The Kahles 10-50x56mm MOAK Long Range Riflescope By James Mock
The Kahles company of Austria is very old — dating back to 1898. With its long history, Kahles (two syllables, pronounced “Kah – less”) claims to be the oldest rifle scope manufacturer in the world.
What are the features of this scope that endear it to the discriminating long range shooter? First, it offers serious magnification — a true 10X-50X. It has a rather unique, centrally-mounted parallax adjustment control integrated with the elevation turret (i.e. they share the same axis). Included with the scope is a large ring which can be attached to the parallax control to facilitate adjustments without removing one’s head from the stock. Another unique feature is a small red and white pin that indicates how many revolutions one has made. If one red band shows, the scope is in the first revolution; with a one red and one white band, it is in the second revolution, and so on.
This scope has a 56mm lens, fast-focus eyepiece, and 1/8th MOA adjustments. This is an expensive scope ($2799.00 at Brownells), but there are no short cuts in its construction. The lenses have a proprietary “AMV” multi-layer coating that’s claimed to transmit almost 100% of the light. Also, there is an oil-phobic coating to resist scratches and contaminates such as oil or dirt from sticking to the lens. The scope is nitrogen-filled and features hardened steel mechanisms for adjustments.
Kahles 10-50x56mm Specifications:
Magnification: 10X to 50X
Objective lens: 56mm
Reticle: Second Focal Plane with MOA subtensions at 40X power
Tube diameter: 30mm, Nitrogen filled
Length: 16.9 inches
Weight: 31.4 ounces
Click Value: 1/8 MOA with 20 MOA per revolution
Range of adjustments: 5.3 ft. elevation/ 3.6 ft. windage @ 100 meters
Field of view at 100m: 8.7 feet @10X and 3.6 feet @ 50X
Parallax Control: Parallax ring is centrally mounted on same axis as elevation knob.
Parallax Range: 8m to infinity
Eye relief: 3.74 inches
I first got to test the Kahles in competition at a 300-yard match. The scope performed flawlessly with spot-on, positive adjustments. The central-mounted parallax ring worked perfectly, giving me parallax-free viewing with the ring set on 300. The quick focus ocular adjustment also brought the image into sharp focus. We had some mirage today, but I had no problem seeing bullet holes with the scope set at 40x. The MOA reticle served me well by allowing me to know how many 1/8 MOA clicks to adjust from the sighter target. I shot my Bartlein 1:13.5″-twist 6mm PPC barrel with N133 and Bart’s 65gr Super Man BT bullets. I shot 296-4X out of 300 possible. The 65gr BT seems to be at its maximum range and I was edged out by an excellent 297/?x by a 6mm Dasher. The scope certainly did its part, but I didn’t.
Shooting the Kahles 10-50X at 200 yards before 300-yard match. The quality of this scope makes zeroing it a pleasure. The clicks are positive and audible.
Kahles Performs Superbly Shooting the Square
With every new scope that I test, I shoot the “square” (a box test). This target below above has ½ inch squares and my aim point was the small square in the lower right quadrant. I shot two shots at it then moved the windage knob 5 MOA left and fired one. I then moved 5 up and fired again; moved 5 right and fired; followed by my final shot after clicking 5 MOA down. This last shot went through the hole made by the original two shots! That’s amazing. These were shot at 100m without wind flags.
Shooting with the Kahles in 600-Yard Competition
On the 3rd Saturday of the month, we shoot a 600-yard match consisting of four, 5-shot targets on the IBS target. The 600-yard match demands a scope that is very reliable and “spot on” in its adjustments. Since I don’t have a 600-yard range on which to zero, I simply zero at 100 yards and click up 11 MOA. At our matches we shoot steel gongs for sighting in. There is NO sight-in period before the match — all competitors are expected to be “on target” upon arrival. I had to put my faith in the Kahles click values.
Our 600-yard match was my first opportunity to use the Kahles at that distance. I shot the scope set at 40X all day. The crisp adjustments allowed me to get on target quickly and in the first match, I shot a respectable 48/50 with 1X. NOTE: for this 600-yard match I replaced my 6 PPC barrel with an 8-twist 6mm Dasher. I use 32.8 grains of Varget pushing a Bart Sauter 105gr rebated boat tail bullet.
Testing with Hood Scope Checker
Many shooters’ primary concern with scopes used for competitive shooting is their ability to hold point of aim (POA). To test the Kahles, I mounted it on the Hood Scope Checker alongside my 36X Valdada. By aiming both scopes at a given point on the paper and firing several shots, one can determine if either of the scopes’ POA is moving. I don’t have a “frozen” scope to use, but the Valdada has been rock solid for me during many competitions over the last eight years. Pictured below is the setup that I used to test the scopes.
It is a pleasure to test a scope of this quality. Everything works as advertised and there are no unpleasant surprises. Many premium scopes fail the POA test outlined above. If a scope holds point of aim, has repeatable crisp adjustments, and sharp clear images, what more could a person ask?
Summary: A Quality Optic with Great Performance
Although I am still evaluating this scope, there are some definite conclusions that I have reached. This scope is for the person who will not compromise his demands for quality, regardless of price. This is not the most expensive large scope on the market at $2799.00, but it represents an extremely high-quality product for those willing to pay a premium for a premium product.
Are there things that I do not like about this scope? Yes, the primary one is the weight (31.4 ounces). This is not a problem for those shooting long range with 17- or 22-pound limits, but the weight is a consideration for those shooting short range benchrest varmint classes (10.5 or 13.5 pounds). Also, I would appreciate screw-on lens caps rather that the large bulky cover. I know that both of these are minor things and do not reflect the quality of the instrument.
If I had to offer any type of critique, it would be for a lower price and lighter weight. I cannot fault the price or weight too much however because quality costs and the scope has large objective lens and a sturdy tube. All in all, I can recommend this scope without reservation to all who want the best and have the ability to pay for same. — James Mock
Here’s a helpful, time-saving tool for handgun owners. MidwayUSA’s new online Holster Finder lets you quickly find the right holsters for popular makes and models of pistols and revolvers. The wide variety of carry styles, materials, and features can make finding the right holster difficult or confusing. Drawing on a database of over 125,000 gun/holster combinations, the MidwayUSA Holster Finder turns that complex task into an easy three-step process.
The selection process is simple: 1. Choose Pistol or Revolver; 2. Select Make and Model of Handgun (and barrel type/length); 3. Click to view results. Just choose your gun type, select your make, model and barrel, then view the results. All major holster types are included: Ankle, Belly Band, Belt (outside waistband), Chest, Competition, Drop Leg, Inside Waistband (IWB), Paddle, Pocket, and Shoulder. Test the MidwayUSA Holster Finder by visiting www.MidwayUSA.com/holster-finder.
Jeff Larkin, Vice President of Marketing. “Our team built the Holster Finder so our Customers could find all holsters we offer for their specific firearm without sorting through thousands of search results. Finding the perfect holster is now easier than ever — just a few clicks, and we’ll show you everything that fits!”
Don’t worry — you can get this gun in eight different Cerakote colors: black, bronze, flat dark earth, gunmetal, marine red, NRA blue, green, and tungsten.
PRS and tactical shooters take note — you can now buy what may be the perfect “turn-key” PRS rimfire cross-training rig. The new rimfire MPA 22BA Bolt Action Rifle combines the proven CZ 455 action with a custom Spencer barrel and modern MPA modular chassis. With this chassis you can easily adjust length of pull, butt-pad height/cant, and cheek riser position. Chambered in .22 LR, the MPA 22BA Bolt Action Rifle can change to .22 WMR and 17 HMR through a simple barrel change. So, this gun can do double duty as a .22 LR trainer and a 17 HMR varmint slayer. Basic MSRP is $1599.00.
The MPA 22BA Bolt Action Rifle is available with numerous rugged Cerakote finishes: black, burnt bronze, flat dark earth, gunmetal, marine red, NRA blue, sniper green, and tungsten. Custom Cerakote colors cost $135 extra for the chassis body and/or $65 for the barreled action.
The CNC-machined MPA chassis has some very cool features: enhanced vertical grip, thumb notch, built-in bubble level, MPA trigger shoe, and spigot mount with lower-mounted Picatinny rail. The rig comes with a D.I.P. +25 MOA Picatinny scope base and you can add side Picatinny rails, as well as increase the distance from the spigot-mounted bipod to the rear support. The chassis is also compatible with a barricade stop system, an extra-cost option.
Why rimfire cross-training? Because this stuff is ten cents per round. Premium handloads can run $1.00/round (counting brass depreciation), and the best factory ammo can cost over $2.00/round.
A Rifle is Only As Good As Its Barrel
The key to accuracy for any rimfire rifle is a great barrel. The MPA 22BA Bolt Action Rifle includes a precision drilled, reamed, and honed Spencer / MPA rifle barrel made from 416RQ stainless steel. The hand-lapped barrel is inspected with a video borescope. The chamber is indicated within 0.0001” or less to the bore of the rifle.
American Outdoor Brands Corporation (AOBC) announced that its firearms business, Smith & Wesson Corp., has agreed to acquire the assets of Gemini Technologies, Inc. (“Gemtech”), a leading provider of suppressors and accessories for the consumer, law enforcement, and military markets.
Smith & Wesson intends to complete the acquisition of Gemtech utilizing cash on hand and expects the transaction to close this summer. Ron Martinez, President of Gemtech, will continue in his leadership role as General Manager, heading up the company’s strong team located in Eagle, Idaho. For more information, visit Smith-Wesson.com and Gemtech.com.
James Debney, AOBC President/CEO, said, “Gemtech is widely recognized for producing some of the finest rifle and pistol suppressors in the market. Gemtech’s strong product development capabilities, combined with our experience in brand management and our manufacturing expertise, will help us to efficiently develop both firearms and suppressors, minimizing our time to market for both product categories. We view this acquisition as opportunistic, allowing us to enter the suppressor category[.] These elements combine to make Gemtech an excellent fit with our long-term strategy.”
About Gemini Technologies, Incorporated
Gemini Technologies, known as Gemtech, began as a group of leading designers with roots in the suppressor business going back to 1976. Gemtech’s suppressors are in use with all branches of the U.S. military and are also in use by many special operations forces, military, and police around the world. Based in Eagle, Idaho, Gemtech is an International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 9001:2008 certified company and maintains effective rigorous quality assurance systems and processes. Visit Gemtech online at https://gemtech.com.
When it comes to a “carry-around” hunting rifle, “light is right”. You don’t want to haul around unnecessary mass when you’re chasing game up and down mountains. When building an ultralight field rifle, it makes sense to prioritize the poundage — weight saved in the action, bottom metal, and stock can allow a heavier-contour barrel that may shoot better (and not heat up as quickly).
Now Pierce Engineering has developed a truly light-weight action, ideal for hunting rigs. The new Pierce Featherweight Titanium Action weighs just 15.2 ounces for the short action version. And the long action is barely more — just 16 ounces (one pound even). Pierce achieves this remarkable lightness with full Titanium construction — both action body AND bolt are super-high-grade Titanium.
Pierce Engineering explains: “This fully Titanium action features a solid Titanium bolt. Utilizing a rare, high-grade Titanium ensures this action is built to last. This is not standard grade 5 Titanium; it is very strong and the hardness is 44-45 RC. Every Titanium bolt comes standard with a Black Nitride Finish that adds lubricity and prevents galling. We have tried many coatings and found this to be far superior than anything else that is out there. All the Titanium Bolts come with a threaded titanium handle and an aluminum teardrop knob.”
Featherweight Titanium Short Action: $1,785.00 | Featherweight Titanium Long Action: $1,835.00
Product tip from EdLongrange. We welcome reader submissions.
The Fourth of July is just four days away. Along with flags and fireworks, what better way to celebrate Independence Day than by shooting a Red, White, and Blue rifle? This limited-edition rifle makes a bold statement in support of the Second Amendment. We love it. But you pay a lot for those fancy graphics — this red, white, and blue rig costs $3149.99. Freedom doesn’t come cheap, right?
The Axelson Tactical Tribute Series Centerfire Rifle shows off both your American pride and love of the Second Amendment. This is a Limited Edition of one hundred (100) rifles. Each Tactical Tribute model features a forged 7075-T6 hardcoat-anodized aluminum receiver set with custom Cerakote™ “Stars & Stripes” coating end to end. Even the Magpul Mags are coated with a matching design. This rifle, a Cabela’s exclusive, is on sale this week (as a 4th of July Special) for $3149.99. CLICK HERE to order.
See Features of Freedom Tribute Rifle in this Video:
Along with Independence Day Tribute Rifle shown here, Axelson offers a Lone Star State Texas Tribute rifle as well as a Vietnam Era Tribute Rifle. SEE all Tribute Rifles HERE.
When it comes to shooting targets, “Variety is the spice of life”. Shooting the same old target over and over again can get boring. We like to shoot a variety of targets. And we have to admit, the arrival of a new set of colorful targets in the mailbox has been known to motivate us to grab our guns and gear and head to the range.
Midsouth Shooters Supply has slashed prices on Birchwood Casey and Champion targets, both the splatter variety and conventional types. Here are some of our favorite fun-shooting targets. They are all inexpensive to buy. You can even get free shipping if you combine a target purchase with a larger order. Midsouth just announced $9.00 flat-rate shipping with orders of $99.00 or more.
And here are a couple of FREE fun targets, courtesy the NRA Blog:
Here’s a smart product for folks who load and store large quantities of ammunition. With these white cardboard ammo boxes from Repackbox.com, you can store pistol, rifle, and shotshell ammo very inexpensively. A set of 30 boxes costs $13.95 ($0.47/box), while a 100-Box Bundle costs just $22.95. That works out to just $0.23 (twenty-three cents) per box — very cheap!
All boxes are Made in the USA of .024 thick, acid free, virgin card stock. The boxes are printed with Cartridge Type (Caliber), number of rounds enclosed, and an outlined box where a printed label can be placed. Included with each set are Blank Avery 5167 Labels which can be printed with load/bullet data or other info. The box kits even come with white gloves to keep your ammo grease-free. Order these ammo repack box kits from Repackbox.com.
There are many advantages to these cardboard boxes. They are inexpensive and they store ammo very efficiently, not using much space. You can arrange them in any orientation (unlike some plastic ammo carriers). We like these boxes for varmint safaris and other adventures when we’re transporting many hundreds of rounds of ammo. They are also a smart choice for bulk shotshell ammo, as they are much less expensive than plastic shotshell cases. For pistol shooting we still like see-through, plastic flip-top boxes at the range, but these white cardboard boxes are great for storing large quantities of pistol ammo produced on progressive presses. NOTE: These boxes do NOT have individual dividers between the cartridges. And no, the boxes are NOT waterproof — you’ll want to keep them in an ammo can on rainy days.
30-Box and 100-Box Kits are available for all these Pistol and Rifle Cartridge Types:
PISTOL Cartridges
.380 ACP
.38 SPL/.357 Magnum
9mm Luger
.40 S&W
10mm
.44 Magnum
.45 ACP
.45 Long Colt
RIFLE Cartridges
.223 Rem/5.56×45
.30 Carbine
30-30 Winchester
.303 Brit
7.62×39
.308 Win/7.62×51
7.62x54R
.30-06 Springfield
In addition, there are boxes for 12 gauge shotgun ammunition.
Along with .22 LR, the LA101 is offered in .22 WMR and 17 HMR chamberings.
There’s an impressive bolt-action rimfire rifle built in Australia, the LA101 Crossover from Lithgow Arms. Imported by Legacy Sports Int’l, this relatively new rimfire rifle offers a smooth-running action, excellent accuracy, a crisp trigger, and a durable, Cerakote finish.
YouTube host 22Plinkster recently tested the LA101 in .22 LR, and found that it delivered very impressive accuracy. He recorded multiple “one-ragged-hole” groups at 50 yards (see video below). Even at 100 yards, the LA101 was shooting close to 1 MOA with relatively inexpensive ammo. This is an impressive rifle, as it should be, with a $1000+ price tag. MSRP is $1079.00 USD (synthetic), $1215.00 USD (laminate).
22Plinkster writes: “I have shot a lot of .22 LR bolt rifles in my day, but this one, is a nail driver!” After testing, he concluded that the LA101 was “the most accurate bolt rifle I own”. He reports the stock is very comfortable for off-hand shooting as well as bench work.
LA101 Crossover Features and Specifications
The Lithgow Arms LA101 Crossover features a 3-lug, 60°-throw action with rear-locking bolt. It is available in both right-hand and left-hand versions, with a very good factory trigger advertised at 3.3 pounds (1.5 kg). Note — testers report report the trigger feels lighter. Choose between a fiberglass-reinforced polymer stock, Walnut, or laminated wood stocks. This rifle is offered in three rimfire chamberings: .22 LR, .22 WMR, and 17 HMR. The .22-cal barrels are hammer-forged while the 17 HMR barrel is button-broached. Action and barrels are Cerakote finished. The Lithgow LA101 can use CZ 452/455 5-round and 10-round magazines.
The LA101 is offered with choice of wood or synthetic stocks, all of which feature a straight, lower rear section that works well in rear bags:
Here is another, lengthy LA101 review, done in Australia a couple years back. The reviewer field-tests a composite-stocked Lithgow LA101 with a wide variety of .22 LR ammunition. Warning: Starts with loud, annoying music — you may want to turn down your speakers:
Wouldn’t it be great if your rifle case could do double-duty as a shooting mat? You’d have one less gear item to haul to the range. Well there is such a product — Uncle Mike’s Long Range Tactical Bag quickly and easily converts to a 78″ shooting mat. Measuring 50″ in length, with a 15″-tall main compartment, this bag is big enough to handle most tactical and F-TR rifles with optics and Harris-type bipods attached. A 30″ flip-out forward section includes a front load strap that allows shooters to pre-load the bipod legs while shooting prone.
The Long Range Shooting bag has four self-adjusting magazine pockets, which will hold magazine sizes from .223/5.56mm to .308/7.62mm. Conveniently, this new 50″-long soft case will fit inside the popular Pelican model 1750 hard case (for those situations where you need greater protection).
Fits Long-Range and Tactical rifles up to 49″ in length
Fold out front section has bi-pod front load strap
