Help for old eyes

[Jake2454]

I posted this about a year ago in response to a similar post, might consider this option.

My eyesight was never ideal for shooting so about 40 years ago after trying several commercial eyesight shooting aids I found this eyesight rig worked the best & allowed me to become a decent competitor & my handgun scores increased substantially !
I preferred this swing-away disc option above all others commercially sold because the suction cup models fell-off & were in my way when not shooting & hated the sticky crud tape left on my eyeglasses lens.
This swing-away device enables you to see both-sights & the target clearly, I also use it for hunting.
I replaced the glass lens with the bottom of a plastic 35 mm film canister & drilled a .040 hole. That dia. hole works perfect for my eyes but you might require a smaller or larger dia. hole so maybe best to try a smaller hole first at the range & take a few larger drill bits with you ? you want a hole with sharp edges, can often use a larger sized bit to trim away any plastic residue.
My 40 year old original jewelers loupe 'frame' that is shown with the black disc is no longer available but the newer style of loupe frame shown in 2nd photo works equally well. This loupe is available on Amazon for about $5.00 shipped, the extra disc with arm can easily be removed or used to provide different peep options if needed.
Happy trails...

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that sounds like a deal thanks

 

[2 shots]

my rear sight is in front of my front sight

 

[smoothshooter]

Does anyone use any special glasses for old eyes and if so what are they and do they work?

If you need bifocals get the transition lenses. Also, don’t be afraid to have them move the distance part at the top of the lenses closer to the tops of the lenses than normal.
Find a glases place that will let you, if necessary, to bring your UNLOADED guns in so they can get the proper focal points located for your sights.

 

[Sam squanch]

Best to find an optometrist that shoots. And won’t freak out over firearms in their office.

 

[Erwan]

my rear sight is in front of my front sight

Of course, and it just depends on the position of the observer : front of the muzzle or behind the stock...

 

[nkbj]

I have vertically oriented halo effect blurring (astigmatism) that really jacks with controlling elevation on the sights. Hoping that new prescription glasses will provide adequate remedy.

 

[Dave Fox]

Cataract surgery. Quick, painless, has given the 77-year-old me the eyes I didn't have even as a teenager.

 

[ADK Bigfoot]

Google Merit Corporation, Schenectady, NY. YOU WILL FIND THE FOLLOWING:

Order ​

After a hiatus, we are now back in business. We are currently selling direct as well as working to resupply our distributors. Please email or call for ordering and availability.email@meritcorporation 518-763-3011 I contacted them by email a couple of months ago, and the owner called me immediately and took an order for the stick-on (Suction cup) version with the adjustable diopter. Great product, great service, and great shooting results. ADK Bigfoot

 

[SOLANCO]

Folks

I have reviewed The Forum rules...,

While The Forum is for traditional muzzleloaders, there is NO restriction on the optical aids one uses to aim said traditional muzzleloaders.
Granted, it seems to some of us rather incongruous to use something other than open iron sights or an iron peep sight..., and I salute those who have been able to mitigate their situation to continue to use open iron or iron peep sights..

I confess that I am blessed with long vision that even at almost 60 years of age, I am blessed with still being able to use open, iron sights.

Be that as it may... there is no restriction against discussion of modern telescopic sights on traditional muzzleloaders

For hunting, we have a duty (imho) to ensure that we are sufficiently accurate to place the shot to cause a swift, humane ending to the animal. If one needs a modern optic to do this, so be it.

I would suggest for those who cannot find a mitigation technique for their traditional sights, to consider a 2X pistol scope, mounted sufficiently forward of the breech on the barrel, to eliminate paralax. A properly drilled and tapped barrel will accept a scope mount, and when the owner wishes, it may be removed and the holes filled with flat screws.

LD

Same principal as the scope mount on Scout rifle unmentionables. Like it.

 

[SOLANCO]

I see all these gismos and glasses and have to shake my head. Medical technology has fixing eyes down to outpatient status and its often free!!!!

Some things are not fixable. Had a detached retina in my right eye. Even with the retina reattached my right eye vision dropped to 20/500. Teaching myself to shoot left handed was not easy and still feels unnatural. Thankfully .22 rimfire was cheap then because I burned through a lot of it learning.

 

[SOLANCO]

my rear sight is in front of my front sight

Don't pull the trigger!!!!!!

 

[Darkhorse]

Darkhorse. I love this sight. With my latest eye issues I may well have to use one of these soon.
I don’t see a screw head on it. May I ask how you attached it to the tang ?

Here you go Tarpon stalker, this is the basics.


I drilled and tapped a 8/32 hole through the tang just behind the plug. Great care was taken when drilling
as to be square with the bore the drill had to enter the material at a angle. Plus it had to be in the centerline of the bore as the only windage adjustment was with the front sight. I made the first prototype out of a .40 S&W empty case and worked most things out with that. One reason the position of the hole was chosen was to give room for a 8/32 lock washer and nut beneath the tang.

This position beneath the tang was worked flat so the nut would seat without touching the rear of the plug. I wanted both an adjustable sight and one that could be positively locked in position. Where the adjustment screw touched the stock mortice, I drilled it a little deeper for clearance and also chiseled that location for clearance for the lock washer and nut. Then sealed all new wood with Jim Chambers oil finish.

For the final version I cut off a section of 8/32 tangbolt and screwed it into the sight base using J&B weld in the theads to lock it in place. If you don't do this the sight will rotate on the screw when you try to tighten it or could get bumped off center easily in the woods. By turning the screw up one complete turn you move the sight .031" The photo's of the first 2 prototypes should give an idea of how things work. The next one I do for my .54 I'm thinking about using a set screw drilled to intersect the 8/32 hole so the rifle will not need to be taken apart to make elevation adjustments.

If making a peep for a straight barrel just measure the height of your current sights and that will get you real close. On the other hand a swamped barrel is more difficult to get the sights right. Best way I’ve found is to just make the front sight higher so you just file off the top of the blade until the rifle is sighted in.

I used 1/8” X 1/2” weldable steel for the peep.

The peep that uses the entire screw top is the strongest and easiest to work with.

 

[TarponStalker]

Here you go Tarpon stalker, this is the basics.

Thank you very much.

 

[Jake2454]

Thank you very much.

very cool

 

[nkbj]

For an optometrist that is "in network" the earliest I can get an appointment is mid-November.
So ON HOLD goes my new barrel work until I find out how well my lenses can be corrective.

 

[RicM]

lol....i have seen these "shooters bi focals" advertised and was wondering if anyone tried them or something like them other than standard perscription glasses

Yup had issues when shooting mostly the handguns and a few long guns. Picked up 2 slightly tinted bi-focals for 1.5 reading at Walmart. They do have stronger ones (Cheap) Takes a bit time getting use to them, but I can now focus on the rear sites now. Also on front site I sometimes put a dab of whiteout on it and can pick it up easier.

 

[Codger Craig Wilcox]

Cataract surgery. Quick, painless, has given the 77-year-old me the eyes I didn't have even as a teenager.

I, like others, had really bad eyes, like 20/400 and worse. Always wore glasses, from the age of 9 to 69.
Noticed I was having trouble reading speed limit signs, especially at twilight, thought I needed new glasses. NOPE! I gots cataracts!!
Luckily, the eyeball guy was a fellow target shooter - gave me 20/15 on the right, 20/20 on the left. And I was amazed! For the first time I could see leaves on trees, mortar lines on bricks, et. And didn't cost me a dime, and I am at a loss to figure out why. Do have to wear reading glasses though.
Now, my current eye guys are great! And since I was declared 100% disabled a few years back, I go to the VA here in Ohio. New glasses every year. This last time was an eye-opener, pun intended.
The optometrist and I were chatting about me building flintlock rifles, and he asked about the distance I liked, from my eyes to the work - and he gave me a prescription for glasses with that focal length, and it really helps. I did not know that was a possibility.
Now, if the VA could only cure the Agent Orange affects on my olde body.....

 

[Jake2454]

I, like others, had really bad eyes, like 20/400 and worse. Always wore glasses, from the age of 9 to 69.
Noticed I was having trouble reading speed limit signs, especially at twilight, thought I needed new glasses. NOPE! I gots cataracts!!
Luckily, the eyeball guy was a fellow target shooter - gave me 20/15 on the right, 20/20 on the left. And I was amazed! For the first time I could see leaves on trees, mortar lines on bricks, et. And didn't cost me a dime, and I am at a loss to figure out why. Do have to wear reading glasses though.
Now, my current eye guys are great! And since I was declared 100% disabled a few years back, I go to the VA here in Ohio. New glasses every year. This last time was an eye-opener, pun intended.
The optometrist and I were chatting about me building flintlock rifles, and he asked about the distance I liked, from my eyes to the work - and he gave me a prescription for glasses with that focal length, and it really helps. I did not know that was a possibility.
Now, if the VA could only cure the Agent Orange affects on my olde body.....

good eye story....i have known several who have suffered the after effects of agent orange
thank you for your service

 

[Ranch 13]

Does anyone use any special glasses for old eyes and if so what are they and do they work?

Get a fresh prescription from your eye dr. When you get home scan it into your computer so you can email it. Get Decot shooting glasses on the line, and when you and the nice lady on the other end of the line get thru figuring out what lenses you want, and you've given her a good description of the type of shooting you're doing, she'll ask you to send it to her email. Have your credit card ready and make the payment. In a couple of weeks your new glasses will come. You'll be amazed, or at least I was on how much easier it was to get a good sight picture and shoot better with irons.

 

[Jake2454]

i will definately look into it....thanks