What should be in focus?

Prof Young · April 8, 2016, 06:12 PM

With my regular glasses, the target is in focus and the open handgun sights are not. (I wear nonprescription saftey glasses over my regular.)

With my prescription safety glasses, designed to have things in focus at arms length, the gun sights are in focus and the target is not.

I'm guessing there is no right or wrong here. I prefer to have my sights in focus and let the target be fuzzy. I think I shoot just a little better that way. But only a little.

Thoughts and comments?

Live well, be safe
Prof Young

Model12Win · April 8, 2016, 06:25 PM

Cooper said it best:

"Focus on the front sight."

Everything else might be a blur, but you'll hit your target.

powrguy · April 9, 2016, 07:23 AM

I went to focusing on the front sight with my handguns, and it's remarkably more consistent in finding the target with tighter groups.

It may be the old eyes, or just more focusing, but it worked for me, too.

P-990 · April 9, 2016, 07:52 AM

There is a right answer, if you're looking to make photogenic little groups, the front sight HAS to be in focus. HARD focus. Any nick, scratch, ding, gouge, missing finish or otherwise imperfect spot on the front sight blade should annoy you. Then you're focusing on the front sight properly.

At close range hitting big targets at high speed, there's some leeway for less than perfect front sight focus. But you still need to see the front sight (or the silhouette of the gun) to reference where you're going to hit.

UncleEd · April 9, 2016, 07:59 AM

For target and competition shooting, you might want to have the sights in focus.

For defensive self-protection shooting you might want to practice with the
glasses you wear most or all of the time.

With my reading glasses, I see the sights perfectly and the targets are a bit of a blur.

Without my reading glasses, the targets are sharp.

Since I'm not likely in a defensive situation to have on my reading glasses, I practice a lot without them and just wear safety glasses.

I think it's important for identification sake to have a sharp picture of the target.

Of course, with the sights in sharp focus my groups are much tighter but for me that's hardly the point in defensive shooting. And with practice I've gotten better and better seeing the target sharply.

rodfac · April 9, 2016, 08:36 AM

Quote:

There is a right answer, if you're looking to make photogenic little groups, the front sight HAS to be in focus. HARD focus. Any nick, scratch, ding, gouge, missing finish or otherwise imperfect spot on the front sight blade should annoy you. Then you're focusing on the front sight properly.

At close range hitting big targets at high speed, there's some leeway for less than perfect front sight focus. But you still need to see the front sight (or the silhouette of the gun) to reference where you're going to hit

Very well said...and I'd add that the "close range" element when shooting center mass is approx. 7 yds. Defeating body armor, (i.e. shooting for the cranial/ocular vault) still requires focus on the front sight, front sight, front sight! As stressed by Col. Cooper and many, many others.

Rod

UncleEd · April 9, 2016, 08:54 AM

Even out of focus it doesn't mean you can't see the front sight; it's just not sharp.

rep1954 · April 9, 2016, 10:43 AM

I have found that as I approach 62 years of age in just a matter of weeks that guns with shorter sight radius have become more relaxing to my eyes. Eye strain and watering while using my prescription variable focal lens glasses is much less. I can shoot shorter barrels as well as some of the longer barreled guns I have of equal caliber. I shoot the FF III by Burris on some handguns but still prefer to stay with open sights. Although I like the EoTech XPS2 on long guns (rifles) over open sights.

Deaf Smith · April 9, 2016, 10:54 AM

rep,

I've always favored short barreled guns. Rifles, shotguns, and pistols.

And yep, as I get older I still see those sights.

Deaf

g.willikers · April 9, 2016, 11:00 AM

Me, too.
I've never noticed enough difference in the sight radius of handguns to matter.
Short barrel, long barrel, not enough to matter.
And rifles are plenty long enough from rear to front sight, that it doesn't matter there, either.
Sorry to report, at age 62 serious deterioration ain't even begun, yet.

But then the plus 80 year olds tell me the same thing.

Onward Allusion · April 9, 2016, 11:03 AM

Yup, front sight. One reason why them Big Dot sights are so popular.

T. O'Heir · April 9, 2016, 11:59 AM

"...designed to have things in focus at arms length..." This one. All prescription lenses are impact resistant. You don't need anything else as long as said lenses are big enough to cover your whole eye.
Sight radius doesn't matter with a hand gun. Accuracy has nothing to do with barrel length either.
"...serious deterioration ain't even begun..." Yep. Except for the knees, hips, teeth, heel, hair colour changing(Trendy grey and for free. snicker.) and back(hearts been rebuilt), I'm fine, at 62. HAHAHAHAHA. However, everything goes downhill after 40.

Doc Holliday 1950 · April 10, 2016, 09:20 AM

I found that sighting in on the front sight works for me.

Hook686 · April 10, 2016, 11:04 PM

In target shooting I like the front sight in focus. In a self defense scenario I doubt I will take the time to concern myself with what is in focus, nor do I think the distance involved will likely make thart a big issue.

RolandD · April 10, 2016, 11:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by T. O'Heir

"HAHAHAHAHA. However, everything goes downhill after 40.

Sure as hell did for me. I felt as hail and Hardy at 40 as I did at 20. As I rapidly approach 50, I feel old. Delicate motor skills are shot, balance is wonky, bifocals, but need trifocals.

Radny97 · April 11, 2016, 01:11 AM

P-990 has it right.

mete · April 11, 2016, 03:11 AM

Old age is for sissys ! You'll find out .
I thought you could figure out 'front sight ' mathematically ??
In any case that's the way. How do you hunt deer in cover ? You first aim with focus on the target .That gets things roughly lined up, then you bring the focus back to the front sight for the final precision .
I get my deer , out to 60 yds , quick , accurate !.

gyvel · April 11, 2016, 04:58 AM

Welcome to old age, Prof "Young." LOL

darkgael · April 11, 2016, 06:47 AM

Front sight. Yep.

Quote:

Even out of focus it doesn't mean you can't see the front sight; it's just not sharp.

Yes, you can "see" it. The idea, though, is to align the front sight as precisely as possible with the rear sight (which would be out of focus when the front sight is sharp). The more out of focus things are, the harder it is to be precise.

boatdoc173 · April 11, 2016, 08:55 AM

THE TOP EDGE of the front sight should be your focus and clear as a bell

Boncrayon · April 11, 2016, 09:32 AM

The eye can focus clearly on only one object at a time. The front sight is your focal point which will make the rear sight and the target fuzzy, especially in dark and dim light when the pupil is wide open. Depth of field is more pronounced in a bright or sunlit environment when the pupil is smaller.

AzShooter · April 11, 2016, 10:47 AM

I got it figured out. For my 65 year old eyes I switched to a Red Dot Sight like the Burris Fast Fire III. You can get a mount for almost any gun.

Now I just find the dot, put it in the center of the target and I know I will hit it.

Give it a try.

9x45 · April 13, 2016, 08:54 AM

Razor sharp front sight for groups, and for combat/competition at less than 7 yards, somewhere between the front sight and the threat/target. Of course a dot takes all the work out of it because it becomes target focused.

Prof Young · April 13, 2016, 04:07 PM

Thanks for all the thoughts and comments.
Yes, focus on the front sight and wear my prescription safety glasses (
that focus at arm's length) for my target shooting.
Focus on the front sight and wear my regular specs for practice with my CC weapon.
Live well, be safe
Prof Young

April 8, 2016, 06:12 PM	#1
Prof Young Senior Member Join Date: August 21, 2007 Location: Illinois - down state Posts: 2,403	What should be in focus? With my regular glasses, the target is in focus and the open handgun sights are not. (I wear nonprescription saftey glasses over my regular.) With my prescription safety glasses, designed to have things in focus at arms length, the gun sights are in focus and the target is not. I'm guessing there is no right or wrong here. I prefer to have my sights in focus and let the target be fuzzy. I think I shoot just a little better that way. But only a little. Thoughts and comments? Live well, be safe Prof Young

April 9, 2016, 07:23 AM	#3
powrguy Junior member Join Date: October 15, 2014 Location: NE Ohio Posts: 17	Focus I went to focusing on the front sight with my handguns, and it's remarkably more consistent in finding the target with tighter groups. It may be the old eyes, or just more focusing, but it worked for me, too.

April 9, 2016, 07:52 AM	#4
P-990 Senior Member Join Date: May 2, 2002 Location: Only1/2WayThere Posts: 1,316	There is a right answer, if you're looking to make photogenic little groups, the front sight HAS to be in focus. HARD focus. Any nick, scratch, ding, gouge, missing finish or otherwise imperfect spot on the front sight blade should annoy you. Then you're focusing on the front sight properly. At close range hitting big targets at high speed, there's some leeway for less than perfect front sight focus. But you still need to see the front sight (or the silhouette of the gun) to reference where you're going to hit. __________________ NRA Master, Highpower Rifle, Across-the-Course NRA Expert, Highpower Rifle, Mid-Range Prone

April 9, 2016, 10:54 AM	#9
Deaf Smith Senior Member Join Date: October 31, 2000 Location: Texican! Posts: 4,453	rep, I've always favored short barreled guns. Rifles, shotguns, and pistols. And yep, as I get older I still see those sights. Deaf __________________ “To you who call yourselves ‘men of peace,’ I say, you are not safe without men of action by your side” Thucydides

April 9, 2016, 11:00 AM	#10
g.willikers Senior Member Join Date: September 28, 2008 Posts: 10,442	Me, too. I've never noticed enough difference in the sight radius of handguns to matter. Short barrel, long barrel, not enough to matter. And rifles are plenty long enough from rear to front sight, that it doesn't matter there, either. Sorry to report, at age 62 serious deterioration ain't even begun, yet. But then the plus 80 year olds tell me the same thing. __________________ Walt Kelly, alias Pogo, sez: “Don't take life so serious, son, it ain't nohow permanent.”

April 8, 2016, 06:25 PM	#2
Model12Win Junior member Join Date: October 20, 2012 Posts: 5,854	Cooper said it best: "Focus on the front sight." Everything else might be a blur, but you'll hit your target.

April 9, 2016, 07:59 AM	#5
UncleEd Senior Member Join Date: April 13, 2013 Location: N. Georgia Posts: 1,150	For target and competition shooting, you might want to have the sights in focus. For defensive self-protection shooting you might want to practice with the glasses you wear most or all of the time. With my reading glasses, I see the sights perfectly and the targets are a bit of a blur. Without my reading glasses, the targets are sharp. Since I'm not likely in a defensive situation to have on my reading glasses, I practice a lot without them and just wear safety glasses. I think it's important for identification sake to have a sharp picture of the target. Of course, with the sights in sharp focus my groups are much tighter but for me that's hardly the point in defensive shooting. And with practice I've gotten better and better seeing the target sharply.

April 9, 2016, 08:54 AM	#7
UncleEd Senior Member Join Date: April 13, 2013 Location: N. Georgia Posts: 1,150	Even out of focus it doesn't mean you can't see the front sight; it's just not sharp.

April 9, 2016, 10:43 AM	#8
rep1954 Senior Member Join Date: July 5, 2009 Location: Mid Western Michigan Posts: 1,187	I have found that as I approach 62 years of age in just a matter of weeks that guns with shorter sight radius have become more relaxing to my eyes. Eye strain and watering while using my prescription variable focal lens glasses is much less. I can shoot shorter barrels as well as some of the longer barreled guns I have of equal caliber. I shoot the FF III by Burris on some handguns but still prefer to stay with open sights. Although I like the EoTech XPS2 on long guns (rifles) over open sights.

April 9, 2016, 11:03 AM	#11
Onward Allusion Senior Member Join Date: November 17, 2009 Location: Back in a Non-Free State Posts: 3,133	Yup, front sight. One reason why them Big Dot sights are so popular. __________________ Simple as ABC . . . Always Be Carrying

April 9, 2016, 11:59 AM	#12
T. O'Heir Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 12,453	"...designed to have things in focus at arms length..." This one. All prescription lenses are impact resistant. You don't need anything else as long as said lenses are big enough to cover your whole eye. Sight radius doesn't matter with a hand gun. Accuracy has nothing to do with barrel length either. "...serious deterioration ain't even begun..." Yep. Except for the knees, hips, teeth, heel, hair colour changing(Trendy grey and for free. snicker.) and back(hearts been rebuilt), I'm fine, at 62. HAHAHAHAHA. However, everything goes downhill after 40. __________________ Spelling and grammar count!

April 10, 2016, 09:20 AM	#13
Doc Holliday 1950 Senior Member Join Date: June 16, 2014 Location: Bout as south as it gets Posts: 1,238	I found that sighting in on the front sight works for me. __________________ Shoot well and be Accurate, Doc

April 10, 2016, 11:04 PM	#14
Hook686 Senior Member Join Date: May 22, 2005 Location: USA The Great State of California Posts: 2,090	In target shooting I like the front sight in focus. In a self defense scenario I doubt I will take the time to concern myself with what is in focus, nor do I think the distance involved will likely make thart a big issue. __________________ Hook686 When the number of people in institutions reaches 51%, we change sides.

April 11, 2016, 01:11 AM	#16
Radny97 Senior Member Join Date: July 8, 2015 Posts: 1,021	P-990 has it right.

April 11, 2016, 03:11 AM	#17
mete Senior Member Join Date: June 14, 2004 Location: NY State Posts: 6,575	Old age is for sissys ! You'll find out . I thought you could figure out 'front sight ' mathematically ?? In any case that's the way. How do you hunt deer in cover ? You first aim with focus on the target .That gets things roughly lined up, then you bring the focus back to the front sight for the final precision . I get my deer , out to 60 yds , quick , accurate !. __________________ And Watson , bring your revolver !

April 11, 2016, 04:58 AM	#18
gyvel Senior Member Join Date: August 30, 2009 Location: Northern AZ Posts: 7,172	Welcome to old age, Prof "Young." LOL __________________ As always, YMMV. __________________________________________ MIIAA SIFE

April 11, 2016, 08:55 AM	#20
boatdoc173 Senior Member Join Date: July 2, 2015 Location: southern Ct Posts: 194	THE TOP EDGE of the front sight should be your focus and clear as a bell

April 11, 2016, 09:32 AM	#21
Boncrayon Senior Member Join Date: March 24, 2008 Posts: 920	What should be in focus? The eye can focus clearly on only one object at a time. The front sight is your focal point which will make the rear sight and the target fuzzy, especially in dark and dim light when the pupil is wide open. Depth of field is more pronounced in a bright or sunlit environment when the pupil is smaller.

April 11, 2016, 10:47 AM	#22
AzShooter Senior Member Join Date: June 20, 2006 Location: Surprise, Az. Posts: 766	I got it figured out. For my 65 year old eyes I switched to a Red Dot Sight like the Burris Fast Fire III. You can get a mount for almost any gun. Now I just find the dot, put it in the center of the target and I know I will hit it. Give it a try.

April 13, 2016, 08:54 AM	#23
9x45 Senior Member Join Date: January 14, 2000 Location: Southern California Posts: 1,089	Razor sharp front sight for groups, and for combat/competition at less than 7 yards, somewhere between the front sight and the threat/target. Of course a dot takes all the work out of it because it becomes target focused. __________________ Sometimes my Glock forgets where to look.....

April 13, 2016, 04:07 PM	#24
Prof Young Senior Member Join Date: August 21, 2007 Location: Illinois - down state Posts: 2,403	Yes, and thanks. Thanks for all the thoughts and comments. Yes, focus on the front sight and wear my prescription safety glasses ( that focus at arm's length) for my target shooting. Focus on the front sight and wear my regular specs for practice with my CC weapon. Live well, be safe Prof Young

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