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Kahles???

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Rancid Coolaid View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Rancid Coolaid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Kahles???
    Posted: January/27/2009 at 07:26
A quote from a guy I know regarding Kahles and their not being at SHOT:
"Still awesome glass...but here's some news. Kahles is done...didn't even show up at the show...while a stake is still owned by Swav, there is a definite disconnect. No US distributor either, as Legacy Sports has come and gone with Kahles..."

Confirm or deny?

I am in need of a good hunting optic and Kahles (is)was on that list.

And solid info?
Anyone?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote carbuyersfriend Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/27/2009 at 09:04
Ask Koshkin ...he was there
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote brodeur272 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/27/2009 at 10:53
Check with this gentleman.  He is the Kahles US rep.  Hermann Kloetzer at hkloetzer@comcast.net.  Legacy Internaiton provided me with the contact info about 2 months ago.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Big Squeeze Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/27/2009 at 11:00
Go to the Legacy Sports site get their # and call them to see if they still distribute Kahles scopes and if so, how warranty issues are handled.
 
If Legacy is no longer handling Kahles in the U.S. and no one else is either, then I wouldn`t buy a Kahles no matter how good the glass is.  Should anything go wrong and warranty work is needed, there may be no recourse. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Kickboxer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/27/2009 at 11:15
I don't know about you, but that kind of makes me sad... While I REALLY want American companies to succeed, I don't like to see anyone, especially a high quality organization, fail. 
Depressing. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote bugsNbows Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/27/2009 at 11:24
Kahles... bye bye?  That's not good. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote pyro6999 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/27/2009 at 12:16
when you say done, does that mean done in the usa, or done as in closed the factory cease to exsist done? if they are just quitting the us market, then  fine, you should still be able to send scopes to austria for service, while this is a huge inconvience they are still serviceable. i for one trust kahles manufacturing level, they found a kahles scope in the swiss alps that had been there for what 30yrs and it still worked like the day it came out of the factory. i wouldnt shy away from them somebody will pick them up if there is anything to pickup, as far as state side importing goes. if they closed the factory i guess there isnt any thing we can do about that.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RifleDude Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/27/2009 at 13:21
I had a discussion about this with the Swaro rep at a recent show locally.  He said he didn't know what the future of Kahles would be in the states, but that the company itself wasn't going anywhere, from what he was told.  He said the brand never gained the popularity here as in Europe.
 
Regardless of what they decide on US-based distribution and customer service, I highly doubt that in the future you wouldn't be able to get service on a scope, but it may entail sending it to Austria.  I can understand the concern about future service, but on the bright side, this uncertainty means that you can get great pricing on Kahles scopes at the moment.  If I were interested in a particular Kahles scope and it was priced right, I personally wouldn't let this sway me from getting one, in the same way I wouldn't hesitate to buy a nice vintage scope in good condition, again, if the price is right.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Kickboxer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/27/2009 at 13:25
Originally posted by RifleDude RifleDude wrote:

I wouldn't hesitate to buy a nice vintage scope in good condition, again, if the price is right.
 
THAT is why they never gained tremendous popularity here.  Competition in a very narrow price range...
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Roy Finn Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/27/2009 at 13:27
They were not at the SHOT Show and my understanding was that Swarovski was going to keep the rights to the Kahles name only.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Digit Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/27/2009 at 18:45
On Snipers Hide...

"News Flash
- Rumor has it that Kahles, long the unwanted stepchild of Swarovski (but still owned by them) has been bought by Leica and commissioned to lauch a new series of proprietary Leica riflescopes .....I have no further info, but I wouldn't get too excited, while likely having novelty and killer glass, I doubt Leica's ability to field scopes with features that make sense to real shooters....but time will tell."
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote rifle looney Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/27/2009 at 19:00
Leica and Kahles...together......sign me up!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mike650 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/27/2009 at 19:09
Originally posted by Rancid Coolaid Rancid Coolaid wrote:

A quote from a guy I know regarding Kahles and their not being at SHOT:
"Still awesome glass...but here's some news. Kahles is done...didn't even show up at the show...while a stake is still owned by Swav, there is a definite disconnect. No US distributor either, as Legacy Sports has come and gone with Kahles..."

Confirm or deny?

I am in need of a good hunting optic and Kahles (is)was on that list.

And solid info?
Anyone?


I've posted this a couple of times in the past. If you want info and not rumors try contacting the US Rep for Kahles.

*********************************************************************

Here's the latest about Kahles Service and Repair.

The 866-606-8779 number is not for SONA, it's for Kahles. There's one Kahles rep here in the states, Herman, and the 866 number is now directed to his home office in New Hampshire.

If you need  to send the scope back, send it to Kahles Repair PO Box 21004, Cranston, RI 02920-1004 and not the SONA address (which is also in Cranston, RI). This PO Box address is a staging area at the US Post Office where about once a week or so (depending on how much product has accumulated) everything is collected by SONA personnel who in turn repackage and send back to Kahles in Austria for repair.

The email address is correct.
info@kahles.at

I would suggest calling or emailing Kahles before sending the scope to the address provided.




Edited by mike650 - January/27/2009 at 19:09
“A hunt based only on trophies taken falls far short of what the ultimate goal should be.” – Fred Bear
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Rancid Coolaid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/27/2009 at 19:10
I'll call and see what's up.


I need a good scope (but not too good scope) for my son's b-day .308 rifle, and this would be a nice fit.


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Stein3282 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/27/2009 at 20:13
Rancid let us know what you come up with.  Thanks
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mike650 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/27/2009 at 20:21
Originally posted by Rancid Coolaid Rancid Coolaid wrote:

I'll call and see what's up.


I need a good scope (but not too good scope) for my son's b-day .308 rifle, and this would be a nice fit.




Cool, please update!! The info I supplied is just over a month old and may have changed again. Whacko


Edited by mike650 - January/28/2009 at 15:40
“A hunt based only on trophies taken falls far short of what the ultimate goal should be.” – Fred Bear
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote hunterbuck Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/27/2009 at 22:15

I currently own a Helia C 3-12x56 and a Helia CS 3-12x56. Got super buys on both.

If I could find the same deal on another one, I'd buy it in a heartbeat.

Awesome glass.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote pyro6999 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/28/2009 at 08:25
that would certainly be intresting if they hooked up with leica
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Rancid Coolaid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/28/2009 at 11:50
Called Herman, got a voicemail, left a message, will let you know where it goes.

That alone makes me nervous, reminds me of the darker IOR days of the infamous "Customer Service" answering machine.


I will update when I have details.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Rancid Coolaid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/28/2009 at 13:01
UPDATE

I just got off the phone with Herman and have some info, straight from the Kahles US rep.

Kahles has been and coninues to be wholly owned by Swarovski.
Swaro announced last year that they were going to sell Kahles but did not.
This caused a market ripple, the US importer decided not to continue with Kahles, Kahles has no importer at this time.
Swaro has now decided NOT to sell Kahles, they will remain a Swaro company.
Kahles is now searching for a new importer.
Any Kahles optic is fully warrantied and, if repairs are required, ship the optic to the US address, it will be shipped to Austria for repairs, and you will get it back eventually.

This is straight from Herman.

Swaro owns them, Swaro will contiue to own them, they go to Austria for repairs.

Decisions, decisions!

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