For middle-aged and elderly rifle-shooting enthusiasts

[bennedose]

People who reach middle age often develop "long sight" due to which they are unable to focus on objects that are close by (and need reading glasses) while they are able to see distant objects clearly. For shooters. this means that the rear sight and fore sight are blurred while the target is seen clearly.

One hurdle that I personally faced while shooting (especially in the prone position, but also while standing) is that wneh one's head is bent down to sight the target, one is either looking above the frame of one's spectacles or the frame is obstructing vision since glasses, especially glassses for people with long sight are not designed for close focus through the upper part of the lens.

What I did was to buy a cheap (Chinese ) pair of reading glasses - usually available for less than Rs 200 at opticians. A power of 1 or 1.25 is just enough to get the rear sight and fore sight into focus without blurring the target. I used a pair of pliers to bend the ear rests upwards, and I did the same for the nose clips so that the glasses could be worn upside down.

Here is a comparison of a normal pair and the modified "shooting" glasses

mod-glass.jpg

This is what the modified glasses do to the line of vision if worn while shooting. The glasses are worn "upside down" and rest comfortably on the nose and ears.

mod-glass-line.jpg

[miroflex]

Bennedose,

Thank you for coming up with a very clever and inexpensive solution to a very difficult problem.

Regards.

[brihacharan]

Hi bennedose,
> Simply brilliant innovative adaptation of "Inexpensive Chinese Reading Glasses"
> Like minds think alike - I've done this a few months earlier & benefited by it.
> Great going pal
Briha

[dr.jayakumar]

bennedose you don't sound middle aged!your innovation is extraordinary and sure help people like me in midlife.
thanks friend..and keep innovating.
regards
dr.jk

[airgun_novice]

Great innovation, bennedose.

[Grumpy]

Dennis Taylor used spectacles in which the frames were upside down to correct the vision angle for many years in his snooker career.

[Katana]

Innovative! Thanks for sharing your idea!

[Grumpy]

If confined to a wheelchair a large calibe, heavy recoiling rifle is useful for providing motive power .... You`ld have to get used to travelling backwards however.

[bennedose]

If confined to a wheelchair a large calibe, heavy recoiling rifle is useful for providing motive power .... You`ld have to get used to travelling backwards however.

Heck if you can't see forwards what the heck does it matter if you can't see backwards?

[bennedose]

bennedose you don't sound middle aged!your innovation is extraordinary and sure help people like me in midlife.
thanks friend..and keep innovating.
regards
dr.jk

You're welcome. Confession. I am on the wrong side of 55

[Grumpy]

"Heck if you can't see forwards what the heck does it matter if you can't see backwards?"
LOL. True.
I`m definitely on the `wrong side` of 55 !

[timmy]

I've needed glasses for distance since childhood. Now in my old age, my near vision has gone to pot, as well. I used to be able to see the front and rear sight pretty well with my distance-correcting glasses on, until about 15 years ago. I bought this Merit adjustable optical disk:



and find that it works pretty well. I wear a pair of safety glasses with no prescription and affix the disk with its suction cup. Now I am noting that this attachment has become quite expensive, but other companies have introduced similar "peep aperture" products that will accomplish the same thing, but at a lower price.

Your solution looks like a good one, but I hesitate to shoot my firearms without the benefit of safety glass between me and what's going "Bang!"

[bennedose]

@timmy. Very interesting. I never knew of the existence of the aid you have described. I have learned something today. Need to ask my uncle Google for details.

[timmy]

bennedose: There are cheaper ones, like I said. I think I've seen them here for about $20. I don't know for sure, but they may not be adjustable like the Merit. If you are handy or you know someone who is, you might be able to rig something up with a small aperture and test it out yourself, to see how it works for you.

[xl_target]

Beendose,
I have the same issue that you describe.
Like Timmy, I too insist on wearing safety glasses when shooting. I have seen first hand the damage that can be caused if a primer lets go and gasses come back through the bolt. To counter my vision issues, I use these on my safety glasses. They are soft plastic magnifiers that adhere to the lens of the safety glasses.
They work similar to the way bifocals work. They are available in different magnifications to suit most people. I use the 1.5 power ones.



http://www.safetyglassesusa.com/optx-20-20.html