Front Sight for poor sight....

[Jasper Morris]

Another option is a diopter that attaches to your glasses with a suction cup. Looking through the pinhole increases the sharpness of the front sight. Cheapest version is a piece of black electrical tape with a pinhole poked through the tape and then stuck to the lens of your shooting glasses.

Lyman had a suction cup diopter called Hawkeye for which the hole size was fixed; the Merit Optical Attachment has some adjustment to the hole size.

 

[ryan]

Another option is a diopter that attaches to your glasses with a suction cup. Looking through the pinhole increases the sharpness of the front sight. Cheapest version is a piece of black electrical tape with a pinhole poked through the tape and then stuck to the lens of your shooting glasses.

Lyman had a suction cup diopter called Hawkeye for which the hole size was fixed; the Merit Optical Attachment has some adjustment to the hole size.

Those things work well too. I went the cheap route and drilled a hole in the lens of a pair of cheap flip-up sunglasses. Same thing. Didn't improve my shooting though, so I don't use them.

 

[JohnnyMac]

Same problem for me with the eyesight issue, I have a hard time shooting at 25m cause I can barely see the target. Couple things that work for me is to use a target with a different colour bullseye so I can actually see what I'm shooting at. This is the one I usually use:

The other thing that is a huge help for me is that I modify my sights on my "keeper" guns. I prefer a fiber optic front sight with an all black rear sight. The kicker for me is that I get the notch on the rear site widened usually around .155" but I've gone as far as .165" wide (the first picture is a .165" notch). I usually get a "are you sure you want to go that wide" from my gunsmith when I ask for this but I always assure them this is what I'm after. It is a huge help not only to help pick up the front sight but also to pick it up quickly:

The other thing that I love for fast sight acquisition is the SVI profile on their rear sight. Here's one I just got that I haven't opened up the notch on yet:

Here's one of my Colt's that I had Rodger Kotanko do up to replicate the profile and widen the notch:

 

[Twisted Canuck]

That's an interesting approach JohnnyMac....my one concern with opening that rear notch like that would obviously be more 'play' in your sight picture. I would be concerned about my groups opening up a bit as there is more room for error with that extra gap.

I also have put a couple fibre optic sights, Tru Glo, and a Trijicon night sight on 3 of my Sigs. They are my 'working' guns that I drill with, but I don't really like them on my revolvers, it destroys the aesthetics of them. I know, it's not a beauty pageant, but it kind of is what draws me to them.

So I had my daughter pick up the brightest orange nail polish she could find today, and I repainted the sights on eight of my revolvers and my Model 41....and then jumped in with both feet and did the Sig X5 Level 1 I got a while ago. They all really pop now. Will see how that translates into shooting next range day, but they are for sure brighter now. I was going to put a fibre optic on the X5 and may still do so, when the budget is better.

 

[josquin]

...I really prefer a full wrap around style safety glass when shooting. ..

Depending on your prescription, wraparounds may or may not be possible. I looked into that few years ago with a US company and found my presciption was too extreme. There are companies who provide safety glasses for industrial use which have clear side guards, though, so you could go with a flat lens and side guards. There is an optometrist in Edmonton, Dr. Barry Nolt, who I believe is a trap or skeet shooter, so he'd be the guy to talk to.

As to the front sight, I find that a white line (like the XS-type sights) works well, esp. if the sight blade is sloped. I've used a very thin strip of Scotchlite reflective tape. At your well-lit range it should help. Another option would be a green or red fibre optic sight if you can get one for your guns.

 

[Ganderite]

Same problem for me with the eyesight issue, I have a hard time shooting at 25m cause I can barely see the target. Couple things that work for me is to use a target with a different colour bullseye so I can actually see what I'm shooting at. This is the one I usually use:

The other thing that is a huge help for me is that I modify my sights on my "keeper" guns. I prefer a fiber optic front sight with an all black rear sight. The kicker for me is that I get the notch on the rear site widened usually around .155" but I've gone as far as .165" wide (the first picture is a .165" notch). I usually get a "are you sure you want to go that wide" from my gunsmith when I ask for this but I always assure them this is what I'm after. It is a huge help not only to help pick up the front sight but also to pick it up quickly:

The other thing that I love for fast sight acquisition is the SVI profile on their rear sight. Here's one I just got that I haven't opened up the notch on yet:

Here's one of my Colt's that I had Rodger Kotanko do up to replicate the profile and widen the notch:

All my pistols have the rear notch widened. When I was ordering some LPA adjustable sights from Fusion, they asked me if I wanted the rear sight widened. They had 3 sizes. Standard, Action shooting and Old Fart. I ordered Old Fart and I am very happy with it.

Kotanko widened some. The others I did myself with a square needle file.

As for the notch being too wide for best accuracy, how much white you see is a function of your own eye. A young person will see a lot more white on either side of the front blade than I do.

But as for accuracy, there is no such thing as "too wide", but there is definitely such a thing as too "narrow". Tests have been done to determine how wide the rear sight should be:

Best accuracy is seeing half a blade width of white on each side of the blade. Or, putting it another way, the rear notch should be wide enough to see 2 blades. The examples pictured above are about perfect.

A wide notch is also much faster to use.

 

[Twisted Canuck]

Thanks for the explanation on the rear notch width Ganderite. I may just have to try and do an Old Fart on one of mine with a needle file and see how that works for me. Appreciate the info.

As for Rx wrap around safety glasses, I did learn that hard way that not all prescriptions translate well into a wrap. A couple years ago I got a pair of really nice Serengeti driving glasses done to my prescription, they did as I asked without a word to me about how it would be a bad idea. $700 later, and I have a pair of really nice glasses that have the effect of putting a tinted fishbowl on your head. I can only look out one very tiny spot that is fine, if I need to check mirrors or see what's on the side of the road, I have to turn my head. Shifting my eyes out of that tiny sweet spot is alarming and nauseating. Happily for me, they were completely unwilling to remedy this for me. Wal-Mart optometry center, not on my list of approved businesses.

 

[JohnnyMac]

Thanks for that, I was looking for some of the scientific research to help explain why this works but you beat me to the punch. The theory is explained in the book “competition shooting” by a Russian shooting coach named Yurev and I seem to recall first getting the idea from an article that was written by Dave Spaulding many years ago.

I am always surprised by the narrow sight pictures and the ridiculous 3 dot sight systems that are offered on so many guns today. There are however many more sights available with wide notches as an option which is great to see.

 

[SIGP2101]

Use lots of white around target and 6 o'clock aim. Trust me...

 

[josquin]

...As for Rx wrap around safety glasses, I did learn that hard way that not all prescriptions translate well into a wrap.... the effect of putting a tinted fishbowl on your head.

That's what I found with the glasses I ordered from Smith Optical (?) in the US. They used an insert within the wraparound frame and the field of vision was very small, when it was in focus at all. After many calls back and forth, however, they gave me a complete refund

 

[enefgee]

My eye doctor happens to be an excellent PPC shooter and he recommended a set of "task glasses" - they're like extended range reading glasses that allow clear focus from 0-30 feet with a slight change of eye position. They're great for work too - I can see the screen, and recognize people as they come into the office. The target isn't entirely clear, but then it isn't with perfect vision either because your eyes can only focus on one thing at a time. I think it's also the first time I've ever had a discount on something "non-gun" for being a member of a gun club, it felt a bit odd when the nice lady at the counter said, "and I've included your gun club discount" out loud with a smile - almost felt normal.

 

[josquin]

My eye doctor happens to be an excellent PPC shooter.... it felt a bit odd when the nice lady at the counter said, "and I've included your gun club discount" out loud with a smile - almost felt normal.

Amazing. You must be living right, enefgee.

 

[Twisted Canuck]

My eye doctor happens to be an excellent PPC shooter and he recommended a set of "task glasses" - they're like extended range reading glasses that allow clear focus from 0-30 feet with a slight change of eye position. They're great for work too - I can see the screen, and recognize people as they come into the office. The target isn't entirely clear, but then it isn't with perfect vision either because your eyes can only focus on one thing at a time. I think it's also the first time I've ever had a discount on something "non-gun" for being a member of a gun club, it felt a bit odd when the nice lady at the counter said, "and I've included your gun club discount" out loud with a smile - almost felt normal.

I actually already have a set of bifocals like that, for reading at office, off computer, and seeing my calendar across the room....or recognizing who walks in. Not that I work much in an office. I tried these on and the front sight is very focused and crisp! Will try them at range this weekend.

 

[Twisted Canuck]

Well I just got back from the range, and I'm quite pleased with the results. A: I'm seeing that bright orange front sight pretty good, and B: I wore my Rx 'task' glasses that were mentioned. (Prescription bifocal for working at desk/computer/office). I had perfect focus on my front sight, though anything past 10 yards was a bit blurred, not bad. I was shooting my S&W Model(s) 41 and 17, and my Sig X5 (P226 in 9mm).

It was refreshing to be able to focus on my front sight again. This target was 50 rounds of 128 gr shot at 10 yards, on a 12 x 18'' target. One flyer that was all operator error, but otherwise not unhappy with it. I just got that pistol, I know I will be able to grow into it. So far only have 300 rounds down it. I did also shoot 50 rounds at 25 yards...it was all in the big circle shall we say? Really going to have to work on that, I don't normally shoot 25 but am going to practice now that I have such a great facility to do it at. I will need to adjust to shooting with these glasses as well. I know I can improve a lot with that X5.



Nobody laugh at this....I'm working on it! Last range session I couldn't hardly see it! I improved a lot by the last couple mags, tightened it up a lot.

 

[IanC]

I often file the face of the sight flat if its angled and add a bit of white. To me the front sight has a much more pronounced look. I also have a mild prescription which helps too. Mine aren’t too bad yet but every year things get fuzzier. If only they could make head stamps bigger...lol

 

[Twisted Canuck]

I often file the face of the sight flat if its angled and add a bit of white. To me the front sight has a much more pronounced look. I also have a mild prescription which helps too. Mine aren’t too bad yet but every year things get fuzzier. If only they could make head stamps bigger...lol

I have to get out the magnifying glass to read head stamps at this point....even with my reading glasses it's a bit tiny.

 

[Ganderite]

Thanks for that, I was looking for some of the scientific research to help explain why this works but you beat me to the punch. The theory is explained in the book “competition shooting” by a Russian shooting coach named Yurev and I seem to recall first getting the idea from an article that was written by Dave Spaulding many years ago.

I am always surprised by the narrow sight pictures and the ridiculous 3 dot sight systems that are offered on so many guns today. There are however many more sights available with wide notches as an option which is great to see.

Yes, that is the source of the "scientific tests" I was referring to.

Here is a funny story I have never told before.

I was invited to a shooter's home for a dinner with an American guest that was visiting. He was introduced to me as Jim Land, of the NRA in Washington.

As could be expected, the dinner conversation was all about shooting.

In the course of the evening we got on the subject of eyes and sights and sight pictures and I asked Mr. Land if he was familiar with a Russian book "Competition Shooting". He gave me a funny look and said "yes".

Later in the evening we got into the issue of the value of competitive long range shooting vs the real world of long range sniping. (I am familiar with the former, but not the latter.) So I asked Mr. land if he was familiar with the exploits of Carlos Hathcock, the famous Marine sniper. He gave me a real strong funny look.

A couple of years later I happened to read the forward in "Competition Shooting". It was by the same Jim Land. He had arranged for it to be translated an published in English. I also realized that Land was also the Commanding Officer of Carlos Hathcock in Viet Nam....