Milestones

Based in Vienna / Austria, KAHLES has for more than a century been blazing new trails in scope design, durability and performance. Innovations such as the first ballistic drop compensation, the first waterproof riflescope construction in history, the introduction of multi-coating technology into riflescope serial production or the multizer0 ballistic compensation underline the high competence level of the worlds oldest hunting optics manufacturer.

1898 - Karl Robert Kahles – The founder and widely respected optics maker succeeds in merging two traditional Viennese optical manufacturers (Simon Ploessl and Karl Fritsch Optischmechanische Werkstaetten) into one pioneering enterprise in high end optics.

1900 - KAHLES introduces the legendary TELORAR riflescope in five different magnifications. Precise and reliable, these early KAHLES riflescopes soon become highly respected by hunters everywhere. At the same time KAHLES produces binoculars, telescopes for Astronomy viewing as well as a wide range of optical components and military products for the Austrian Royal Army and Navy.

1908 – Following the founders sudden death, the second generation – Ernst and Karl Kahles - successfully manage to grow the company to be one of the leading optical manufacturers of the Austrian Empire. The technical skills of Karl and the management skills of Ernst soon make KAHLES products popular around the globe. The legendary MIGNON scopes of that time are still used by hunters today. MIGNON users today, who occasionaly send their scope to Vienna for servicing, are rating this rugged scope as being ‘indestructible’. And it almost sounds like an excuse when Karl Kahles in 1926 – the 19th year of production – noted in his ad for the new, highlight HELIA models:
‘We will of course continue producing our well-known and world-wide established MIGNON riflescopes in unchanged quality.’

1926 – KAHLES introduces the first HELIA-series riflescope. A notably highlight and brilliant scope with a wide field-of-view.

1939 - An economic regime is imposed on KAHLES to produce military products for the ‘Wehrmacht’. KAHLES products of that time are marked with the military code ‘CAD’.

1945 – Following severe damage of the plant during World War II, Karl Kahles’ widow Elisabeth successfully re-builds the company with skills and passion. Her son, Dipl. Ing. Friedrich Kahles, a skilled physician, leads the company to new levels of success. Some of his technical achievements in riflescope design and coating technology are setting milestones in the field of optics. More so they still are the benchmark today.

1949 – KAHLES introduces one of the first variable power riflescopes.

1960 – KAHLES is the first manufacturer to produce waterproof riflescopes by utilizing O-ring for sealings (a KAHLES patent). Based on this new technology KAHLES soon introduces the legendary HELIA SUPER-series. This extremely rugged and reliable riflescope series becomes a tremendous success.

1972 – KAHLES is the first riflescope manufacturer to use multi-coating on all air-to-glass surfaces in series production. The new KAHLES ‘AMV’-coatings (’Achromatische Mehrschicht Verguetung’) for the first time, allows light transmission of clearly more than 90% creating the benchmark for fine riflescopes even valid today. At that time the new super-highlight HELIA tops the high end competition by up to 14% in light transmission. The new HELIA-generation soon makes its way all over the world, performing even under extreme conditions.

1998 – On the event of their 100 year anniversary, KAHLES introduces the first models of the HELIA COMPACT-generation. With highest optical performance, an incredibly wide field-of-view, outstanding edge-clarity and the typical KAHLES-ruggedness, the HELIA COMPACT creates another milestone in riflescope history.

2000 – A new line of KAHLES binoculars now once again re-establishes the long tradition of precision optical performance. The rugged KAHLES binoculars are solely optimized to hunting requirements and feature a notably highlight and crip image.

2003 – The new HELIA CSX-line with digital dimming control sets new standards in optical performance and ergonomic design. The digital stageless illumination for day- and night lighting with memory function and fine reticles in the non-magnifying second image plane are strong selling features. The CSX’ wide field-of-view tops the entire competition by up to 11%.
More information about HELIA CSX

2005 – The new multizer0 turret makes ‘Holding Over for the long shot’ obsolete and
opens a new aera in ballistic drop compensation for hunting. multizer0 allows sighting in at up to five different distances always right through the center of the crosshair. A true mechanical masterpiece from Vienna – radically different in conception, uncompromised in performance.
More information about multizer0
The new HELIA CBX-line with digital dimming control for night hunting is the specialist on the edge of physics.

2006 - The new HELIA CL-line with serially parallax adjustment and optional multizero micromechanics allows the shooter to zero the riflescope in at up to five different shooting distances.

2007 - The new innovative on- and off-automatic mechanism for all HELIA CSX and CBX models.

2010 – The new HELIA KX and KXi set new standards in the 1-inch challenge.