Sights for an Old Fart? - Can't see them good any more

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redhawker

Buckeye
Joined
May 23, 2009
Messages
1,701
Location
Johnson City, TN
Well, as time marches on the close eyesight is getting worse. Took the Super Redhawk and 22/45 out to the range the other day and its getting real hard to see the sights any more. I tried, just as an experiment, painting the front sight white with white-out just to see if it helped, and it did help a little but not good enough. I'd prefer to keep some type of iron sights, especially with the Super Redhawk since it won't go into the holster I have for it if i add a scope or holographic sight. I'm thinking of getting one of those kits with the half dozen different color sight paints and trying the different colors or maybe one of those HiViz sights (or similar). I might go with a holographic sight with the 22/45 but I'd prefer not to with the Super Redhawk. Anyone with similar eyesight issues have any recommendations?

BTW - I still see good at distance its just the close sight that is going (so far).
 

BearHawk 357

Single-Sixer
Joined
Feb 18, 2010
Messages
249
Location
Ohio
I just saw an older gentleman (pro shooter) talking about how he has his gunsmith install a small gold bead, on the tip of his front sights, on all of his revolvers. The bead is not oriented like a bead on a shotgun rib but rather facing his eyeball when he is looking down his sights. He claims that he can see it in just about any light.

My dad always fishes with gold baits at night. He claims that the gold reflects low light levels better than other colors. Who knows. It might work. You could always glue something onto your gun. Try it out. If it works then have a gunsmith install one permenantly.....if it doesn't work then keep trying other options. Keep shooting!
 

MAC702

Single-Sixer
Joined
Nov 27, 2007
Messages
109
Location
Las Vegas
My first thought was an express rear sight with a gold bead front sight. This is a factory option on Freedom Arms revolvers for a good reason.
 

tguil

Single-Sixer
Joined
Jul 17, 2006
Messages
134
Location
Nebraska
HiViz sights work for me on my Redhawk and my Mark II. Square notch rear sight on the Redhawk. V-notch rear sight on the Mark II.

Tom
 
A

Anonymous

You probably already are wearing glasses, so go to your optometrist and have him make a pair of glasses with the bifocal at the top of the lens and instead of the usual strength for reading, make it for whatever it takes to just clear up the sights.

You will still be able to see down range and the sights will be nice and sharp.

The cheaper alternative is to buy a set of cheap reading glasses off the rack and they will do the same thing.....I use +2s .
 

batmann

Single-Sixer
Joined
Dec 6, 2004
Messages
307
Location
Indianapolis, IN USA
Something that might help is to paint your front sight. I painted my front sight on my Alaskan Chartreuse Green and even with my old eyes, I can pick them up. The paint can be picked up in just about any fishing store, it is the same paint the use on jigs.
 

MADISON

Single-Sixer
Joined
Jan 4, 2000
Messages
175
Location
Roanoke, Virginia, 24017
Until this last fall my sights had gotten so bad they were JUST A HAZE.
I went through CATERAC SURGERY and I can see. Now, except for a stigmatism I can see without my glasses.
After wearing glasses for 62 years I can see to drive without them.
 

BearHawk 357

Single-Sixer
Joined
Feb 18, 2010
Messages
249
Location
Ohio
Until this last fall my sights had gotten so bad they were JUST A HAZE.
I went through CATERAC SURGERY and I can see. Now, except for a stigmatism I can see without my glasses.
After wearing glasses for 62 years I can see to drive without them.

So, all you have to do is sit down, in the same room, with both your gunsmith and your favorite eye surgeon and ask something like, "could you boys figure out a way for me to see my gun sights?"

The prep nurse asks the doc, right before surgery, "so, are we going to be performing the lyman peepectomy or the millet hi-vizometry, today?"
 

Yosemite Sam

Hunter
Joined
Mar 18, 2002
Messages
2,113
Location
Cape Cod, MA, USA
I have all sorts of sights on different guns from all black silhouette types to orange/white contrast, 3-dots, fiber optic, blah, blah, blah. I have one of those gold beads on my FA 97, and as long as you keep it polished, and have the sun at your back, it works great. Firing from the shadows of a covered shooting area you might as well have black sights.

The HiViz type of fiber optic sight seems to be the brightest. TruGlo makes a "TFO" sight which is hybrid fiber optic and tritium, but they're large and pricey.

But as my eyes age I'm finally accepting the wisdom of those who say, "Focus on the front sight only", and letting the target go blurry. With this in mind, I'm more apt to use reading glasses at the range, to make the sights as sharp as possible. I'm still lucky enough to use non-corrective lenses for this, but if I want to see the target I need my distance glasses.

-- Sam
 

Dale53

Blackhawk
Joined
Aug 29, 2007
Messages
925
Location
Hamilton, Ohio USA
I'm a "Certified Old Fart" and have had cataract and retinal surgery on both eyes. My left eye is decent but focuses on infinity. I can use iron sights with difficulty.

A couple of years ago, I put Red Dot sights on most of my handguns. I can shoot with Red Dots as good as I ever could and I shoot pretty dern good.

I just made up my mind that I had rather shoot well than LOOK well.

YMMV
Dale53
 

estacado

Bearcat
Joined
Apr 16, 2008
Messages
10
I m 64, some years ago, after shooting a longbow instinctive, I thought, "why not shoot the short gun the same way?" Focus on the target, have the rear sight and front sight fuzzed out, they will naturally align like a "peep sight". Had a member of the Air Force pistol team tell me it wouldnt work, "you have to focus on the front sight." Well my groups tightened up and works at least out to 25 yards. Worth a try for us old farts.

Estacado
 

FrontSite

Single-Sixer
Joined
Sep 29, 2006
Messages
144
Location
Ohio
I have trouble too and always liked painting the front sight with some
of that orange fishing lure paint ... but I hate doing it.. so lately I've
went to just hitting the front with some chalk... comes off easy and you
can change color too... just a thought.

FrontSite
 

tomiswho

Single-Sixer
Joined
Feb 2, 2008
Messages
323
Location
Georgia
I got a 2245 Hunter last September, with the "V" rear and HiViz front. I think it's the cat's meow. I won't even be 63 for another 30 days. The day-glo paint did the trick on my Blackhawk.
 

poncaguy

Bearcat
Joined
Aug 22, 2004
Messages
46
Location
Ponca City, OK
Have One Ragged Hole on my 6" GP100, works great, tried to ordwer some for my Blackhawk 327, but guess the company is shut down, at least for the moment. I paint my front sight with a bright green color, works well for my 68+ eyes..........
 

mraywi

Single-Sixer
Joined
Mar 30, 2009
Messages
339
Location
KCMO
Warren custom outdoor sports
google this company
still carry one ragged hole sights
located in Warren oh
very nice to transact business with
 

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