Gun TECH: New Carbon Composite Scopes from Kruger
Carbon fiber offers superior stiffness/strength with ultra-light weight. That’s why you see carbon-fiber components in F1 race cars and fighter jets. Carbon fiber composites are widely used in modern aircraft, where the composites’ superior strength-to-weight ratio far exceeds that of metal. While 30% of all carbon fiber is used in the aerospace industry, carbon fiber is also used in high-tech bicycle frames, golf clubs, and archery equipment. Carbon fiber composites are used wherever high strength and low weight are “mission critical”.
Now carbon fiber is being used in rifle optics. Kruger Optical has released the all-new KC6™ carbon fiber riflescope series. We believe this is the first production use of carbon fiber composites in rifle optics main tubes. Two KC6™ models are currently offered, a compact 1-6x24mm weighing 16 ounces, and a 3-18x50mm weighing 26.5 ounces. Both scopes are illuminated, with Second Focal Plane reticles, and “Zero-Stop” turrets. Sorry, we don’t have pricing yet. KC6™ SPEC Sheet.
At 26.5 ounces, Kruger’s 3-18X model, with 34mm main tube, is lighter than many optics in its class. For example the Vortex Razor HD GenII 3-18x50mm weighs 46.5 ounces — twenty ounces more than the Kruger. However, the new Leupold VX6-HD 3-18x50mm weighs only 20.4 ounces, six ounces LESS than the carbon Kruger. Cogitate on that. It seems that an overall compact design may deliver more weight savings than a carbon fiber main tube. But we still like Kruger’s innovative use of carbon composite technology. We envision a time when carbon is more widely used in a variety of key rifle parts, not just optics.
Weight Comparison, Carbon vs. Aluminum
Kruger KC6™ 3-18x50mm (Carbon Main Tube): 26.5 ounces
Leupold VX6-HD 3-18x50mm (Aluminum Main Tube): 20.4 ounces
Vortex Razor HD GenII 3-18x50mm (Aluminum Main Tube): 46.5 ounces
Kruger states: “Using a proprietary and patent-pending process, we’ve created an elite product that’s significantly stronger and lighter than traditional aluminum scopes. Kruger has spent more than five years making the KC6™ Series a reality. Due to the unique strength properties of carbon fiber, our patent-pending KC6™ scopes are notably lighter, stronger and more durable than traditional 6X riflescopes.”
Image shows materials from Composite-Resources.com.
Incorporating carbon fiber technology used in fighter jets and race cars, the Kruger KC6™ scopes offer a distinctive appearance — the visible weave of carbon strands. Kruger claims these U.S.-engineered scopes offer excellent image clarity, plus “exceptional low-light performance”. We’d like to test one of these Kruger scopes to see how it compares to premium optics with conventional aluminum main tubes.
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Tags: Carbon Composite Scope, Carbon Fiber Scope, Kruger Optical, Leupold VX-6, Scope Technology, Vortex Razor
Seems like if this were so revolutionary they would have licensed it out to everyone and made a lot more money than trying to start their own company.
It’s the glass stupid, it’s the glass.
Reading the company history on their website, it appears the scopes are engineered in the U.S. but sourced from China. Perhaps they are assembled here.
2nd focal plane? Sorry, I’ll pass.
I’m curious how these are made given that sheets of woven material are the starting point. How do you transition from a larger cone to a smaller tube without a significant compromise. And how is the conical objective housing tube formed without either thinning out material, or reverting to the paper cotton candy tube technique.
The CF scope is a 3x18x56 at 26.5oz and the advantages are that compared to the Leupold the CF has 100moa vs 75moa. Weight isn’t the advantage even though it’s a comparable weight to most scopes in its class. The advantages will be the features and price points for USA made products. http://www.Cfscopes.com is just getting started. They have a long ways to go but it’s a great start!
Editor: The Kruger website AND the official photo says the scope is a 3-18x50mm, just as our article states. See: http://www.krugeroptical.com/kc6.htm
As for the 100 MOA elevation — we did not state an elevation figure for the Kruger Scope.
This really failed because a vortex strike eagle 1-8 weights 17.6 oz and they used a carbon fiber tube only cut 1.6 oz off? what a shame