The unknown histories of vintage scopes

[jirushi]

Hi,

Little seems to be known about the history of the famous scope brands of the seventies and eighties.
Tasco, Nikko, Nikko Sterling, Kassnar, Optima, Rhino, ASI (that was an importer, no? - rebranded) and others.

In fact, I have just found a great two page article about Kassnar and its creator, Mr Paul Kassnar, in a 1981 AGW article; I will scan and post that later.
But the rest is shrouded in fog, if that is the correct expression. Typical Japanese!

I believe that many of these are rebranded, made by a handful of factories in the Land of the Rising Sun.
I am starting to think that Nikko must have been a big player.

For instance, I have a Nikko Universal 4x20, and a Heirinkan scope that is exactly the same (surely Heirinkan is the rebranded one).
Also a Nikko Cadet 4x20, and a few other brands that look almost the same (one is 3-7x20, the brand is Ansia - I think this is rebranded German).

Bighit and Harvey_s have already kindly provided interesting info in this thread:
http://www.airgunbbs.com/showthread....44#post7965844

Cheers, Louis

Nikko (I bought it on a German website, I think it was used on a firearm hunting gun):


Heirinkan (I sent this to my friend in Japan, I miss it lol):

[rockdrill]

Tasco is the shortened acronym of a company originally known as the Tanross Supply Company, which started out in Florida in the 1950's.

To the best of my knowledge they never directly manufactured the products they sold, it was all badge engineered for them.

[jirushi]

Thank you rockdrill.

Something else, about tube diameters: MartynB just kindly informed me that the slimmest 4x20 tubes were known as 3/4" tubes. About 19 mm.
I also have 4x20's with 21.8/22 mm tubes. I think that's 7/8".

Here are some examples of similar looking scopes from my collection:

[jirushi]

The Kassnar Article, AGW Feb 81:
(you might need to zoom in, I couldn't make it bigger)

[Geezer]

That article is spot on, including on the 80s fad/con about “wide angle” “TV” scopes that had no wider FOV than ordinary ones.

Which is good, as Rod L and the truth had a rather interesting relationship sometimes.

You are basically right. A small number of factories, making for a large number of brands.

Same later occurred when S Korea, then the Philippines, succeeded Japan from the late 80s as the capitals of medium-quality low-price optics. Same thing in China today.

Hakko made the better Japanese airgun scopes, including for Optima and Beeman.

Tasco hit it big in the 50s during the space age selling good value telescopes to the rapidly growing amateur astronomer market. As said above, Tasco is a brand, and has never actually made a single optical device.

I have a bunch of 70s/80s Japanese scopes of a number of brands (N-S, ASI, Tasco, Original, Hunter, Bushmaster, Optima, Beeman, Bushnell, Hubertus, Vistascope, probably others). Although they have different mags, lens sizes, styling and finishes, I can’t see huge differences in lens quality or build standards.

[bighit]

Posted this on your wanted Ad.

Asia optical.

Look at 1986

https://www.asia-optical.com/milesto...al=278&lang=en

Quote

Another contract with TASCO to produce roof prism compact Binocular and Spotting Telescopes.

Another maker is LOW( light optical works )

Japan optics too but their website is not great. Supposedly ex Hakko workers.
https://www.japanoptics.co.jp/company/

[jirushi]

That article is spot on, including on the 80s fad/con about “wide angle” “TV” scopes that had no wider FOV than ordinary ones.

Which is good, as Rod L and the truth had a rather interesting relationship sometimes.

You are basically right. A small number of factories, making for a large number of brands.

Same later occurred when S Korea, then the Philippines, succeeded Japan from the late 80s as the capitals of medium-quality low-price optics. Same thing in China today.

Hakko made the better Japanese airgun scopes, including for Optima and Beeman.

Tasco hit it big in the 50s during the space age selling good value telescopes to the rapidly growing amateur astronomer market. As said above, Tasco is a brand, and has never actually made a single optical device.

I have a bunch of 70s/80s Japanese scopes of a number of brands (N-S, ASI, Tasco, Original, Hunter, Bushmaster, Optima, Beeman, Bushnell, Hubertus, Vistascope, probably others). Although they have different mags, lens sizes, styling and finishes, I can’t see huge differences in lens quality or build standards.

Hello Geezer,

Thank you for your very interesting comments. Your collection of 70s/80s Japanese scopes sounds great.
I wonder whether Nikko was the predecessor of Nikko Stirling. I guess it was. Strangely enough, I am only finding Nikko scopes in Germany (via Egun and Fleabay).
Nikko probably did some marketing for German hunters, as these scopes were in fact used on firearms.

Hakko is a name that keeps coming back. They seem to have been a big player.

You also mention Rod Lynton and the truth. I would have liked to see more of John Darling in those AGW's but I guess he was more of an Airgunner writer? And of course more about hunting than reviewing/testing. But Mr Darling was a very good writer with tons of humour.

"TV" scopes - I am using one on an Innova and it's ok. But it would be better if they had left the black away on the top and bottom of the image!

Cheers, Louis

[jirushi]

Posted this on your wanted Ad.

Asia optical.

Look at 1986

https://www.asia-optical.com/milesto...al=278&lang=en

Quote

Another contract with TASCO to produce roof prism compact Binocular and Spotting Telescopes.

Another maker is LOW( light optical works )

Japan optics too but their website is not great. Supposedly ex Hakko workers.
https://www.japanoptics.co.jp/company/

Thank you again bighit,

That is very interesting.
Here is my "wanted" ad, (Info wanted on Tasco and Nikko scopes):

http://www.airgunbbs.com/showthread....d-Nikko-scopes

The first link doesn't work. The other one does: a typical Japanese website lol. I will translate it (thanks to Google Translate!).

Cheers, Louis

[bighit]

Hope this one works

https://www.asia-optical.com/milesto...al=278&lang=en

Go to 1986 .

[Geezer]

Hope this one works

https://www.asia-optical.com/milesto...al=278&lang=en

Go to 1986 .

It does. And note who they’ve made stuff for. Tasco, Nikon, Ricoh, Konica, Pentax..

[bighit]

It does. And note who they’ve made stuff for. Tasco, Nikon, Ricoh, Konica, Pentax..

Yes and also had a hand in Lazer range finders .I wonder if they made them for the bigger players also ?

[rapidresponse1]

some nice old scopes there

[I. J.]

Sorting through my airgun bumf - looking for something else - I came across this which may be of some interest.

[jirushi]

Sorting through my airgun bumf - looking for something else - I came across this which may be of some interest.

Fantastic! Thank you Ian. Sansei Industries, nice.

[Propnut]

Thanks, Louis, for the information and postings on Kassnar telescopic sights. I acquired a used Weihrauch HW77K already fitted with a Kassnar 4x with 50mm objective lens, and have used it for over thirty years, but could never find out much about Kassnar. The quality still shows and it remains my favourite scope.