Front sight, rear sight, wheres the target?

[Muttly]

Turned fourty a few years ago,and I keep forgetting how crappy my eyes are getting. And they did,nt start out that hot...
Went out to do a little shootin with a .44, check on a load I have,nt messed with in a couple years. Even coming up with every goofy excuse I could think of, I,m just glad no one else was around to see that shameful display of shoddy shootin. Never messed with the sights on the revolvers, they seemed to be close enough to a center of target point of impact that previously, a little high or low, walk em in and emember where to hold. After today though, I,m thinking I should probably get everything set for a six o,clock hold, zeroed at 25 yards. Even the odds of a clear view of the target a bit. Next trip to the eye doc, hafta see about gettin a little more clarity in the right eye, wear contacts..
Pretty sure I need to grab a brick of .22 ammo and get back to the basics with the smallest revolver. Last cylinder, everything was centered, bit of stringing. Prior to that though, few shots were a lot wider of the target than I,d like to admit.
Gonna ask for advice on the whole thing. Little chilly out there today, but still... Pointers would be appreciated.

[hairy]

Muttly, Welcome to my world.

I, too, have been plagued with poor eyesight since about 5th grade, now sixty and it ain't getting any better. I seem to be able to have only one of the critical items in focus and not all three. Having done much competitive shooting, the only real suggestions I have found to work is to keep the target in focus and let the rest blur out. While many might argue with me, the narrower the rear sight the better. If you can keep the two sights aligned so their is no space on either side of the front blade and then use the entire top of both front and rear sight to to center on the target for windage and elevation you might find some improvement. Also, the old man's sight, an aperature is useful. It could be one of those that sticks to your glasses. It works on the same principal as stopping down the lens aperature on your camera lens. By doing this you can increase your depth of field, thus bringing a longer distance into focus. The smaller the hole the greater the depth of field, the trade off is you need more ambient light the smaller the hole you look through. By using an aperature you may be able get two or all three in focus. If these do not work, I won't be much help, but, I am sure others will chime in and I hope to see more ideas because it only gets worse with age. Good Luck!

[Seasons44]

I am plagued with having to wear contacts as well and feel your pain, I get the blurry sight picture eyes going in and out of focus, etc etc, and I am only 26.
Though I have found a couple things that have worked for me that I brought over from years of shooting archery, target color, size and sight colors.
The width of your rear sight and post make a huge difference, at least for me, smaller target rear notch help my eyes focus better and stay focused. Color of target and size, I find having a large bull-eyes, I am all over the place though with a smaller diamond or square I can focus my shots with a 6o'clock hold. I think the target size is a mental thing for me but its what works. Sight color can also help, I find the standard orange S&W sights can blur on me,though green is what my eyes go to.
I haven't found the perfect front sight yet, but black on black has grown on me after listening to other members, just cleaner in all conditions.
I am no expert at this but I feel your pain with vision issues, hope these tips help you like they have helped me

[wickerbill]

I've been near sighted since the fourth grade. I did fine till I turn 42. That's when My shooting went to shit. I couldn't focus on the front sight. Went to the eye doc and he put me in no line progressives and everything got good again. I just move my head up or down till I find the focus on the front sight. It works great. Near sighted with astigmatism sucks.
Bill

[Markbo]

Wait till you get to 50! Then wait till you get told you won a Cadillac and the Eye Doc clarifies that with "No, no... cataracts! You have a Cataract in your right eye!"

CSS, CHS, CRS... I got all my Cs covered! ;D Oh... and I can't get up without making sounds I didn't used to make either.

Nearsighted & astigmatic since Pre-K
(Mom's advice about don't throw rocks at each other should have been heeded)

[AxeHandle]

Dang Boys! Anyone want some cheese with that whine? ;D
Less than 20/200 vision here for over 50 years. Luckily correctable to 20/20 for most of that time. Big iron sighted competition backgound. FWIW, speaking as a 60 year old former NRA outdoor pistol high master, you might get by looking at something other than the front sight but shooting iron sights you'll never be able to compete with someone with equal shooting skill who can focus on the front sight. Lots of front sight configurations to investigate. Patridge, various ramp shapes, then colors, widths, fiber optics etc.. Don't give up... I keep scopes close by for those days when that front sight just won't focus..

[dougader]

I've started putting scopes and red dots on everything except my prettiest revolvers. A guy a church works for Crimson Trace and just gave me a laser for the G26. Once he tests them he can't sell them. Lucky me!

I know a guy who shoots IPSC/USPSA at the local range. We were shooting his little suppressed Ruger 22/45 Lite and he had a holographic sight on it. That worked good for me.

For competition, he has some prescription shooting lenses in a pair of goggles and the lense for his left eye is ground so he can focus on long distance targets and the right lense is ground and finished for perfect focus at the end of his right arm (where the front sight of his gun rests). He said he could only use them for an hour or two at first because he got dizzy, but now he uses them all the time for matches without side effects. I have been thinking of trying this myself.

[bobl44]

Last time I went shooting, I felt like it was a waiste of lead, going to the 3rd eye specialist in january. My daughter can out shoot me now. Hopefully january will fix this, Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas to all.

[malamute]

I'll second the aperture deal that goes on your glasses. Merit makes them, and they are like magic for most folks, no foolin. It's like having sharp young eyes again, with both sights and the target all in focus at once.

[shorty500]

43 now. found cataract and scar also on left eye at 13. with glasses ( got wear them for safety at work and play) am 20/50 sometimes 20/40 on a good day lol. like others have said size, shape ,color and sight radius all come into play. black on black by 1/8 wide front and rear works great on targets and most plinking buT find myself favoring a lite green ramp in low light and the winter woods

[shorty500]

43 now. found cataract and scar also on left eye at 13. with glasses ( got wear them for safety at work and play) am 20/50 sometimes 20/40 on a good day lol. like others have said size, shape ,color and sight radius all come into play. black on black by 1/8 wide front and rear works great on targets and most plinking buT find myself favoring a lite green ramp in low light and the winter woods

[Boge Quinn]

Nov 28, 2012 22:57:37 GMT -5 malamute said:

I'll second the aperture deal that goes on your glasses. Merit makes them, and they are like magic for most folks, no foolin. It's like having sharp young eyes again, with both sights and the target all in focus at once.

www.gunblast.com/MeritOptical.htm