Are there always no iron sight’s on 8000’s or were they an option?
First there is a lot of confusion with the 1900 series names just like everything sold by Tradewinds... what one calls a 8000 or 9000 may well not be that.
The only rifles which can be called 8000/9000 are those made by "HVA" and imported by Tradewinds - not the supply you see from recent Trade Ex imports, as per Euro models have different trims and names - I posted a list of the models here once, so I won't elaborate much over the models here. As far as you get a HVA-FFV, FFV-CG or CG marked rifle you are in something else.
Now, the 9000 and 8000 where two different grades. Both can have sights and hoods. The 8000 is the "Imperial Grade" while the 9000 is the "Crown Grade", they are within SN 350### - 365 ### and a very few within the 500 ### range.
When it has FFV stamped on it, it's not a 8000/9000.
The 9000 "Crown Grade" is the MC oiled (some have a satin varnish too) french walnut stock with the rosewood fore end and adjustable rear sight, while the 8000 "Imperial" is the thick polyurethane selected walnut MC stock with rosewood fore end, "engraved" floor plate and jeweled bolt and depending on the year, came with either a three leaf folding rear sight or none. There is much more 9000 than 8000 on the market and the late 9000 are marked as such on the barrel.
All of the Tradewinds imported rifles have 1" sling swivel loops.
After FFV took over the production and started making their own parts (in the 500### + 600### serial range for the CG serie), then, the rifles became Grade II and Grade III, the Grade II having sights while the Grade III does not. Those models are similar to the orignal HVA-Tradewinds 8000/9000 series, so that's why there is so much confusion out there...