need help with old eyes

[leserz]

 it's been a while sense i have shot. the last few had scopes in them. well i just picked up a new to me marlin # 995 with iron sights. now i'm 61 yr old now i wear bifocals. i can't focus in the sights. there pretty fuzzy.  i can see down range just fine. there some tips to help ? or go buy a scope ?

[quickdtoo]

Scope or peep sights are the only options for my old eyes. I'd contact Williams 800-530-9028 and see what all fits the 995, you may want to upgrade the front sight while you're at it.

Tim

http://www.brownells.com/aspx/ns/store/ProductDetail.aspx?p=16314&title=GROOVED+RECEIVER+FOOLPROOF

http://www.brownells.com/aspx/ns/store/ProductDetail.aspx?p=16321&title=TARGET+FOOLPROOF

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=121512&t=11082005

http://www.williamsgunsight.com/gunsights/gunsightsdefault.htm

[Graybeard]

At age of 62 now my tired old eyes also don't wanna focus much closer than 3' from me. Inside that distance things fuzz fast on me. But I find that if I concentrate properly on the FRONT sight and accept that the rear is supposed to be a bit fuzzy anyway (which it really always was and was supposed to be) then rifle sights aren't all that bad. I see very well at a distance with near 20-20 vision in fact so seeing the target isn't a problem.

Now if your problem is you can't see the target due to lack of distant vision I'd say that like Tim mentioned a peep or scope is your only hope. But if you see clearly at distance but can't see up close you might just be able to do OK by concentrating on that front sight where you should and try to make do. But for sure a proper peep at the receiver or on a tang will clear up both front sight and target quite well and of course you already know a scope fixes the problem.

[leserz]

 some good tips thanks.

[Glanceblamm]

I really like the idea of that peep sight which may simulate a Merit Disk.
A Merit disk is just a very small aperture that is about the size of the end of a ball point pen. You can make one of these by punching the small hole in a piece of electrical tape then putting it on
Your shooting glasses. Before you go to this trouble, just punch the hole in paper or anything and peer through it to see if it works for you.

(A real Merit Disk has a small suction cup to affix the disk on the lens of your eyepiece and it is mechanically adjustable) (About $60.00, Ouch!)
Those peep sights are looking better all the time!

[leserz]

it's funny the marlin .22 the sights in it were fuzzy for me. swapped the marlin for a ruger 10/22 i can see them better. no idea why. rear and front sights are at about the same distance on each.

[jh45gun]

I use either a scope or a peep sight with a fiber optic front sight. That fiber optic front sight helos a lot when it is cloudy out or in the darker woods when the leaves are still on the trees and of course dusk and dawn situations.

[TLARbb]

I can hardly see my metallic sights anymore.  I have noticed and even now notice that some metallic sights are easier to see than others, at least it is easier to get a good sight picture.  I don't know why exactly that is, but I really liked the sights on the BLR centerfire rifles and the sights on Contenders.  I could see the old style bead front, U notch rear on the old 552 I had much better than the new models.  I think it is all about reflections and the definitions of the rear sight particularly and maybe the relationship of the front sight in the "notch" on the rear sight.  I have a Remington Model 12 with a shallow V that is fast, but I can't be very precise with it.  Of course, peeps are easier to use as your eyes get older.

I try to make sure that I can scope anything that I buy nowadays, just to be sure I can continue to shoot it.  When I get to blind to shoot, that will be a very sad day.

Ej

[Michael H]

I will be 58 in Jan.  I have the same problem, but! I just got some new glasses that are bi-focal but the lenses are not the cut glass type.  Mine are what is called progressive lenses.  There is no line that abruptly changes .  It is not a cure all but I can shoot my pistols now and open sight rifle shooting is a lot better.  They can make these lenses with a much less tall piece of glass ie more modern shapes are available that don't cover your entire face.  Tri-focals can be produced like this also.
When I got my new glasses, I told the optometrist what I wanted to see while shooting and she fixed me up.

[popplecop]

Looks like I might have the oldest eyes,  On most of my rifles I have either scopes or peeps.  I wear no line bi focals as my handguns all have iron sights.  The one .22 rf I shoot with open sights is a Rem. 241 and what I did there is go to a fiber optic front.  That made all the difference in the world for me.  Now as soon as I find an original receiver sight for it, it wiil go on it.  Just rember the only thing that should be clear when shooting open or peep sights is the front sight, that's where your evy has to focus.

[flyboy]

I'm 68, and have been having some of the same problems with iron sights. I have scopes on all my rifles.  I switched the sights on my Single Six to the Redhawk rear blade, with the V notch, and put a Marble  ramp and white dot combination on the front, which seems to be an improvement over the stock Ruger offerings.  I bought a Merit Optical attachment for my glasses, and will see how that works.  Old age is no fun, but it beats the alternative! 


Update:  The Merit Optical Attachment that so many others have used doesn't help a great deal.  Neither do different colored front sights, v-notch rear and white dot front, at my range.  As a last resort, I am going to put a red dot sight of some sort on the MK II Target, and see if it may make a difference.