Iron sights, eyesight and old age

[franktheferret]

I don't hunt now because my eyesight is just not up to it. A long time ago I was a good shot with a pistol, but the iron sights are now just a blur. I am only talking about 6yard and 10m targets. I have tried Red-Dots but I actually do better with the blurred iron sights. How do you guys work with this?

Alan.

[pmarshall]

I bought myself some cheap 1.5x reading glasses from boots, which I only use for pistol shooting, all of a sudden, I could see the sights properly again.

I don't need them for rifle shooting, as I adjust the scope to get a clear sight picture.

You might need slightly more powerful glasses, the way to find out is to put them on, then raise your shooting arm and extend your finger as far as it will go, if you can see your fingernail clearly, you'll be able to see your sights perfectly again.

The things us old f***s have to do for our sport!

Hope this helps!

PMarshall

[derekm]

I bought myself some cheap 1.5x reading glasses from boots, which I only use for pistol shooting, all of a sudden, I could see the sights properly again.

I don't need them for rifle shooting, as I adjust the scope to get a clear sight picture.

You might need slightly more powerful glasses, the way to find out is to put them on, then raise your shooting arm and extend your finger as far as it will go, if you can see your fingernail clearly, you'll be able to see your sights perfectly again.

The things us old f***s have to do for our sport!

Hope this helps!

PMarshall

!00% right. All you need to see clearly is your front sight. Rear sight should be slightly fuzzy and the target doesn't matter at all; you shouldn't be looking at it!

[Ranyhyn]

Yup, focus on the front sight and hope.
Either that or use sonar.
Personaly I do better with both eyes closed and visualising the pellet slice through the paper fibres of the ten spot.
However this technique can lose it's effectiveness if you do actually check the target afterwards. The satisfaction comes in not knowing but just being sure.
You know it makes sense.

[Jim McArthur]

Personaly I do better with both eyes closed and visualising the pellet slice through the paper fibres of the ten spot.
However this technique can lose it's effectiveness if you do actually check the target afterwards.

Jim

[franktheferret]

Thanks for your help guys. I've tried them all today.

I have found Crabbet's technique to be the best, as it saves on targets and pellets, not to mention not having to buy the pistol in the first place, but we can all dream.

Reality prevails, and I don't know why the "weak glasses" thing has not occurred to me before! I found some 1.5 reading glasses today and I tried them. I have all sorts of glasses up to 4.0 for various uses, but I've only ever considered using more powerful rather than less powerful lenses to compensate for my visual problems.

Dohh!

I've just shot 82x100, 50 shots, on 6 yard pistol targets, but I was sat down, at 5 yards. That is better than I have ever done with a red-dot. OK, I have Nightsighters Orange Dots on the Nemesis sights, but I am sure that when I get some 1.25 reading glasses, I won't need the dots at all.

Any other suggestions, including Zen ammunition, would be welcomed.

You have helped me considerably; I'll go back to playing now.

Thanks,

Alan.

[Prone Shooter]

As Derek states above, the foresight should be clear, rear sight slightly fuzzy and the target a blur. Younger eyes can cope with all three in vision but most folks can't, me included

The secret is concentration. Concentrate ob bringing that foresight to just under the black blur with and equal amount of light either side of the rear sight and obviously the front of the foresight in line with the top of the rear.

Don't try and "balance the pea" but drop down through the target in a slow fluid movement pausing long enough to release the shot. As you drop down, release your breath and hold whilst coming on aim.

Guaranteed you will be shooting single hole groups by the end of the week (well maybe a bit longer) so persevere. It will improve.

I assume you are aiming sub 6?

Bob

[chip]

I am 34 years old, and have always had perfect eyesight.
But just recently i have started to have trouble reading my tape measure.
For instance if it reads 1353mm the 1350 is easy enough but the mm markings sort of move about a bit.
So rather than taking an instant reading i have to count them along.

Also i have started to go grey, which i noticed almost exactly the same time i started having problems with my eyesight.

34 and over the hill

Regards kelley

[snapcapblue]

I am 34 years old, and have always had perfect eyesight.
But just recently i have started to have trouble reading my tape measure.
For instance if it reads 1353mm the 1350 is easy enough but the mm markings sort of move about a bit.
So rather than taking an instant reading i have to count them along.
Also i have started to go grey, which i noticed almost exactly the same time i started having problems with my eyesight.
34 and over the hill Regards kelley

At the tender age of 35, I suddenly had focusing problems The opticians verdict "OLD AGE - the muscles are weakening but you will get used to the difference in time". Now at 74 with all sorts of age related ailments, and 2 pairs of glasses, I can either see the target but not the iron sights, or see the sights and not the target - it' a great challenge but bl***dy frustrating.
Cheers and atvb- Tony

[derekm]

As Derek states above, the foresight should be clear, rear sight slightly fuzzy and the target a blur. Younger eyes can cope with all three in vision but most folks can't, me included

Bob

Younger eyes will no doubt be able to focus on all three, but they will not have them all in focus at the same time, because of limited "depth of field", which any photograpers understand.

Some people think they can hold focus on all three, but in reality they are rapidly refocussing on each item.

In pistol shooting, the instant your focus leaves the front sight for whatever reason, the shot has gone into the grass.

Many people with normal 20/20 vision will still wear shooting glasses (or ready readers), to intentionally make the target impossible to focus on; that only leaves the rear sight to ignore!

[Ric O'shay]

This is a really useful post.
Being new to pistols i was switching focus from sight to sight to target.
May be someone could do a post/sticky with lots of tips on how to shoot accurately.
Happy shootin

[derekm]

This is a really useful post.
Being new to pistols i was switching focus from sight to sight to target.
May be someone could do a post/sticky with lots of tips on how to shoot accurately.
Happy shootin

Have a read through the articles on the Pilkguns site www.pilkguns.com ;they're all written by champion shooters and coaches. Get onto their forum "Target Talk" too. Most of the members seem to be pretty proficient, happily discussing averages of 570/600, but they all have time to help out us lesser folk!

[Napoleon IV]

You might need a specialist pair (actually a monocular) of shooting glasses. I bought them originally for match air pistol but find that I use them for Umarexes and for black powder pistol.

[Digls]

Like othe contributors to this thread, I am new to pistol shooting. It is also rare to find sensible, relevant, and useable advice like this on most sites of this type. So just a simple 'Thanks' to those who took the trouble to reply to Alan.

[Jim McArthur]

Like othe contributors to this thread, I am new to pistol shooting. It is also rare to find sensible, relevant, and useable advice like this on most sites of this type. So just a simple 'Thanks' to those who took the trouble to reply to Alan.

Yes, and that's one of several reasons that I love this Forum.

Jim