Iron sights versus CSS

xtp308

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Well, I'm 51 now. I've shot iron sights on AR platforms since I was USMC starting in the 1980s. Won't even go into service competitions/NRA stuff/ almost 25 years of LEO and mil HRT service, blah, blah...

I followed my own advice and did my pre-Florence preps which concluded with rechecking the bzo's on my HD rifles. I walked out to my usual mark at 50 yards and sat down. I then discovered that I couldn't clearly make out the target over my BUIS. I blamed the lousy light and moved up to 25, since after all, it was an overcast day with late afternoon fading light. I flipped up my sights and discovered "no bueno" at 25 yards with my usual 2-inch targets. It just wasn't right. I even flipped out a zippo and blacked the FSP. In conclusion, I now am suffering from the dreaded Can't See ... Stuff syndrome.

I guess I'll look at magnifiers for my RDS, but what about buis ? I don't like the idea of running a fragile, battery-powered sight without a redundant option. But, if I can't see it anyway, why bother ?

Should I just mount 1x4s on everything and be happy or are there other options ? What do any of you old guys use for sights ?

I appreciate any constructive input; thanks ! BTW, I hate wearing glasses and am not interested in eye surgery.

Sincerely,
Not Aging Gracefully in Dunn
 
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I'll bet you can still see and hit ~center of a man sized silhouette with your irons.

Definitely see an eye doc tho...

My old ass eyes like a prism sight, and they work without batteries. Vortex and Burris make decent affordable units.
 
My last exam was like two months ago, diagnosed with slight astigmatism for the first time. He told me I stare at a computer screen too much, I told him he was right !

I'm positive I can still shoot enough for SD and work purposes with irons, I'll just have to get somebody else to zero them. The offsets might be worth a try. I mean, if Miculek uses them....

I've heard of the prism sights, may need to check those out.

All good suggestions, I sincerely appreciate them ! Thanks !!
 
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Started losing my eyes at like 42. Closing on 50.
Tough to see irons anymore.
I use low power variable optics on my rifles. 1-4 and 1-6’s.
I find them to be as fast as a red dot, and far more useable and flexible than irons.

Prism sights are also great. They have an diopter for focus, like my variables.

I ditched the back up sights a while back.
 
Yep, I may be looking at going with offsets and LPVOs; and yes, shotguns are always welcome for certain applications !! I am gonna start researching the prisms too.
Thanks for the input !!!!!
 
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Focus should be on the front sight anyways. If I've decided its a threat already and take aim, focus on the front sight, NOT the target. I'm 53 wearing bi-focals. I deploy back to Astan in couple more days.

CD
 
Agreed; no issues there. I just can't see well enough to zero on a pasty anymore. Definitely not worried about man-size targets. Thanks for the input.

I'll check out the Steiners, thanks ! I've used their binos on the job for years; great glass !
 
I’m 53 with astigmatism. I’ve changed the front sight posts on my irons to thinner national match posts and it has helped me see the sights much better. I’ve also started using a Steiner PX4i and it’s a great aid to hitting at distance.
 
One other thing that helps me zero at 25 is add thick horizonal bars across the 25m zero target. Target is still blurred for me.

CD
 
Agreed; no issues there. I just can't see well enough to zero on a pasty anymore. Definitely not worried about man-size targets. Thanks for the input.

I'll check out the Steiners, thanks ! I've used their binos on the job for years; great glass !

This is where I got mine. The mount is well made, but a little bigger and heavier than more expensive options. I prefer the Bobro's but this is a sweet deal.

https://dsgarms.com/kt-miqd30-stn5202
 
Thanks; I'm leaning more towards the LPVO for my home guns. Has anybody just ditched BUIS altogether ? I'm uncomfortable with that, and will try the offsets first; just looking down the road...
 
Thanks; I'm leaning more towards the LPVO for my home guns. Has anybody just ditched BUIS altogether ? I'm uncomfortable with that, and will try the offsets first; just looking down the road...

Yes.
Edit: Ditched the offsets, too. Would only use offsets if scope was not capable of 1X.

IMG_2984.jpg
 
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Thanks for the response; looks like I'm thinking of this all wrong. Instead of calling this a problem, I should look at this as an reason to try new toys !
 
Thanks for the response; looks like I'm thinking of this all wrong. Instead of calling this a problem, I should look at this as an reason to try new toys !

Now yer thinkin!
 
I have really enjoyed this thread. In my role as official Primary Arms Industry Shill (tm) I want to say a few things.

1. My hat is off to xtp308 for admitting his eyes aren't as good as they were before, posting about it in a public space, and being truly open to suggestions. I know more than one guy who wears bifocals but still harrumphs about how he's able to hit a target at 600 yards with iron sights because he did it twice in the 1980s while a young Marine. I want to say to them, "Semper Fi and all but dude, when you can't read your phone without holding it out at arms length, there's NO shame in getting help with shooting better from a quality optic."

2. My company makes some really good optics for the money that are a joy to shoot with. If you have any questions about our products in particular, feel free to ping me, it's my job to answer them and I love talking about this stuff and writing articles about it for our blog.

3. I've always been a back-up iron sight guy, until my latest build. It's not a fighting rifle, it's not a home defense rifle, it's my fourth AR build and it's just for fun and competition. I decided just to spend the money and weight on a really nice 1.93" quick detach mount for my 1-6x FFP "Raptor" scope. If the scope dies, which it won't, I don't have a backup sight, but that just means I lose the stage, lose the competition. No big deal.

But the crazy part is, looking at SWAT teams and even military/police forces overseas, I'm seeing a lot more guys not bothering to run backup sights at all. Modern optics are so good, so durable, that they've just decided not to mess with it. Once you've been deployed with the same ACOG for two years and it's always worked just fine, I think you start wondering why you are even toting around irons anymore. But dang... on my fighting guns I'm old school enough that I run a flip up rear and the old fixed A-frame front sight.

I'm really enjoying this forum and the attitude of the people here. You guys are great.
 
Oh, you just had to mention the phone at arms length thing....I'm there on that too.
What also just struck me as ironic or prophetic was my choice of avatar and it's relationship to this thread. I've used this avatar for a lot of years from a favorite movie of mine.

Without going into specifics in an open forum, I am an armed professional and have been one for over thirty years. I posted this to gain information from other long-term shooters because I accepted a long time ago that I don't know everything; this forum is absolutely fantastic for guys who are willing to share their info and experience to help others not repeat their mistakes or (gasp) even learn something. You'll see the occasional "flame fight" or "Friday Night" sessions (some will catch my reference), but 99 percent of what I see on here is absolutely genuinely civil and sharing of gained knowledge . The mods handle the other 1 percent usually very quietly and discreetly, from what I can tell. I'm definitely not an old-head on here, and don't post much; but yes, this is a freaking great site and a good bunch of men. Also, (since I'm rambling already) my "hats off" thanks to the founders and creators of this site, who did it literally overnight and in response to an unacceptable situation.

I also really thank the guys who took the time to send me a response to the thread, I'm genuinely appreciative !! I'm looking at the offset irons now and trying out a prism sight. I personally just can't drop the buis altogether on a fighting gun, yet. Old dogs and all that...
 
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