Eye sight and Sight picture for us older folks

[ericv]

I am finding as I get older that my vision is getting a little worse that it is harder to get good focus on the sights (iron) and the target. Are there any tricks or glasses (of course other than my current bifocals) that might help? My scopes I can adjust so most of this problem is with open sights.

Thanks

[Michael]

Have you tried any of the sight paints? I have had good luck with BrightSights http://www.brightsights.com/products.shtml.

[Drifter]

I haven't used the SR Microsight, but it looks interesting and might be an option for you:

http://www.auburnscouts.com/stallingsmachine/microsight.htm

[davidj]

Do you shoot with both eyes open? If so try closing the non sighting eye.

take a look at this too.

http://www.eabco.com/css_sts2.html

[LRRPF52]

Another product you can try is the H-Viz Fiber-Optic Front Sight. I have one on my Model 727 Clone, with the red tube inserted.

http://www.brownells.com/rifle-parts/sights/front-sights/ar-15-m16-fiber-optic-front-sight-prod26412.aspx?ttver=2

[stokesrj]

What you really need is crisp focus on the front sight, Bob Jones makes lenses that go in the A2 rear sight hood. In general most older folks need either a .5 of .75 diopter rear lens to allow sharp focus on the front sight with a relaxed eye muscle. You will also need a small rear aperture, .038, .040 or .042, the smaller the longer the focal length.

http://www.bjonessights.com/AR15.html

The only proper color for a front sight to give you the greatest definition and accuracy is flat black. Sure the optical fiber and paint can make the front sight stand out, but you will be hard pressed to produce 1.5 MOA accuracy with them. A properly smoked front sight can produce .5 MOA accuracy provided the rifle and ammo are up to it. A carbide smoker is handy to keep your front sight non reflective, I use the RayVin Super Smoker.
You can get a Super Smoker from several places, I like White Oak Armament http://www.whiteoakarmament.com/xcar...cat=256&page=5
If you decide to get one, here is a little video that helps you understand how to use it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXF0u8OrLdU
I have owned and used the micro sight, it is really neat and does allow you to see the front sight and target both in focus at the same time. But I found it to be unreliable under some light conditions and alignment is critical. Most people I know that use them have problems with wandering zero's but for some it works really well.
I personally know Bob Jones of Bjones sights, John Holliger of White Oak Armament, and Ray Brandes the inventor of the Ray Vin Super smoker, in fact he and I shared a condo at Camp Perry for the National matches this year. These are all things I used to win my distinguished rifleman badge so I know they work.
There are also shooting glasses made specifically for this purpose I own three different ones, the Bjones, Knobloch, and DeCott but I prefer the lens mounted in the hood. I'll be 59 years old this year and can still shoot half minute groups with my service rifle using the A2 metallic sights.

Bob

[montana]

What you really need is crisp focus on the front sight, Bob Jones makes lenses that go in the A2 rear sight hood. In general most older folks need either a .5 of .75 diopter rear lens to allow sharp focus on the front sight with a relaxed eye muscle. You will also need a small rear aperture, .038, .040 or .042, the smaller the longer the focal length.

http://www.bjonessights.com/AR15.html

The only proper color for a front sight to give you the greatest definition and accuracy is flat black. Sure the optical fiber and paint can make the front sight stand out, but you will be hard pressed to produce 1.5 MOA accuracy with them. A properly smoked front sight can produce .5 MOA accuracy provided the rifle and ammo are up to it. A carbide smoker is handy to keep your front sight non reflective, I use the RayVin Super Smoker.
You can get a Super Smoker from several places, I like White Oak Armament http://www.whiteoakarmament.com/xcar...cat=256&page=5
If you decide to get one, here is a little video that helps you understand how to use it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXF0u8OrLdU
I have owned and used the micro sight, it is really neat and does allow you to see the front sight and target both in focus at the same time. But I found it to be unreliable under some light conditions and alignment is critical. Most people I know that use them have problems with wandering zero's but for some it works really well.
I personally know Bob Jones of Bjones sights, John Holliger of White Oak Armament, and Ray Brandes the inventor of the Ray Vin Super smoker, in fact he and I shared a condo at Camp Perry for the National matches this year. These are all things I used to win my distinguished rifleman badge so I know they work.
There are also shooting glasses made specifically for this purpose I own three different ones, the Bjones, Knobloch, and DeCott but I prefer the lens mounted in the hood. I'll be 59 years old this year and can still shoot half minute groups with my service rifle using the A2 metallic sights.

Bob

stokesrj, I'm impressed. I'm 53 and gave up open sights years ago. It's only scopes and aim point for me now. I'll have to look into shooting glasses after reading your thread.

[ericv]

Great info, some good reading for tonight. THANKS

[ericv]

Thanks for that great info Bob. I like the idea of the glasses, I'll check that out.

Eric

[LR1955]

stokesrj, I'm impressed. I'm 53 and gave up open sights years ago. It's only scopes and aim point for me now. I'll have to look into shooting glasses after reading your thread.

Montana:

There are a couple of problems with shooting glasses. So, before you spend a couple hundred dollars on a prescription pair, or even a pair with some sort of magnification, let me list a few issues you will have.

First, the really good ones use a monocular lens for your shooting eye and a blinder for your non shooting eye. These are the pricy ones costing a couple hundred for the frames. They are designed for competitive bullseye shooters and are as useless as tits on a bull for anything other than that sport. They are fully adjustable and are easily broken.

Second, they will fog up on you big time if you try to use them in cold / wet conditions.

Third, the ones that adjust do so for one position. If you have them adjusted for standing (for example) and you want to shoot seated, kneeling, or prone, you must adjust them for those specific positions.

Forth, if you adjust these things properly and shift your head position, even slightly, you are in big trouble. They are utterly unforgiving if your position shifts by more than an inch or so.

Let me recommend you get fitted for contacts. If you get fitted properly, they will be OK but not perfect. Lasik is probably your best bet.

Or, you can use some sort of adjustable aperture sights but those are basically only good for round black circles on white paper.

I think if you want to go out and blast with those old military bolt rifles with those skinny front sight posts, some decent contact lenses will be way more user friendly than shooting glasses.

LR1955

[bwaites]

Glasses are a HUGE compromise. They are designed with a single true focal objective, to make you see as well as possible through the center of the lens. But you only look through that center with your head in a certain position, so any other position is less than perfect, and sometimes terrible.

I shoot with a guy who is in the top twenty 3 gun shooters in the country, and he has gone through LOTS of different options trying to find the glasses that work best for that sport, where you are standing, kneeling, prone, etc. He hasn't found anything but a compromise so far.

The glasses I really like for Steel Challenge suck for prone.

You may end up with a pair for each position, adjusted for that position only.

[montana]

Thanks LR1955, I keep hoping for some youth drug or a miracle cure. I have no problem with scopes and aim points for the type of shooting I do, but I still miss shooting through my peep sight's like I could in my youth. I don't shoot bulls eye and didn't realize they were so expensive and mission specific. Thanks for the heads up, it is appreciated.

[stokesrj]

I don't really see eye to eye with these guys, pun intended. I shoot deer, hogs, and such with metallic sights frequently so don't agree they are for round bulls eyes only. I use a .25 diopter rear lens most often but I also have Decott high wide glasses that I use some times also with my distance vision prescription in the center and .25 diopter in the upper half of the right lens for use with metallic sights. To prevent fogging simply rub a tin layer of dish soap on the lens and then buff to a polish, fogging is a thing of the past.

I don't have anything against red dots or scopes, I use both but I can shoot more accurately with metallic sight than a red dot, and equal to a scope in most situations. The exception is deer in woods screened by brush, I want a scope then, but in open terrain I've taken multiple deer at greater than 300 yards with irons.
If you like them don't let someone talk you out of it.
Bob

[montana]

stokesrj I never knock anything until I try it myself. I don't think for my hunting needs I would use them but I would like to shoot open sight for fun at my range and will look into them. I'm still amazed people like you can shoot so well with open sights at such long range and appreciate your suggestions as others have given. This is a great forum.

[Nukes]

...some decent contact lenses will be way more user friendly than shooting glasses.

LR1955

Since contact lenses float and shift, position changes are problematic, especially for those who need astigmatic correction.