Remember Kassnar?

[Blackmax]

For the older members, do you remember these.

Some had excellent optics, some not so good, the best ones were the Beta 3's.

I have a few and I'm always after others if anyone has any knocking about.

[Craig-P]

For the older members, do you remember these.

Some had excellent optics, some not so good, the best ones were the Beta 3's.

I have a few and I'm always after others if anyone has any knocking about.

Only recently sold my Beta 3 as a mate needed a period optic but I still have a 2-7x32 WA/PA/BDC on a 77 and can’t fault it. My mate has the 6-18x40 and it’s a stunning old optic.
Well worth buying if you get a chance at one at a decent price.

[MartynB]

I had a Beta 3 4x32 with the built in spirit level, the optics on it were superb, I do remember they weren't cheap

I still have the Swarovski Habicht 4x32 I bought from Westbury Guns in 1985 for the (then) princely sum of £240

[Clanchief]

I've got two, one is on top of my FWB 300, thinks its a 2-7 x 32 AOWA or something like that, think the one just lying wrapped up is a 4 x 32 WA, I will have a look tonight, its in nice condition also.

[AC all day]

I have had a few from the Vista scope range through to the Beta 3 and even the latter Churchill range.....I would love to find another 4x18x40 again still regret selling it.....I still have a boxed never used 4x40 with the sniper reticle, way ahead of its time .....

[MartynB]

I've got two, one is on top of my FWB 300, thinks its a 2-7 x 32 AOWA or something like that, think the one just lying wrapped up is a 4 x 32 WA, I will have a look tonight, its in nice condition also.

Yes, think that was the one I had - 4x32WA had a 'TV screen' if I recall

[Mach 1.5]

Got a couple myself. Lovely scopes. Back in the day the Beta 3 3-9 x 42 was £177 and a HW80 was £115. No wonder they didn't sell many 3-9's Mach 1.5

[Mach 1.5]

Airgun World July 1988. Beta 3 4 x32 £129. 6 x42 £143. 3-9 x 42 £217. HW80 / K £119. Mach 1.5

[Clanchief]

Yes, think that was the one I had - 4x32WA had a 'TV screen' if I recall

This was it with the target turrets and adjustable objective.

I have a spare 4x32 WA wrapped up on the shelf,lol

[bufo]

One of my mates had a very similar 3-9 scope to that on his rimfire. I had a couple of vista scopes, I sold one 4x40 along with an old Webley Vulcan last year. The optics still looked pretty good, with a very wide angle and noticeably less fussy about precise eye relief. These were made in Japan I think?

[Muskett]

Kassnar were another branded scope range just like Tasco. Most were Jap made if not all. The brand didn't last very long.
I had a 3-9x56 in the 80's when "bigger was better"; what a let down as it was a very average scope.
I've had at least two bust Beta 3's across my door. They were quite expensive in their day for what they were.

I think the brand started well, but soon got very average. The odd one might well be quite good, but on the whole I'm not convinced. Most were pretty average at best. Off the shelf glass with pretty basic design and soft metal machined bodies. Even the paint was soft. Made to a price shows.

Its true of many budget branded scopes that came out of Japan. So many done to a price to match the target market. Amongst the many different models offered there are some that just worked better than others.
In 1992 Simmons brought their WTC range out that really showed up how poor much of the air rifle scope offerings had got. Much of the old brand scope machinery went out of Japan, and the rest is history.

Find a good example of a Kassnar and keep it on a collector's rifle. They are getting rare. Period scopes of the period are getting rare because they were never made that well in the first place and didn't fare well. Good period rifles are easy to find.

[Clanchief]

Find a good example of a Kassnar and keep it on a collector's rifle. They are getting rare. Period scopes of the period are getting rare because they were never made that well in the first place and didn't fare well. Good period rifles are easy to find.

As per my picture, I got the scope off here maybe 18 month ago, unused and never mounted, in the box with all the papers and silicone pkt even, it sat on a 70's 300

[airgunwerks]

I have two of the 3-9 Kassnar Sniper, one on my Whiscombe, the other on my Titan MPT, they have perhaps one of the first scopes with etched recticules?

[Airsporterman]

I have at least one on one of my Airsporters, it's optics and o/all quality are very good, sound German (I thought so when I bought it) but were Japanese but later ones were made in China or somewhere I believe and the quality dropped, wasn't that the same with Tasco scopes?

ASM

[Roberth]

I had a 4x32 on my hw77 I loved it so simple