Best LPVO $3k- Vortex Viper Gen3 1-10 or Kahles K18i

Suchee

Suchee

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Location
in the woods
Budget is ~$3k, 40yr old bday gift! Help me spend my money.
I want the the best glass clarity, edge to edge, color , FOV etc. in a LPVO.
Lighter the better primary use is for backpack hunting with a manual action style AR in 6.5 grendel that is LIGHT!

Don't really "need" 10x, 8x is perfect for me, I will not be taking game past 300 but sure nice to have for LR plinking
Just cant bring myself to spend this much and not physically see them, but I guess thats pretty much impossible in the Vancouver area.
Ilya Koshkin(love this guy) from optics thoughts and snipers hide loves the Blaser 1-7, and March 1-10. I'm not really interested in Nightforce, reticle donut to big for hunting and too heavy

Cool vid
 
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I would consider Swaro for sure, I would love the euro glass for their awesome color reviews. Looks like a push with Kahles, same glass and less $
I hate to ask this but would Leupold VX6HD glass hold up for $1.5k less? There's a good deal here in town
 
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Suchee said:
I would consider Swaro for sure, I would love the euro glass for their awesome color reviews. Looks like a push with Kahles, same glass and less $
I hate to ask this but would Leupold VX6HD glass hold up for $1.5k less? There's a good deal here in town
Click to expand...

I'm a little late on this but:

Having experience with the Kahles 1-6, swaro 1-6 and the VX6HD I can say without any doubt the VX6HD isn't even in the same ball park in terms of glass, FOV flatness and eyebox. The swaro and Kahles are easily twice as good.
 
I have the K16i and like it a lot, but I don't think their 1-8x is good.
I feel that the K18i being SFP and the reticle choices are just not good.
I dont do competitions, but for me, I feel that 8x zoom should be with FFP and have a more useful/helpful reticle to be used to the full potential.
Lastly, if the K18i has same turrets as the K16i, and it seems like that they do, then its pretty bad. The K16i's turrets have like no feeling. They are horrible. So you have 8x zoom, a bad reticle, and bad turrets.

The ZP8's illumination is way weaker than the Kahles. Its dim in the daylight and definitely not red dot bright. It also weighs more.

If I were you, I would go for the Razor 3 if you do a lot of LR plinking.
Or if you are doing more short range than long range, then the K16i.
 
Thank you Jay and Tiker, much needed info.
For the K18, that 3GR reticle seems good, a floating dot reticle is a must for me and Xmas tree. You do bring up a good point on turrets, for a hunting first and long range fun second priority, point blank zero is fine and preferred.

As this is a backpacking super lightweight build, goal is under 6lbs scoped, Specter/MRA rifle will be 4lb,10oz. That ZP8 is 24.5oz and getting too heavy, mounts can add 4oz, although VERY tempting at that price with a reticle I really like.
Although...... it only 5oz more than the 19oz K18i I was leaning toward and 3oz more than that honey of a Vortex, I'm getting distracted again by a good deal!! I promised myself that this time it will be exactly what I want, but that damn deal fairy starts whispering in my ear.

How does the ZP8 compare? Need do some research
 
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Suchee said:
Thank you Jay and Tiker, much needed info.
For the K18, that 3GR reticle seems good, a floating dot reticle is a must for me and Xmas tree. You do bring up a good point on turrets, for a hunting first and long range fun second priority, point blank zero is fine and preferred.

As this is a backpacking super lightweight build, goal is under 6lbs scoped, Specter/MRA rifle will be 4lb,10oz. That ZP8 is 24.5oz and getting too heavy, mounts can add 4oz, although VERY tempting at that price with a reticle I really like.
Although...... it only 5oz more than the 19oz K18i I was leaning toward and 3oz more than that honey of a Vortex, I'm getting distracted again by a good deal!! I promised myself that this time it will be exactly what I want, but that damn deal fairy starts whispering in my ear.

How does the ZP8 compare? Need do some research
Click to expand...

The ZP8 is heavier and longer. It has a lower FOV at 1x and an illumination thats weaker than the Razor 3 (I'm quite disappointed with the ZP8's illumination).
ZP8 does have duel parallax/ duel reticle system that switches based on the zoom level you are at, but for up close it doesnt help the scope enough to cover up for its weak illumination.
imo, the razor 3 is lighter, smaller, and better.
 
Nx8 from Nightforce perhaps an option?

While I haven’t owned the LPVO Kahles, the K624 I used to own was perhaps the finest scope I’ve ever owned and handled (including Leupolds, Zeiss, S&B).... only sold because it was too much money for me to have tied up in one piece of glass.
 
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