Question for you old folks with bifocals- in my CCW class we were told to focus on the front sight in the sight picture, putting the rear sight and target a bit out of focus. I'm finding it difficult to focus on the front sight because of bifocals, especially in low light situations. I have an LCR 38 sp and an SP101 327 mag. I suspect painting the front sight, as noted in other topic, might help. Any other suggestions?
Sight picture with bifocals
- Thread starter tgs33
- Start date
Trifocals! 
I ended up with TRI-focals for my computer screen use and find that the middle lens is just right for the front sight on a handgun.
The 'blended' lenses might have the right focal length but I've not tried them.
Terry T
I ended up with TRI-focals for my computer screen use and find that the middle lens is just right for the front sight on a handgun.
The 'blended' lenses might have the right focal length but I've not tried them.
Terry T
Bucks Owin
Hunter
Interesting thread, let's have some more... :wink:
I'm at the point where I need to do something myself. Seems I can only get my eyeballs focused on the front sight for a very short time and try to get the shot away within that small window....Not the best accuracy scenario, and my groups show it lately!
EDIT: BTW, I find plain ol' lampblack the best to use on the front sight. Sunlight will NOT shine on it come what may! I keep a jar of it and a little brush I swiped from mama's cosmetics to apply it with whenever needed in my "range stuff" ammo can... :wink:
I'm at the point where I need to do something myself. Seems I can only get my eyeballs focused on the front sight for a very short time and try to get the shot away within that small window....Not the best accuracy scenario, and my groups show it lately!
EDIT: BTW, I find plain ol' lampblack the best to use on the front sight. Sunlight will NOT shine on it come what may! I keep a jar of it and a little brush I swiped from mama's cosmetics to apply it with whenever needed in my "range stuff" ammo can... :wink:
Of course, IF one is using glasses, one really needs to practice AND get big, bright front sights for the case when one loses ones glasses for what ever reason. I suppose some might be over toward legally blind without their glasses but being able to function without them in a self defense situation could be the difference between life or death. :shock:
I'm just saying target practice is one thing, self defense is another.
Terry T
I'm just saying target practice is one thing, self defense is another.
Terry T
callshot
Blackhawk
Like Terry said with tri-focals the middle Lenz works about right for me. If you paint the front sight use a coat of white then a coat of florescent orange and it will show up a bit better than the orange used alone. IMO. That is what is on all of my guns except the 1911 that has a fiber optic front sight. After a year or two the front sight may need another coat to brighten it up a bit. Good luck.
Jimbo357mag
Hawkeye
I got a pair of prescription shooting glasses, progressives with side shields, and my defensive handguns have HighViz or Tritium front sights. With the progressives you might need to nod your head a little to get the front sight in focus but after a while it comes naturally. Most defensive shooting is done at close range so dead nuts accuracy out to 25 yards is not needed. Think center-mass at 6-20 feet.
All my target handguns have red nail polish or red inserts on the front sight and a white outline rear sight. All my rifles have optics. A 'Red Dot' works well on handguns and long guns.
BTW, at 60 I'm not that old. 8) 8)
...Jimbo
All my target handguns have red nail polish or red inserts on the front sight and a white outline rear sight. All my rifles have optics. A 'Red Dot' works well on handguns and long guns.
BTW, at 60 I'm not that old. 8) 8)
...Jimbo
Coop
Blackhawk
To answer your question, Nope. BTW, I am an old man
I do competition shooting (CAS) with 2.50 Diopter ANSI Safty Glasses that allow me to focus on just the front sight of my CAS Vaquero revolvers, my 1873 Rifle, and my coach shotgun. When shooting at CAS targets, I do very well hitting the steel plates.
However, my CCW is a .45 ACP Kimber Ultra-Compact. When shooting it in "bad guy" practice sessions using my standard progressive eyeglass lenses, I have learned to use it with "fuzzy" front sights at 15 yards or less. As long as I can put 7 shots onto a 9" paper plate at 15 yards with my fuzzy front sight, right hand or left hand, I will not worry about having to wear any kind of "special" glasses in a self defense situation.
Coop
I do competition shooting (CAS) with 2.50 Diopter ANSI Safty Glasses that allow me to focus on just the front sight of my CAS Vaquero revolvers, my 1873 Rifle, and my coach shotgun. When shooting at CAS targets, I do very well hitting the steel plates.
However, my CCW is a .45 ACP Kimber Ultra-Compact. When shooting it in "bad guy" practice sessions using my standard progressive eyeglass lenses, I have learned to use it with "fuzzy" front sights at 15 yards or less. As long as I can put 7 shots onto a 9" paper plate at 15 yards with my fuzzy front sight, right hand or left hand, I will not worry about having to wear any kind of "special" glasses in a self defense situation.
Coop
Driftwood Johnson
Blackhawk
Howdy
I'm old too, I just turned 61 recently. But I have been wearing bifocals since I was about 18 years old. About 20 years ago or so I started wearing progressive lenses. I like them much better, no line.
No big deal for me, I have worn glasses all my life so I am completely used to shooting with glasses. Yes, I do a little bit of head pointing when I shoot, you have to with progressives to keep things in focus. But no big deal.
A friend of mine told me years ago to focus on the front sight. If the rear sight is a little bit blurry, so be it. Then take that sharp front sight and slightly blurry rear sight at the center of the blurry target. Works for me.
Oh, it helps to clean your glasses. After wearing them all day, my lenses get smudged. That does not help with accurate shooting, you need to see as well as possible. I clean my glasses before serious shooting, it helps.
I'm old too, I just turned 61 recently. But I have been wearing bifocals since I was about 18 years old. About 20 years ago or so I started wearing progressive lenses. I like them much better, no line.
No big deal for me, I have worn glasses all my life so I am completely used to shooting with glasses. Yes, I do a little bit of head pointing when I shoot, you have to with progressives to keep things in focus. But no big deal.
A friend of mine told me years ago to focus on the front sight. If the rear sight is a little bit blurry, so be it. Then take that sharp front sight and slightly blurry rear sight at the center of the blurry target. Works for me.
Oh, it helps to clean your glasses. After wearing them all day, my lenses get smudged. That does not help with accurate shooting, you need to see as well as possible. I clean my glasses before serious shooting, it helps.
Major T
Blackhawk
You guys are not old yet, just on your way. Back in the early seventies, I was a young Highway Patrol sergeant. I had been a member of the regional pistol team as a Trooper and still had a lot of interest in shooting. Being the trained investigator, it dawned on me that not all gunfights occurred when the sun was shining and the birds were singing. My area's troopers thought that I had lost my mind, when I scheduled a training meeting late in the day with firearms training well after dark. We shot standard silhouette targets at distances out to 25 yards with only the glow of lights from a nearby small town, with flashlights, with one vehicle 50 yards back pointed to the targets, and with a vehicle with lights on parked at 90 degrees to the targets again back 50 yards.
The standard issue sidearm of the day was either the S & W 28 or the Colt Trooper (only a few), no such thing as night sights. The results were carefully recorded as to lighting and distances. Actually both the Troopers and I were surprised at the good scores recorded out to 15 yards. Most of the shooting was timed either rapid or just over a rapid fire rate and reloading was required on each string.
I felt this training gave my guys lots of confidence, and there after we only did the formal PPC type training as required for qualification by state policy. I wrote up the results and submitted them to headquarters and soon a very similar program was implemented statewide. our casualties went down and the bad guy's went up.
I tell you this to say this: Fun and games are one thing, but when you practice defensive training (to the extent your facilities permit), handicap yourself with lighting, and even without your glasses. If you are like me the glasses are the last thing off at night and the first thing on in the morning. But, I have reached for them on the night stand many times and they had been left on the dresser, or I fumbled them on the floor. You may even loose them in an altercation with an intruder. Prepare for the worst, armed with confidence from practice and instinctive shooting (pointing as opposed to aiming), keep in mind the FRONT sight is king, and cheat if need be. All is fair in love and war. These same principles apply to shotguns and rifles. Best wishes, jack
The standard issue sidearm of the day was either the S & W 28 or the Colt Trooper (only a few), no such thing as night sights. The results were carefully recorded as to lighting and distances. Actually both the Troopers and I were surprised at the good scores recorded out to 15 yards. Most of the shooting was timed either rapid or just over a rapid fire rate and reloading was required on each string.
I felt this training gave my guys lots of confidence, and there after we only did the formal PPC type training as required for qualification by state policy. I wrote up the results and submitted them to headquarters and soon a very similar program was implemented statewide. our casualties went down and the bad guy's went up.
I tell you this to say this: Fun and games are one thing, but when you practice defensive training (to the extent your facilities permit), handicap yourself with lighting, and even without your glasses. If you are like me the glasses are the last thing off at night and the first thing on in the morning. But, I have reached for them on the night stand many times and they had been left on the dresser, or I fumbled them on the floor. You may even loose them in an altercation with an intruder. Prepare for the worst, armed with confidence from practice and instinctive shooting (pointing as opposed to aiming), keep in mind the FRONT sight is king, and cheat if need be. All is fair in love and war. These same principles apply to shotguns and rifles. Best wishes, jack
Pal Val
Buckeye
I went to my friendly optician and took a revolver with me. He measured the distance between my eye and the front sight, and them did an eye test to determine the optimal lens for that distance. That done, we had a set of eyeglassed made to that prescription in my right (dominant) eye and my regular prescription in the left. The deal ended up costing me a little over $300, but now I have a set of shooting glasses that suits me perfectly. The set is actually industrial-type safety glasses with eye shields.
All you need to find is an optician who won't object to you bringing a gun to his exam room.
All you need to find is an optician who won't object to you bringing a gun to his exam room.
5of7
Hunter
I just use the bifocal glasses and let the target be fuzzy. It is the sights that are the most important to accurate shooting. It works for me and I will be 75 pretty soon.
The next time I get my prescription changed, I am gonna have a pair made that has a higher bifocal line so I won't have to tip my head back so far. 8)
The next time I get my prescription changed, I am gonna have a pair made that has a higher bifocal line so I won't have to tip my head back so far. 8)
I have been buying eyeglasses online for several years and have always been happy with them. You can buy a pair of glasses just for shooting, hunting and driving without the bifocal and a pair of bifocals for normal wear. Go online and check it out. I have ordered from a couple of different sites and have found the quality about the same. The total cost, depending on the frames, is less than 25 bucks. A pair of $300.00 glasses makes a lot of profit for your friendly optician.
SgtSam
Bearcat
Well, as for old, I'm crowding 67. I've been in glasses since I was around 36, still in the military. I now wear tri-focals.
I've found, like many others here, that the middle lens (the bi-focal one) works the best when shooting. I do have to tilt my head a little farther back than I would like to, but to have that portion of the lens adjusted for best shooting position, would make the glasses very hard to use for normal living. That's where a specially made pair of recreation shooting glasses would be a bonus.
However, I wouldn't be wearing them when I was in a carry, self-defensive mode. So, practice with my regular glasses is a must. Practice without them as well. I do both. I guess that's what's held me up on spending $300, give or take, for a special pair of "recreation" shooting glasses.
This was a interesting thread, thanks.
I've found, like many others here, that the middle lens (the bi-focal one) works the best when shooting. I do have to tilt my head a little farther back than I would like to, but to have that portion of the lens adjusted for best shooting position, would make the glasses very hard to use for normal living. That's where a specially made pair of recreation shooting glasses would be a bonus.
However, I wouldn't be wearing them when I was in a carry, self-defensive mode. So, practice with my regular glasses is a must. Practice without them as well. I do both. I guess that's what's held me up on spending $300, give or take, for a special pair of "recreation" shooting glasses.
This was a interesting thread, thanks.
I might add that my trifocal / bifocal lenses are a bit larger than normal (35mm vis 28mm ? ) but I've not found it to be a problem.
It started with the need to use the mid focal length on the computer screen. Eventually I got a special pair for the office / computer use that had the mid focal lenght for the entire upper lens and the lower, bifocal, for the reading focus. Don't use them as much now that I'm retired and don't spend all day at the desk on the computer.
One can get purpose built lenses in most any configuration. Friend who worked as a pipefitter had a pair with the close up "bifocal' lens on both the bottom AND the top of the glasses because he was often working overhead on pipes.
By the way, my distance vision is fine - it's the up close that I can't do any more. My wife is just the oposit - she can see up close just fine but not so well at distance. Everyone has different needs.
Terry T
It started with the need to use the mid focal length on the computer screen. Eventually I got a special pair for the office / computer use that had the mid focal lenght for the entire upper lens and the lower, bifocal, for the reading focus. Don't use them as much now that I'm retired and don't spend all day at the desk on the computer.
One can get purpose built lenses in most any configuration. Friend who worked as a pipefitter had a pair with the close up "bifocal' lens on both the bottom AND the top of the glasses because he was often working overhead on pipes.
By the way, my distance vision is fine - it's the up close that I can't do any more. My wife is just the oposit - she can see up close just fine but not so well at distance. Everyone has different needs.
Terry T
WASATCH CHARLIE
Bearcat
PEEP SIGHTS ON MY SBH, OLD ARMY AND ONE ON MY 26`` BARREL 1894 MUSKET. AT 64,(WEARING GLASSES FORLAST 8 OR SO YEARS.THEY ARE THE WAY TO GO. NOW TO FIND ONE FOR MY 28-2 s&w.
tacklebury
Single-Sixer
Don't wear glasses myself. Just had seen this product and didn't know if any of you'd tried it before? Would probably help anyone with focus issues as I understand also. 
http://www.meritcorporation.com/products.html
http://www.meritcorporation.com/products.html
Major T....sir that was the best description of CCW realistic training I've read in a long, long time...well done sir! Your comments regarding loss of glasses in a fight, or fumbling in the dark are especially noteworthy. For all LEO's...and civilians as well...take note of the "handicap yourself" comment in regard to training effectiveness...these are WORDS TO LIVE BY!
As to focus point for target shooting...it's the front sight...it MUST be clearly seen to do the best work. For me (I'm 65 and use bi-focals), a pair of 2.00 magnification Kamart cheaters work well...I use them for hand gun work, as well as hi-power competition without my regular glasses.
Thanks again, Major T for a great response....Rod
As to focus point for target shooting...it's the front sight...it MUST be clearly seen to do the best work. For me (I'm 65 and use bi-focals), a pair of 2.00 magnification Kamart cheaters work well...I use them for hand gun work, as well as hi-power competition without my regular glasses.
Thanks again, Major T for a great response....Rod
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