Better sights for aging eyes?

[themauldens]

I love to use iron sights but my eyes are getting where I can’t see the sights. I use reading glasses to see up close but If I use the glasses to see the sights I can’t see the target. I currently just go without glasses and the sights are really blurry and I am amazed at how well I still shoot. I just know the at each year it is getting worse. I have been wanting to try some peep sights but that may be worse. Anybody else in my situation benefit from peep sights or any other sights?

[CT_Shooter]

Anybody else in my situation benefit from peep sights or any other sights?

I have Skinner Peeps on both my Henrys; receiver mounted on my Big Boy and barrel mounted on my Classic 22. They made a world of difference for my old eyes.

[RanchRoper]

Lots of guys here use Skinner sights. Check them out. I just ordered their ladder sight for my muzzleloader.

[Steve51]

My eyes are not good but may not be as bad as yours. I like to use iron sights and have Skinner peep sights on 4 of my lever action rifles. I am well satisfied with them. I have 3 X 9 scopes on my H001 and H001TM but not real fond of a scope on a lever action rifle.

[themauldens]

Anybody else in my situation benefit from peep sights or any other sights?

I have Skinner Peeps on both my Henrys; receiver mounted on my Big Boy and barrel mounted on my Classic 22. They made a world of difference for my old eyes.

If I install the receiver mounted peeps, do I have to remove the buckhorn sights? If I do, I would prefer to install the barrel mounted peeps. Is there a big difference in accuracy on barrel vs receiver mount?

[JEBar]

which is best is pretty much an individual decision .... with my eyes, I need to go with a scope

[BigAl52]

Another sight option is Ranger Point. They have peep sights with added fiber optics. I have some skinner sights but might try some Ranger Point in the future. I also have the regular irons and I use a red dot. Red dots are another option and I like the ones I have on my single shot and the pump. Some guys here have also put the red dot on leverguns.

[BigAl52]

Receiver mounted peep gives you a longer sight radius. I would think yes you would need to remove the factory barrel mounted sight. They make sight blanks to fill the dove tail.

[themauldens]

Receiver mounted peep gives you a longer sight radius. I would think yes you would need to remove the factory barrel mounted sight. They make sight blanks to fill the dove tail.

That sounds like something I will try. Receiver mounted peep and a barrel blank for the dovetail.

[CT_Shooter]

That sounds like something I will try. Receiver mounted peep and a barrel blank for the dovetail.

That's what I have on my Big Boy; a Skinner Express Peep and a barrel blank. Skinner sells different sized apertures for their sights, too.

When you remove the semi-buckhorn, slide a business card or piece of paper underneath it to avoid scraping the barrel.

[Rifletom]

which is best is pretty much an individual decision .... with my eyes, I need to go with a scope

That's where I ended up at. Two shots with irons, and everything just becomes a blur. Scope.

[North Country Gal]

Peep sights can help ... up to a point. The main advantage is that a peep, if properly used, removes the rear sight from the sight picture. Just look though the peep and forget it, only concentrating on the front sight and the target.

If lighting conditions allow it, a small diameter aperture can sharpen the field a bit, but that more typically happens with a full blown target peep, up close to the eye, under controlled lighting conditions for precision bullseye shooting. In my experience, the sharpening effect doesn't amount to much with a standard receiver peep used out in the field for plinking or hunting.

Barrel mounted peeps are a good option when you can't go with a receiver peep, but they are not as easy to use or effective as a receiver peep.

Peeps are one of those things you'll just have to try. They may or may not make enough of a difference for your eyes and your shooting to be the improvement you want.


The next option for us oldsters is a red dot. A red dot is a very easy to use sight with the dot and the target all in the same focal plane, so everything is sharp. Most people find a red dot to be a significant improvement over open sights or even a peep sight when having issues with their eyes.


The last and absolute best option in terms of sight and target clarity is a good scope. A scope, even a low power scope, will allow you to see the target under conditions where the same target would be all but invisible with a red dot or iron sights. A quality 2x scope will allow you to see into the shadows with good detail, something a red dot or iron sights cannot do. For example, our backyard air gun range is constantly in shadows for most of the day. I have to wait for good lighting to even be able to see the targets with iron sights or a red dot. A scope, though, allows me shoot anytime, regardless of the conditions.

We still keep a few of our rifles set up with iron sights, because I enjoy shooting iron sights and love the tradition of iron sights. One or two even wear a red dot. 90% of our rifles, though, wear scopes. When you're having trouble seeing the sights and/or the target, nothing beats a scope. Not even close.

[themauldens]

“When you remove the semi-buckhorn, slide a business card or piece of paper underneath it to avoid scraping the barrel. ”

Thank you for the tip.

[themauldens]

Peep sights can help ... up to a point. The main advantage is that a peep, if properly used, removes the rear sight from the sight picture. Just look though the peep and forget it, only concentrating on the front sight and the target.

If lighting conditions allow it, a small diameter aperture can sharpen the field a bit, but that more typically happens with a full blown target peep, up close to the eye, under controlled lighting conditions for precision bullseye shooting. In my experience, the sharpening effect doesn't amount to much with a standard receiver peep used out in the field for plinking or hunting.

Barrel mounted peeps are a good option when you can't go with a receiver peep, but they are not as easy to use or effective as a receiver peep.

Peeps are one of those things you'll just have to try. They may or may not make enough of a difference for your eyes and your shooting to be the improvement you want.


The next option for us oldsters is a red dot. A red dot is a very easy to use sight with the dot and the target all in the same focal plane, so everything is sharp. Most people find a red dot to be a significant improvement over open sights or even a peep sight when having issues with their eyes.


The last and absolute best option in terms of sight and target clarity is a good scope. A scope, even a low power scope, will allow you to see the target under conditions where the same target would be all but invisible with a red dot or iron sights. A quality 2x scope will allow you to see into the shadows with good detail, something a red dot or iron sights cannot do. For example, our backyard air gun range is constantly in shadows for most of the day. I have to wait for good lighting to even be able to see the targets with iron sights or a red dot. A scope, though, allows me shoot anytime, regardless of the conditions.

We still keep a few of our rifles set up with iron sights, because I enjoy shooting iron sights and love the tradition of iron sights. One or two even wear a red dot. 90% of our rifles, though, wear scopes. When you're having trouble seeing the sights and/or the target, nothing beats a scope. Not even close.

Lots of helpful information. Thank you.

[fortyshooter]

I love to use iron sights but my eyes are getting where I can’t see the sights. I use reading glasses to see up close but If I use the glasses to see the sights I can’t see the target. I currently just go without glasses and the sights are really blurry and I am amazed at how well I still shoot. I just know the at each year it is getting worse. I have been wanting to try some peep sights but that may be worse. Anybody else in my situation benefit from peep sights or any other sights?

Others here have seen it but this is what I came up with on all my Henry lever rifles and a Marlin too!

[Sir Henry]

I love to use iron sights but my eyes are getting where I can’t see the sights. I use reading glasses to see up close but If I use the glasses to see the sights I can’t see the target. I currently just go without glasses and the sights are really blurry and I am amazed at how well I still shoot. I just know the at each year it is getting worse. I have been wanting to try some peep sights but that may be worse. Anybody else in my situation benefit from peep sights or any other sights?

Others here have seen it but this is what I came up with on all my Henry lever rifles and a Marlin too!

I had not seen this before. I like it.

[Steve51]

I used the Skinner barrel mounted sights and did not have to change the front sights on my rifles. lf you use the receiver mounted rear sight from Skinner, you may also have to change the front sight.