kahles Archives

Thirst for Power

When I first started down this rifleman’s path, like many others I found myself lusting over the high power long-range rifle scopes. It never fails, whether in media or our daydreaming that we think of a big powerful sniper scope filled with all the bells and whistles you can imagine. But is all that necessary? I’ve been down that road a few times now, and I can tell you about it.

Large Magnification

Many long-range optics are higher magnification, like 6-24, 5-25, or even beyond 5-30 power. While there is nothing wrong with these scopes, and I have quite a few of them, some folks seem to think that these scopes are going to make them more accurate at long-range shooting. While not wholly untrue, it certainly is problematic for those who think a big scope will make all the difference.

3-18 power scopes offer excellent diverse settings for hunting rifles like this **AR15**

I have done a significant amount of long-range shooting using what many would consider low magnification scopes. Keep in mind that barely a generation ago, a straight 10X scope was used by many military and law enforcment snipers. I myself have shot many targets at as far away as a thousand yards with as little as 6 or 8 power scopes.

Another thing I have noticed about all scopes, is the dimming effect when they are at maximum magnification. The image looses some of its sharpness and detail.

You’d be very surprised just how much you can get done with less magnification, but why would you want to? Lets get into that…

Why a 3-18 You Ask?

Larger scopes like the ones I mentioned above are often bigger, heavier, and have 50-plus millimeter objective lenses. This means they have to be mounted higher above the bore. It also makes the overall profile of the rifle larger.

One of my favorite scope sizes is the 3-18 range of scopes. They are usually shorter in length than bigger scopes, and they can also be mounted closer to the bore. And often they will have 50mm or smaller objectives.

3-18X offers both wide angle viewing for close encounters or locating targets, while also offering enough power to articulate precise shots on even distant targets

Also, as I am mainly a hunter, I like having the low power option. If I am sneaking through a forest looking for targets, its nice to back off the power to as low as 3X. Making it much faster to acquire a moving target, especially at closer ranges. And should I need to shoot an animal that is way out there, 18X is still plenty of magnification to cleanly see and take a shot. I often find that regardless of what magnification scope I have, I most frequently shoot no more than 14-16X anyways.

Suggestions

I have several 3-18 power scopes, all of which I can strongly recommend. Which one simply depends on your taste and budget. All of them are FFP, which is certainly my preference. There are many other features worth looking at too.

Primary Arms GLX/SLX 3-18

Sadly, I dont find the GLX available many places anymore. They still sell the SLX but it is a 50mm objective. One of the reasons I love the GLX is because of its 44mm objective that allows me to keep the scope low, and the overall rifle compact. It is built on a 34mm tube which gives a lot of erector movement within the scope.

remington 700, 260 remington, custom rifle, primary arms, glx, 3-18x44, suppressed rifle sitting on rocks with snowy mountain background — This little custom .260 Remington has taken deer and elk as far away as 500 yards using only a 6X scope. But it was time to upgrade to a 3-18 like this PA GLx, read the review about it here

The locking 10-MIL turrets and zero-stop on this scope make it great for hunting. Sadly, it only locks secure in the zero position. The reticle might be a touch busy for some, and I have other preferences myself, but its still very useful. Its throw lever makes it quick to adjust, and its parallax and illumination make it adaptable to various purposes. At just under $500 these are a great affordable option.

the GLx has done extremely well on every rifle I’ve put it on. This custom 10/22 you see on my **Two Vets Tripod** is just one of many

Vector Continental 3-18X50

For just a little bit more, you can also get the Vector Optics Continental 3-18X50. This 34mm tubed scope has a slightly larger objective, but also gathers more light. It also has locking 10-MIL turrets, with a zero-stop. It also has a rotation indicator pin to help you keep track of what revolution of the turret you are one. The turrets on these scopes are among my favorites.

bergara, premier canyon, vector optics, continental, 3-18x50, suppressed, suppressed rifle sitting on a shooting bench with accessories, — the **Continental 3-18** mounted on my **Bergara Premier Canyon** is a compact and venerable long-range hunting rifle

Optically the Continentals are also very good for the price, giving a very sharp and bright image. The reticle of the Continental is also very useful for various tasks, and it is illuminated too. It also has added values like included sunshade and rings.

bergara, premier canyon, vector optics, continental, 3-18x50, suppressed, shooting a suppressed rifle across a wide canyon filled with snowy pine trees, — at home in big country, and suppressed by the **YHM R9 suppressor**

US Optics TXH 3-18X50

Moving up in price a little more, is the US Optics TXH 3-18X50. This one retails for just under $750, but if you use my discount code you can save 15%. The TXH is also built on a 34mm tube, and has the larger 50mm objective. Like the previous mentioned scopes, this one is also pretty short by comparison to other long-range optics. Making it a good candidate for a small precision rifle. This scope has been used on a dozen or more rifles in my collection, jumping from gun to gun. Its definitely durable and can stand up to heavy use.

the TXH is often at home on my **Desert Tech WLVRN,** which is also constantly changing calibers

Again I am a big fan of the turrets on this scope, the outer ring of the turret locks up and down to prevent unwanted movement. And you get 10-MIL per revolution of the scope, with sharp audible clicks. An easily set zero-stop is also a nice addition. You can read the complete review of the TXH here.

Various reticle options give you a little bit of choice with the US Optics TXH, which you don’t get with the previous two scopes. And the reticle can be sharply focused with the parallax adjustment, all the way down to 10 yards. It can also be illuminated for low light conditions.

the TXH has proven very useful at long-range, making a perfect shot on this mule deer at 500 yards. Read all about the hunt here

Leupold Mark 5 3.6-18×44

Starting at around $1999, the Mark 5 3.6-18X44 from Leupold is a significant step up in price. That should be expected as big names draw big prices. I love the size of this scope, it is likely the most compact of all the scopes mentioned today. A must have if you are going for the smallest footprint. This scope is built on a 35mm tube, just enough different from the norm to be irritating. And requiring some different mounting options.

But like the others, the Mark 5 uses 10-MIL turrets that lock on zero. It does feature an indicating pin on top of the turret to let you know which rotation you are on, which is very handy. It also has a variety of reticle options, some of which greatly increase the price. There are both illuminated and non-illuminated reticle options, and again the price change is significant.

Other things like included throw-lever and capped windage turret make it stand out a little bit. I understand this scope is popular with law enforcement as a compact sniper rifle scope. To read all my thoughts on this scope you can read the review here.

Kahles 318i

Starting around $2600, the Kahles 318i is at the top of my list. It brings the highest quality out of those mentioned, with a long history of quality service. Like most of the others it is built on a 34mm tube, and they opted for a 50mm objective. Despite it not having the 44mm size, it is still very compact, only a fraction of an inch longer than the Leupold.

The turret design on the Kahles uses 16-MIL per rotation, needing only two turns. On top of the elevation turret is the indicator pin that lets you know which rotation the turret is on. The windage turret is on the left side of the scope, which makes it easier to operate with your non-shooting hand while targeting.

The parallax adjustement ring is right under the elevation turret, and adjustable down to 25 yards. The new Kahles turrets feature a spinning outer ring, to avoid inadvertent movement of the turret, a nice feature that works well. The various reticle options can be illuminated by a variable brightness knob on the right side of the housing.

the Kahles 318i mounted on a **Tikka T1 MTR**

Exceptional clarity and brighness can be expected from these scopes. As well as sharp tracking and durability. For my whole opinion about this scope, read the review here.

Honorable Mention

Perhaps becaus of its cost, the Kahles would likely be the last one of these scopes to leave my collection. But I do love the scope, so its not just about the price. It gives outstanding views and rock solid performance.

Besides that, I think the Vector might be the overall best buy. I think it gives the best optical performance of the cheaper priced options mentioned (albeit a small margin). And it brings excellent mechanical performance and features. Though its Chinese origin is a deterrent for many. Of course if you use my discount code at checkout, the TXH is pretty close in cost, and you get a more reputable name from a US manufacturer.

Last Thoughts

There is nothing wrong with the higher magnification scopes, I use them almost daily. Just keep in mind that lower power scopes can be just as useful, and perhaps even better depending on the application. Its not lost on me that there is some cost involved, and if you are going to spend a significant amount of money, you might want to go for the max. I get that, and have done it myself.

Perhaps it is with some affluence in ones gun collection that he can afford to diversify both guns and scopes in such a way. If so, I recommend you aim for that. Lets get out of here before I start in on 4-16X’s….

-CBM

Introduction

When I was a child, I spent a good amount of time under the tutelage of my Grandfather. One of the many things I spent time doing with grandpa was shooting, he always made it fun and ensured that I came away having learned something. The very first time I heard the name Kahles, it was uttered my my grandpa, and probably like most Americans in the early eighties he pronounced it wrong. He said it just like you’d expect a cowboy raised in the desert would: Kales.
All these years later, I’ve managed to become quite familiar with Kahles and their high-quality riflescopes. Something I think grandpa would have enjoyed.

Shopping for Kahles 318i?

The K318 mounted on a Surgeon Scalpel 300WM

The K318i riflescope

Kahles is one of the oldest riflescope manufacturers in the world, so it should come as no surprise that they make a good product. They have taken over the competitive rifle circuit like a storm over the last ten years or so, and with good reason. The Kahles K318i is a more recent development from Kahles, its short length I can only assume was designed to be competitive with other short scopes from several other manufacturers. The short length of the scope makes it a perfect match for a rifle you may want to keep a little more compact. This without giving up much if any performance.

The K318i is a 6X variable zoom optic, it utilizes a thirty-four millimeter tube with a fifty millimeter objective. The K318i utilizes many of the same features found in other top-tier Kahles scopes; features like first-focal-plane reticles, MOA & MRAD models, an illuminated reticle, and the ability to choose which side of the scope you want the windage turret on. And the choice of which direction you want said turret to rotate. Quite a few options there if you are a finicky shooter, I myself am pretty easy going, so however it comes to me is perfectly suitable.
The reticle itself is also an option you can select, mine came with the SKMR2 which I think is just about as good as you can get. But there are other options as well if this one doesn’t meet your fancy.

Perhaps the most curious feature of this an other Kahles scopes is the position of the parallax adjustment. The adjustment knob is at the twelve o’clock position underneath the elevation turret itself. A larger knob with clear printed settings makes it very easy to set the parallax for whatever shot you might need to make.

Other features like a zero-stop and turret rotation indicator are also very handy, the indicator is a small red pin that pops up on the top of the turret giving the shooter both a visible and tactile indication of which rotation of the turret you are on. The elevation turret itself is a boastful sixteen MRAD per turn, which decreases the likelihood of missing your rotation anyways. It also allows the majority of practical shooting to be done without ever going into the second rotation of the turret.

There is one last cunning feature, which is Kahles’ Twist-Guard windage turret. A free-spinning end to the turret prevents the turret from being inadvertently turned when rubbing or pushed into something such as a barricade.

In the Field

I’ve run many a Kahles scopes over the years, but I was just a little excited to see how this newer model looked. I have always been impressed with the optical clarity of Kahles scopes, and I was curious to see what this little 318 had in store for me. I’ve lost track of how many different rifles this scope has ridden in the last year, but they were not just a few. Like any good scope should, the Kahles was easily transferred back and forth, rezeroed, bore-sighted, torqued, over and over again. And it has never skipped a beat.

For a time the scope directed fire for my 257 Blackjack, a mostly carbon fiber rifle with a sharp recoil impulse that is lightning on animals. It also spent some time on my Desert Tech SRS M2, getting a large variety of testing on various calibers like 300 and 338 Norma. In more recent adventures the chubby little Kahles was the scope of choice for my Tikka T3 TACT A1 in .260 Remington, which made an unstoppable combination. At the moment the scope is mounted on a Bergara BMP 6.5 Creedmoor where it has been for the last month or two. Wherever I put the K318 it seems to shine, I love the moderate magnification range. I rarely set my scopes above 16X unless I am looking at or shooting something really far out there. For average everyday shooting inside a thousand yards I find the 3-18X range to be ideal.

Picking out small targets on distant hillsides is not hard with the bright and clear image from this scope. The impressive transfer of the image from across the canyon to my retina comes with great ease. The eye-box is plenty forgiving for my taste, I’ve only used it on one rifle that didn’t have an adjustable comb. Nevertheless I always found the scope easy to get behind, and very quick to ascertain a good full image.
Shooting the K318 in the field I was quickly enamored with the turret tension and detents, just easy enough to turn without becoming a problem. And the clicks are crisp and audible, I can almost feel it in my cheek-bone as I look through the scope. The zero-stop on Kahles scopes has always befuddled me, there is always four clicks under zero. Perhaps there is a reason to which I’m not privy, but it seems like it would be better to just stop at zero.
The illumination turret is opposite the windage turret on the erector housing, it is a variable rheostat so there are no numbered settings like many other brands. The brightness of the reticle increases as the knob is turned. The SKMR2 reticle is particularly useful for field shooting, where corrections and holdovers are needed. With .1, .2, .5, and 1.0 MRAD subtensions to use for various measuring purposes, and even-numbered graduations for those significant hold-points.

Pros & Cons

I know it says pros & cons just now, but I have had a hard time finding anything to hold against this scope. With a street price around $3350.00 I guess you could say the cost is a bit of a challenge for many people, but if you are in the market for a scope like this you probably were ready for that price before you got here. Being that the 5-25X sibling to this scope is only an additional $200, it almost seems a premium to pay this much for “less” scope, but again I think prospective shoppers for these scopes know what they are getting into. The K318 is no lightweight, at just over 33 ounces it is heavier than many of its competitors. But said competitors also don’t boast as many feathers in their cap either.
Pretty much everything else about the scope is as advertised, the very robust turrets are accurate and repeatable. The optical clarity is as good as any scope I’ve ever used, particularly with lower light conditions. Granted, the lower power range tends to give the appearance of brighter image than comparable larger magnification scopes. Generous adjustments and solid construction just seem to make this scope feel bulletproof.

Final comments

If you haven’t gotten on the Kahles train, its worth your time even if it’s just for a few stops. I think there is good reason and evidence as to why so many competitors and pro’s use the Kahles line of precision optics, I’ve run this scope all over the mountains, and I’m not easy on equipment. The scopes perform like a professional scope should, I think that whether you are engaging steel targets in world class competition or shooting with lives on the line, you will be happy with this one. The short and compact K318i will likely never leave my collection, its just that good.

-CBM