Ghost Ring Sights and fuzzy near vision

L

llewis669

Inactive
Of late, it's been getting more difficult to use the sights when handgun shooting. Yep I know I could just say "hey bad guy, hang on a minute while I get my glasses", but instead I've been teaching my self point-shooting, quick kill or whatever label you like.

I'm considering Ghost Ring sights for my shotgun but wonder if I'd have the same problem. I don't have any experience with GRS. Any thoughts?
Just stay with the bead?
 
Personally, as my eyes seemed to have aged faster than the rest of my body, I like a simple bead - no light tubes, GR or anything - but then I also shoot my shotguns at clays for 98% of my shooting
 
I've got old guy eyes also and reading glasses (to see my sights) don't work so well when I'm also trying to focus down range.

I use a GR on my shotguns, at work and on my HD shotgun. They work find because I don't need to focus on them. But I still have to see the front sight and that is often the problem (more so on pistols). Don't think I'd use a GR for general use shotgun though.

I do find however that fiberoptic sights are the best thing since sliced bread.
 
I was trying to shoot handguns with open sights the other day, and, yes, it's getting harder and harder. To the typical grandfather's presbyopia, toss in retinopathy and early cataracts and it's no wonder I don't see the both sights and the target clearly.

Like my friend, oneounceload, I do my shotgun shooting at clay targets. With the shotgun, I find it's best to generally ignore the sights -- I watch the target, not the sights. With experience and a proper fitting gun, you don't need sights, the gun will shoot where you are looking. This is where the term "seeing the lead" comes from. The sights on a target gun are there to verify that you have a proper mount. After I verify that the front and mid-rib rib beads form a figure 8, I don't look at them again.

As we age, the eyes are slower to change focus, so it makes sense not to ask them to do so. If your are constantly changing your focus from rear sight to front sight to target, your eyes are getting a work out. Once you verify that you're mounting your gun correctly, try to keep your eyes focused at the target. While shooting I try to avoid unnecessary close focusing. This includes re-loading by feel so I don't have to take my eyes away from target-distance focus.

Ilewis669, before you worry about getting a ghost ring set-up, make sure your gun is properly fit. You have to have total confidence in the fit and your mount to have the gun shoot where you are looking. There are several drills that can aid in your shooting. One that's common to shotguns and handguns is the blind mount: Pick a spot and focus on it, close your eyes, mount the gun and open your eyes -- the gun should be aimed at the spot.

Much of the gear we see marketed to shooters are gimmicks that attempt to let the shooter circumvent the need for a proper fit and adequate training. Unfortunately, if your work requires the use of armory guns, you may not be able to have a proper fit. There are tactical applications where ghost ring type sights are appropriate; but, they aren't used as a replacement for training.
 
My eyes have also grown old with me.I now use Laser grip sites on my carry handgun.I have shot aquite a bit of skeet and don't need any sites on my shotguns,however I have peep sites on a Marlin that I can see very well(2in.groups at 100 yds.)They should work equally as well on a shotgun.
 
Both of my defensive 870s double for venison with slugs. Both wear peep sights with the apertures removed, the original GR.

I'm 63, and had cataract surgery, lazer surgery and now need bifocal reading glasses up close. Distance vision is excellent.

Peeps still work well for me.

HTH....
 
Ilewis669, before you worry about getting a ghost ring set-up, make sure your gun is properly fit. You have to have total confidence in the fit and your mount to have the gun shoot where you are looking. There are several drills that can aid in your shooting. One that's common to shotguns and handguns is the blind mount: Pick a spot and focus on it, close your eyes, mount the gun and open your eyes -- the gun should be aimed at the spot.
Click to expand...

I haven't tried this with my shotgun, but will. I remember what and how Uncle Sam taught us to "quick kill" with a M-16. And I'm surprised how well it's coming along with my Sig P239.

I don't pretend to know everything regarding "fit". I had a Moss. 590 for 3-4 years and never fired it. I thought it fit well in the store but when I got it home and loaded it up (20", 8+1), I knew right off this wasn't going to work.

Just recently bought a Rem. 870 (18", 6+1) and it just feels right. Even took the 590 in the store and laid them side by side but never could put my finger on what was different. I'm not partial to Moss. or Rem, but the Rem. just feels more natural to shoulder.

Thanks for the info.
 
get a norinco 982 shotgun from big 5 when they go on sale. pretty good shotgun with GRS for about $200 then you can try 'em out for cheap.
 
The ghost ring (aperture or "peep") rear sight is ideal for aging eyes.

First, you simply ignore the rear sight and look right through it and focus on the front sight.
Since it's not possible for the human eye to focus on more than one thing at a time, this allows focusing between the front sight and then the target, which is easier for the eye to do, especially aging eyes.
Since your eye automatically centers the front sight in the rear, all the eye has to do is check the alignment of the front sight and target.

Second, the aperture sight gives an optical illusion that makes the front sight appear to be more sharply focused.
Match rifle and pistol shooters often use a Merit adjustable aperture device that sticks to a pair of shooting glasses.
The Merit aperture size is adjusted to give the sharpest sight picture.

The ghost ring sight works equally well on a shotgun whether shooting slugs or shot.
If shooting shot you can use the sights as a "flash" sight picture for a very quick sighting reference, or you can simply ignore them and "point" the shotgun.
 
I figure if you need to use the gun in a very quick situation, I would just look completely over the sights, if the threat is that close. I don't think the ghost rings are any kind of hindrance compared to the bead sight I used to own. If anything, my shot patterns have less left-right variation than they did.
 
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