Aged Eyes.

[Halimede]

Hello All. First Post!
I plink in my back garden at about 10 metres using an hW45 but now find focusing on the target and the the iron sights to be a bit of a problem. I don't really fancy adding the weight and complexity of a 'scope; are the fibre optic type of sights likely to help much? I think that Chambers list them but before committing I would like to know peoples views. Has anyone retro-fitted them to an iron sighted HW45, how did they change the front sight which seems to be part of the barrel?
Regards.

[DRACO]

Welcome to the pistol forum....

I use my old Original 6 with iron sights at 10m and as long as you have got your zero sorted
at 10m when sighting in you concentrate on the foresight the target is out of focus as is rear sight..

But I understand what you mean being an oldie myself,I have found the fibre optic sights on my HW 40
very useful but never actually changed any iron for fibre optic on any gun....

Best of luck with your quest....

[mikec4]

Shooting pistol with open sights, you should have this image as your sight picture;

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgur...FQhZ2wodbKgCoA

the foresight should be in focus; the black of the target should be blurred; this shows more detail,

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgur...FfMg2wodIYULXA

hope this info is useful.

ATB
Mike.

[Rickenbacker]

Welcome aboard the BBS

I think it's all about the background.

Iron sights are best suited to a conventional 6 o'clock hold against a light background. Ideally a nice buff colour match card.

For dark or mixed backgrounds, tin cans, etc, fiber-optics are so much better. But as said, I doubt you can retro fit them on an early HW45.

You could paint on 3 white dots. One on the frontsight, one either side of the rearsight notch. But getting them just right with the Humbrol enamel on an artist's brush might try your patience.

Drilling the sights with a slight countersink in the 3 positions might be easier to fill with paint, but much more of a disaster if the countersinks weren't in quite the right place(s). So perhaps best to get an engineer to do it?

HTH - Phil

edit: Opps - I see Mike has composed a similar post above, while I was drafting mine

[Halimede]

Thanks Draco. I can be hitting a 30mm spinner quite reliably then it all goes wrong. I suspect the eyes rather than the gun and the idea of clamping on a 'scope or red dot doesn't really appeal (do red dots work in daylight at 10m?). More practice would help I think but I am tending towards blaming the equipment and going shopping. I suppose a dot of flouro paint on the foresight might be worth a try.

[Halimede]

I think that I see the problem now; I tend to concentrate on the target.
Thanks.

[peteswright]

I think that I see the problem now; I tend to concentrate on the target.
Thanks.

I found this to be the hardest discipline in shooting. Its natural to look at the target or just look up over the sights at the moment of firing! The most important thing is for the sights to be in perfect alignment as the projectile leaves the muzzle choose what the target is or where it is. The thing I found a help, was not to worry about the target and groups until I could fix on, and never leave, focus on that front sight in rear notch at close range, to take the pressure off!. You have to "sense" the aim point. Its the only way to get feedback about what the front sight is doing at the moment of the shot so you can call the shots too. ATB. Pete.

[thisisdonald]

I posted this in another thread recently.
Google 'eyepal' then make your own using a piece of black insulating tape and a thick needle.
Poke a hole in the tape, or even better, melt a hole in it. About 2-3mm is enough, but you need to experiment.
Stick the tape on a pair of safety glasses if you shoot without glasses on.
Make sure the hole is perfectly aligned with your eye when in your shooting position.
The tiny aperture of the hole messes with your depth of field, bringing the front sight, the rear sight, and your target all into focus at the same time.
Great for open sights.

[Halimede]

Thanks for the suggestions. The eyepal idea sounds like my kind of idea; good and cheap! I have safety specs and tape.

[ratgunner]

I posted this in another thread recently.
Google 'eyepal' then make your own using a piece of black insulating tape and a thick needle.
Poke a hole in the tape, or even better, melt a hole in it. About 2-3mm is enough, but you need to experiment.
Stick the tape on a pair of safety glasses if you shoot without glasses on.
Make sure the hole is perfectly aligned with your eye when in your shooting position.
The tiny aperture of the hole messes with your depth of field, bringing the front sight, the rear sight, and your target all into focus at the same time.
Great for open sights.

Us 70 plus can learn from you young uns,
nice one.

[Robet]

Hi,
I have a recent thread with same problem. Having a look on the usual auction site I came across this:
http://www./itm/Merit-Optical-Attach...item3f4c28fc17

Probably been looked at before (was that nearly a pun)? Looks like an expensive sophisticated adjustable insulating tape competitor.
Wonder if I could knock 1 up from an old camera lens?

New pistol arriving shortly, see how I get on with 1.5 readers.

Rgds, Rob