Over 60 shooting

[BilliamB.]

I'm 71. My shooting glasses these days were my reading glasses 25 years ago. I knew time was not being good to me when,years ago, I bought a Steyr rapid-fire Olympic PCP pistol and needed to have it milled for a red dot.

 

[possumbelly220]

I just turned 60, and I have had to wear glasses since I was 6. Like a lot of people, I thought red dots were for sissies! I broke down and bought one last year and mounted it on my Marlin 60. Let me tell you, I was like a kid in the candy store! Went through a brick of .22s and the sun going down was the only thing that stopped me then. That little red dot sight has been the best thing for my shooting. Don't hesitate trying one out if you are having eye trouble.

 

[Walkalong]

When it first started at around age 48 I could use 1X readers and the sights would be clear, but the target would be fuzzy, *sigh*, but it was better. Then as I stopped fighting and fussing about it and accepted it I got to where I could shoot fuzzy sights fairly well, some better than others. But if I wanted the sights clear, I needed the readers. I still use 1X readers I keep in the range bag, but now it doesn't clear up the sights and the target is a bit clearer. *sigh*. I can shoot some sights pretty well like that though.

Red dots on a S&W or Colt revolver? Sacrilege! , but marvelous for giving you the ability to shoot up to your potential again. So I have some on a couple of Smiths. I don't mind them on a plastic framed auto at all, kind of like new school with new school.

Shooting is simply more fun when you can hit your target, and red dots help old eyes do just that. So, we adjust, and dream about the old days when we could see.

 

[Guy B. Meredith]

72 here and dealing with these issues. I've used progressive lenses for a couple of decades and find that the sweet spot for the front sight is not useful. Maybe that can be customized--will have to talk to the optician. In the meantime single vision is better but I need the progressives out in the world and they don't help with the carry gun.

I was fussing with not being able to see the front sight in dim light. Eventually realized I'm dealing with floaters, one of which is in just the wrong place in my dominant right eye. Part of the solution is to work on using my left eye for shooting. Not slick yet, but maybe with practice. Doesn't work at all on long guns unless maybe I go full left handed.

 

[J-Bar]

One can have a lot of fun with big close targets. Perhaps you should consider cowboy action shooting, which emphasizes fun with rediculously close targets and speed with rifles, shotguns and handguns, rather than the precision of bullseye shooting.

Most of us wannabe cowboys are seniors, and we look forward to the friendly, gentle competition of a SASS match.

It beats fighting the inevitable decline of physical abilities required by some other shooting sports.

 

[SwampWolf]

Eventually realized I'm dealing with floaters,

Unfortunately, there's no fix for floaters that I'm aware of-and I ask my optometrist each time I visit. My eyes are flooded with floaters and I've just learned to grin and bear and ignore-same as I do with my acute tinnitus.

 

[hps1]

Unfortunately, there's no fix for floaters that I'm aware of-and I ask my optometrist each time I visit. My eyes are flooded with floaters and I've just learned to grin and bear and ignore-same as I do with my acute tinnitus.

Me, too. Heck I thought that humming noise was just the humming of those little black buggers buzzin around in my eyes.

Regards,
hps

 

[foxmeadow]

In my fifties, I was constantly changing eyeglass prescriptions to be able to compete in local matches. Then I went for Lasik and man, it was a life and game changer. I need readers for reading and that's about it. Best move I ever made. Pistol sights, rifle irons, shotgun beads, all clear as can be. I realize that my experience may be unique, but talk to your ophthalmologist. It could work for you.
16 years later I still reach for my glasses on the nightstand, remember, and snicker.
Heh, heh, heh.....

 

[Sistema1927]

When I looked into it in my 40's I wasn't a good candidate for Lasik for several reasons. However, at 55 I required cataract surgery and ended up with 20/20 and 20/15 distance vision. Yes, I need readers, but sights are sharp. And yes, I still reach for those glasses even though it has been almost 7 years.

 

[Scionti95]

I am 77 and have gone the red dot route. Eyes need help to keep those tight groups. Shot my AR15 A4 with iron sights a couple of days ago at 50yds. Mama, who is 95 years old always wants to see my targets when I come home. She kind of grades them. Needless, to say, the dog ate it. Sorry Mama.

 

[vito]

At 75, and despite several eye surgeries, things are just not the same as they were just a few years ago. I'm OK with the stock white dot sights on my Glocks, but for my concealed carry guns I added Crimson Trace laser sights. I practice without the laser as well for close distance shooting, but find I do better with the lasers than without them at the 7 to 15 yard distances. I cannot imagine a defensive shooting situation at more than about 5 to 7 yards so I am very comfortable with the lasers but could manage without them if the laser fails.

 

[doubleh]

I developed a floater in my right eye last year. I seemed to remember that you were just stuck with them but I did some reading on medical websites such as WebMD, Mayo Clinic, etc. Sure enough, no cure, but the good news was that your brain adjusts and ignores them and they no longer bother you. Well, experience has show this to be true---sort of. I won't notice it for quite a while and then the little rascal with appear just to remind me it's still around. I guess it got lonesome because now I'm noticing a faint one that appears now and then in my left eye.

There might be hope for tinnitus if you live long enough. It showed up for me in my early 60's and was really annoying but has diminished until I never notice it now unless something like reading post #56 reminds me of it. Thanks, SwampWolf , but it's so quite now that I just ignore it and it goes away as soon as my mind becomes occupied with another subject. If there is any racket like Deadeye watching videos across the room from me now I don't even hear it.

 

[CoalTrain49]

I couldn't shoot when my eyes were good.

I used a shotgun to compensate. When there's lead in the air there's hope.

 

[warnerwh]

I'm 65 and just found out 3 weeks ago what a red dot could do for me. It is sad to watch you skill level diminish but a red dot will bring you right back. I was amazed how well I am shooting now at least with that one gun. I will likely do the same on at least one revolver.

 

[kimberkid]

sights?
I've been working with a friend at work that does USPSA and steel challenges at our local club, point and shoot.

Rifles are scoped.

 

[mooninpisces]

Since you have not articulated what type of shooting you are doing, or the condition of your
eyesight (i.e. near or farsighted), It is not possible to give specific recommendations.

However, there are a list of options to consider:

1. Get your eye doctor to determine what optical power is needed for you to see your sights. Then, have a pair of eyeglasses with inverted bifocal inserts installed that are equal to the derived power.
2. Paint the entire surface area of your sights. This will be easier to see than the much smaller dots that are typically found on pistol sights.
3. Use a rear sight with a wider width notch. This will increase sight visibility because of the increased side light seen around the front sight blade. It will also reduce the eye strain associated when forming a sight picture.
4. Consider replacing the rear sight with a small red dot sight.
5. Try developing the skill of using only your front sight. Even at 25 yards, handguns can be operated very effectively by using just the front sight. Even snub nose, j-frame revolvers can be operated very effectively at distance with only the front sight !

This was not meant to be an exhaustive list; Hopefully, it will provide you with some options.

 

[OneFreeTexan]

Over 70 here, still using contacts, Have some rifles with ‘old fashioned’ scopes,,,, big ones...and today,, I was spot on at 50 yds, from a rest.

 

[Koolmoose]

I have thought about an offset scope mount for rifle as I have MD (slowly developing, thank God) and a cataract on my dominant eye. Handgun should be pretty easy but offset mount is all I can think of short of learning to shoot left handed. Cataract can be removed when ready, but not MD. @ 82 YOA hoping eyesight will last long enough to avoid crossing that bridge.

Regards,
hps

Wow! ^^^^^ This is me but I’m only 68. I have switched from bullseye shooting to IDPA style and have scoped or red dotted my rifles. As many have mentioned “compensate”
In the 1960’s there was an expression in drag racing, ‘Run what you brung!” That applies to old eyes at the range today.

 

[Kendal Black]

Here's another shout-out for red dot sights and the target focused shooting style that they entail.

My astigmatism is correctable such that the dot is more or less round if I look through the vertical center of my glasses. But if the dot smudges out, what the heck, aim with the smudge.

 

[Legionnaire]

My story, too. Astigmatic in my dominant eye, which means even corrected, a red "dot" is a slightly diffuse smudge. But it still works better than open sights!

 

[Kendal Black]

5. Try developing the skill of using only your front sight. Even at 25 yards, handguns can be operated very effectively by using just the front sight. Even snub nose, j-frame revolvers can be operated very effectively at distance with only the front sight !

Can confirm! I call this "shark sights" because the front sight sticks up from the rear sight like a shark's fin above water. For me, the hits are slightly high compared to where they would be if the front sight were held even with the top of the notch. If the lower portion of the front sight blade is sorta in the notch, you're sorta okay for deflection.

Edited to add: If it's too slow to try to see where the lower part of the front blade is in relation to the notch, simply center (more or less) the front sight above the rear and all will be (rather approximately) well. It is like aligning a shotgun bead so that you see it centered atop the receiver...

Going and trying it will explain what I mean better than more words.

 

[Picher]

Im the same age as you, and Ive been noticing things are degrading at a rate quicker than I like. Ive worked and played outside my whole life, and from what the eye doc said, that can cause problems, especially as you get older. Just in the past couple of years, I seem to be getting a lot more, and larger floaters than I used to have, which are getting annoying, as at times they randomly and completely fuzz out any sight picture I might have with no notice. Its almost like recoil drives it while shooting too.

My last eye exam also indicated cataracts coming on. Not sure how thats going to go, or how fast.

I notice with my handguns, that getting a clear, sharp, traditional sight picture is becoming more and more difficult, especially with sights with a fatter front sight, like the Glock night sights, that have smaller gaps in the rear notch. I tried a set of Warren sights, that had a thinner front sight, and that was better, but they were all black, and only really worked well, in bright light, and for slow, more deliberate, bullseye type "lolly pop" sight picture, Anything with a dark background, and I lose the sight picture altogether.

Rifles, peeps are still the best bet, and more so now, the smaller apertures. Im OK with my AR's and the large ring at closer distances, but at mid to longer distances, I need that smaller ring to get a clear front sight. Its fuzzy with the large ring. It really is amazing how it sharpens up with the smaller ring too.

Awhile back, I discovered red dots are your friend. I much prefer them on most of my rifles.

I've had cataracts in both eyes replaced and this year, had laser treatment to clear the film behind the lens in my left eye. I see better than ever, though use trifocals for reading and computer use. Night vision is really good since the laser treatment and new prescription lenses.

 

[hps1]

Just wait another 19 years; it gets better!

Went through that as competitive rifle shooter. Switched to aperture front and rear sights and a +.1 or .15 lens in rear sight to focus on front sight. Had to give up a tad on front sight and targets (100-600 yds) were pretty fuzzy but kept 'em in the black with that combo. Front sight is more important than target clarity. Pistol more of a problem but as has been stated, you can choose drugstore readers to focus at front sight distance and look across the store to reach a compromise on target/front sight clarity, remembering mis-alignment of sights causes more poi error than does sight picture.

Someone mentioned progressive glasses and they do help with pistol as you can choose the correct power compromise at any given range with a tilt of the chin. Downside is that long shooting strings will give you a crick in your neck, but we gotta work with what we got.

Here is the extreme I went to to shoot the old Garand. Where there's a will, there's a way.
View attachment 796948

Regards,
hps

Well, the cataract has blurred the FFII dot beyond use; here is the latest solution. Added extended rail to the base and mounted a 3x Primary Arms compact scope. Not pretty to look at, but it works.



Indoor range I used was limited to 25 yards, but got it in @ 25. I did not realize until I got home that the range officer had diddled with the ocular lens while I went back to truck to get my front rest and I just blamed the fuzzy reticle on the poor light.

I could not see the 1 moa dot at all, so used the 65moa circle. Fired first three shots @ 4:30, made L4 cl. + 2 corrections (would have been correct for 100 yds. ) and fired the three shots directly to left. Realizing my mistake I made next correction for 25 yds. and fired the five centered shots. Now looking for opportunity to get back to the outdoor range if the wind will ever slow down. Believe I can tighten up the group a bit w/better light and sight picture.



Regards,
hps

 

[375supermag]

Hi...
63 here...
Like many that have reached six decades my eyesight is not what I would like it to be.
I have worn glasses since I was 8 yrs old, wore contacts for years and went back to glasses with bifocals about 10 years ago.
I have some issues with floaters in my eyes but am still able to shoot fairly well with iron sights.
I do have a laser on an M&P 40 but I only shoot it at the range. I have a red dot do my stainless SBH in .45Colt and I can shoot it very well.
My carry guns are stock 1911s in .45ACP and I have excellent confidence in my ability to shoot them accurately. I just shot a bunch of speed drills with them this past weekend and even my 24 yr old son was impressed with my ability to ring steel plates at 20yds.

Iron sights on rifles are difficult for me to maintain a clear sight picture so most of my rifles wear scopes.

 

[John Joseph]

I find that the older I get, the more .22lrs and shotgun shells I launch. Correlation? I don't rightly know