One of the pains of growing old is that the eyes no longer focus well at closer distances. When using iron sights on a rifle or pistol, one must focus on the front sight.
On a target rifle we use a small rear aperture, to increase the depth of field of the eye. Some guys bolt a "bloop tube" to their rifle, to push the front sight out another 8 inches.
I spend a lot of time working on a computer, and got a sore neck, tilting my head back so I could see the screen with the lower lens of my bifocals. This was solved by have a pair of glasses made with the entire lens a reading lens set for about 2 feet, so the screen is clear without having to tilt my head.
One day I happed to dry fire a pistol with these glasses and discovered the sight picture was much better. Sights were sharp. I tried them at the range and found the target was too fuzzy.
I went back to the guy who makes my glasses (also a shooter) and had him make me a pair of glasses (plastic lenses for protection - not glass) such that the focus is at the end of my extended finger, and no closer. This was a half diopter different than my computer glasses. This made the front sight sharp and the target as sharp as it can be when focussed on the front sight.
The lens on the other eye is a regualr bifocal lens so I can see close for reding the label on the ammo box or see the bullet holes in the target.
Plastic lenses are polycarbonate - very strong and will protect my eyes from flying brass, etc.
For less than $100 I can now see my sights nice and sharp, just like I did 60 years ago when I started shooting.
PM me if you want the name and number of the lens maker in the GTA.
On a target rifle we use a small rear aperture, to increase the depth of field of the eye. Some guys bolt a "bloop tube" to their rifle, to push the front sight out another 8 inches.
I spend a lot of time working on a computer, and got a sore neck, tilting my head back so I could see the screen with the lower lens of my bifocals. This was solved by have a pair of glasses made with the entire lens a reading lens set for about 2 feet, so the screen is clear without having to tilt my head.
One day I happed to dry fire a pistol with these glasses and discovered the sight picture was much better. Sights were sharp. I tried them at the range and found the target was too fuzzy.
I went back to the guy who makes my glasses (also a shooter) and had him make me a pair of glasses (plastic lenses for protection - not glass) such that the focus is at the end of my extended finger, and no closer. This was a half diopter different than my computer glasses. This made the front sight sharp and the target as sharp as it can be when focussed on the front sight.
The lens on the other eye is a regualr bifocal lens so I can see close for reding the label on the ammo box or see the bullet holes in the target.
Plastic lenses are polycarbonate - very strong and will protect my eyes from flying brass, etc.
For less than $100 I can now see my sights nice and sharp, just like I did 60 years ago when I started shooting.
PM me if you want the name and number of the lens maker in the GTA.
Last edited:
