Fast Target Acquisition with Old/Weak Eyes
- Thread starter NoAlibi
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Averageman
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Averageman & Sgt R - At your suggestions I looked at the RMR and I think that might be the way to go. However, with the price tag in the vicinity of 5 to 6 hundred dollars per handgun I would definitely have to try-before-I-buy. Don’t get me wrong; I don’t mind spending the money on something as frivolous as a device that could save my or my family’s lives, but if it doesn’t work for me I don’t want the hassle of trying to get rid of it without taking a financial bath.
I agree, the price was my inital drawback.
I first put a Fast Fire on a Ruger Mark I to give myself some experiance with it before I went ALL IN with the Glock RMR. This will give you a rough idea of the advatages. Another way to go is sign up for one of OST/Gabe S's pistol classes and check out the RMR Glock the instructor will be running. You really can't lose with either choice.
I hope you find your solution.
I agree, the price was my inital drawback.
I first put a Fast Fire on a Ruger Mark I to give myself some experiance with it before I went ALL IN with the Glock RMR. This will give you a rough idea of the advatages. Another way to go is sign up for one of OST/Gabe S's pistol classes and check out the RMR Glock the instructor will be running. You really can't lose with either choice.
I hope you find your solution.
I can not speak to the durability, battery life vs. brightness settings, or life and brightness of the non-battery RMR. However, I have shot a Glock 17 with a 3 1/2 lb. connector and an RMR sight that belongs to a friend. I shot it after an IPSC match. I think the work was performed by Bowie Tactical. I also know there are folks using that set up in 3-gun. If the guys in the know can guarantee the dot will be there when you need it, I can not think of a faster set up for target acquisition and transitions short of a full blown Open Division race gun.
As far as practicing, I suppose that is good advice as long as you are not just practicing on how to be frustrated and pi$$ed off. From a personal perspective, I rely on a pretty solid and well developed shooting platform (index) and minimal visual inputs. If I didn't already have those, I would probably send a G19 off to Bowie (or a similar outfit) for an optic and a grip reduction. I might do that anyway.
As far as practicing, I suppose that is good advice as long as you are not just practicing on how to be frustrated and pi$$ed off. From a personal perspective, I rely on a pretty solid and well developed shooting platform (index) and minimal visual inputs. If I didn't already have those, I would probably send a G19 off to Bowie (or a similar outfit) for an optic and a grip reduction. I might do that anyway.
M2 Carbine
member
I am 74, with normal old eyes but I can shoot pretty well (with eye glasses or laser).
I wear tri focal eye glasses and have for some years.
Top lens for distance.
Bottom lens for close reading.
The center lens is what I call my shooting or computer lens. This lens is focused at pistol front sight distance with your arm fully extended.
When looking through the center lens my eyes see closely what you see with young eyes.
The front sight is in sharp focus, the rear sight is slightly blurred and the target is fairly blurred.
So in order to shoot well it's just a matter of doing what I've been doing for years, focus on the front sight, maintain a good sight picture and squeeze the trigger.
After a little practice you will look through the center lens without thinking about it.
I have also had glasses with the whole lens the shooting lens. OK for shooting but at the range I have to keep swapping my glasses back and forth.
I am also a big fan of using lasers or laser/lights in low light and darkness or sometimes indoors.
Even with fairly weak eyes, without your eye glasses, the laser dot can be seen and the target easily hit.
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Shawn Dodson
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I have XS Sight Systems 24/7 Big Dot tritium sights on my Remington 870 and my Glock 19. I love them. While there are some people who apparently cannot shoot as precise with them as conventional pistol sights - I've never had any issues with being able to place a bullet with precision. It did take me about 200 rounds to warm up to them when I used them for the first time on my Glock 19. At first I wasn't sure they were for me but it just took time to become accustomed to them. As long as you follow XS's suggestions for sight alignment and sight picture then you should be good to go.
The big dot front sight is like having a golf ball for a front sight. Under 15 yards I use a "target focus" technique, in which I acquire a hard focus on my aim point on the target. This is where I want my bullet to land. I drive the muzzle to the aim point and as it comes into my line of vision I can quickly acquire the front sight. I never shift my focus from the aim point to the front sight - I keep focused on my aim point. I "see" the front sight in "soft" focus. The big dot front sight facilites really quick visual acquisition. As soon as I "see" (in soft focus) that my sight alignment is good enough to get the hit, I press the trigger and my bullet seems to just magically land right on my aim point.
At distance beyond 15 yards I use a conventional front sight focus and I'm able to place my bullets where I want them.
I'm nearsighted and wear bifocals. My vision is 20/400 uncorrected. I train frequently without eyeglasses and I don't have any issues with visual impairment. I've been using XS big dot sights for over 10 years and they've worked really well for me.
Good luck!
The big dot front sight is like having a golf ball for a front sight. Under 15 yards I use a "target focus" technique, in which I acquire a hard focus on my aim point on the target. This is where I want my bullet to land. I drive the muzzle to the aim point and as it comes into my line of vision I can quickly acquire the front sight. I never shift my focus from the aim point to the front sight - I keep focused on my aim point. I "see" the front sight in "soft" focus. The big dot front sight facilites really quick visual acquisition. As soon as I "see" (in soft focus) that my sight alignment is good enough to get the hit, I press the trigger and my bullet seems to just magically land right on my aim point.
At distance beyond 15 yards I use a conventional front sight focus and I'm able to place my bullets where I want them.
I'm nearsighted and wear bifocals. My vision is 20/400 uncorrected. I train frequently without eyeglasses and I don't have any issues with visual impairment. I've been using XS big dot sights for over 10 years and they've worked really well for me.
Good luck!
M2 Carbine
member
I was just plinking and looking for the accuracy and time difference between using the iron sights and the Crimson Trace laser, with accuracy being more important than time. I tend to be a little more accurate and slightly faster with the laser than iron sights.
Clipper
Member
I had a set of XS big dot express sights on a Kimber Ultra Carry, and was hugely impressed. Fastest, easiest to aquire combat sights I have ever used.
As luck would have it, I got to shoot a friend's Glock with a Leupold Delta Point a couple of days ago. Pretty cool set up. As far as raw speed to COM (think A box on IPSC Target) at close yardage (7 yards +-), looking though fuzzy irons is still faster than using the dot, but not by much. Beyond 7-10 yards on multiple targets the dot rocks.
Dnaltrop
Member
20/200 and 20/250 without correction.
Docs tried to permanently fix my vision with Rigid contacts to reshape the lens, but instead made my eyes hypersensitive and left me with glasses only.
I regularly take my glasses off at the range and shoot for COM on human sized targets at 50'. You just aim for the narrow part of the center of the blur. not as clean as with my Specs on, but I'm not up the creek without a paddle if I lose them. Point shooting as well.
My M&P has nice fresh trijicons, front and back. it does help somewhat, but as I'm clear to about 18" before I lose detail.
My old man bought a Crimson Trace for his EDC Bersa with the intent of using it to overcome his Cataracts, it worked well for a few months until his surgery date came and went. Now the dot is more a toy than a tool.
Practice, practice, practice!!
Docs tried to permanently fix my vision with Rigid contacts to reshape the lens, but instead made my eyes hypersensitive and left me with glasses only.
I regularly take my glasses off at the range and shoot for COM on human sized targets at 50'. You just aim for the narrow part of the center of the blur. not as clean as with my Specs on, but I'm not up the creek without a paddle if I lose them. Point shooting as well.
My M&P has nice fresh trijicons, front and back. it does help somewhat, but as I'm clear to about 18" before I lose detail.
My old man bought a Crimson Trace for his EDC Bersa with the intent of using it to overcome his Cataracts, it worked well for a few months until his surgery date came and went. Now the dot is more a toy than a tool.
Practice, practice, practice!!
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