TargetTalk

Hi all,

I posted a message a while back about 10m pistol glasses, basically dedicated Champion glasses vs just regular eye wear adjusted for front sight focus. Since that post, I've been sick on a couple of different fronts, have barely touched my pistol (or done anything else), nor have I purchased shooting glasses. I'm starting to think I might feel better someday (though little proof of it yet, lol) and will get to shoot again. I notice "pistol" frames use a perfectly round lens; is there a specific reason that I'd need to stick to only round "Lennon" specs or will a semi round or oval shape be OK ? Also, just to complicate things, I've learned that I have $120 in eye benefits for frames, which would pretty much cover the cost of Champion frames (that I don't know how to set up and have no coaching available to help me). I'm still thinking I'd be better off for now with regular glasses that don't have to be set up and can't get knocked out of adjustment, but I'm open to your opinions.

Your "regular" glasses are not really set up for shooting, although they will work OK, but not great.

It is easy to set up a pair of Champion or other glasses; you just put the lens directly between your eye and the target when you're in "stance".

Round lenses are easier to make and better (that's all you see on telescopes and rifle sights) and you only need one.

If you really want to be precise with your set up, try the centering device:

http://www.champchoice.com/cat-Champion-424-2.aspx

I have one for my Knoblochs, and it lets you see when the lens is centered and coaxial with your eye. I did not get one when I bought the glasses and thought it was an unnecessary bit of frippery, but once I did it made a big difference. Even if you are looking through the center of the lens, if the axis of the lens is at an angle to the axis of your eye, the image of the sight will not be as sharp as possible.

BTW, I don't know where you found Champion shooting glasses for ~$120; Champion's Choice has them for $285. The Knoblochs have fewer adjustments, but they are $200 and the accessories are cheaper too.


Roger

I haven't price compared recently, but I've always gotten my Champion stuff from Neal Stepp at International Shooters Service. Neal is a great guy to deal with, and even if he isn't absolute bottom dollar, I like to help keep him in business. He sells other brands of glasses as well, and will give you an honest run down on the features & weaknesses of each brand.

My bad, I was thinking of the Varga frames that Pilk sells.

I wasn't making a recommendation - Champion's Shooter Supply just came up first on Google. I bought a pair of older, used Knoblochs from a listmember or I probably would have bought the Vargas from Pilkguns.

BTW, they have a pair of Knoblochs on the Buy, Sell, Trade forum right now:

/viewtopic.php?t=34661&highlight=glasses

The Vargas have a 37mm lens which is the same nominal size as the lens on the Knobloch, so someone at Pilkguns might be able to tell you if the Knobloch aligning device would fit the Vargas.

Roger

Round lenses are not better or worse than non-round lenses from an optical perspective, but the frames are cheaper to make, and if you have an astigmatism, round gives you the ability to rotate the lens to fine tune your astigmatism correction.

The big deal for shooting is to get your lens strength right, and the ideal strength will very likely be close to +0.75 diopters added to your distance vision prescription. That will bring your relaxed focal point to the hyperfocal distance of the rear sight, and give you the best front sight possible without giving up too much on the target.

There are a couple of glasses options out there that you could get frames plus lenses for $120. Look up Bob Jones (www.bjonessights.com). He has a pair of glasses he had made that are wire frames with the nose bridges welded on crooked, so the frames sit left of center on your face. THis will bring the optical center of the lens closer to where you are looking when you shoot. Frames are $35, and if I recall, lenses are $30 each, so if you only correct your shooting eye, you are in for $65. Still under $100 if you get two lenses.

I am working to develop a Knobloch alternative, but it won't be out for several months yet. I'm still prototyping.