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Skinner sights with perscription glasses

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BillyBoy
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Skinner sights with perscription glasses

Post by BillyBoy » Sun Jan 06, 2019 12:44 pm

Hi all;

Likely most of us wear prescription glasses. And by now most of us know how to use the famous Skinner Peep Sight. You focus only on the front sight, put it on target (if you can see it!) and just let the rear sight take care of itself. Almost automatic.

But I was still having issues focusing on the front sight. My "dress" glasses are bifocals, near and far as is most common. My sun glasses are distance only, but I can still read the speedometer. Not that it matters!

But I also have a special prescription for my computer work as a product designer and CGI artist. These have the prime focus at 22", the exact distance from my eye to the monitor.

And exactly the same, including about 2" eye relief, as for the receiver mounted Skinner on my GB Carbine.

On a whim, on my last trip out to the BLM shooting range before the dirt road was snowed in, I took my computer glasses and tested them out.

PERFECT!!! I cannot believe the difference they made! Very easy to group 10 rounds inside 1", dead centered on the Bullseye.

So the next time (soon) I get a new set of glasses, I'm going to also get a pair of "shooting glasses", same prescription as my computer glasses, but probably in the common amber non-glare tint.

Just an idea! BTW, I also painted the front sight ramp white for better contrast on the targets.

Side note for us unfortunate souls stuck at a computer all day... Practice what's called the "Triple Twenty" rule. Every twenty minutes, take a 20 second break and look at something 20 feet away. This lets your eyes reshape and refocus, and does a lot to avoid eye strain!

Bill
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Re: Skinner sights with perscription glasses

Post by Mistered » Sun Jan 06, 2019 1:52 pm

Always nice to find a solution to sight issues.
I don't use the 'famous Skinner Peep Sight' but Williams' on all my rifles and had similar problems after eye surgery but i have managed to work around it.
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Re: Skinner sights with perscription glasses

Post by PT7 » Sun Jan 06, 2019 2:48 pm

Thanks, BillyBoy. Prescript glasses do pose a shooting challenge.

I basically have the same sight set-up as you have on your GB. My Henry is the .22LR SGC with the stock receiver-mounted Skinner peep and a front brass bead. Still works pretty well for these 71-year-old eyes.

I have trifocals --- long-distance, @ 24" for computer handling, and good 'ole reading glasses. I read a lot, and those bottom readers are well-used. I have lines dividing the three lenses; never could handle the no-line style. Anyway, I'll have to pay some attention to your suggestion next time out and see what I see! ;)
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Re: Skinner sights with perscription glasses

Post by Ojaileveraction » Sun Jan 06, 2019 3:06 pm

Progressive Lenses.
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Mags
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Re: Skinner sights with perscription glasses

Post by Mags » Sun Jan 06, 2019 3:22 pm

I skipped trying Skinner sights. I have progressive lens. With buckhorn I found it very challenging to get the target, front and rear sights all aligned in the correct part of the progressive lens. My eye focus kept changing while doing so and the barrel would wander off POA. Could never get sights and target in good enough focus to shoot with any accuracy. Figured it would likely be the same with Skinner sights, so skipped them and went with a scope.
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Re: Skinner sights with perscription glasses

Post by Ojaileveraction » Sun Jan 13, 2019 10:54 am

Mags wrote:I skipped trying Skinner sights. I have progressive lens. With buckhorn I found it very challenging to get the target, front and rear sights all aligned in the correct part of the progressive lens. My eye focus kept changing while doing so and the barrel would wander off POA. Could never get sights and target in good enough focus to shoot with any accuracy. Figured it would likely be the same with Skinner sights, so skipped them and went with a scope.
You missed NCG's primer on using peep sights. Looked for it but could not find it.
From my class notes: look thru rear sight, focus on the front sight, rear sight disappears, sand front sight automatically centers. Obtain sight picture xsjhoot.
That's from my notes. NCG. Of course says it much better you should look to the post.
Tim

Here it is
Peep sight theory and practice
http://henryrifleforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=32&t=2678
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Re: Skinner sights with perscription glasses

Post by Mags » Sun Jan 13, 2019 1:49 pm

From the post link provided, looks like 'Moe60' authored that primer. Yup I missed it, wasn't a forum member then. I'm sure it's a good primer for people with better eyesight than mine. However it doesn't address targeting with progressive lens.

Problem with my prescription progressive lens. For me to get focus on the sights and target I have to move my head to see through different sections of the progressive lens. So while I can get focus on the front sight, I can't see the target. When I have focus on the target I can't see the sights at all, not even the front one. Since I have to keep moving my head to get different focus points, near and far, my POA wanders. Logically thinking I didn't see that changing with a peep sight. Hence, skipped it, and went with a scope.
Ojaileveraction wrote:
Mags wrote:I skipped trying Skinner sights. I have progressive lens. With buckhorn I found it very challenging to get the target, front and rear sights all aligned in the correct part of the progressive lens. My eye focus kept changing while doing so and the barrel would wander off POA. Could never get sights and target in good enough focus to shoot with any accuracy. Figured it would likely be the same with Skinner sights, so skipped them and went with a scope.
You missed NCG's primer on using peep sights. Looked for it but could not find it.
From my class notes: look thru rear sight, focus on the front sight, rear sight disappears, sand front sight automatically centers. Obtain sight picture xsjhoot.
That's from my notes. NCG. Of course says it much better you should look to the post.
Tim

Here it is
Peep sight theory and practice
http://henryrifleforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=32&t=2678
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Re: Skinner sights with perscription glasses

Post by Ojaileveraction » Sun Jan 13, 2019 2:50 pm

I'm sure your correct.
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Re: Skinner sights with perscription glasses

Post by CT_Shooter » Sun Jan 13, 2019 3:04 pm

NCG's lesson on using a peep sight is here:

http://henryrifleforums.com/viewtopic.p ... =10#p49269
North Country Gal wrote:Can't help you on the Henry specific questions, but, yes, as far as how to use a peep sight. On all peep sights, regardless of type, you look though the peep and then forget about it, only concentrating and focusing on the front sight. Your eye automatically seeks the center of the peep sight if you do this. DO NOT make any conscious effort to center the front sight in the peep sight hole.

There are two advantages gained, here. The first is potential sharpening of the front sight/target, depending on the size of the aperture (hole in the peep) and distance of the peep from the eye (the closer the peep to the eye, the better, hence the advantage of tang peeps). Because of differences in our vision, of course, this can vary from one shooter to the next. No guarantees, here. One of those things you have to try and experiment with.

The second is a sight picture that consists of ONLY the front sight and the target and this one IS guaranteed, no matter the type of peep or distance from the eye. In other words, a peep takes the rear sight out of the sight picture, completely. You see only a front sight and the target. For us oldsters, this one is a biggie, since it's the rear open sight on a rifle that is the hardest for us to see, sharply, due to the fact that it is actually too close to our eye.

You can use any type of front sight with a peep. There's no peep sight specific requirement. I much prefer either a blade front or a globe front for target work, but bead front sights are more traditional on lever guns and for hunting, fiber optic front sights are popular for their visibility, especially in low light. Not very traditional, but they do work.
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Re: Skinner sights with perscription glasses

Post by Mags » Sun Jan 13, 2019 8:47 pm

.
...and Squatch's addition a few posts further concerning progressive lens...
http://henryrifleforums.com/viewtopic.p ... =10#p54054
CT_Shooter wrote:NCG's lesson on using a peep sight is here:

http://henryrifleforums.com/viewtopic.p ... =10#p49269
North Country Gal wrote:Can't help you on the Henry specific questions, but, yes, as far as how to use a peep sight. On all peep sights, regardless of type, you look though the peep and then forget about it, only concentrating and focusing on the front sight. Your eye automatically seeks the center of the peep sight if you do this. DO NOT make any conscious effort to center the front sight in the peep sight hole.

There are two advantages gained, here. The first is potential sharpening of the front sight/target, depending on the size of the aperture (hole in the peep) and distance of the peep from the eye (the closer the peep to the eye, the better, hence the advantage of tang peeps). Because of differences in our vision, of course, this can vary from one shooter to the next. No guarantees, here. One of those things you have to try and experiment with.

The second is a sight picture that consists of ONLY the front sight and the target and this one IS guaranteed, no matter the type of peep or distance from the eye. In other words, a peep takes the rear sight out of the sight picture, completely. You see only a front sight and the target. For us oldsters, this one is a biggie, since it's the rear open sight on a rifle that is the hardest for us to see, sharply, due to the fact that it is actually too close to our eye.

You can use any type of front sight with a peep. There's no peep sight specific requirement. I much prefer either a blade front or a globe front for target work, but bead front sights are more traditional on lever guns and for hunting, fiber optic front sights are popular for their visibility, especially in low light. Not very traditional, but they do work.
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UPDATES: OR passes 114, "one of strictest gun control measures in U.S." https://henryrifleforums.com/viewtopic. ... 34#p213234

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