I cannot see my sights!

[tisch006]

So, last night during a league night match, we had a course of fire that included getting under a table and shooting two steel and one cardboard target at 50 yds! What a blast! Never shot at that distance or laying down!

Now for the surprise....when I got down on the ground (carpet piece), and went to line up my sights for the long shots I couldn't see my sights! They were so blurry I couldn't hardly tell that there were little white dots on them! I fired a shot, then another, and then I heard the RO say, "high right" (giving me a little support). Another shot, "high right" and again and again. It took me 5 shots to get the first steel to fall over and three for the second. I was, and still am, flabbergasted about not being able to focus on the sights! I could change my focus and bring the sights into focus but then couldn't see the targets...

So, anybody else have experience with laying down and/or taking really long shots? Any advice would be appreciated!

Thanks!

[WildWest N AZ]

On long shots like those I take couple seconds to make sure Im seeing my sights and lining them up on target. I know its all time but a slower hit is better than a few fast misses in my mind.

[Hi-Power Jack]

went to line up my sights for the long shots I couldn't see my sights! They were so blurry I couldn't hardly tell that there were little white dots on them! I could change my focus and bring the sights into focus but then couldn't see the targets...

So, anybody else have experience with laying down and/or taking really long shots? Any advice would be appreciated!

Thanks!

Do you weat bi-focal eyeglasses? It's possible that

you normally sight thru your lower lenses (near sight)

to see the sights, but when you're laying down, all you

can see is thru the upper lenses - (far sight). Then

the sights are blurry.

I "solved" the problem by getting a pair of single Rx

shooting glasses that's a compromise - I focus at arms

length (the sights) and can see "okay" at a distance -

that's okay since I want to focus on the sights, anyway.

[Youngeyes]

So, last night during a league night match, we had a course of fire that included getting under a table and shooting two steel and one cardboard target at 50 yds! What a blast! Never shot at that distance or laying down!

Now for the surprise....when I got down on the ground (carpet piece), and went to line up my sights for the long shots I couldn't see my sights! They were so blurry I couldn't hardly tell that there were little white dots on them! I fired a shot, then another, and then I heard the RO say, "high right" (giving me a little support). Another shot, "high right" and again and again. It took me 5 shots to get the first steel to fall over and three for the second. I was, and still am, flabbergasted about not being able to focus on the sights! I could change my focus and bring the sights into focus but then couldn't see the targets...

So, anybody else have experience with laying down and/or taking really long shots? Any advice would be appreciated!

Thanks!

Hi,

I'm not sure of any other info ie. last eye exam etc, but nobody can focus on two different distances at the same time. If you focus on your finger at arms length you must refocus on an object further out and vice-versa. If you focus on your sights you refocus to see your target.If you are 20/20 at all ranges without correction it's all good. If you are age challeged things are different, but that's another story.

[tisch006]

On long shots like those I take couple seconds to make sure Im seeing my sights and lining them up on target. I know its all time but a slower hit is better than a few fast misses in my mind.

....see, that's my problem. My sights were blurry and I had trouble focusing on them. Hard to line them up if I cannot see them!

went to line up my sights for the long shots I couldn't see my sights! They were so blurry I couldn't hardly tell that there were little white dots on them! I could change my focus and bring the sights into focus but then couldn't see the targets...

So, anybody else have experience with laying down and/or taking really long shots? Any advice would be appreciated!

Thanks!

Do you weat bi-focal eyeglasses? It's possible that

you normally sight thru your lower lenses (near sight)

to see the sights, but when you're laying down, all you

can see is thru the upper lenses - (far sight). Then

the sights are blurry.

I "solved" the problem by getting a pair of single Rx

shooting glasses that's a compromise - I focus at arms

length (the sights) and can see "okay" at a distance -

that's okay since I want to focus on the sights, anyway.

Nope. Doc says I will need bi-focals in a couple of years but not yet!

So, last night during a league night match, we had a course of fire that included getting under a table and shooting two steel and one cardboard target at 50 yds! What a blast! Never shot at that distance or laying down!

Now for the surprise....when I got down on the ground (carpet piece), and went to line up my sights for the long shots I couldn't see my sights! They were so blurry I couldn't hardly tell that there were little white dots on them! I fired a shot, then another, and then I heard the RO say, "high right" (giving me a little support). Another shot, "high right" and again and again. It took me 5 shots to get the first steel to fall over and three for the second. I was, and still am, flabbergasted about not being able to focus on the sights! I could change my focus and bring the sights into focus but then couldn't see the targets...

So, anybody else have experience with laying down and/or taking really long shots? Any advice would be appreciated!

Thanks!

Hi,

I'm not sure of any other info ie. last eye exam etc, but nobody can focus on two different distances at the same time. If you focus on your finger at arms length you must refocus on an object further out and vice-versa. If you focus on your sights you refocus to see your target.If you are 20/20 at all ranges without correction it's all good. If you are age challeged things are different, but that's another story.

eye sight's good the doc says. I've not had problems shooting farther ranges standing-up so not sure if it's a laying-down thing?

[Biloxi23]

BAsed upon precision rifle shooting experience, I believe when you go prone, your eye is at a different distance from the front sight, or at a differnt focal distance. I don't "KNOW" this, but everytime I go prone with a sniper rifle, I have to dial the scope's focus ring. It may well be the same thing when you were trying to focus on the front sight.

[calishootr]

the OP didnt say as to if he actually wore RX glasses while shooting, if that is the case and you went prone and couldnt see the sight is because when you go flat out prone, i tend to look over my glasses, to correct this, i do a sort of 'roll-over' prone position, where im more on one side than flat on the ground, the other is to modify your grip a lil (one knuckle down frm normal) so it raises up the gun a bit so maybe you can see the sights better

[wsimpso1]

Do you wear corrective lenses while shooting, or only eye protection?

I found during the period I was competing in High Power (Service Rifle) that the correction I needed when I was in prone and sitting positions we use in High Power (and rotating the eye upward) was different from the correction I needed while standing (and looking straight out of the eye socket). The eye doc could not argue with the apparent difference, but it was only about a quarter diopter. This difference would probably not be the huge thing you saw, but maybe it is. Perhaps a corrective lens in your shooting eye that is biased a little towards the sights will help you see the sights better in general...

The other possibility is that your eye protection is optically poor up near the top edge...

I have had cataracts corrected, have zero ability to focus on the target then the sights, and have to accept that my glasses can only give me one thing. My shooting eye is corrected to see the front sight, and the target goes fuzzy. I have had no trouble shooting teeny tiny groups with my AR15 Service Rifle, and don't usually drop points on 25-35 yard shots on the IDPA target with my pistols.

I can tell you that letting the target go fuzzy is no hinderance, and indeed must be accepted. Just put sharply defined sights with excellent alignment onto the fuzzy target and break that trigger without disturbing the sight picture. This type of group shooting is excellent practice. Brian Enos himself recommends some of this during your practice sessions.

Billski

[tisch006]

Do you wear corrective lenses while shooting, or only eye protection?

I found during the period I was competing in High Power (Service Rifle) that the correction I needed when I was in prone and sitting positions we use in High Power (and rotating the eye upward) was different from the correction I needed while standing (and looking straight out of the eye socket). The eye doc could not argue with the apparent difference, but it was only about a quarter diopter. This difference would probably not be the huge thing you saw, but maybe it is. Perhaps a corrective lens in your shooting eye that is biased a little towards the sights will help you see the sights better in general...

The other possibility is that your eye protection is optically poor up near the top edge...

I have had cataracts corrected, have zero ability to focus on the target then the sights, and have to accept that my glasses can only give me one thing. My shooting eye is corrected to see the front sight, and the target goes fuzzy. I have had no trouble shooting teeny tiny groups with my AR15 Service Rifle, and don't usually drop points on 25-35 yard shots on the IDPA target with my pistols.

I can tell you that letting the target go fuzzy is no hinderance, and indeed must be accepted. Just put sharply defined sights with excellent alignment onto the fuzzy target and break that trigger without disturbing the sight picture. This type of group shooting is excellent practice. Brian Enos himself recommends some of this during your practice sessions.

Billski

Billski,

I wear contacts but, since I have astigmatism, I may still be having trouble as you described since I rotate and my contact doesn't.

If I really concentrated I could, just as you described, make the sights somewhat clear however, the target would go fuzzy. Maybe I will just get a clear sight picture and shoot at the fuzzy things!

Thanks for the advice.....

Edited August 20, 2010 by tisch006

[ChuckS]

This sort of problem is exactly why I like the Decot glasses. They have an adjustable bridge so you can pre-set the glasses to a height where the sweet spot of the prescription is in a usable position for the odd shooting positions. I have a fairly bizarre prescription with both astigmatism and prism and awkward positions were a real pain until I got these. Check them out

Later,

Chuck

[bigstick0000]

I never wear prescription glasses when shooting but I had a real problem focusing when shooting indoors. I brought this up to my wife and she told me since I have bad stigmatism I should try my script glasses when low light. I did and it solved my problem

[benos]

Maybe I will just get a clear sight picture and shoot at the fuzzy things!:

Always!

I never wear prescription glasses when shooting but I had a real problem focusing when shooting indoors. I brought this up to my wife and she told me since I have bad stigmatism I should try my script glasses when low light. I did and it solved my problem

She's a pretty smart lady. I hadn't heard that one.

be

[muleymaniac81]

Invest in LASIK surgery. I had astigmatism and 20/6000 vision (-5.50 in one eye, -5.75 in the other, couldn't read large print at 18"). I had LASIK 7 years ago. The next morning, I woke up with 20/12 vision and I was checked in May as 20/15. The improvement will make it easier to focus than 20/20. Just my .02

Mitch

[Field]

dark green vegtables

[walsh]

Any chance that in going to the lower positions you compressed your chest in a way that allowed for less oxygen and that you held your breath for a few seconds? You vision can degrade rather quickly if you deprive the oxygen flow.

[aztecdriver]

It's the contacts. Toric lenses will rotate under goofy conditions like looking up and you may have changed the normal pressures they typically sit on by being prone and looking up. I had issues with this for years and had PRK last year to fix it.

[walsh]

It's the contacts. Toric lenses will rotate under goofy conditions like looking up and you may have changed the normal pressures they typically sit on by being prone and looking up. I had issues with this for years and had PRK last year to fix it.

Speaking of Toric, I'm getting my cataract lenses replaced in early November and the lens will go on the inside. They use the same name. I think I'll need reading glasses for sure based upon trial contacts as I decided against mono-vision. I might end up with shooting glasses. I'm not sure about the view yet at about 34".

[Biloxi23]

Walsh: Man I also have that in my futere, but after reading the thnigs some of teh BE foum members have written, I am really gettng tempted to move it up sooner. Goodluck with the surgery.

Semper Fi.

[bushmeat]

"shooting two steel and one cardboard target at 50 yds!"

"Now for the surprise....I couldn't see my sights! They were so blurry I couldn't hardly tell that there were little white dots on them!"

Your eyes focused at 50yard targets and you didn't refocus to your sights. As BE stated, let the targets go fuzzy and sights stay sharp.

However, there is another aspect to this - the white dots on your sights. Using my stock Glock sights, during indoor matches, the sights would ocassionally haze out under flourescent lighting. Outdoors, with the sun behind me, they did the same. I went to Warren/Sevigny sights and problem disappeared.