Received my K540i LSW w/ SKMR+ today, put it next to buddy's ZCO 840 @ Gravestone Alpha range & went back and forth for 15 minutes @ 20x & 25x. Full sunlight, sun overhead but behind plates (downrange is due south) ... as
@Sprayed99 said, you're really splitting hairs between the two. In my unprofessional opinion, any difference in IQ in good lighting conditions is moot. I went to the range fully prepared to sell the K540i without mounting it if I detected even the slightest IQ superiority in the ZCO 840. Even though I prefer warmer glass and think the MPCT1x is the best reticle currently available, I'll be keeping the K540i.
FOV is nuts, DOF is very forgiving, eyebox is great, the elevation turret is excellent & windage turret is good, illumination
of the reticle is superb. Kahles' patented windage "Twist Guard" is absolutely terrible, it's unequivocally garbage and I'm in disbelief. Tasco-tier shit, WTF Kahles.
Resolution of fine details was essentially identical. I can confidently say the Kahles did not out-resolve the ZCO with regard to fine details on shadowed objects. That said, I'll have to spend more time with both to determine if that holds true or the ZCO is capable of out-resolving the Kahles, particularly in adverse lighting conditions. Color was pretty comparable, Kahles being slightly brighter and ZCO being slightly warmer. Mirage looked identical to my eyes (although wind was 15-35mph, so I'll revisit mirage). MPCT1x > SKMR+.
Looking forward to actual reviews by
@Covertnoob5 and
@Glassaholic
5 shots at 100 yards
