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New Kahles K16i 1-6x24, first impressions


Tuukka

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I saw the Kahles K16i 1-6x24 scope for the first time at the GPEC law enforcement expo in Leipzig last fall.

Handled it again at the SHOT Show and talked to the Kahles staff.

Through co-operation with the Finnish importer, I now have one in my hands.

http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/Kahles_K16i.jpg

To give you a little bit of background where my comments are coming from, I have been on the Finnish Open class national Practical rifle team since 2009, alternate member for this season.

Have used various other small power variable scopes in my work also, as we manufacture sound suppressors I shoot quite few thousand rounds in testing every year.

This first range trip was just zeroing and just feeling out the scope on the range for the first time. Shooting drills and speed more oriented to my practise regimen will follow later this week.

This particular scope has the G4B reticle, which in my opinion is the best of the available options for Practical / 3-gun shooting

http://images1.opticsplanet.com/365-240-ffffff/opplanet-kahles-g4b-reticle-general-usage.jpg

The reticle and the dot are in the second focal plane. The dot size is very small ( 2cm at 100 meters / 6x zoom )

Therefore the dot does not cover for example a 20 cm / 8 inch plate at 300 meters.

The optical quality, clarity and brightness are excellent, however I am no optician icon_smile.gif

The extension lever on the magnification is ok, but I might modify it to be longer.

The adjustments are 1/2 MOA at 100 meters and are under caps.

http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/Kahles_K16i_s_d_t.jpg

As mentioned, I did not really focus on shooting speed this time, but this was produced at 100 meters ( prone / bipod ) by pulling the trigger as soon as the dot settled in from recoil:

http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/Kahles_K16i_nopeaa_ammuntaa_100m.jpg

At 300 meters I was checking the dope as I had not shot this particular load at that distance, but this is what the first 5 shot group looked like:

http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/Kahles_K16i_eka_300_m_kasa.jpg

Overall the scope left me with a really good first impression, the only thing I can quickly think is that I would like to see a locking BDC turret.

As I have been competing with a S&B Short Dot LE for the past few seasons, really easy to adjust the turret and to check the zero with one glance.

However this is a very small gripe for me.

I believe this scope will give the Z6i 1-6x a run for its money.

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Yep

I will have two in to test next week

I have a K312II on my 308 and have owned several other Kahles optics over the years.

Glass that rivals anything out there.

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I have a Kahles K16i as well. I went with the SM1 reticle since I felt it would be faster up close. So far I've used it in two matches, and its been awesome. It replaced a USO 1-4 w/ Lund reticle which I loved but the Kahles beats it in every way. The reticle brightness and glass quality are definitely Swaro level, and its listed as having a touch more FOV, particularly on 1x. I haven't had a chance to shoot past 200 yards with it yet, and have used it in 2 matches so far. I'm very happy with it.

Here's a picture that Sport Optics took for me when I was choosing which reticle I wanted (note- illumination not at highest setting):

post-32937-0-91128600-1367678940_thumb.j

Edited by rboyes
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Thanks for sharing your comments. Posts like this make it easier for guys like me to make decisions. I also handled the Kahles at SHOT this year, it looked great and I wish I could order one right now. Unfortunately my wallet will not permit right now, maybe by fall.

George

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Thanks for the report Tuukka. It is great to see people take a few minutes and post things that they try out. I really like my LaRue mounts, but that is one solid looking mount that you have.

Slightly off topic, but you can find more about the mount here: http://www.spuhr.com/ISMS.html

Its really an awesome mount. I have one on my .308 AR and one waiting for my new Open .223 upper.

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  • 1 month later...

Just shot the Danish Open rifle match in Copenhagen, made a couple of mistakes and that cost me the medal this time and dropped to 5th.

The match overall had 13 stages from 5 meters out to 300 meters, with the 300 m stage having targets between those distances.

I did utilize the T1 on certain stages and shooting positions where the scope had to be on higher magnification to immediately engage further targets.

I am very confident in this scope overall.

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  • 11 months later...

More experiences with the scope.

Was leading the Nordic Rifle Match last summer, up til the second to last staqe, where I unfortunately had a DQ.

The scope proved to be excellent overall in use over there again.

This season we have had two national level rifle matches here in Finland.

Placed 3rd in both matches.

In the previous match had a bad malfunction on a long stage, costing serious points + a couple of own brain farts.

So cost me the fight for 1st/2nd place.

On this Sunday in Helsinki, I shot a clean match with no penalties and the match had pretty much all the current top Finnish rifle shooters, apart from Raine.

Stages were primarly off hand to 20-50 meters and 150-300 meter stages, not that much up close and fast, as it was in the previous match.

Very tight match with the top 3 being with 8 match points / 1,5%

Still, no complaints about the scope, technical or otherwise.

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Tuukka,

This post was very influential when I was choosing a new scope last fall... I have also been enjoying the quality of this great optic, but not finishing quite as good as you have...I have the SM2 reticle, and have shot it out to 475 yds with excellent results thus far. Thanks for the update!

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Aren't kahles and swarovski owned by the same company? So these would essentially be the chevy and gmc equivalent of scopes in their lines right? One is just more expensive with a slightly different trim package or in this case reticle choice. I don't really see much else that separates them.

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