Introduction
Helia is a series name that Kahles has been using for a long time. More than half of their products in their current offer go by this name, including the newly introduced rangefinder and last year’s red dot sight. This year, IWA has been postponed to September due to the rapid spreading of the coronavirus in Europe. Even though Kahles already presented two new products at this year’s Shot Show, they saved something for IWA – a new member of the Helia riflescope series, 3.5–18×50.
Kahles introduced the Helia riflescope series three years ago. It succeeded the Helia 5 series which was discontinued soon after. Optically, Helia is identical to Helia 5 but available at a much lower price. One reason for that is Kahles’ implementation of an illumination system that operates similarly to the one in Helia CSX riflescopes (also discontinued). Even though this system performs well, it is not as advanced as the one in Helia 5 riflescopes, which is the main reason for the lowered price.
Kahles Helia 3.5-18×50 (source: kahles.at)
Kahles’ introduction of Helia series was a success. They are similarly priced as the discontinued Swarovski Z4 riflescopes but boast a bigger zoom factor. Now, three years after the introduction of the series, a 3.5–18×50 riflescope joins the pack.
Kahles Helia 3.5–18×50
Up to now, Kahles had a driven hunt riflescope, an all-rounder and a twilight specialist in the Helia series. With 3.5–18×50, they are targeting the long-range hunting enthusiasts. The maximum 18x magnification, combined with Kahles’ indisputable optical quality, allows for an accurate shot on a longer distance. Because of the minimum 3.5x magnification and a 50-mm objective lens, this riflescope can also be used in other hunting situations, such as raised hide hunting and even stalking.
Kahles Helia 3.5-18×50 (source: kahles.at)
This is the first Helia model to feature an adjustable parallax, which is understandable considering its maximum 18x magnification and long-range shooting purpose. The parallax compartment is on the left turret along with the illumination intensity regulation knob. You can adjust the parallax from 50 m to infinity.
This riflescope is great optically, with the image sharp from edge to edge. Furthermore, it is well-built. The quality aluminium housing provides great protection of the optical part. The device is shockproof and capable of withstanding the recoil of the strongest calibers. It weighs 660 grams and measures 383 mm in length.
The optics are fully multicoated to increase the light transmission rate and add to the image quality. On the external parts of the lenses, Kahles uses a special oleophobic coating to minimize the occurrence of oily stains, such as fingerprints.
Kahles Helia 3.5-18×50 (source: kahles.at)
The illuminated central dot is well-defined and can be finely adjusted thanks to the continuous setting. If the riflescope is pointed upward, downward or tilted to the side, the illumination powers off automatically to preserve battery life.
Like all the other riflescopes in this series, the 3.5–18×50 has a 30-mm tube, capped turrets with 0.1 MRAD clicks, and a second focal plane reticle.
Kahles grants a 10-year warranty on the material and a 2-year warranty on the electronics.
Model Range
There are two 3.5–18×50 models to choose from, the only difference being the reticle – you can either get a model with a 4-Dot or a G4B reticle.
Conclusion
Because of its long-range shooting capabilities, Helia 3.5–18×50 is a great addition to the Kahles’ popular Helia riflescope series. It is already available for a price of 1950 €, which makes it the most expensive in this series. We can attribute that to the adjustable parallax and an 18x maximum magnification.
Picture gallery
Source and author: Andraž Gradišnik, www.optics-trade.eu
