Eye test for shooters.

[Sir_SwampThing]

I am not having much luck finding an optician who understands what I need.
So far I have had one insist that I will need bifocals, one who said that I have to pay them to insert the lens into a set of shooting frames "no we cannot supply just the lens on its own", and two have refused to allow me to bring my pistol (minus cylinder and ammo) into the premises to assist with the test.
JHSteward are just too far away.
Does anyone know a good optician with the required understanding of our sport, in the West Midlands?
Or, please point me in the direction of any online resource that properly explains what is required, that I can print off and take with me on my quest?
Cheers
Chris

[RobinC]

Chris

Not quite on your door step, but one of the best, and not that far away just a blast down the motorway for you is Stephen Hing at Shefford near Bedford, he is one of the most experienced opticians for shooting glasses, we both recommend him, and use him, and its even a two and a half hour drive for us each way!

When you book, ask for an appointment with Stephen, and say its for shooting. They also grind their own lenses and will make the correct thing and fit in what ever frame you require.

Have Fun
Robin

[joffy]

Chris

Not quite on your door step, but one of the best, and not that far away just a blast down the motorway for you is Stephen Hing at Shefford near Bedford, he is one of the most experienced opticians for shooting glasses, we both recommend him, and use him, and its even a two and a half hour drive for us each way!

When you book, ask for an appointment with Stephen, and say its for shooting. They also grind their own lenses and will make the correct thing and fit in what ever frame you require.

Have Fun
Robin

That's handy to know as I'm in Bedford

[BigEars]

I am not having much luck finding an optician who understands what I need.
So far I have had one insist that I will need bifocals, one who said that I have to pay them to insert the lens into a set of shooting frames "no we cannot supply just the lens on its own", and two have refused to allow me to bring my pistol (minus cylinder and ammo) into the premises to assist with the test.
JHSteward are just too far away.
Does anyone know a good optician with the required understanding of our sport, in the West Midlands?
Or, please point me in the direction of any online resource that properly explains what is required, that I can print off and take with me on my quest?
Cheers
Chris

The local Specsavers did mine, they were perfectly happy for me make the arrangement to bring in my pistol.

[Peter Pig]

I had this problem a while ago, I asked on another forum what correction was needed for pistol shooting and got this reply.
Pistol shooters aged up to 40 +0.50 aged 40 and above +0.75.
I went to a local optical manufacturing firm with my latest eye test result, this is after cataract replacement in both eyes,they understood the numbers, that I don't, I left the lens holder with them and a week later had a lens that enables me to see the foresight very well, all for £30.
Pity about the tottery old OAP who can only manage supported pistol now.

[MrChipShoulder]

I live in South Wales and just about everybody that cares about shooting uses Fulgoni in Abergavenny.

They all use them as they are a family of shooters and FULLY understand exactly what shooters need.
Mr Fulgoni is a real nice guy and VERY thorough.
I even rang Intershoot in Ireland the other day, and ran Fulgoni past them, even they knew him and know top shooters that use him!!

This optician is not close to you, but when he is known across the country by shooters as being one of the best for shooters, it may well be worth a trip?

https://fulgoni.co.uk

[rancidtom]

Try Simon Goldsmith in Bristol, he may be more local to you than J H Steward. Simon works at Bisley a couple of days a week for J H Steward, he did me s shooting lens when I lived in Swindon as Bristol was closer than Bisley I popped over to see him there. For you it's a treck down the M5 but it definitely isn't as far as going to either Bisley or South Wales. Bedford may be your closest though, suppose it depends where in Walsall you are.
http://www.simongoldsmithopticians.co.uk/

[nickm marshall]

My local optician will make a lens to your prescription for about £25. Just leave them with the lens holder of the shooting glasses for about 5 days.

I wear reading glasses all day for work. Plus around the house. Normal glasses for television and driving.
Varifocal for shopping and riding the motorbike.

If I have a copy of your prescription and a lens holder, I will happily get it sorted for you.
Done this for a few other shooting buddies.


For shooting, I find that I can get away with my normal lens and a diopter in either my knoblochs or my champion super olympics.

There.....sorted.

Or see Ed Lyons at FLINT & PARTNERS in Wolverhampton. He is a specialist in supplying PILLA shooting glasses for the shotgun people. Sure he could help if you explain your needs. But it probably wouldn’t be a cheap fix.

[MrChipShoulder]

Try Simon Goldsmith in Bristol, he may be more local to you than J H Steward. Simon works at Bisley a couple of days a week for J H Steward, he did me s shooting lens when I lived in Swindon as Bristol was closer than Bisley I popped over to see him there. For you it's a treck down the M5 but it definitely isn't as far as going to either Bisley or South Wales. Bedford may be your closest though, suppose it depends where in Walsall you are.
http://www.simongoldsmithopticians.co.uk/

Just for your information, Bristol is about half an hour further on than Abergavenny if coming down the M5 from Walsall.

Turn off the M5 at J8, go down the M50, keep going until you go under the tunnel at Monmouth and turn off at the next junction to Abergavenny. Much closer than Bristol.

[vbull]

Local Specasavers (Ringwood) did mine. I had a lens made for pistol and put into a pair of shooting frames and I gave them an old pair of distance glasses and asked them to blank out the left lens and put a lens in for the right eye with a longer focal length so I could see the foresight on a rifle. They allowed me to take in a pistol and a rifle to get things spot on. The optometrist (female) seemed very interested in the whole thing.

[Sir_SwampThing]

Thank you all for your advice.
I had previously visited the opticians nearest to me. I have contacted the stores in Walsall town centre now and both Specsavers and Vision Express have confirmed that they are more than happy for me to bring my pistol with me for the test and that there will be no additional cost for fitting the lens to my "specialist" frames.
Just so I understand correctly.
If I am tested using the pistol, is that the prescription that I need or is the +.5/.75 still required? Or does that only apply to a reading prescription?
Anything else that is relevant that I need to convey to them?
Regards
Chris

[MrChipShoulder]

I am clearly made of ‘different stuff’.

Personally I’d make the effort to travel to somebody that knows about shooting needs, rather than ‘cheep out’ and go local and make up the difference in lost knowledge by asking a forum.

But each to their own.

[Sir_SwampThing]

I am clearly made of ‘different stuff’.

Personally I’d make the effort to travel to somebody that knows about shooting needs, rather than ‘cheep out’ and go local and make up the difference in lost knowledge by asking a forum.

But each to their own.

As a full time carer for a 91 year old who had a stroke, taking a full day out to travel for an eye test is out of the question for me.
Clearly, you are made of "different stuff", although I am not sure what it is.
What is clear though, from reading many of your posts, is that you have an ENORMOUS chip on your shoulder.
Thanks for your input.

Chris

[silvershooter]

Sir Swamp
You need a prescription to allow you to focus on the front sight so it is as clear as possible (when in the normal shooting position).
This will tend to end up about +.50 or + .75 on your distance prescription.
My local Specsavers have made mine no problem.

[MrChipShoulder]

As a full time carer for a 91 year old who had a stroke, taking a full day out to travel for an eye test is out of the question for me.
Clearly, you are made of "different stuff", although I am not sure what it is.
What is clear though, from reading many of your posts, is that you have an ENORMOUS chip on your shoulder.
Thanks for your input.

Chris

Yes, you are 100% correct, I have been told that many many times during my lifetime. The 'stuff' you are trying to identify is BS, that is what I'm made of

Just remember, I was only trying to help you and pointed out exactly where a top optician is that can 100% help you, and he is not expensive and in the grand scale of things, not too far away.

I hope you find the information you need on the net and a local optician you are happy with.

Rob