Corrective shooting glasses versus lenses in rear sights

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Jason
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Corrective shooting glasses versus lenses in rear sights

Post by Jason »

The rule change mentioned in the topic in the Clubhouse reminded me to ask about this. I don't want to clutter that thread, so I'm creating this separate topic here in the lever action forum...

What is the effective difference between having a lens in the rear sight instead of just having that same prescription in shooting glasses? I ask because it seems easier to me to just have one pair of "sights" shooting glasses instead of needing to have multiple rear sights and lenses or swapping one adjustable aperture with a lens in it across multiple lever guns, and even then not having ideal picture of the front sight on other rifles like my position rifle. I have even asked serious Olympic competitors who shoot/coach position rifle and they usually refer to purpose-built shooting glasses instead of using a lens in the rear sight (possibly due to rule limitation there, also, I guess).

I have been considering picking up an adjustable rear aperture that can take a lens just to experiment, but I guess the rule change makes that idea never happen. I understand the benefit of having a lens in the front sight because that can give a very clear picture of both the front sight and the target. What have I been missing out on, and will likely now never experience, by using glasses instead of a rear sight lens?
cedestech
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Re: Corrective shooting glasses versus lenses in rear sights

Post by cedestech »

As much as I hate to help.....

There should be no difference between CORRECT shooting glasses with a CORRECT prescription and a lens in the rear sight.

Actually should be better, the clarity is MUCH better and the lens in the glasses will have all the correction for your eye, not just a simple magnification.

By correct glasses, I mean a set that puts the center of the lens in the center of your vision, when looking at the sights with the rifle shouldered the lens is parallel and centered. Any glasses that are symmetrical won't work correctly, if you have noticed you are only looking through the upper left hand (if you are right handed) portion of the lens and your prescription is no where near where you are looking and you are looking through the lens at an angle.

I am blind. Not literately but effectively. Far sighted, old eyes (don't focus easily) and astigmatism.

My scores and the consistency of my scores went up markedly when I started using proper glasses.

YMMV.... I have 3 sets with 3 prescriptions depending on light conditions.

Start with +.25 bump to your normal distance prescription, if you are far sighted, Don't know how it works for near sighted.

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Emmett Dibble, Houston, Texas. Where's my buddy Jason? Keeper of electronic records and banisher of little pieces of paper?
hermit5
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Re: Corrective shooting glasses versus lenses in rear sights

Post by hermit5 »

Jason,thanks for this topic.
Here is what I have found and done.I shoot scope silhouette guns,open sight Leveraction,and Vintage Military and AR open sight rifles.
When I had to start wearing bifocals,scope guns were a real problem.I could not get the scopes to come back far enough
to get eye relief that did not go black.I tried every kind of reversible,extended ring Mount made,finally ended up with Kelby.Although not perfect it’s best I can do.The scopes 6.5x20 EFR always hit the bell or the turret before coming close to where needed to be.No amount of adjustment on rear adjustment helped.So it has something to do with bifocal magnification.
I can not hold 20x like before so 12-16 helped but not the black halo.
The Leveraction rifles are Marlins and have about same length of pull,and rear sight is Williams FP TK with large aperature.
The 39 has shorter sight radius and PC&LA are Cowboy all with unshaded front post that I put on reversed so ramp is forward and I look at square blade like was on TC Contenders.( old habits had to brake).I have a little + prescription in the upper part of bifocal and these are my everyday glasses.Its worked very well up to now.Floaters and some cataract are starting now.
So for me the lens thing in the sights wouldn’t work as I have to change glasses to do sight adjustments.
Military rifles such as the AR,because of the positions and nose to charging handle hold and the short barrel radius along with extreme head tilt down,make my regular glasses unusable.I had to get a pair with adjustable bridge and a prescription in the upper left corner of the right lens,or else you had to use your thumb to hold up the frame of the glasses.Not very easy in rapid stage.
My eye doctor lent me about 5 of his lenses with the little handle to try on vintage military rifles.The difference in the M1,
1903A3,Swede,Swiss,M1917 sight radius were not the same.While in prone with sling made it impossible to lens experiment.So I had an assistant hold the lenses in front of my shooting eye till I found what worked.I probably could have gotten dollar store reading glasses for each rifle but found for this game the daily glasses were adequate.
I hope this helps some of you.
Sorry to be so lengthy,but as Treebeard says”Nothing is worth saying unless it takes a long time to say it.”JRR Tolkien
cedestech
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Re: Corrective shooting glasses versus lenses in rear sights

Post by cedestech »

BTW, you'll notice the bifocal insert in the left lens.... don't have to change glasses to make a sight adjustment or check on your rifle... they are the stick on variety you can get at the drug store.
Emmett Dibble, Houston, Texas. Where's my buddy Jason? Keeper of electronic records and banisher of little pieces of paper?
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