Diminshing sight clairity.

[saltydog452]

Time marches on. I can see pretty good, but the front sight is getting more elusive.

I'm looking for obversations from Commander size carriers regarding width of the grip handles, acess (intention and accidental) to the switch, getting POA to = POI (& maintaining that setting), and, well you get the idea.

Advert blurbs in the firearms rags want to sell a specific model and, I suspect, a lot goes unsaid.

Besides, its just not possible to hold a two demisional image in the hand and get some feedback from the experience.

Your feedback would be appreciated.

Thanks,

salty

 

[Loosedhorse]

You mentioned grip and switch, so I assume you're talking about projected laser aiming grips. I don't have one for a Commander.

Also consider a red-dot sight. Some are small and hardy enough to be worthy of a SD handgun.

And then there's just really big, bright "convention" sights (fiber optics, big dots, tritium, or combo).

 

[LCPor9mm]

These eyes

Have you looked at the "BigDot"?
I have decided that I need a new sight on my Kahr MK9 even though I like the one that is on there, I just need a little more help. I have looked at all kind of sights, and without going to another laser (have one on my Airweight) I think the one that makes the most sense on paper is the Big Dot.
There is one called "SureSight" that is triangular and looks interesting, however it is only available for a few guns at this time. Yours may be one of them, the Kahr is not.
Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[saltydog452]

My bad, I shoulda said 'laser'

OOps.

I was thinking about lasers. My bad.

sd.

 

[LCPor9mm]

OK

Nevermind.

 

[CWL]

Laser AND a XS Big Dot site system.

There may be some circumstances where you may not be able to see the laser dot on a target due to brightness, dead battery or your blurry vision. That is when you will really need to see the front sight quickly.

 

[Lonestar49]

Practice, start close, using real HD/SD range

...

Yep, Salty, time marches on and so go the eyes here as well..

I've found, thru luck, that my first Sig P229R 9mm, 5yrs ago, came with CTC laser grips and thru practice, draw, point and aim, then verify where I had POA by pressing the button and looking at where the laser was to where it became quite natural without aid from the laser..

It carried over (applied technique) well with my other handguns without lasers..

18ft max for me and closer for the POA - POI with both eyes open using a quick HD/SD situations including one handed shots at around the 7ft mark.

I also use the aid of "splash 5" targets over COM half-man paper targets

They're called "Shoot N/C " targets and let you know without doubt where your bullets are hitting - or not hitting, and correcting your method of delivery, your sight picture, POA POI both eyes open



Ls

 

[Walt Sherrill]

Lasers may be the solution for some folks -- I know of some experienced shooters who swear by them. But, when your eyes start to get older faster than the rest of you, you have two better options:

1) better sights. I found that the Dawson sights on my newly purchased (used) M&P Pro are really easy on my aging eyes.

2) better glasses.

A local opthamalogist who works with shooters recommended getting two different lenses. A lens that is set for focusing at the distance for the weak eye, and one that is set to focus on the front sight for the strong eye.

I did this for a number of years, until a cataract messed things up, and it worked like a charm. Now, with a new lens in my bad eye, my optician has adjusted my glasses to a variant of the first doctor's recommendation. And it's working well, again -- but I will get some additional Dawson sights. (Some of the "notches" of my rear sights are too narrow.)

 

[wally]

A lens that is set for focusing at the distance for the weak eye, and one that is set to focus on the front sight for the strong eye.

Had this done with Lasik eye surgery, its called "monovision" it doesn't usually work well with glasses, but if it works for you its great! Certainly worth a try. I tried it with disposable contacts first as part of the Lasik workup so we could verify my brain could deal with it before doing the surgery.

I couldn't get used to contacts -- especially since most of my correction was astigmatism, they slipped a lot, making my vision worse after rapid eye movements -- not acceptable in Houston freeway traffic!

I still need glasses for things closer than arms length away.

 

[Hastings]

My eyesight is going downhill as I age, too. I really like the XS Big Dot sights. You'll need to adapt to the new sight picture. The exact sight picture can be a little tough to nail down, but if you are just going for 3" groups at 17 yards in self defense scenarios, the XS sights really rock. For really accurate target work, not so much.

 

[Skylerbone]

There are also Ghost Sights, the Straight 8 and of course opening up the rear notch in conjunction with a larger front sight.

If you can keep a full magazine on a silhouette at 15 yds. shooting rapid fire in working conditions, then changing sights on a defensive pistol is simply a want item.

If you've got the right model Trijicon has a new line of tritium sights with a large phosphorescent ring (orange or yellow) surrounding the front sight.

 

[Hill_Country]

I found the laser to be the way to go - in fact, I found it to be superior in many respects besides compensating for aging eyes.

Anyone who complains that they are not visiable in bright sunlight or the battery will be dead has obviously never used a good laser. I have Crimson Trace lasers on my 6906, 908 and CS9 and I find the laser easily visiable in bright sunlight beyond 75 feet. And they dim slowly so you have plenty of warning before the batteries need replacing.

At night, when iron sights aren't visiable anyway, the laser wins hands down. Easily enough to release the button or place a finger over the laser in stealth mode.

 

[Walt Sherrill]

I just asked about LASERs in bright lighting, and the prior poster addressed that as I was posting.

I've watched people CHASE that red dot all over the place at the range... I guess you learn NOT to do that.

 

[drsfmd]

A +1 for Crimson Trace... I'm to the point where my distance eyesight is 20/20 with correction, but I need reading glasses for anything within about 3 feet... and my arms are just a little too short.

 

[Hill_Country]

Crimson Trace has some excellent training videos on their website. Well worth the time to look for them.

I'd never used a laser and didn't think much of them until a few years ago when my wife bought me a 638 J frame. I carried a model 36 for many years and knew I wasn't as bad of a shot as that 638 was - of course sights on a J frame are basically a training aid, anyway. I didn't want my wife to think I didn't like her gift so, in desperation, I put CT's on the 638. It was wonderful. I could not only adjust the laser to POI, but it solved the aging eyes thing as well and in low light is the only way to go.

Not that I'm biased or anything, but I now have them on nearly everything I carry regularly.

FWIW, they can be found on the internet cheaper than direct from Crimson Trace. However, my dealer (pusher?) said his wholesale price is going up after the first of the year.

 

[David E]

I've watched people CHASE that red dot all over the place at the range... I guess you learn NOT to do that.

Proper shooting technique brings the dot back to the same spot, so there shouldn't be a need to search for it.

But a lot of people don't utilize proper shooting technique.

 

[LCPor9mm]

Not for me

Anyone who complains that they are not visiable in bright sunlight or the battery will be dead has obviously never used a good laser. I have Crimson Trace lasers on my 6906, 908 and CS9 and I find the laser easily visiable in bright sunlight beyond 75 feet.

That's not the case for me. I have a CT grip on my S&W Airweight, and just two months ago I was shooting it outdoors in bright sunlight and it was not visible at 25 feet. I had just replaced the batteries and was surprised enough to let another guy at the range try it, and he couldn't pick it up either. I have had a problem before at 45 feet, but 25! Not sure I would get another one.

 

[Hill_Country]

There's something wrong. Have you cleaned the lens with a Q-tip? They do get crudded up with powder residue, pocket lint, etc.

Just for comparison, last Saturday was a pretty sunny day and I put the laser on a tree that I measured at 75 feet from where I was standing. Trees are not very reflective, but I could easily see the dot (when I was steady enough to hold on it. <G>)

If cleaning the lens doesn't do it, I'd call CT customer service. I've only called them one time when I was modifying the grips for the 3d gens and needed some spare grip blocks. They wouldn't sell me any, but sent me half a dozen complete with allan wrenches, swabs, and batteries, no charge. That's what I call good customer service.

Let us know what you find.

 

[Walt Sherrill]

I just bought a very nice SIG 220 Super Match, that came with a SIG SAUER light/LASER combo. I'll get a chance to try it out and see for myself, whether I can shoot with a laser. Maybe I can do it, today.

(The LIGHT/Laser combo is interesting. Larger than some options, like the Crimson Trace device, but more practical in some ways -- if you have a way of carrying it.)

 

[saltydog452]

Thanks all.

Walt please post what you discover. Not just image downrange, but adjustment to get POA=POI, switch sensitivity, 'fit', etc.

Thanks,

salty

 

[PT-Partners]

Not trying to downplay in any manner the value of lasers. I am 60 and my eyes have changed. As most of us do.

I have changed to the gold line for the front sight or a gold dot with the rear sight for both as wide as allowed. I do not have the precision I used to with it but do have the 4 to 6 inch plate hit on the draw front sight press trigger shot routine I have practiced from 7 to about 20 yards. 25 yards and over I have to just go center of mass on that style of shooting.

The sight picture is similar to a big dot for lack of better words or vice versa. I have found, my shooting style has not changed over the past 40 years with it. I do practice from all positions to being knock on my rear at about 3 ft to 3 yards to weak or off hand at 3 yards to 15 yards to strong hand to both hands. I do this about every 90 days. Yes, I carry at work and off duty.

Part of what may be my reluctance to change or suppliment my sights to anything electric is "habit transfer" from one to the other.

Just some thoughts

 

[LCPor9mm]

Hope it works

There's something wrong. Have you cleaned the lens with a Q-tip? They do get crudded up with powder residue, pocket lint, etc.

I'll try that and hope you're right because as I recall when it was new (some three+ years ago) I had no problems at that range. :banghead:


Ok I cleaned it and it appears better. I got no visible crud off the thing but I can see it on dark green foilage out to about 60' in the sun. My white aluminium shed is out of range at about 10 more feet. Next time I make it to the outdoor range I'll be sure to bring it and see how it works at 45'.

 

[340PD]

Good eyes and great sights will not help you a bit if you are left with a situation where you are unable to get ANY good sight picture. ie on the floor, on your back, darkness of night etc. If this is a gun you are trying to defend your live with you need to be an expert at point shooting or own a set of laser grips as backup. To me thery are an additional safety measure. They are great for trigger control training. They can be switched off if you want. Bad guys absolutely hate red or green dots printing on them. It tends to make them depart swiftly. That alone may save you a bundle in lawyer fees. My 2¢

 

[Hill_Country]

I'll try that and hope you're right because as I recall when it was new (some three+ years ago) I had no problems at that range. :banghead:


Ok I cleaned it and it appears better. I got no visible crud off the thing but I can see it on dark green foilage out to about 60' in the sun. My white aluminium shed is out of range at about 10 more feet. Next time I make it to the outdoor range I'll be sure to bring it and see how it works at 45'.

Sounds like cleaning helped. CT recommends a bit of isopropyl alcohol or window cleaner on the swab.

 

[BCRider]

A local opthamalogist who works with shooters recommended getting two different lenses. A lens that is set for focusing at the distance for the weak eye, and one that is set to focus on the front sight for the strong eye.

I read about that and worked with my own opthamologist to try to get there. It took a few tries with progressivley closer focusing lenses for the right eye. But we got there after two attempts. I was finally able to see both a sharp front blade and decently sharp target. I shot one of the tighest groups of my entire time shooting. Something like 1.5 inches at 12'ish yards with a gun which I normally do well to manage 2 inch groups..... there was just one small issue with it..... the group was about 3 inches to the left. Oddly enough the distance between my pupils.

I kept trying to adapt to the glasses and see if there was some way to "pull" the images into register but it just didn't happen. When I had good vision with the target and front sight the group was over to the left. Close either eye and shoot one eyed and the group moved back to center. But then with the lenses being so focused to either distance or close in the target or the front blade were super blurry so the group size opened up again.

So I'd suggest that the whole monovision thing works for some and not for others.