I can’t see my sights

[wobranch]

The tape with a small hole can be stuck on the rear sight to make a peep sight also.

 

[Belleville]

Had poor eyesight from the get go. Checked on laser surgery once and they didn't even get back to me. Checked again at 60 and the surgery had improved to where I was now a candidate, so had it done. Before couldn't see target well, but could see the sights well, afterward target was clear but then couldn't see the sights well. I ask the eye Doctor about it and he said get a scope. I pointed out how that would look on a custom flintlock rifle. So your Doctor after he gets your money $4000, 15 years ago (a lot for me), may be less than helpful. Bought one of these iris spots that suction cup's on to your glasses lens for $40 and the smallest that you could make the hole was still too large to be of any help. So got adhesive black spots (stationary store) and drilled a small hole in the center. Put the dot on the inside of my shooting glasses, near the nose. After experimenting with the hole size and spot location on the lens, then I could see the sights and target clearly and my scores greatly improved.

Now 15 years later, can no longer hold the rifle still on the target to shoot well. Will have to try and figure out if there is anything that can be done to fix that problem.

Your mileage may vary, but may give you hope and something inexpensive to try.

 

[wobranch]

I had cataract surgery, but still carry tri-focals if I need to read something or sharpen up distance viewing. I paid extra for implants to correct astigmatism but the right one shifted and had to be realigned. Implants don't always give you perfect vision.

 

[Crow-Feather]

I had your problem with my poor boy 42" barrel. I just put on a wider front sight and widened the rear sight notch. Worked for me. The sight can look the same, just wider. On another rifle, I took black Gorilla tape and wrapped it around the front sight with the connected side facing the shooter. I then trimmed it with a razor blade. Big (or should I say wide) difference.

 

[KingTut]

Wobranch is right on. I bought a set of leather punches and punched hole in pieces of black electrical tape. Then experimented with the different sized holes until I found the best size to focus on the front site. The worst part is getting it in the right place on my shooting glasses, but once it is in position I don’t even think about it being there. This has help me with CMP military rifles and I use it with the percussion I have just started shooting.
Good luck.

 

[fireman1]

They make magnified safety glasses....1.25x and 1.5x. They can be a great option. Cheap, safe and can really help.

The ones that I use. I have 4 pairs. I have them stashed in the truck, shop, gun room and in the work tools.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00E5NXH6M/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Ones that are on Amazon..some less than $5 delivered.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=1.25&rh=n:2681344011&ref=nb_sb_noss

 

[gustrolland]

I ran some lead through my .45 long rifle recently, and wasn’t thrilled with my performance. The truth is I just can’t see the sights well anymore. The blade is a blur (on a 44” barrel) that I more or less guess is in the notch of my flat rear sight. At 50 yards I averaged a 3” to 4” group. I was never Hawkeye, but I sure used to do better than that.

So within the bounds of reasonable historical correctness, what should I be looking at to improve my ability to see my sights? My first thought was a buckhorn or peep sight. I’m not sure how that would help with the blurry front sight though.

I appreciate any advice, remembering that I do like to stay traditional. Thanks much.

Try some lime green paint, rust- olleam(spelling?) I've had good luck with that on my front sights and I'm 70. Several other shooters that I know have tried this color and also had good results

 

[Tom Compton]

I virtually quit shooting for 10 years or so due to poor vision. Optometrist (who also had an in house glasses business) said I didn’t have cataracts and kept prescribing no line graduated bifocals. Moved across state and a new neighbor was a highly regarded ophthalmologist so a visit. He said my right lense (yes I shoot righty) looked like a shower door with hammered glass. He asked if I wanted this lense replacement set up for near or far vision. Decided on a distance about arms reach on me. I’m 6’5”. Now can see the front sight of pistol or long rifle. I keep cheater readers for up close. Later had left cataract lense replacement set up for far distance.

I’ve since won aggregates in state contests including offhand, flintlock and pistol.

Just my experience.

 

[FishDFly]

"highly regarded ophthalmologist", it is amazing what a trip to a good one does for your shooting.

You can put tape on your glasses, go to wider sights or move the rear sight forward, but at the end of the day if you have cataracts or anther eye problem you still have it.

 

[Relic shooter]

Lots of helpful tips posted on the forum & can see that 'wobranch' & i share very similar age & eyesight afflictions

When shooting a rifle,, moving your rear-sight further up the barrel will take care of most failing eyesight issues.
My eyesight was never good for shooting. About 40 years ago after trying several commercial eyesight shooting aids I found this eyesight rig worked the best & allowed me to become a competitive shooter. 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.
If you want to get fancy you can screw a Merit adjustable disc into the plastic disc.
My 40 year old original loupe 'frame' that is shown with the black disc is no longer available but the newer style of loupe frame that is also shown will work fine. 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...

 

[RB POWELL]

FishDFry, not helpful: your snarky, wise-ass advise about sight picture with failing eyesight was rather boorish. Try to be helpful, not regal.

 

[RB POWELL]

Your second should have been your first post.

 

[vintovka]

Heres a short tale with an amazing ending that may help. Bear with me. Been very, very near sighted whole life, So blind they tell me it affected my coordination and kept me out of any sports and lead to being a mean SOB as i could not tell friend from foe beyond 3 feet. Finally got glasses at 12, helped but never "right" and always struggled. About 65 stopped open sight shooting altogether . Even with best glasses couldn't see front first then rear. Also seemed like things were getting darker even in bright sunlight. Thought it was just old age + cataracts. Doc took one look and said you have advanced Fuiks disease and need new corneas. Fast forward -- Two new corneas and now 20-20 no glasses plus clearest sight ever. Right now i am looking 3/4 mile across Oregons Siuslaw river, I can clearly see folks walking about old Florence. Surgeries were painless, Process was all outpatient and covered by my insurance.

 

[Grenadier1758]

I just have trouble with focusing on the rear sight. I use reading glasses a lot but not for shooting because then the front sight is blurry. My solution was to when I ordered my current kit, I had the dovetail for the rear sight moved out farther by three inches.

You need a reading prescription for the distance to your front sight. That will put your front sight in focus with the rear sight slightly out of focus and the target slightly out of focus. This can be dealt with by the use of a diopter, a piece of tape with a hole in it, a Merit disc that uses a suction cup to fasten to your glasses. Normal readers will normally focus at book reading distances, not front sight distances. By the way, moving the rear sight forward is a historical solution. So is switching to a smoothbore. With the lonely front sight on a smooth bore and the target in focus, the target can be tracked and the spread of the shot will take care of the other uncertainties.

 

[Kansas Jake]

I had my ophthalmologist do a glasses prescription for my front sight distance to help with shooting. I have a dedicated pair of shooting glasses.

BTW Vintovka, we had a daughter pass away many years ago at age 15. We donated her corneas to help someone else see.

 

[Tom A Hawk]

Aperture discs have been discussed here. Great concept similar to a peep sight and no alteration to the gun required.
Shooting Fix for Most Poor Eyesight Issues

 

[bldtrailer]

older eyes a peep or ghost ring sight

 

[bldtrailer]

if you want to try a peep ghost sight on the cheap try a dog lic or make one like I did

 

[Many Klatch]

You can move your rear sight closer to the front sight. I have seen originals that had multiple dovetails for rear sights. As the vision got worse they moved the rear sight forward.

 

[ChrisPer]

I am just about to turn 85 and for years have used this trick to sharpen up rifle sights. I put a small piece of black electrical tape on a scrap of clear plastic, punch a small hole about 1/16" with a special punch, then peel off the tape and stick it on your glasses. Looking through the tiny aperture sharpens up vision on both front and rear sights as well as the target.

Me too! I choose cheap reading glasses plus black eleccy tape pierced with the smallest hole on my rotating leather punch.