopes. Just wish those weren't drawbacks of the k525i.

Thank,you very much!
 
ILya and Bill both have had very positive things to say about the k318i. Amazing little ultra-short. Honestly FOV and DOF withstanding the new Kahles are phenomenal scopes. Just wish those weren't drawbacks of the k525i.

It's interesting to note that ILya mention's when Kahles went with the 5x erector they gave up on FOV, not sure why Kahles chose this route, maybe they felt the consumer was more concerned with having a 5x magnification scope than having great FOV but we've also seen 5x designs from other manufacturers that have been able to maintain really good FOV. Another knock that Kahles had with their previous models was CA - Kahles did a tremendous job of controlling CA with the K318i (and apparently with the K525i as well from early reports) and ILya even mentions they may have limited the FOV in order to control CA better. To me this is indicative of a two steps forward, one step back approach and while the new 5x series Kahles are impressive I wish they would have paid more attention to FOV. I'll be very curious how the ZCO ZC420 comes in with regard to FOV, Depth, Resolution, contrast and CA as well as the new Burris XTR III 3.3-18x50 which has enormous FOV for an ultra short. Pending the ZC420 and Burris XTR III results the Kahles is still one of the best Ultra Shorts available and reigns as my favorite ultra short for now.
 
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It's interesting to note that ILya mention's when Kahles went with the 5x erector they gave up on FOV, not sure why Kahles chose this route, maybe they felt the consumer was more concerned with having a 5x magnification scope than having great FOV but we've also seen 5x designs from other manufacturers that have been able to maintain really good FOV. Another knock that Kahles had with their previous models was CA - Kahles did a tremendous job of controlling CA with the K318i (and apparently with the K525i as well from early reports) and ILya even mentions they may have limited the FOV in order to control CA better. To me this is indicative of a two steps forward, one step back approach and while the new 5x series Kahles are impressive I wish they would have paid more attention to FOV. I'll be very curious how the ZCO ZC420 comes in with regard to FOV, Depth, Resolution, contrast and CA as well as the new Burris XTR III 3.3-18x50 which has enormous FOV for an ultra short. Pending the ZC420 and Burris XTR III results the Kahles is still one of the best Ultra Shorts available and reigns as my favorite ultra short for now.

I asked him on youtube why it was as well. I'm a novice to optical design in regards to FOV. I think i have an eye for a quality image and can describe it pretty adequately. But I asked him why a scope like the Gen II razor with a 6x erector, shorter scope body, more magnification, has a larger FOV and arguably better DOF. I know he didn't criticize it too much for DOF but like he said you can't just leave either of the new kahles' parallax on 300-500 and run with it. You can compensate for lack of FOV by backing off mag obviously even though it's annoying all things considering but the DOF is just shallow throughout all three optics i've had from them. It stands out to me. It's interesting because they really did make a leap in glass quality and fixed the CA but just went way back with FOV and DOF. I don't even really care about the loss of resolution at max mag honestly because i don't shoot on 25x too often. If FOV and DOF were matching their competitors it wold be an outstanding optic from every perspective.
 
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Wait, they make a reticle worth a shit currently?? ?
YOU BET THEY DO.....They haven’t risen to the top of PRS because of their warranty. ?????. They have bested every other manufacturer in PRS and its well deserved.
 
YOU BET THEY DO.....They haven’t risen to the top of PRS because of their warranty. ?????. They have bested every other manufacturer in PRS and its well deserved.

Points winner = schmidt

Finale winner = kahles

?‍♂️?‍♂️?‍♂️?‍♂️
 
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It’s really a shame it’s taken NF this long to do what they’re doing if I’m being honest. They had a pretty solid start on everyone (in this market at least) other than Schmidt, Zeiss, leupold, and USO. Just kind of fell behind the curve in competition offerings. Honestly i think I’d still find it hard to spend $3100 on a 5-25 atacr, certainly makes it easier given the mil-XT but what was once a $2500 optic has now become a $3100-3300 along the likes of Schmidt, Kahles, ZCO, Minox etc. Meanwhile the Razor Gen II, also sourcing glass from LOW IIRC (correct me if wrong on NF's source) has gone down $500. I'm not saying they're bad by any means (obviously) been behind three of them and really like them and as said before now that NF has two competent reticles that don't charge you a $300 premium to have i'll be grabbing some NF optics. Obviously the NX8 has me rather perplexed because now they're also offering ED glass from a more affordable standpoint, this isn't the NF i'm used to. Also wondering if it will cut into ATACR sales, which if it pans out i think undoubtedly will.

SKMR3 and inevitably the fourth variation (SKMR4) likely makes me keep my Kahles optics. I do dislike the FOV on the new series but besides that really enjoying it. But i'd love to have a couple Mil-XT based NX8s to try and definitely want some for hunting.
 
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