Quote Originally Posted by Geezer View Post
I definitely stand to be corrected, but I think the 80s Sportviews were actually a value-priced big game/.22LR scope that airgunners adopted because of a combination of OK quality, affordable price, and features.

Most of the 80s airgun scopes were re-purposed CF/RF ones. Even the little Beeman SS1 and SS2s. The latter in particular were popular with the appropriate carry handle mount as an AR15 scope.

The only one I can think of that might have been deliberately spec’d for air guns was the Tasco AG (AG being the give-away). Though I can’t rule out that the AG thing was clever marketing of something not originally aimed at the airgun user.
You are correct I suffered from believing everything I read on the internet! I am reading now that they were chosen for air rifles because their objective focuses down to 7.5 yards (marked on mine). Not often found in the US on an economical scope? The Great Lakes Airgun shop importer of my rifle used them as a option in the 1980’s on their Air Arms rifles.