Author Topic: The agony of defeat (Read 1010 times)

devil60 · « **on:** March 07, 2013, 01:57:19 PM »

Well, I made a big deal of putting iron sights on my new .357 Handi, looked great, I was a happy camper, that is until I hit the range with these 70 yr old eyes. Bummer, look at the 10 ring, what 10 ring, the 10 ring on the target, what target? Just put on a red dot will see how that goes, I'm as worthless as teats on a boar, as they say.

bigvarmnt · « **Reply #1 on:** March 07, 2013, 02:22:00 PM »

WOW, can't believe you didn't find out till you were 70

Yak Angler · « **Reply #2 on:** March 07, 2013, 02:22:57 PM »

Well don't feel to bad about it. Even with my much younger eye's that are close to perfect vision without glasses open sights are not easy. I have been shooting my .223 superlight handi with open sights at my local range alot in the last few months, some days are better than others and I can tell you the biggest factor is the amount of sunlight hitting the targets and the colour of targets you use. overcast days or targets in the shadows are not good days to try open sight groups as far as im concerned. My best groups were when the sun was directly on the targets and i used a black centre ring target with a white background compared to shinny or flourescent type color targets.

All i really do is guesstimate the centre of the target paper and try and be consistant with my hold as anything past 50 yards and my front post is wider than the target paper.

Ranger99 · « **Reply #3 on:** March 07, 2013, 02:33:22 PM »

have you tried taking out the aperture
and using the sight as a ghost ring?
maybe changing out the front for something
different? i do better with a white, although
my 1894S has an orange blade front.
you can get different color and size fronts.
maybe try some moisturizing eye drops?
i get more hazy-eyed the older i get and
some days i need some drops to get things rolling.

devil60 · « **Reply #4 on:** March 07, 2013, 02:54:48 PM »

All good thoughts, I did take the small ring out and Iuse the green fiber optic front sight. Will try the red dot, sure do like the little Handi though, takes my load of 13gr of 2400 and 170 swc super well. will carry on, been through some pretty tough stuff in my life and keep on going is in my nature, don't have to like it though. My best to you all.

blind ear · « **Reply #5 on:** March 07, 2013, 04:47:19 PM »

Do you have glasses? Bigger slots even in standard open sights help. I filed my open sights out with a round file and like them better than peeps. Doesn't take much, increase diameter gradually. ear

wolverine_1 · « **Reply #6 on:** March 07, 2013, 04:58:49 PM »

When I got my Handi with 7-08& .30-30, the 7mm with scope was right on and the .30 w/iron was all over. Put a scope on it and it was right on. My Marlin 1895 (just picked it up) is all over, so I have ordered a scope. Got to do what we got to do.

rdlange · « **Reply #7 on:** March 07, 2013, 05:46:14 PM »

Every now and then I pretend I don't need optics. Waste of good ammo beyond 20yds. Even have a ghost ring on my handgun. Just the way it is. At least there's a solution of sorts. Get the best scope you can afford, then add a little more, you won't regret good optics.

PineyCreek22 · « **Reply #8 on:** March 07, 2013, 06:17:04 PM »

Don't feel bad Devil60. I made my monoblock .357 mag. with open iron sights, Was sure I could shoot 1" groups at 100 yards. The best my brother and I could do was about 3" at 75 yards, didn't even go to 100 yards. He is 62 and I am 72 and even with my recent cataract surgery, I have now 20/20 in both eyes but the target past 50 is just a blur. It gripes me no end to have to destroy the pretty lines of my little carbine with a scope but there is a fixed 6 power ready to be mounted as soon as I can get to it. Maybe then my monoblock can really show me what it can do. Too bad youth is wasted on the young. Regards, Piney Creek

theratdog · « **Reply #9 on:** March 07, 2013, 09:07:01 PM »

all my serious guns have scopes on them. gone threw the same problem as you. my wife shots better than me but i still have fun competing.getting old is frustrating.

jeepmann1948 · « **Reply #10 on:** March 07, 2013, 11:49:07 PM »

When one considers the alternative.....................
Getting old is not so bad
Happy Trails
George

nanuk-O-dah-Nort · « **Reply #11 on:** March 07, 2013, 11:50:24 PM »

and here I thought this thread was going to be about orthotics for hunting boots

Quote from: PineyCreek22 on March 07, 2013, 06:17:04 PM

Don't feel bad Devil60. I made my monoblock .357 mag. with open iron sights, Was sure I could shoot 1" groups at 100 yards. The best my brother and I could do was about 3" at 75 yards, didn't even go to 100 yards. He is 62 and I am 72 and even with my recent cataract surgery, I have now 20/20 in both eyes but the target past 50 is just a blur. It gripes me no end to have to destroy the pretty lines of my little carbine with a scope but there is a fixed 6 power ready to be mounted as soon as I can get to it. Maybe then my monoblock can really show me what it can do. Too bad youth is wasted on the young. Regards, Piney Creek

PC, in your case, a nice fine aperture sight should work well for targets

petemi · « **Reply #12 on:** March 08, 2013, 12:41:52 AM »

Just a thought for you from another old fart. I found the red dot covered too much of the target at 100 and beyond. A lot of guys sight them in with 12 o'clock on the dot as POI. That way you can still see it......or at least half of it.

Pete

devil60 · « **Reply #13 on:** March 08, 2013, 02:08:41 AM »

Yep, agree, when I go to the range going to take a fixed 4 power with me, was thinking the red dot may cover too much of the bull so will take the time to switch it out. they are fun to shoot though aren't they.

petemi · « **Reply #14 on:** March 08, 2013, 02:47:27 AM »

Yes, they are fun and nice with low light. However, I have 4 of them sitting on a shelf. I just do better with low power glass. I always shot with both eyes open, and target acquisition was fast with them. I since had a problem with my right eye. Because of it, my left eye takes over and sees everything for a moment or two until it equalizes. It works fine shooting jugs or targets, but isn't very practical for me for hunting, so now I just use a scope and my right or left eye by itself. I'm working at shooting lefty and I do well with it, but it's not reflex yet.

Pete

reloaderman · « **Reply #15 on:** March 08, 2013, 02:57:20 AM »

Last fall I had the cataract surgery and all of a sudden all my rifles now have front sights !
Amazing! 69 year old eyes see again !

gcrank1 · « **Reply #16 on:** March 08, 2013, 05:02:50 AM »

For fun & target you might find the eyeglass mounted 'aperture' (a la Merit) to clear the vision. It can be emulated by using a piece of black elec. tape with a pin hole stuck on your glasses 'where your eye actually looks through the lens' (inside/high usually). If you are using glasses for correction the optical center isnt where we look through when shooting a rifle. No see, NO wonder!
If you dont use correction ,well, we should all wear safety glasses when funnin' around, shouldnt we...........at least it gives a place to stick the tape.
So, put on whichever glasses, mount the rifle and sight down it to a target. Have a friend move a 'grease pencil' around on your sight eye lens until it is where you are looking through and mark the lens. That is where you want the pinhole to sit. Note that depending upon the stock this spot on your glasses can change around a bit. I have one that Im looking almost at the edge of the lens and the frame.....not good for clarity!
As to scopes, I have an old Weaver B-6 3/4" on one, slim & trim and matches the lines of the H&R so well, but mounts for the 3/4" and Weaver rail are hard to find nowadays. Otherwise I really like the old Weaver 2.5 to 3X, 1" tube as they have a 'straight objective' and small ocular bell. There are several newish scopes that do likewise and one (forget which?) sits nicely just forward of the hammer and would, without a doubt, be my choice if buying new.

nanuk-O-dah-Nort · « **Reply #17 on:** March 08, 2013, 05:22:18 AM »

those stick on apertures are sometimes available on ebay dirt cheap for card of many.

and they work well.

I have used the tape before, as GC posted but had trouble makeing a nice round hole, so had some fuzz.

Scopes in the 2.5x20 range work perfect set up like GC mentions. I have one on my 45/70 and it is perfect. Nice and low. I'm going to move a MC stock onto it to see if it fits me perfect.

some cartridges need nothing more than a 2 or 2.5 power.
the lower power ones actually help if game is moving.

Smokin Joe · « **Reply #18 on:** March 08, 2013, 05:33:54 AM »

These are inexpensive and work very well:

http://www.marblearms.com/bullseyeSights.html

wolverine_1 · « **Reply #19 on:** March 08, 2013, 04:06:39 PM »

Update: Took the 1895 with scope out today, instead of a 24" group I got a 1.5" group at 100 yds. Guess we have to admit that getting older requires some compensation. As my father use to always say, consider the alternative.

devil60 · « **Reply #20 on:** March 09, 2013, 05:38:35 AM »

Well, there she is with a scope mounted and ready to go. Doesn't really look too bad, now to work up some loads. I have a bunch of 170gr Keith type swc and a bunch of Unique and 2400 so off to the gun room on a really snowy day in Colorado.