Kahles Helia 5.1-5 x 24

The new Helia 5 range offers a true 5x zoom ratio to give hunters the best optics and with features they want! There’s also a new digital illumination system making the 1-5x24i well suited to driven game as well as woodland stalking too. I have always liked the smaller compact scopes as actually they often provide all the power and brightness you need for deer at the real ranges I shoot them at.

The 5x zoom allows the 1x-5x mag to be used to best advantage; at x1 it gives you an incredible wide field of view of 42.3 meters at 100m so target acquisition is fast and accurate. Perfect for fast moving game and fast snap shots at close ranges! Smoothly zoom up the range and at x5 you have more than enough for deer at sensible ranges and actually it stops you attempting those longer than necessary shots. The field of view shrinks to 8 meters at 100m but concentrates the aim very well.

SMOOTH OPERATOR

The magnification ring is easy to operate with a 12 raised ribs offering a good grip in the cold, wet or with gloved hands. The body tube is 30mm body and made from stress relieved aircraft grade aluminium and finished in a satin black finish that is scratch resistant. The 24mm objective lens might seem small to the uninitiated but when light gathering is concerned the superb glass and coatings Kahles uses ensures at least 90% of available light gets from the target to your eye. I also like the look of that bobbed front end. The eyepiece is fast focus with 95mm of eye relief and +2/-3.5 dioptre range.

The rotary rheostat is on the left of the saddle so easy and instinctive to operate and offers an infinite range of adjustment, so no pre-set positions. The reticule is in the 2nd focal plane (SFP) so stays in the same relation to the target. The illumination handles all lighting conditions with ease from bright sunlight where the central dot is clearly visible against the background or quarry to the gloom of a forest where a dimmer dot will not glare at you; perfect!
To stop you leaving the illumination on, Kahles use a neat automatic light function that can sense when the rifle/scope is canted like when you cradle your rifle at rest and thus not in use. Now the Helia switches off automatically only to be restarted as soon as the rifle is moved or bought back into the aim. An on board inclination sensor detects the angle of the rifle so at 0-45° (up or down) the reticule is lit, at 45-75° there is a two minute delay then turns off and at over 75° the illumination is switched off instantly. If that was not enough if the rifle is motionless for two minutes the illumination is turned off but any movement switches it back on instantly, handy if you nod off up a high seat or can`t feel the adjustment ring.

If no adjustment is made the illumination also automatically turns off after 4 hours regardless.

ADJUSTMENTS

The 30mm body tube is pretty standard but gives a good range of elevation and windage adjustments. The maximum movement on this model is 2.2 meters at 100m. Each click represents 1.5 cm at 100 meters not the usual 1 cm which is not a problem and the clicks are precise. To set zero remove the external cap and a slightly raised wheel with raised grooves gives audible and tactile adjustments. There are six main sections marked on the ring with 10 clicks per section thus 60 clicks per total turret rotation or 90cm. The windage is the same and here the cover cap is slightly larger because it houses a spare CR2032 3V which is supplied – brilliant, well done Kahles.

I had the 4-Dot reticule which is a No4 style with an illuminated centre dot; in SFP it stays the same size as you change power. The 4-Dot is precise, the stadia are very fine and have a nice open central section so don`t obscure your quarry. I like this but sometimes against branches it can get a bit lost but that’s when the illuminated dot comes in to get you right on aim again so no probs in reality and common to all reticules like this.

CONCLUSION

I fitted the Kahles Helia 5 to a Tikka double 30-06 rifle for some close range Roe stalking and it certainly looked the part. Target acquisition was really fast and the zoom power from 1 -5 is smooth, precise and really all your need for most deer stalking. The optics are edge to edge sharp and really bright to the last knockings of available light but I lucked out with the stalking as all I saw for three days were red hinds and roe does! But hey, that’s stalking.

Another great scope from Kahles that would look just as at home on a double rifle as it would a bolt action. These smaller scopes are especially good for woodland stalking and the optics are superb from this lightweight titan of a scope. The illumination is good and sharp and in the right place too and you know that you can rely on a Kahles to perform in the worst weather and more importantly keep its zero. I own an older Helia C 1.1-4 x24mm non-illuminated model which might just have to be upgraded to this new Helia version.