I posted this under Optics and didn't get many replys, so thought I'd try it here.

First of all let me say all I own is Leupolds. But last fall I Antelope hunted with a guy who had one these scopes. His was the TDS model. How does the Kahles compare to a Leupold?

[ 03-20-2003, 23:24: Message edited by: mark65x55 ]

They are brighter than Leupold, but not as bright as Swarovski. I've got a Kahles that I am mounting on a Tikka .338 with SK rings.
If your not used to the reticle it will take you a while to get comfortable with it. I forget what it's called, but if you already but the scope you know what I am talking about.

I own 2 and love them. I have a 2-7 on my .35 Whelen with the standard duplex reticle and I have the 3-9 with TDS reticle on my .300 WSM.

I will probably own a few more before it's all said and done. Great scope.

Mark,
I have a 3x12x56 30mm tube,on my tikka it is certainly way ahead of leupold. Its in the same bracket as S&B,Zeiss,Swarovski.
I believe they are made by swarovski!

Griff

I have Kahles 10x42 Binos and they are great if there scopes are anything like thes binos you can't go wrong.

Mark,

I e-mailed you my article on the Kahles 3-9 with TDS reticle from this months Texas Fish and Game. Did you receive it?

yes Greg, thanks.

I've got a 3X9X42 and a 3.5X10X50 with the 4A reticle and a 3.5X10X50 with a duplex reticle.
These scopes replaced three 4X12 Leupolds. They are very clear scopes.

If you compared like with like ie same size of objective I do not think they are any brighter than a Leupold Vari X III. I was going to get a 1.5 -6 x 42 but it was quite a big scope already more like a 4 - 12. Then I looked through it and was not conviced it was any brighter than a 2.5 -8 Leupold VX III that was there at the same time so I didn't buy it.

I understand they use leaf springs in their turret adjustments like the Swarovski A-line. If you check on 24 hour campfire, John Barsness who goes under the name Mule Deer has had 3 failures with them on hard kicking rifles. NB. The A-line are 1 inch & you are probably looking at the 30mm Khales, so don't know if the bigger tube allows stronger springs or not. JB has had no problems with the coil sprung 30mm Swarovski on hard kickers.

I do have a Swarovski 1.25-4 illuminated & it is good (better than Leupold - I must say "Yes" but not by much) mainly cause the leupold 2.5-8 tube was too short to fit on a M70 Classic .375H&H without extension rings. The No 24 reticle on the Swaro is really cool & I think will be great for running shots but have not tried it yet. Its like a peep sight with magnification.

Bottom line if you want to get better than the Vari X III go the whole way & get a Swarovski, otherwise stay with Leupold Vari X III. The TDS is available on the Swarovskis too.

Mark,

I have a Kahles 1.5-6X42 30mm tube scope on my .376 Steyr. It came on the rifle, I probably would not have bought it otherwise.

Anyway, now that I have used it I can say that it is bright and rugged. I dropped the rifle muzzle down on a concrete floor, and I didn't even change the zero.

This scope has the #7A reticle.

I have talked to a Swarovski North America staffer about the differences in the lines between the Swarovski and Kahles units. The Swarovski is top of the line all the way, while the Kahles has equivalent glass but some lesser design in things like springs (leaf vice coil).

jim dodd

Kahles are owned by Swarovski these days, but it is a very old Austrian firm who once made optics for the Austrian navy (and that was some time ago).

I have two Kahles scopes and is very satisfied. A little bit brighter than my Leopold and perhaps a little bit more exact adjustment when zeroing (but not as exact as a Zeiss according to friends who have both).

They are, as I understand it, a fully multicoated scope. Even their 4X scopes are. Some Leupolds are and some aren't.
I know of no recoil testing done by anyone that is definative. But, Swarovski, their parent companpy's 1 inch scopes have not held up nearly as well as was expected. Barsness lost three in three years. One wasn't even used on any heavy kickers much. E