Old eyes

atd

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Not a kid anymore. My dominant eye is not so dominant any more, which complicates shooting a rifle with a scope. Ive also noticed that i will lose the front post in the rear sight of a standard iron sight. Do you think a peep (aperture) rear sight would help?
 
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I'm in the same boat and curious as to what answers you might get. I've gone the red dot route with some success at this point but wondered too if the aperture might be better.
 
Quote:Not a kid anymore. My dominant eye is not so dominant any more, which complicates shooting a rifle with a scope.

You are correct that an aperture sight can sharpen front sight (by adjusting size of opening). See MERIT DISC APERTURE SIGHTS. Aperture sights are especially suited for target shooting, but I don't think you will find an aperture sight any better for hunting than your scope because the aperture restricts too much light, especially in twilight time when hunting is usually best.

Regards,
hm
 
I converted all of my iron sight guns to have a rear peep sight with the stock front sight.
I could no longer focus on the rear sight. The peep sight helps a lot.
 
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When the subject is open sights an aperture rear is far superior to an open sight like a buckhorn. I cannot understand how a scope isn't a better option for aging eyes.
 
GC, I agree, I used to shoot receiver sights on most of my deer rifles. My eyes have gotten bad enough that even a rear peep is just a blur. I would need disc at least an inch across with a very tiny aperture to be able to shoot with one now. All my rifles have been converted to scopes and everything works just fine. I can still compete with the youngsters at the egg shoot. I find low power large FOV scopes even faster than open sights were.
 
Originally Posted By: AWSGC, I agree, I used to shoot receiver sights on most of my deer rifles. My eyes have gotten bad enough that even a rear peep is just a blur. I would need disc at least an inch across with a very tiny aperture to be able to shoot with one now. All my rifles have been converted to scopes and everything works just fine. I can still compete with the youngsters at the egg shoot. I find low power large FOV scopes even faster than open sights were.

I agree. And with most scopes now having a fast focus eye piece it was like they were targeting us old eyes bunch. LOL
The fast focus eye piece has turned scopes I couldn't get clear to my sight into ..........WOW I'm back in business.
 
Originally Posted By: AWSGC, I agree, I used to shoot receiver sights on most of my deer rifles. My eyes have gotten bad enough that even a rear peep is just a blur. I would need disc at least an inch across with a very tiny aperture to be able to shoot with one now. All my rifles have been converted to scopes and everything works just fine. I can still compete with the youngsters at the egg shoot. I find low power large FOV scopes even faster than open sights were.

I killed two whitetails with a rifle here on public land in 2019. Both on the move through heavy timber and cover. The first was a decent eight point chasing a doe. Shot him quartering slightly away at 35 yards in a pretty brisk lope in heavy Ozark mountain timber. The second was a doe in a herd of six being chased through a clearcut by several coyotes. These were across a deep holler and along the opposite hillside going through a clearcut full of saplings too thick to wear a hat while trying to claw through the brush. The cut had little semi open spots here and there in it and when a big doe separated from the others and hit an opening broadside I smoked her right through the lungs. She bucked like a bronc and tumbled backwards through the cut falling off a bluff and landing on a ledge hanging out over a creek far below. When one of the coyotes stopped in the same little opening he caught a 150 gr. .308 Hornady Interlock from the old Browning BLR. Gun has a 2x7 Leupold VX-2 on it and seldom leaves the 4X setting.
 
Originally Posted By: GCWhen the subject is open sights an aperture rear is far superior to an open sight like a buckhorn. I cannot understand how a scope isn't a better option for aging eyes.

Absolutely. I'm not too sure whatQuote:My dominant eye is not so dominant any more, which complicates shooting a rifle with a scope. means.

I have long since passed the "change of life"
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as it applies to open sights. I switched to aperture front and rear for HP competition, but skipped from open to scope for hunting and never looked back.

Regards,
hm
 
I have the same problem and put a peep sight on my black powder rifle, Did not help me.maybe you will be different
 
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Maybe i need to buy a new scope.
My "newest" is a Burris 2-8 from 1990
I have a hard time seeing only thru the scope not the side of it with my other eye. l have to close one eye to see thru the scope, which im not used to doing. Maybe I'll have to get used to it.
 
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I had trouble getting my eyes to work on my "real" flint lock ML's. Then I began to notice the I had difficulty seeing the cross hair intersection and bulls eye center x on my targets... I refuse to put any kind of peep sight on any historically correct 1770's to 1830's flint lock rifles. Sooooo…..

Cataracts.…. Had both eyes done and now I am back to a fantastic 20/20 binocular vision at 72 years old. Its like being 30 yo again.
 
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Quote:I have a hard time seeing only thru the scope not the side of it with my other eye. l have to close one eye to see thru the scope,

Practice shooting (and/or dry firing) with a piece of opaque scotch tape on glasses lense (centered)over the non dominant eye. This still gives you benefit of peripheral vision in that eye and allows you to focus on the sight picture while not squinting. Sooner or later it will become natural to mentally block out the non-dominant eye.

Regards,
hm
 
Yep, that cataract surgery is best thing since pockets on shirts, Willy. Haven't shot anything w/irons since my surgery, (Heck, I don't have anything but a Hawken left w/iron sights anymore
frown.gif
), but I can see the sights again.

Regards,
hm
 
Just go to your local optometrist with your firearm, he can solve your problem. I'm nearsighted and can see my irons perfectly but that target was just a pulsating blur. Went to my eye doc with my 1911 - he put several lens in front of my eyes until the right pair matched up and I could see my sights and target at 200 yards perfectly.(Aiming out his office's window) It was like being 20 years old ago again.

Red Dot sights are great, as long as you keep your eyes/head in the same position shot for shot, as red dots are notorious for parallax - anywhere from 6 to 14 inches from extreme side to side. Most people will be fairly consistent with their cheek weld or eye position, shot for shot, so the damage shouldn't be more than 1/2" to 1" at 50 to 100 yards but with a 2 to 4 inch dot - that group can grow fairly quickly at longer ranges, so just pay attention to cheek weld on a rifle and head position with pistols.
 
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