Anyone Else Have This Problem?

S

Single Six

New member
After 23 years of full-time LE service, the last time we qualified with our service pistols, I noticed some alarming changes to my usual grouping. For all of these years, my groups have been well-centered and fairly tight; I almost always score 100%. This last time, however, I noted that once I got out to past 20 yards, my group migrated high and to my right [and by the way, I'm a lefty]. These last two monthly trips I've made to the range on my own, the same thing happens. Now, I've tried switching up my trigger finger placement, going from my usual first distal joint to the pad of the finger, no help there. I find myself reluctant to aim slightly to the left of the target to compensate for this. I'm also noticing that once my B-27 gets out to the longer ranges, my front sight sometimes suddenly, but briefly, replicates itself off to one side. A buddy of mine mentioned parallax, which I've heard before but don't completely understand. Any thoughts and / or suggestions will be very much appreciated.
 
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Seeing double is perfectly normal. It means you are looking at the target rather than the front sight. If you see anything double, it should be the target. (Aim for the target you see in the eye behind the rear sight. Should be the darker one.)

For target qualification you might consider closing your right eye. Try it on your own at the range. That way you may at least rule out your trigger control as the problem.
 
I'm also noticing that once my B-27 gets out to the longer ranges, my front sight sometimes suddenly, but briefly, replicates itself off to one side.
Click to expand...

My best guess is you're contending with two problems at once:

  1. Your dominant eye is somewhere other than on the front sight.
  2. You're flinching.
Both of those are perfectly normal phenomena, though adverse to accuracy.

In my experience, the simple solution to the eye problem is to put a piece of translucent tape on the safety glasses lens in front of your non-dominant eye, then focus, focus, focus on the front sight. It takes some practice and persistence. Ultimately, you'll shoot better with both eyes open, but it's tempting just to close your non-dominant eye. Try the tape for 50–100 rounds, take it off for ten, and see what you see. If you persist long enough and hard enough, your dominant eye will return to full dominance and focus on the front sight.

Flinch is unavoidable, and the older we grow, the more frequently it tends to return. My favorite trick is to shoot a few rounds of center fire, a few of rim fire, a few of center fire, a few of rim fire, et cetera. On the bright side, that's always worked for both me and students I've worked with; on the dark side, it tends to work for awhile before the flinch starts to sneak back. I've found combining custom-fitted plugs and heavy duty muffs helps.

By the way, if you've been in law enforcement 23 years, you're probably overdue for two things:

  1. A visit to a good eye specialist.
  2. Bifocal or trifocal lenses.
Both are bothersome and expensive; bi- or trifocal lenses take a bit of getting used to, but if you need them and get them, you'll be glad you did. A really good eye specialist will adjust one sub-lens in front of your dominant eye to focus on the front sight. I found I both saw better and shot better.

Best of success to you, eh?
 
Being 23 years of full-time LE service (thank you by the way) that means that you’re at least in your mid 40’s.
Do you wear glasses at all?
I have had and do still have the same problem. It’s just age in most cases. Your eyes can’t adjust and focus on as many different distances clearly.
I can see 20/20 inside of 4 feet but have poor sight outside of 6 feet. It can be corrected but not without multiple lenses.
The other idea is if you wear glasses the “Sweet spot” in glasses is at the center of the lens which is where you look through in most cases. What my ophthalmologists suggested was to bring in a toy gun with comparable sights and let her measure and look at where you are looking in relation to where your head is pointed.
With hand guns in a normal standing stance I look through the upper left end of the right lens. She had a special set of glasses ground so that the sweet spot was there instead of the center. It makes them unless for driving but help a great deal in shooting. With scoped rifles I take glasses off.
The big thing is to go see your doctor or a good ophthalmologists and not a simple Optometrists. 15 years ago I was having eye problem with focusing and found out that I had diabetes. Luckily for me I did see a good one, since I found it early it’s been easy to take care of and no eye damage took place.
 
Yup, sorry, eyesight changes, and any health weakness can show up at the ange. I'm 86 and everything is old-age different. I"m more nervous and my dominant eye is the weaker now so I'm training to go to the sharper left eye.
I'll never be a good shot but I'll be deadly at self-defense ranges.
 
Ozzieman: Yep, I'm 44. Been doing the LE thing since I was 22; and you are more than welcome. It's an honor to serve, and while thanks aren't necessary, it's always appreciated. Anyhow, no, I don't wear glasses, and never have...at least, not yet. I guess it may well be time to visit an optometrist, as well trying the other recommendations others have posted. Thanks, guys.
 
Another vote for a trip to the optometrist, you old fart. :p:D:D.

My eyesight started downhill quickly at 40 and according to the doc. that seems to be the magic age...

..and again, Thank You for your services.
 
I will add another vote, for you go to see the eye doc when you can.

I have had minor vision issues since I was a child, and had the lasik to correct some of it, which helped more then I thought. I know this isnt your case though.

What I am getting at is that, go get the eyes checked, and ensure everything is fine with them. Then once that is done start eliminating other variables. Just use a process of elimination and see how things go. Thats how I have worked through similar issues.

Have a grand day
 
Yep, a trip to an opthamologist is strongly recommended. You need a full vision checkup, not just a quick exam for eyeglasses.

If glasses would be a problem on the job (I don't see why it would be), you can opt for contact lenses.

Jim
 
+1 for Ophthalmologist

+1 for Ophthalmologist

If you haven't been to one in the last 5+ years, it's a good thing to do periodically once you hit 'middle age' , whenever that is :)

Good luck, appreciate your service.
 
I was plagued with horrible vision since birth. When I joined the military my vision was listed as 20/200. I wore spectacles from age 8 until age ~35, when they finally started making contacts that would correct for serious degrees of astigmatism. Those contacts cost $100/pair back then, and were good for (at best) 30 days.

At age 45 I had Lasik surgery.

I am now 55 and celebrating ten years glasses-free.
It will not last forever, as from age 40 on, the eyes age faster than some other parts of the body...but I am loving life right now.

Look into Lasik or lens-replacement surgery. The advances in medical technology every year are astounding. There is a reason that health-care insurance is so expensive (Obamacare notwithstanding) --it's worth it.
 
Single Six, some suggestions made are probably correct. After 23 years you're doing nothing wrong. The eyes eventually start to go. Wait till you get older and start to miss the bowl. It's not a pretty sight especially when the wife starts to yell. Not to worry though, but just get the eyes examined.
 
GunsmokeTPF, I'm of the opinion that "Lol" has been around way too long, and should have died years ago from over-exposure. But your "miss the bowl" bit actually did make me laugh out loud!:D
 
Single Six, it's true and very scarey. I can't believe at that distance I can miss a target that large. It's amazing what can happen at 0200hrs.
 
Look at something and keep both eyes open, now point your finger up in the air right in front of what you looking at and you should see two fingers. It's pretty normal and shows which eye is dominant by squinting one and then the other to see which finger is on target. If you shot with one eye closed or squinted you'd probably never notice it.Shooting target sights with a black background indoors will make it harder to detect as well.

Seeing an eye doctor is fine but the double sight picture is not a result of failing vision unless everything you look at is in double.

Wanted to add that with the double vision thing and keeping both eyes open while shooting will allow you to "see through" the sights and get a full visual on the entire target. Many people I shoot with don't understand how I can shoot with both eyes open and get good groups. I tell them it's the "x-ray vision" technique.
 
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Actually, I've always shot with both eyes open. Having tried your experiment though, I find that I'm a left handed shooter who is right eye dominant.
 
with me I started hitting low to the right, found out one of my eyes is looking about 4 inches higher then other,got different glasses( I been wearing glasses for about 15 years,and get eye exam about every 2 years) and corrected it. This just seemed to happen over night.
 
Sugar test

If and when I lay-off all the treats for 48 to 72 hours my over all vision really improves. I still have distance 20/20, even with the Twinkies, but at times like right now I need glasses for close up work. I was bad at the dounut shop lately.
 
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