My eyes! My eyes!

[rbstern]

The first thirty-five+ years of my life, I was blessed with better than 20-20 vision. This was before I was into shooting sports. When I started shooting ten years ago, still had at least 20-20. In the last year or so, my distance vision has started to deteriorate. Also find I need more light to read small print. I guess all good things must come to an end. I've got an eye doc appointment later this month. We'll see where that takes me.

I love shooting iron sights, but the eyesite is taking a toll on my accuracy. Not terrible. Just not what I could once do. Scopes are an easy fix, but...my deer gun is a Marlin 336 30-30 and I hate the idea of putting a scope on a lever gun; I stalk a lot when hunting, and the levergun carries so well in hand without a scope. Anybody here have experience with a receiver peep sight on a lever gun, or in peep sights in general? I know a lot of older shooters with less than ideal eyesight like them.

My CVA muzzleloader wears fiber optic sights, and I do pretty well with those. That's another possibility.

I do have a Nikon Prostaff 2-7x32 standing by for the Marlin, if I must. If I have to mount it, want it as low as possible. Weaver setups, even with low ring heights, still put the scope too high. Was thinking about the Leupold STD mount and rings. Any thoughts on that appreciated.

 

[Greg Meyer]

Rich, my favorite rifle was a Mossberg .22 LR bolt gun that came with receiver sights. My love of those sights has not diminished. You might want to try a look at Williams products and for hunting consider almost a ghost ring setup with a fairly large rear aperture.

 

[fatrap]

I only have problems with iron sights in low light. I have a Marlin 1894 in 44 mag and still get a good sight picture. Rich are your fuzzy in all light conditions? My brother put a peep on his black powder rifle and it's helped him considerable.

 

[AirForce]

I only have problems with iron sights in low light.

I'm the same way, but I just go with it and adapt.

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

My 17 shot semi auto 22 has buckhorn sights. I love em!!

See Meyer I ain't stewpid

 

[Greg Meyer]

Yeah but when Mr. Buckhorn finds out you got his rifle he is gonna want it back..... Actually, I like a slightly modernized "buckhorn" for open sights, Williams Guideline.
But, some type of "peep/ghost ring" takes advantage of the eye/brain connection that "centers" the target... very accurate and effective. Also, largely eliminates the major problem with mature eyes, the difficulty of focusing on objects in three planes...the rear sight, front sight and the target.

 

[rbstern]

Update: Eyedoc says I'm becoming nearsighted due to aging eyes. In the grand scheme of things (working on a computer all day), that's better for me than the opposite. He declared my eyes "very healthy" otherwise. I had never had the dilation drops in my eyes before. That was a trip. Spent the next few hours avoiding bright lights and sunshine.

I explained the distance vision troubles and my concern about shooting sports to the doc. Fortunately, he had some gun experience, understood the "three plane" issue of using iron sites. He gave me a prescription for distance glasses, dialed-back slightly to keep close up objects from being too blurry.

I picked up the glasses from Costco last night. Driving home was a revelation. I didn't realize just how much detail I was loosing without the benefit of glasses.

Today, I took a rifle with a red dot optic out of the safe. In recent years, when I use a red dot, I see a small starburst instead of a red dot. With the new glasses...eureka! I now see a small, clearly defined red dot! A good first step.

I won't get a chance to do any shooting until Saturday, but I am looking forward to it.

 

[fatrap]

Rich I used to have 20/15 vision. Now I have trifocals and am treating glaucoma, and have cataracts. I still shoot approx. twice a week. Pistols one day rifles the next. I don't think I'll ever be as good as shot as I once was. Join the club. I wish I could exercise my eyes and strengthen them like I do my ancient body. Red dots are a great alternative to iron sights just remember to keep fresh batteries if your using one of the firearms as a defense weapon.
What'd ya have the red dot on?

fatrap

 

[Barry Dufour]

Morning guys. I had the same problem about 10 years ago. The doc said I needed tri-fold eyeglasses. I also had to have safety lenses for my job. It was too expensive for me. I decided to have the Lasik eye surgery and it was like night and day. I only need the cheap reading glasses for the newspaper and other small print. Otherwise I don't need any glasses for hunting, fishing and other things. I know it's costly but over the years the cost of the needing eyewear evens it out.
Barry form La.

 

[rbstern]

Mike, the red dot is on an New Frontier lower/Palmetto State Armory M4 style upper that I put together recently. I bought the lower during the panic; didn't think I would care for it and figured to replace it once aluminum lowers became available again, but have to admit I like the lower a lot. Handling qualities are really good. Lightweight, decent trigger, and tight mating to the upper. It's been a surprise. We'll see how she shoots this weekend.

Barry, I will consider Lasik in the future. The doc says my eyes will probably still change for another four or five years and advised waiting until they stabilize.

 

[fatrap]

Barry the doc's said I wasn't a candidate for Lasik because of my glaucoma and cataracts or it would be a "done deal" however I've not given up on this subject.

Rich I never hear of either your upper or lower. One thing for certain is that all AR parts are built to the same tolerances and all parts will fit any AR. The .308 platforms I'm finding is not so much that way. One thing I encourage all AR owners to do is buy spare firing pins, extractors and extractor spring and extractor pin. The retention clip that holds the firing pin and an assortment of detents and springs. Especially buffer spring and buffer hinge pins and springs and detents. These are the most lost and worn out parts or the weak links in your weapon. I've had a couple guys loose springs and detents just by changing the pistol grip to a custom grip not realizing that their is a spring and detent held in place by the pistol grip.

fatrap

 

[rbstern]

Been busy working since the weekend, but wanted to update y'all on the eyeglass shooting adventure.

I did some of my best shooting in a long time. I only shot at 25 yards (22lr from a S&W 2206 pistol, .223 sight in chores from a couple of rifles) and 50 yards for my muzzleloader, which has Williams fiber optic sights.

The doc did me right. The distance prescription sharpens up the target immensely, but I still perceive the rear sight well, without much distortion. It's the first time I've shot iron sights in a while where I was actually seeing the holes in the target. Saves some walking to and from the bench.

I also noticed that the glasses worked really well with the backup iron peep on the AR15. Now I understand why people with corrected vision like that setup.

At this point, I consider the glasses a success, yet with more experience to be gained with other weapons and sights.