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My eyes are going bad!

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Go for it. My eyes also did not age well. Using a scope or red dot is a great way to go for even muzzle loaders. Granted it might took odd from the aesthetics point of view but it is for you and not for the others.
 
I made one of these for my longrifle, I liked it so much I just made one for my TC with a new GM barrel but haven't tried it out yet.

At 73 I can't see the sights, I added the peep and shot this target at this at 50 yards, I pulled the shot to the left then settled down for the next two shots. I was shooting the rifle pictured below. Before the peep I was lucky to get a 3" group.
peep group 2F.JPG


peep done mounted.JPG
 
Red dot sights can be mounted far enough forward so as to not interfere with the hammer. For scopes look at one of the log eye relief ones designed to be mounted on a "Scout" rifle. They mount about 12" forward of the breech and are designed to be shot with both eyes open, won't interfere with hammer and are pretty fast for target acquisition.
 
I made one of these for my longrifle, I liked it so much I just made one for my TC with a new GM barrel but haven't tried it out yet.

At 73 I can't see the sights, I added the peep and shot this target at this at 50 yards, I pulled the shot to the left then settled down for the next two shots. I was shooting the rifle pictured below. Before the peep I was lucky to get a 3" group. View attachment 80872

View attachment 80871
Very cool and traditional!
 
I am 70 years old and when the sights got blurry I put on Williams Fire Sights and it was a simple exchange with my old Thompson Renegade. Do not worry about the purists here just keep hunting for as long as you can. I good Vortex Venom red dot is in my near future, but for now the Fire Sights are working. Everything is about getting out in the woods, you do what you have to do!
 
I picked up something called an Eyepal on ebay a couple years back for about $20. It's a small disc of thin vinyl with a tiny peep in the center that sticks your glasses via static (you get two of them in the pack). It took a fair bit of fiddling to find the right spot for the one I currently have on my shooting glasses, but once I got it set up it was a life changer. I bought it mainly for shooting my unmentionable handguns, but it works for everything. As has been noted, you can make a similar aperture from tape for next to nothing, so you might try that out before springing for the ready-made ones like I did. You may even find your homemade version adequate as well. It's worth a shot.

Red dots drive me nuts, personally, as the dot looks like a vaguely elongated, fuzzy star with my astigmatism, even with my glasses, but if one will work for you, that's perfectly fine as well. Do what you gotta do to keep shooting. If you can find a good way to mount one, go for it.
 
I know this might sound very unconventional, but I'm considering mounting a red dot sight on my hawken.. I'm at the stage where I have a very hard time focusing on the rear sight or the front sight.
Where do I go from here? Is there a picatinny or weaver rail I can mount on the barrel that will allow a red dot sight? and if so, where would you mount it?
Planning the same thing due to failing eyesight (had shingles attack my optic nerve in my shooting eye). Came across this suggestion and it does work. This comment was left on Amazon. I tried the stuff and it does set up solid-just give it plenty of time.

I like the fact that it has a large “gripping” area for adhesive to bond to as I attached mine to a little buggy rifle using black automotive RTV silicone gasket material. No screw holes necessary and can be removed using a scalpel type knife. The product used is Permatex 82180 Ultra Black Maximum Oil Resistance RTV Silicone Gasket Maker.

With that stuff you will be able to mount a rail on the top rib of your ML and get the Red Dot sight you need. Good hunting!
 
The one thing not mentioned is an eye check up by your eye doctor if it has been a while. They may be able to help too. And it is just a good idea as we get older. I’m of the mind that you use what you need to keep shooting too.
That’s what I did. New pair of glasses designed for shooting. Now I can shoot all of my iron sighted weapons. Ask your eye doctor about it.
 

Thanks to Obama, try buying a brand name knife from the U.S. or anything firearm related.
[/QUOTE]
I though Nixon was the one that started the trade with China!!!
 
As much as I'm all for the use of historically authentic sights, it is true that if you can't see to shoot you gotta do what you gotta do. If you can't see well enough to enjoy the gun then what's the point of shooting?
 
As much as I'm all for the use of historically authentic sights, it is true that if you can't see to shoot you gotta do what you gotta do. If you can't see well enough to enjoy the gun then what's the point of shooting?
I like the smell of black powder in the morning... Adjust the sights to what you need to see them, even if it is a fiber optic...
 
I know this might sound very unconventional, but I'm considering mounting a red dot sight on my hawken.. I'm at the stage where I have a very hard time focusing on the rear sight or the front sight.
Where do I go from here? Is there a picatinny or weaver rail I can mount on the barrel that will allow a red dot sight? and if so, where would you mount it
Have you been to an optometrist?
They can make lenses with focal points at the distances your sights are from your eyes.
That can be very helpful. If you have macular degeneration, that may or may not help.
 
Long time right handed shooter who, thanks to macular degeneration, is now 20/550 (legally blind) in the right eye. I do not understand how I compensate for handguns, but it works. Shotguns don't matter because I am a wingshooter and it is two eyes open and pointing. Not aiming. Can still make a supper of doves.
Learning to shoot rifles LH is a struggle. I am being polite about that. I am 74 and got a .22 rifle for Christmas when I was 6 years old. I want to get back to being able to fire off hand into an eyeball at 50 yards. Aging is a son of a gripe. Imagine the alternative ain't sweet either.
 
Long time right handed shooter who, thanks to macular degeneration, is now 20/550 (legally blind) in the right eye. I do not understand how I compensate for handguns, but it works. Shotguns don't matter because I am a wingshooter and it is two eyes open and pointing. Not aiming. Can still make a supper of doves.
Learning to shoot rifles LH is a struggle. I am being polite about that. I am 74 and got a .22 rifle for Christmas when I was 6 years old. I want to get back to being able to fire off hand into an eyeball at 50 yards. Aging is a son of a gripe. Imagine the alternative ain't sweet either.
Son of a gripe ain't what i wrote but the pc computer is riding rampant.
 
I feel your pain, brother. I had bifocals when I was 12 and am 20/200 uncorrected as I push 50. I mentioned difficulty seeing the sights in an annual eye doc visit a few years ago and he changed my prescription. Magic, now I can shoot iron sights again.

In case that doesn't do it, there are a bunch of alternatives. This site is aimed at unmentionables, but the proprietor offers a single slot picatinny rail that fits into a standard doevetail slot and takes a small red dot sight Red Dot Sight with Single Slot Picatinny Rail Package [RedDotRail ComboPak] - $129.95 : Steve's Gunz, Rossi 92 Specialist (stevesgunz.com) I ordered one against the day that a peep no longer works.
 
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