Sight picture, iron sights

[wpod]

When using iron sights, do I want my focus on the target or the front sight? (which one clear, which one fuzzy?)
The same for handgun and long gun?

[AreWeFree]

Front sight, always.

[wpod]

I was reasonably sure this is the case, just confirming. I'm thinking of getting new "shooting" glasses.

My current interests/activities are pistol and archery. The two disciplines are sighted opposite of each other. Pistol is focused front sight, see target. Archery is focused target, see pins.

My problem is my glasses, tri-focals. My son was watching me shoot and wondered why I looked up at the ceiling, I was looking through the bottom portion of my glasses to focus on the front sight.

With archery my chin is on my chest, looking out the top, focusing on the target. Bad form.

The "shooting" glasses would be upside-down, distance on bottom (chin up for archery) and arms-length on top (firearm, iron sights)

[Bansh88]

Front sight, always.

This. Most important

[L84CABO]

Some companies can make a reverse bifocal. This is where the bifocal portion of the lens is a small section at the top of the lens instead of the bottom. The idea being you focus on your front sight through this window. Finding at good eye doctor who has experience with shooting sports is key

[Epaphroditus]

Focus on the target ... bring the front sight to the target then find the rear sight without losing focus on the target.

[russ69]

Rifle post sight: Focus on front post.
Pistol: Focus on front sight and make sure your sights are in-line.

[IVC]

The more important question is "why focus on the front sight?"

Given that the eye cannot focus on all three planes at the same time, you have to pick between the front sight, rear sight and the target. The one you pick will be in focus and sharp, while the other two will be blurry. The blur is where the error in alignment happens.

If you choose the target to be in focus, while the sights are blurry, the error in alignment of the sights will double at twice the arms length, triple at three times the arms length, etc. So small misalignment of the sights compounds with distance. In other words, you are introducing an aiming error.

If you keep sights in focus (assume you can do both at the same time,) but leave the target blurry, your aim is now correct and error free, but you might not identify the center of the target correctly. However, this is now a target error which does not propagate with distance (apart from the blurred area being slightly larger.) If you are aiming at a silhouette, if your (error free) aim is inside the dark, you don't care if edges are blurry - your aim is not close to the edges and you will hit the target, albeit possibly off center.

Now, between the two sights, you'll always align one sharp and one blurry. Simple geometry tells you that you want the focus to be sharp on the farthest sight because that way the aiming error (above) will double at twice the distance from the front sight, not twice the distance from the rear sight.

[GreaterFool]

The more important question is "why focus on the front sight?"

Given that the eye cannot focus on all three planes at the same time, you have to pick between the front sight, rear sight and the target. The one you pick will be in focus and sharp, while the other two will be blurry. The blur is where the error in alignment happens.

If you choose the target to be in focus, while the sights are blurry, the error in alignment of the sights will double at twice the arms length, triple at three times the arms length, etc. So small misalignment of the sights compounds with distance. In other words, you are introducing an aiming error.

If you keep sights in focus (assume you can do both at the same time,) but leave the target blurry, your aim is now correct and error free, but you might not identify the center of the target correctly. However, this is now a target error which does not propagate with distance (apart from the blurred area being slightly larger.) If you are aiming at a silhouette, if your (error free) aim is inside the dark, you don't care if edges are blurry - your aim is not close to the edges and you will hit the target, albeit possibly off center.

Now, between the two sights, you'll always align one sharp and one blurry. Simple geometry tells you that you want the focus to be sharp on the farthest sight because that way the aiming error (above) will double at twice the distance from the front sight, not twice the distance from the rear sight.

Very good explanation. Thank you sir!

[wpod]

Have new shooting specific glasses on order.
Optical tech was quite unsure, she conferred with my optometrist. He said I was right, just flip my prescription over.
Also have the focal center offset to the left a bit.
I'll see in a week or so (ha! A pun)

[hambam105]

Find your target.

Center your target in the rear sight aperture.
Without upsetting target center, place the front sight onto the target.
Move your sight alignment onto your sight picture.
Now focus on the front sight.
Release the trigger while focusing on the front sight.
Follow thru.

Repeat.

[wpod]

I should be able to with the new glasses

[wpod]

The new glasses work as I hoped for both pistol and bow.
Now to retrain myself.
Darn, have to shoot both more.

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[Wordupmybrotha]

Sounds like you might be shooting in the tactical turtle stance.
Lessons from Jerry Miculek taught me not to do that.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChSazF41q-s

[wpod]

It's more "old guy with trifocals" than "tactical turtle".
My son wondered why I was looking at the ceiling when I was shooting. I was trying to look through the bottom of my glasses.
Using a rest, on a bench, sitting in a chair, I couldn't see my sights at all.
Now I can.

Now with my bow. My chin is up giving me better form. Focus on a small point of the target and the appropriate pin hovers over that point, opposite of before.
Different strokes for different folks. This is working for me

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