Diopter for Revolver Sights

[Kittitas George]

I've got a 5" S&W 686 on order my plan 'A' is to change the sights. The rear will be a wide 'V', with a vertical white line, the front will be a bright green dot from HIVIZ. Will a diopter attached to my glasses help me? I've had cataract surgery and my far vision is OK, I can see a gopher way out there without my glasses. Close up I need glasses. I think my bifocals are a plus 2. Will the diopter make the sights 'clear' and still be able to see the target at distance. This is a problem most geezers have. I'd like to have some reasonable success and more fun. Jerry Miculek doesn't need to worry about me. Do you look through the upper part of your glasses or the bifocal? How have you other seniors improved your ability to see the sights? I'm not ready to get an auto loader and just spray the area.

 

[MQ1]

I think you are going to have to experiment a bit get a good handle for what works for you, but one thing you should definately try is a red dot. Yep…not old skool, but how they work is impressive on aging eyes. I still have excellent long range vision, however I no longer have the ability to focus on my front sight unless using readers of the right power. For my CCW needs, accuracy without glasses is good for the task out to 15-20 yards.

I still like shooting irons…and I tried bifocals, and tipping my head back to the bifocals was not impossible, but just using the right readers was more comfortable. I’ve yet to buy some safety glasses with the right power bifocal on the upper part of the lense, but I think that would work best for me.

For pure target work, the diopter may help some, but it will depend on the ambient light where you shoot, the color of your target, the distance you are shooting at…etc. I’m sure you get the picture…you are just going to have to experiment a bit to find the target picture that works best for you.

Try a red dot…yes…they initially look ugly as sin on a fine revolver, however the look will grow on you over time as you’ll have what is undoubtably the best sight picture for aging eyes.

FWIW,

MQ1

 

[SSL]

I've got a 5" S&W 686 on order my plan 'A' is to change the sights. The rear will be a wide 'V', with a vertical white line, the front will be a bright green dot from HIVIZ. Will a diopter attached to my glasses help me? I've had cataract surgery and my far vision is OK, I can see a gopher way out there without my glasses. Close up I need glasses. I think my bifocals are a plus 2. Will the diopter make the sights 'clear' and still be able to see the target at distance. This is a problem most geezers have. I'd like to have some reasonable success and more fun. Jerry Miculek doesn't need to worry about me. Do you look through the upper part of your glasses or the bifocal? How have you other seniors improved your ability to see the sights? I'm not ready to get an auto loader and just spray the area.

I'm in the same boat...sort of. I had to wear bifocals for about everything before I had my cataract surgery. Like you, my distance now is superb, but I often need +2 lenses to read when my eyes get tired, but not always. Iron sights for me haven't been much of a problem, but each person's experience is different. Good luck with your journey and congratulations for a successful surgery.

 

[Kittitas George]

I think you are going to have to experiment a bit get a good handle for what works for you, but one thing you should definately try is a red dot. Yep…not old skool, but how they work is impressive on aging eyes. I still have excellent long range vision, however I no longer have the ability to focus on my front sight unless using readers of the right power. For my CCW needs, accuracy without glasses is good for the task out to 15-20 yards.

I still like shooting irons…and I tried bifocals, and tipping my head back to the bifocals was not impossible, but just using the right readers was more comfortable. I’ve yet to buy some safety glasses with the right power bifocal on the upper part of the lense, but I think that would work best for me.

For pure target work, the diopter may help some, but it will depend on the ambient light where you shoot, the color of your target, the distance you are shooting at…etc. I’m sure you get the picture…you are just going to have to experiment a bit to find the target picture that works best for you.

Try a red dot…yes…they initially look ugly as sin on a fine revolver, however the look will grow on you over time as you’ll have what is undoubtably the best sight picture for aging eyes.

The red dots don't work for me as well as the bright green. I had similar sights on a Ruger Mark III, I was shooting gophers at 50 yards, that green really showed up. Part of my problem is I'm color blind. It was always difficult to see the red, orange or white inserts in the S&W sights even as a young man.

 

[MQ1]

The red dots don't work for me as well as the bright green. I had similar sights on a Ruger Mark III, I was shooting gophers at 50 yards, that green really showed up. Part of my problem is I'm color blind. It was always difficult to see the red, orange or white inserts in the S&W sights even as a young man.

There are some that are provided with a green dot…that may work well for you. I would also suggest to try a little larger dot. 2 or 3 MOA + will surprise you if you are not shooting small things beyond 100 yards.

 

[Bottom Fodder]

Have you thought of maybe getting a set of shooting glasses that has a special lens for your shooting eye I did that back in the day also had a stick on adjustable ires that helped clear up sights. Just a thought

 

[MClark]

I have been using for hunting an aperture rear and a fiber optic front.
Not super fast but works better than black sights on black hog.

 

[powderbrake]

Since the basic rule of pistol shooting is KEEP THE FRONT SIGHT IN FOCUS, and since you can't focus clearly on the sights AND the target, I suggest holding off on changing the sights on your 686.

I suggest a set of glasses with the proper diopter lens in your shooting eye.
Here is my set of Knobloch glasses. I have done a lot of bullseye shooting over the past 50 years, and ,my eyes have changed a lot during that time. The replaceable lens allowed me to keep that front sight in FOCUS. You can click on the pic to expand it.


The glasses have an adjustable diaphragm behind the lens, which will help the target focus, the glasses are focused on the front sight. The thing on the left is an temporary aperture to insure the lens is aligned properly with your eye, the sights and the target.

I would take my guns to the optician's office and hold them up and he would hold a lens in front of my eye, and I would choose the lens which made the front sight clearly in focus. I had three lengths of guns, a S&W Model 52 or 1911 length, a 7 3/8 barreled Model 41, and a Hammerli Free Pistol which was quite long. I had a lens for each. The round lenses were not very expensive, I don't remember the cost.
Later I made this "Fake Gun" to use instead of hauling my guns to the office. It was a stick , with a handle, and three 1/4 square pieces of keyway material at the front sight distances. I could always add a new "front sight key" at a different distance.



Over the years I had a lot of lenses as my vision got worse.



After I got my cataracts removed, I had to get new lenses.

I don't believe any colored sights will help you, which is why I suggested you not change your 686. I believe the solution is in lenses, not in sight modification.
The other suggestion of a "Red Dot" sight is also viable. I did not do this because a) back 50 years ago there were no red dot sights, and b) I like iron sights.

I hope it all works out for you.

 

[Bottom Fodder]

Since the basic rule of pistol shooting is KEEP THE FRONT SIGHT IN FOCUS, and since you can't focus clearly on the sights AND the target, I suggest holding off on changing the sights on your 686.

I suggest a set of glasses with the proper diopter lens in your shooting eye.
Here is my set of Knobloch glasses. I have done a lot of bullseye shooting over the past 50 years, and ,my eyes have changed a lot during that time. The replaceable lens allowed me to keep that front sight in FOCUS. You can click on the pic to expand it.

View attachment 1680536
The glasses have an adjustable diaphragm behind the lens, which will help the target focus, the glasses are focused on the front sight. The thing on the left is an temporary aperture to insure the lens is aligned properly with your eye, the sights and the target.

I would take my guns to the optician's office and hold them up and he would hold a lens in front of my eye, and I would choose the lens which made the front sight clearly in focus. I had three lengths of guns, a S&W Model 52 or 1911 length, a 7 3/8 barreled Model 41, and a Hammerli Free Pistol which was quite long. I had a lens for each. The round lenses were not very expensive, I don't remember the cost.
Later I made this "Fake Gun" to use instead of hauling my guns to the office. It was a stick , with a handle, and three 1/4 square pieces of keyway material at the front sight distances. I could always add a new "front sight key" at a different distance.

View attachment 1680539

Over the years I had a lot of lenses as my vision got worse.

View attachment 1680540

After I got my cataracts removed, I had to get new lenses.

I don't believe any colored sights will help you, which is why I suggested you not change your 686. I believe the solution is in lenses, not in sight modification.
The other suggestion of a "Red Dot" sight is also viable. I did not do this because a) back 50 years ago there were no red dot sights, and b) I like iron sights.

I hope it all works out for you.

Nailed it, you fully explained what I was referring to in my post

 

[dhagerty40]

Since the basic rule of pistol shooting is KEEP THE FRONT SIGHT IN FOCUS, and since you can't focus clearly on the sights AND the target, I suggest holding off on changing the sights on your 686.

I suggest a set of glasses with the proper diopter lens in your shooting eye.
Here is my set of Knobloch glasses. I have done a lot of bullseye shooting over the past 50 years, and ,my eyes have changed a lot during that time. The replaceable lens allowed me to keep that front sight in FOCUS. You can click on the pic to expand it.

View attachment 1680536
The glasses have an adjustable diaphragm behind the lens, which will help the target focus, the glasses are focused on the front sight. The thing on the left is an temporary aperture to insure the lens is aligned properly with your eye, the sights and the target.

I would take my guns to the optician's office and hold them up and he would hold a lens in front of my eye, and I would choose the lens which made the front sight clearly in focus. I had three lengths of guns, a S&W Model 52 or 1911 length, a 7 3/8 barreled Model 41, and a Hammerli Free Pistol which was quite long. I had a lens for each. The round lenses were not very expensive, I don't remember the cost.
Later I made this "Fake Gun" to use instead of hauling my guns to the office. It was a stick , with a handle, and three 1/4 square pieces of keyway material at the front sight distances. I could always add a new "front sight key" at a different distance.

View attachment 1680539

Over the years I had a lot of lenses as my vision got worse.

View attachment 1680540

After I got my cataracts removed, I had to get new lenses.

I don't believe any colored sights will help you, which is why I suggested you not change your 686. I believe the solution is in lenses, not in sight modification.
The other suggestion of a "Red Dot" sight is also viable. I did not do this because a) back 50 years ago there were no red dot sights, and b) I like iron sights.

I hope it all works out for you.

These are the same glasses I use in Pistol Silhouette. these helped a lot. Now my problem when shooting in Creedmore position is getting my head high enough to see over my beer belly!

 

[AccelR8]

I got a pair of safety glasses with a 1.5 diopter full lens. Not a bifocal. I can see the front sight perfectly but distance is a little blurry. Of course that was expected however I would think 1.25 might be a little better compromise. Problem is I'm not able to find 1.25 safety glasses and I don't want to have custom glasses made until I get a chance to try the 1.25 and see if it's acceptable.

Here's what I have now (I bought cheap as a trial):

Amazon.com

 

[powderbrake]

These are the same glasses I use in Pistol Silhouette. these helped a lot. Now my problem when shooting in Creedmore position is getting my head high enough to see over my beer belly!

I know what you mean, I also have a beer belly.
I shot a lot of IHMSA in the 80's, was Unlimited Missouri State Champ in 1986.

I suggest holding the pistol to the side of your leg, instead of between your legs, the beer belly won't be in the way. (I could really use a smiley face here, that was supposed to be funny)

 

[Kittitas George]

I got a pair of safety glasses with a 1.5 diopter full lens. Not a bifocal. I can see the front sight perfectly but distance is a little blurry. Of course that was expected however I would think 1.25 might be a little better compromise. Problem is I'm not able to find 1.25 safety glasses and I don't want to have custom glasses made until I get a chance to try the 1.25 and see if it's acceptable.

Here's what I have now (I bought cheap as a trial):

Amazon.com

Try an industrial welding supply store, they may have what you need. I've been buying shooting glasses at the welding store for a number of years, they have different bifocal strengths, different colors and the correct OSHA safety numbers. Prices should be around $20 or less.

 

[dhagerty40]

you could always try an Iris. these help in bringing the target into focus:

Gehmann Iris - Disc for Regular Glasses | Champion's Choice