Knowing when to ask for help

[jrm850]

I've been a shooter my whole life and thought I was a pretty good shot until yesterday. I took two younger guys to the range, one of which has never fired a rifle before and the other has never shot an accurate rifle from a bench. I was fireforming brass so I was happy to introduce both of them to the addiction and let them have at it. I give the the guy who has never pulled a trigger before a small class about reseting the rifle in the rest, trigger control ect, and let him fire a group. He took forever between shots adjusting the rest constantly and trying to get comfortable. He was nervous and his hands were visibly shaking. His first group ever was about .420". Not bad. The other guy gets up and pops off a .323" group. Then the Surfer boy who hasn't shot before gets up for his second group ever and nails a .124" group. I'm thinking to myself that this fireform barrel still has some life left in it, conditions are perfect, and I'm going to get up there and show them how it's done. The first look through the scope and the target is dancing all over the place. After looking at it for a couple of seconds I feel like my 50 year old eye is pulsating. I shoot a nice round .4" and then follow it up with another similar fatty. I got schooled by first timers. I can regularly shoot groups in the 2s with my main rifle, but after yesterday, I'm wondering if I have something that shoots in the 0s that I just can't drive anymore.

I live in a warm climate so the mirage is nothing new but as I get older it seems like my window of time between the first look through the scope and when my eye starts straining is getting shorter and shorter. I know there are many others dealing with the age related eye issues quite well so I'm hoping some of you can share your tips. My vision is still pretty decent at long range but I have to wear reading glasses for anything up close. The scope was a Sightron SIII 8x32.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Jeff

 

[Johnboy]

boy what a sweet group he shot.I cannot say for the eye thing just 10 years younger than you,but will ask do you wear glass'.I ask for you didn't say to if you do and that you said your eye starts to strain.

And yeah I wouldn't put the rifle out to rest just yet,I'd let the two younger shooters use it for a first match or something of the like.

 

[jsn]

Too small of a sample size to be relevent. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it. You can use it if you want to.

I know a guy who used to win a number of sporting clays events. You need to be really good to do that. Then his eye dominance changed. He gave it up.

You could try shooting with the opposite hand/eye just to try it, you never know. If you already have the discipline down, maybe the other side will work even better for you. You won't know until you try it.

I won't tell you about the first time I ever shot centerfire, that's my story, I'm sticking to that too, and NOT sharing it. No damage or injury occurred.

 

[ryanjay11]

Put a mirage sheild on the barrel.

 

[jonbearman]

How about an eye doctor first to make sure you dont have a real problem.Dr Norman Wong has written several articles dealing with eye problems for the shooter.I can go to his page and the internet address appears as www.starreloading.com for some reason.I hope someone can find you the address.Good reading for anyone with shooting eye problems.It may be in the article section on the home page.

 

[Preacher]

I needed glasses for a lot of years, but the year after taking Claroxon, I passed my drivers eye test for the first time since I was 21 with out the glass's on..
Always wore them when watching TV too, but no more..
My eyes are in pretty good shape for a upcoming 71 YO birthday, thanks to that stuff !!!

 

[ddkearney]

Jeff,
You could try shooting right-handed with your left eye (if your scope is up high enough). I found out this spring that the developing cataract in my right eye is quite a bit worse this year than last year; somewhat fuzzy at 100, couldn't even hardly see at 200. So, I leaned over and look through the scope with my good left eye - seemed to work OK without bumping the stock. Not very comfortable, but it may be how I'll have to do it until the time comes to fix my right eye. Don

 

[jonbearman]

How long have you been taking claroxon? Where do you get it.

 

[jrm850]

boy what a sweet group he shot.I cannot say for the eye thing just 10 years younger than you,but will ask do you wear glass'.I ask for you didn't say to if you do and that you said your eye starts to strain.

And yeah I wouldn't put the rifle out to rest just yet,I'd let the two younger shooters use it for a first match or something of the like.

I don't wear glasses other than reading glasses. I had an eye exam 18 months ago and they said I was 20/20. I was a bit surprised becasue I have some issues with blurryness if I try to focus too close for too long.

I put it together for my Wife who will shoot her first 300yd F Class match this weekend. I'm happy it still shoots.

Too small of a sample size to be relevent. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it. You can use it if you want to.

I know a guy who used to win a number of sporting clays events. You need to be really good to do that. Then his eye dominance changed. He gave it up.

You could try shooting with the opposite hand/eye just to try it, you never know. If you already have the discipline down, maybe the other side will work even better for you. You won't know until you try it.

I won't tell you about the first time I ever shot centerfire, that's my story, I'm sticking to that too, and NOT sharing it. No damage or injury occurred.

"...too small of a sample..." I like it.
I don't have enough clearance to do that now, but that can definitely change. I can't believe I have never even thought about try to shoot left handed.

Put a mirage sheild on the barrel.

Definitely will try that. I have never used one before.

How about an eye doctor first to make sure you dont have a real problem.Dr Norman Wong has written several articles dealing with eye problems for the shooter.I can go to his page and the internet address appears as www.starreloading.com for some reason.I hope someone can find you the address.Good reading for anyone with shooting eye problems.It may be in the article section on the home page.

I tracked down his articles... Excellent reading. The one about Troxler effect seems to hit my problem dead on. I am left eye dominant so a lot of it makes sense. I shoot a shotgun fairly well lefty but never tried a rifle. I always wanted a near port rifle so shooting lefty will kill two birds with one stone. Not sure about learning lefty on a Jewell BR trigger though. Just playing around out of my office window, I can already tell that my left eye stays focused way longer.

I needed glasses for a lot of years, but the year after taking Claroxon, I passed my drivers eye test for the first time since I was 21 with out the glass's on..
Always wore them when watching TV too, but no more..
My eyes are in pretty good shape for a upcoming 71 YO birthday, thanks to that stuff !!!

One of the articles that Dr. Wong wrote was about scientific proof that Lutien works. I just looked up Claroxan and Lutein is included in the ingredients list. I'm not sure about the $480 per year though.

Jeff,
You could try shooting right-handed with your left eye (if your scope is up high enough). I found out this spring that the developing cataract in my right eye is quite a bit worse this year than last year; somewhat fuzzy at 100, couldn't even hardly see at 200. So, I leaned over and look through the scope with my good left eye - seemed to work OK without bumping the stock. Not very comfortable, but it may be how I'll have to do it until the time comes to fix my right eye. Don

I can't recall his name but I read an article on this site about a guy that set a world record who shoots like that. Do you get disoriented looking at the target twisted 90?



I really appreciate everyone's help and will try them all. Thank you.

 

[dragman]

Maybe its a touch of this:
The first time people do something they usually have little exspectation. and they listen and don't overthink things that I know I do. I have seen GOOD shooters go and try a new "shooting game" and shoot really well there and then when they go back a second, third, fourth, etc never do as well as the first trip there. I don't know exactly why but I have seen it a lot.

 

[NateHaler]

His first group ever was about .420". Not bad. The other guy gets up and pops off a .323" group. Then the Surfer boy who hasn't shot before gets up for his second group ever and nails a .124" group.

If those were 3-shot groups, then I would totally disregard them except as indicative that you have a very accurate rifle with excellent potential in the right hands.

If those were 5-shot groups, then "Surfer boy" (as you call him) managed to hold still and shoot a group smaller than any I have ever shot, and likely smaller than most people will ever shoot unless they regularly compete in short range benchrest. Call that beginner's luck, regardless.

 

[RCurtis]

How long have you been taking claroxon? Where do you get it.

Website for Claroxan is here http://www.claroxan.com/

 

[jrm850]

His first group ever was about .420". Not bad. The other guy gets up and pops off a .323" group. Then the Surfer boy who hasn't shot before gets up for his second group ever and nails a .124" group.

If those were 3-shot groups, then I would totally disregard them except as indicative that you have a very accurate rifle with excellent potential in the right hands.

If those were 5-shot groups, then "Surfer boy" (as you call him) managed to hold still and shoot a group smaller than any I have ever shot, and likely smaller than most people will ever shoot unless they regularly compete in short range benchrest. Call that beginner's luck, regardless.

All were three shot groups except my first group which had 4 rounds. I tried to impress upon him how good of a group he just shot and that he should put it in his wallet but he just said "alright dude, thanks for letting me shoot your gun". I laughed to myself thinking about kim Jung Il giving up golf because it was too easy. I rarely shoot three shot groups unless I am pressure testing but I thought it might be a confidence booster for the new guys.

On another note, have any of you tried a Bulzeye optical booster?

 

[jrm850]

Well it looks like I'm going to be a lefty now. I went to the range on Saturday and had no problem looking through the scope for extended times and, form aside, the shots left with with a bit of confidence. It wasn't nearly as awkward feeling as I had thought. Today I scoped while my wife shot a 60 round match and could watch entire strings without taking a break using my left eye. Such a simple solution.

Thanks to all for your suggestions.