Poor Vision - How do you shoot?

[Rockydog]

I don't know if love is the right word, but I do really love/enjoy my muzzleloaders. At some level they are part of me I guess. Anyway I haven't actually shot them much the passed ten years because my eyesight has gone south.

Basically I can't clearly resolve the rear nor front sight anymore. The hankering to pick up my rifles again is strong. But the frustration of trying to see the sights is driving me nuts.

So what to you guys with poor peepers do?

Many Thanks!

 

[rabjr]

Get a new prescription right about now every other year works for me.

 

[Skychief]

Great advice from Swampy (imagine that :thumbsup: ). You might also look into peep sights as they will sharpen a front sight for most guys and you will have only it to focus on.


I went to the eye doctor today by the way and look forward to better sight once my new specs arrive!

Good luck and get back in the game with us.

Welcome to the site, Skychief.

 

[Rockydog]

You know it probably is as simple as Swampy's advice...it's been a few years since I went to the eye doctor.

 

[ApprenticeBuilder]

To be totaly honest I found glasses to be worthless for shooting unless I am using a scoped rifle :youcrazy:

I use contacts as they are the best alternative for my vision issues, I went in and explained to the eye doc what i wanted my scrip to do and thats what we did.

I can see the rear sight as a crispish line whereas before it was a definite fuzzy blur.

The bonus about contacts is twofold for me, I wear them for work and do not have to worry about the sweat pooling in the lens, and for shooting it places the focal lens on the eye, just like the ones you were born with :wink:

Its worth the asking if your going in for a check up anyhow.

 

[Kentuckywindage]

clear2target pasties on my glasses.

 

[Stumpkiller]

Stand closer. I used to play at 100 + yards with iron sights but those days are gone.

I've also ordered a sightless fowler.

 

[jethro224]

I remember reading somewhere about an old muzzleloader shooter who could no longer see his sights. The story was that he tied a strip of white cloth around his muzzle and shot pretty fair at close range.

IIRC it was in a magazine article, I think Baker, might have been Curry or Nesbitt, and the author tried it by covering his own front sight with a piece of white cloth.

 

[Stumpkiller]

You can try putting a piece of electrical tape with a 1/16" eyehole in it on your glasses lens that will give you great depth-of-field (more is in focus at once). If you have enough light, that is.

 

[Stumpkiller]

If the problem is shiny sights you can use a candle to soot them up. That helps sometimes.

 

[east texas]

what has helped me is modifying the back sight to what we used to call battle sights! by taking a small file to the rear sight and opening it up a bit has greatly helped my focusing problem, the front sight also dissapeared on me so i took the blade off and drilled the lug and threaded it for a small round head machine screw, so now i can line the dot up in the circle/notch and maintain satifactory accuracy. also i know its not pc but my traditions deerhunter came with green and red light gathering/reflecting plastic something or other for sights , and although it has a much shorter barrel than my other rifles, i line up the colors and can see them rather well. mike

 

[LRB]

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.

 

[Rat Trapper]

I remember reading somewhere about an old muzzleloader shooter who could no longer see his sights. The story was that he tied a strip of white cloth around his muzzle and shot pretty fair at close range.

IIRC it was in a magazine article, I think Baker, might have been Curry or Nesbitt, and the author tried it by covering his own front sight with a piece of white cloth.

It was John Curry and it was printed in Muzzle Blasts.

 

[biliff]

Merit Optical Disc. Same idea as the tape with holes in it. Sharpens up both the front and rear sights.

 

[Rifleman1776]

It is often said you can tell the age of a rifle's owner by looking at the position of the rear sight. The rear sight moved further away from the shooter can improve the situation. How long it will remain useful that way is an individual matter. I'll repeat the most valuable advice given so far, see an eye doctor. A real medical eye doctor, an opthamologist. You may have a treatable condition. Start there.

 

[JJasper]

I've found that shooting with both eyes open helps quite a bit. This takes some practice, and faith! My rear sight is still a bit fuzzy, but my groups have improved since I started keeping both eyes open. I also use the stick-on, removable sight discs that you put on the lens of your glasses. In other words...I've tried everthing.

I may ask my optometrist to make me special shooting glasses, but that will cost a bunch.

I can still shoot peep sights with no problem, but I can't see putting a peep on a flintlock unless I'm going hunting with it and plan on taking an 80 yard-plus shot.

 

[matt denison]

I was fortunate that about 12 years ago a came across an eye doctor who was also a shooter so he understood my problem with open sights well. He fixed me up with progressive lenses. They are more expensive than common lenses or bifocals but they work very well for me.

Also shooting a trade gun with only a front sight. There's only a sight @ 30 odd inches from my eye and the target to focus on. No big blurry rear sight to get in the way.

 

[east texas]

yea wick, the larger slot and thicker front sight haved helped me as well! i dont really need a reason to miss i can do it all day long! :haha:

 

[Sunkmanitu Tanka]

It don't really matter to me - I always close my eyes when I shoot .... :shocked2:
No really - every two year a new set of glasses, and recently I replaced the rear sight ... that helps a lot

 

[ericb]

I gather you're a Rifle Guy - Have you considered a Smoothbore or a good Musket? Muskets have an allure all their own - and you'd be surprised how soon you adapt to "Zen Pointing" as opposed to Front/Rear Sight Aiming...and how good you can be at it....

Eric