Bifocals for 3 gunners

[Clay1]

I know that there is a long running thread in the general area about glasses.  What prompted me to post this here is that the requirements for a bifocal lens for a handgunner, I suspect will be different than what someone who shoots a handgun, rifle and shotgun are. 

 

I've been told that progressive lenses will give a very narrow focal plane left to right and that I might want to consider just getting a lens with a lined bifocal.  I think a lined bifocal will allow me to keep scores / read but also allow good target acquisition  but I am concerned about handgun front sight crispness, and shotgun sights while shooting slugs.  Do you use a progressive lens for your bifocal prescription for 3 gun or do you use a lined bifocal?

 

Next big question is about lens color.  In clay target games, Decot Hy-Wyd coined a term "romancing the target".  As an example, I shoot a very light rose color lens in sporting clays which makes the blaze orange targets pop against the background.  For USPSA style cardboard targets, has anyone tried a brown or tan type tinted lens.  I'm trying to get a nice pair of glasses that I can use for multiple outdoor type activities.  I happen to be a mad fly fisherman and the brownish color lenses are very popular on the water, but I have a concern about them looking a brown cardboard colored targets. 

 

Thanks for your thoughts

[rcollier]

Clay1,

  I use Decot Hy-Wyd bifocals and settled on the following configuration with the help of Robert from Decot. My bifocal is a 2.50, they brought .75 of that up into the main part of the lens to bring the handgun front sight into focus. This for me was not enough to disturb the long distance focus (barely noticeable). The bifocal line was placed low enough so as not to be in the way for any activities other than close up reading, etc.. I initially started with .25 in the main part of the lens and that was not enough and didn't last long. the bifocal still remains a 2.5 overall. The light rose color works well all around for me. Hope this helps.

[dogtired]

I had a pair of glasses made.  The right lens is to my pistol front sight (1x reading lens), the left has a slight distance adjustment.  Being able to shoot the pistol is the purpose.  Wearing them for 3gun works fine by adjusting the scope focus for the rifle and the shotgun is unimpaired.

 

I did discover a problem last summer when shooting at a 100 yard rifle spinner with no rest.  One of the competitors laid down there shooting mat for the squad to use for prone.  Dropping down and shooting from there, the comp kicked up a lot of fine dust.  I was essentially blinded by the dust because my focal length lit up the dust and I could not see the spinner after the first or second shot.  I am thinking of trying a left front sight focus lens and a normal right eye Rx.  Shoot the pistol with my left eye, the rest with the right.  The left eye should "shut off".  I am thinking of hitting one of those bargain glasses stores for this one.

[Bentsight]

I was looking at having a set of shooting glasses made for the same reasons as the OP. As an experiment, l located some of the "stick on" corrective lenses to move around on my Rudy's to find the best location before having a new set made. The stick-ones have worked out so well that I left them in place and passed on having new ones made.

[HRider]

I use De cot hywad glasses for three gun and rifle matches. I didn't put my bifocal in the glasses. I cant see score sheets near as well, but don't have any problems with the pistol sights. It was more important to me to have the maximum field of vision in the glasses lenses for distance. I shoot iron sights on my rifle. I have had problems in the past with looking through the top of other glasses affecting my POA/POI. With the De cots adjustability, I can look through the most optically correct part of the lens even while shooting prone. So far, I have only used clear lenses for three gun and rifle matches.

Hurley

[Jackpine Savage]

My glasses are the same as Dogtired mentioned above. I think it's called monovision, right eye corrected to front pistol sight, left eye for distance. I have an Eotech on the rifle and it's worked well out to 300 yards. I did try an upper bifocal once for the pistol, along with the normal lower bifocal, when I brought up the pistol I'd see three sets of sights. Gave up on that idea.

[GetAwayDriva]

I can't speak to the bifocal part but I know I have trouble picking out the brown cardboard against the brown dirt of a berm.  I went to a reddish lens in my glasses and that really helps.  Then I wanted some transition type lenses that would go from tinted to clear.  My glass maker person was not able to do a red tint, so I tried the brown and while it is not as good as the red, it is better than black/smoke grey. 

Edited February 7, 2017 by GetAwayDriva

[RiggerJJ]

I like using my transition progressives with pistol the most, but they work fine with long guns too. I also have worked with Decote quite a bit, settled on my long vision on top with the normal bifocals very low bottom for reading score sheets. They do have a dark brown transition lens that I have that works for me just fine with the above correction. Both pairs of glasses work for me, just depends on what i have on at the time. Highly recommend Decote!

jj

[Clay1]

Another set of progressives look to be in my future.  Thanks everyone, looks like I still need to decide on polarized  or not and color.

[dogtired]

I just ordered a left eye 1x front sight lens (my non-dom eye) and a plain right.  Gonna try shooting the pistol with my left eye.  I will let you know how it works.

[dogtired]

I just shot a match using the left eye correction.  I did pretty well but I had 3 variables, new glasses, new gun, new load, so I can't say which variable made the biggest difference.

 

I found a guy online that makes custom readers with sunglass tints.  Tried a pair, 1x left, uncorrected right, $39.  I may try a few more shoots and order another pair that fit my nugget a little better.

[barrysuperhawk]

I have a special set, with lined bifocals with the line adjusted as far down as they would make it.   Basically, if you sit at a desk with a keyboard on it in a normal typing position and orient your face square and level, that is about the size and shape and location of my bifocal.  It also almost exactly corresponds with the size of a nook at arms length...   I do find my self raising the glasses if I have to read alot, as I am essentially looking down my nose to read - and it's not real comfortable.

 

I tried the "office glasses" prescription (what my optometrist called the "front sight focal distance" prescription) but I could not get used to EVERYTHING past 10 feet or so being just that little bit blurry.

Edited May 21, 2017 by barrysuperhawk

[GIO]

After years of fighting this battle I found the answer and it may work for you. Call Wayne at Morgan optical and talk through it with him. In two weeks you will be a few bucks lighter but you will see the sights and the target. trust me.