hardware store safety glasses for shooting

They'll work if they're ANSI rated for impact and such. Just don't cheap out, or you might end up with hot gas AND shards of plastic in your eye one day.

make sure they hug your face enough that hot brass doesn't flip behind the lense and rest near your eye

You have two eyes and only two eyes - if they do not meet ANSI specs, do you REALLY want to go that cheap?

Mesa Kinetic Research did some testing back in February on a couple different safety glasses and shooting glasses. Their results found that the one piece "shield" style safety glasses did best. The individual lenses often times popped out or shattered on impact. They did various test from different yardages with different caliber firearms and glasses.

The hardware store stuff is generally rated for the same type of impacts and protection as a pair of shooting glasses are.

Realistically, a lot of companies make a lot of money off of "specialty" items that often offer nothing more than much cheaper more general purpose items do.

My guns don't get gun oil - they get 3-in-1.
My boat doesn't get "Mercury Marine Grade Outboard" oil. It gets regular Castrol 10w-30.
When I build models they don't get sprayed with "Acrylic Clear Coat" - they get sprayed with diluted Future Floor Wax.
I don't wear "shooting glasses" - I wear safety glasses from whatever store is closest when I need a pair.

It all works just fine .

Yes. If they are actual safety glasses. (Certainly at least as good as what the army has issued me.)

On a related note, the hearing protection is just as good as well, and costs less if it doesn't say "Winchester" on the side. There are all kinds of shooting solutions at your local hardware store.

yes - if it has the ANSI Z87 rating and provides full coverage against flying brass

How do those of you who wear prescription glasses approach this? I have yet to find anything that I can use that does not scratch the lenses of my prescription glasses.

I buy polycarbonate prescription lenses. They'll just have to do, even though they aren't quite as thick as polycarbonate safety glasses. I have enough trouble seeing through my high-dollar, high index, progressive lens glasses without putting another pair over them. I have tried it many times.

A hardened safety glass lens - which I understand is still used sometimes - is only 1/10th as impact resistant as a polycarbonate safety lens, so even a thinner poly lens is useful.

Here's a question. Are polycarb safety glasses treated with scratch protection? Polycarb is soft and scratches very easily (no matter what you do.)

ANSI and military safety standards are different both in terms of the diameter of the steel ball used in the test and the velocity.

www.elvex.com/high-impact-safety-glasses.htm

John

There are wrap-around safety glasses that are designed to be worn over your glasses that aren't terrible. I don't know if I can guarantee absolutely no scratches EVER.

If you get a pair of the new spacey ESS or similar safety shades they issue the army, you can get an Rx insert for them for about $40. I use them for everything, and they include a clear lens as well.

Harbor Freight has ANSI rated amber safety glasses for $2, and 33 dB earmuffs for $13.

Besides marketing and style there is no difference between "saftey glasses" or "shooting glasses" they are all just Ansi Z87 rated glasses. If your unsure just look on the inside of the arms of the glasses and it will have "Z87+" there.

I figured this out because my job as a contractor in the refineries require that I wear Saftey glasses when inside of the refinery. They issue clear glasses for free but, if you want tinted or dark you have to buy your own. So I was buying the cheap $4 shooting glasses from acadamy until I found the exact same glasses at the walmart tool isle for $3.

As for people with perscription glasses they make a pair of glasses that are made to cover the perscription glasses but they are huge and goofy looking. Most people at my job just put side sheilds on their perscription glasses and thats it.

I have prescription safety glasses with glass lenses due to the scratch factor. They last 2 years without much trouble usually. I save the older pair as a backup/beater pair when doing bad things to save the good glasses.

How do those of you who wear prescription glasses approach this? I have yet to find anything that I can use that does not scratch the lenses of my prescription glasses.

Click to expand...

My solution was to get corrective lenses in high-quality safety glasses, it wasn't cheap but for shooting, riding motorcycles and a job that requires safety glasses all the time, it is worth it to me.

I wish I could shop for basic non-prescription safety glasses, I'd be saving about $400 a pair.

Ranger shooting glasses makes a series where you have the same poly lenses and then you have your scrip as an insert that goes behind them on the frame - this way you keep the colored lenses and only need to get a new insert as your scrip changes. Many older shotgun shooters love them. There is a difference between cheap and high-end lenses - typically better made, a little thicker and more important, especially for the curved lenses, is the optical clarity - whether that is worth it to you or not is a decision you have to make

Jeremiah10:23 said:

How do those of you who wear prescription glasses approach this? I have yet to find anything that I can use that does not scratch the lenses of my prescription glasses.

Click to expand...

Get some of these, or similar:

http://www.amazon.com/Howard-Leight...1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1338659141&sr=1-1-catcorr

Will standard hardware store style safety glasses work for shooting? Or do I need to get some specialized shooting glasses?

Click to expand...

Others have pointed out they must meet ANSI standards for safety.

Let me recommend you try them on first -- many of these glasses are not so good optically -- waves, ripples and so on in your glasses don't improve your shooting.

I bought safety glasses at Northern Tools, 2.5 bifocal built-in. About 10 bucks.

JohnBT said:

I buy polycarbonate prescription lenses. They'll just have to do, even though they aren't quite as thick as polycarbonate safety glasses. I have enough trouble seeing through my high-dollar, high index, progressive lens glasses without putting another pair over them. I have tried it many times.

A hardened safety glass lens - which I understand is still used sometimes - is only 1/10th as impact resistant as a polycarbonate safety lens, so even a thinner poly lens is useful.

Here's a question. Are polycarb safety glasses treated with scratch protection? Polycarb is soft and scratches very easily (no matter what you do.)

ANSI and military safety standards are different both in terms of the diameter of the steel ball used in the test and the velocity.

www.elvex.com/high-impact-safety-glasses.htm

John

Click to expand...

The standard polycarbonate prescription lenses are not ANSI safety lenses, but you CAN get Rx safety glasses complete with removable side shields. They can be had in bifocal, trifocal or gradient, and can be treated for scratch resistance, sun shading, anti-glare or most any other lens treatment.

Ask your optometrist. More money, less hassle. I'm wearing a pair now. I just pop on the side shields when I need to for work or for hunting or target shooting.

I got a pair from Numerich Gun Parts about 5-6 years ago that come with 4 different lenses and side shades, I believe I paid not much more than $20.00, I love 'em and believe me they are comfortable, no scratches on the lenses either. Well worth the money.

"The standard polycarbonate prescription lenses are not ANSI safety lenses, but you CAN get Rx safety glasses"

This information may be news to somebody else on this thread, so thanks for posting it.

I believe I referred to that point with a statement about the thicknesses being different. Will I order high index progressive shooting glasses? With titanium/nickel memory metal frames that ear muffs won't deform? My current frames are over decade old and are holding their shape. What's another $1,000 for an incremental increase in lens thickness and great deal more weight, right?

I'm still waiting to receive the glasses I ordered Friday before last. But there's news...

Lencrafters called 2 hours ago to say my Ray Ban single vision high index polycarb sunglasses were ready. The Varilux high index lenses with the memory metal frames aren't due for a couple of days. They have an outside lab do the work.

I'm not ignoring the danger, but I shot for 30 or 40 years with glass lenses and no hearing protection like everybody else I knew back then. True safety lenses won't stop a bullet I don't believe.


"Ask your optometrist."

I did. I've been asking eye docs questions since 4th grade. I can collect Social Security this year.

It only cost me $20 more to get the ANSI rated lenses vs standard polycarb.

You may find that only ones with wire earpieces will not degrade your hearing protection significantly.