Poor Vision - How do you shoot?

[hanshi]

I started filing a wide notch in the rear sights so plenty of daylight showed on either side of the front. Another thing that helped a lot was to paint the front with flat white paint. In the sun it didn't glare and reflect like brass and GS. And in the dark of the woods it showed up great.

 

[CoyoteJoe]

I just replaced my sights with a 1/8" thick silver front, and a 1/8" wide notch in the rear. This has done wonders for me. After sighting in I put a ball dead center through a snuff can lid at 50yrds. Off a bench rest. I am extremely near sighted, but have found a reduced prescription in my right lens has also helped in clearing up the sights. Now I have to find another excuse for not hitting the targets off hand.

I haven't yet gone wider than 1/10" but sights do need to be visible. Lots of folks seem to think it takes "fine sights to do fine shooting" and the sights on original rifles seem to reflect that thinking but fine sights suck if you can't see them. Plenty of people do really fine shooting with 1/10" or 1/8" pistol sights so obviously fine sights are not required. What IS required is sights you can see.
I have a rear peep on my hunting rifles but for rendezvous shoots it is open sights only and I have even gotten some manure over a Merit disk on my glasses so there it is a 1/10" front blade with a wide rear notch. I may have to go to 1/8" to see if there is any improvement.

 

[LRB]

Good idea Hanshi. I may try that. You did use flat PC milk paint, right??

 

[LRB]

The wide pistol sights is what made me think. To a point within reason, it doesn't matter how wide the sights are, as long as you center the post on the target, and have equal light on the sides in the notch. Another plus is, the wide sights are easy to find and center in a hurry.

 

[hoochiepapa]

When I had cataract surgery, I told the doc I was a hunter, and could he help me with that? Though they weren't done at the same time, and being a right-hand shooter, he put a lens in my right eye to focus on the sights, and a lens in the left eye to focus farther away. But with age....

 

[hanshi]

Good idea Hanshi. I may try that. You did use flat PC milk paint, right??

:idunno: It was white...the color of milk. Didn't smell like milk, though. :hmm: Don't think I'd take a sip to find out. :rotf:

 

[east texas]

thas why we used to call them battle sights , because we could aquir a sight pic faster . the flat white paint is a good idea too! i had heard green was te secret color that the eye could catch but the sight just dissapeared on me in the woods. i think ill try the white! mike

 

[Rockydog]

Not sure how to reply to All, but lots of great ideas here. Depending on the circumstances and the rifle or setting, I think I'll try a few different suggestions.

One thing that has definitely sparked my interest is the idea of a smooth bore with only a front sight.

Also want to say thanks again for taking the time to help.

 

[ResearchPress]

I'm amazed at all the 'work arounds' posted here. When my eyesight started to deteriorate about 20 years ago as I got older I just started wearing shooting glasses. Of course such glasses may not be what's wanted if you're into reenactment, but if you just want to get out and enjoy shooting, treat yourself.

I have no problem with open sights or aperture sights and shooting at ranges from 50 yards to 1200 yards with muzzle loaders.

Oh, and as posted by someone else, learn to shoot with both eyes open. That's how your eyes are supposed to work and will be at their best. If you need to, a small opaque blinder can be placed in front of the non aiming eye to mask out the foresight - but let each eye get close to the same amount of light.

David

 

[Pete Gaimari]

At some point. Nothing works except a scope.

So, I use one. Crystal clear to 200yds.

The elk will thank me for not wounding them.

 

[LRB]

Well, shooting glasses don't work if your eyes can't focus the sights anymore. I learned to shoot with both eyes open when I was a kid, but that makes no difference when you can't focus the sights. I can see the target clear, but not the sights. Not the tiny fine sights anyway. I made a compromise by ordering a lower power in my right lens, and that helps, but still not like a young man can see.

 

[Dphar]

Well, shooting glasses don't work if your eyes can't focus the sights anymore. I learned to shoot with both eyes open when I was a kid, but that makes no difference when you can't focus the sights. I can see the target clear, but not the sights. Not the tiny fine sights anyway. I made a compromise by ordering a lower power in my right lens, and that helps, but still not like a young man can see.

My right eye has been increasingly "fuzzing out" the targets kinda fade in and out. If I can get the "in" to hang long enough to make the shot things work better. Peep sights are a help but even a scope is not immune.
PITA.
Doc says the lens is kinda like looking through a dirty window.

Dan

 

[ResearchPress]

Well, shooting glasses don't work if your eyes can't focus the sights anymore.

Maybe I am missing something, but isn't the purpose of glasses to correct your vision? I wear shooting glasses with a prescription lens so I CAN focus on the sights.

FWIW, my interest is target shooting, not hunting.

David

 

[LRB]

There are no glasses made that can correct myopia and presbyopia at the same time. Since I got older, I have both conditions.

 

[ResearchPress]

OK, I understand now. However for my condition shooting glasses have enabled me to carry on shooting competitively.

David

 

[LRB]

I, and many others, wish there was an easy solution, but as one ages the natural lenses in the eye harden, and the tiny muscles that control their shape cannot do it as well anymore. One day there will be a way, but unfortunately, not as yet.

 

[bob308]

an other trick is to move the rear sight forward till both sights are sharp.
i shot with a guy that had his rear sight out to the end of the stock on a halfstock rifle. he was tough to beat.

 

[catman]

I have many rear dovetail cuts in my sticks, 3 over the years, they are heading to the end of my barrel. (Almost)
I'm not getting old, just getting old eyes..

 

[Rev_William]

When I was young my grandpa taught me to sight down the side of the barrel when my cousin broke the front sight off the .22 i used to use til we could afford to get it fixed. Seemed to work pretty good out to about 30 yds

 

[Macon Due]

I recently got a longrifle for the first time in over 2o years and had a heck of a time seeing the front sight. It would sorta fade in and out, get blurry, disappear totally.....I wear lineless bi-focals [near sighted] and went to the eye doc and told her the problem. She thought I was partially looking thru the bottom [close range] part of the lens, maybe by tilting my head a little? anyway she thought if I had a pair made with only the long distance correction [no bi-focal] that might fix it. Correct.........I can see the sight perfect now! I am having Matt at TVM to move my rear sight up about 13" from the breech on my new rifle as well.
Macon