Anyone using a Bob Jones lens?

My groups have started to open up considerably this year, which I attribute to my 57 year old eyes that can no longer focus on the front sight, and give me a decent sight picture. My last slow prone target looks like a shotgun pattern board.

Bob offers the sight lenses from -.75 to +.75, so how does one know which lens to try first?

TIA. for any help.

Bob has pretty good info on his website to help with lens selection. I was ready to give it up...about the same age as you when I met Bob Jones at Camp Perry and tried his system. It enabled me to get my Master classification and I still shoot around 480/500 on NMC using his lens...age 64...I'm happy. If you can't see the front sight, you can't hit, right? His system, including the correct aperture, will help any shooter. Only downside is moisture... rain, maybe extreme humidity, will make you use your glasses. BTW, my lens is a +2.0 to allow these 'ol eyes to see the front sight...he doesn't list that lens but will grind what you need up to certain optical limits.

I did run across what I was looking for on the bjones web site, but if anyone has personal experience, I would still like to hear it.

It works just fine for my 62 yr old eyes, but I would suggest you keep a sm can of air in your shooting stool for those rainy days.
Get a sm can from a camera shop, doesn't take up as much room.
Another thing, BJ lenses won't fog up like Knoblochs or glasses.
'Borg

Thanks for the info. How many lenses did you try before finding the one that looked the best?

I bought mine when i was up at Perry, so had a chance to check them all out with Bob.
But then I just use reading glasses, so don't have a script.
'Borg

The rule of thumb is to use "+" correction if you need help focusing on the front sight and use "-" correction if you need help seeing the target.

Add-on to OP's question: has anyone used the BJones shooting glasses? (and willing to provide feedback)

I tried a few (4-5) and settled on a mild + correction. Then I ditched the hooded lenses for some bob jones shooting eyeglasses frames with lenses from my local optometrist where I specified an optical center up in the corner of the lens where I need it for position shooting.

... but I'll admit I don't know if some correction at the rear sight would help me or not. I've all but resigned myself to just shooting with a damn scope. My eyes are decent but fatigue so quickly my slow prone scores are worse than my fast prone scores and messing with the lenses hasn't been the magic bullet that I had hoped.

Not for highpower, but one really trick thing you can do with bob jones lenses is take a mild green lens and his bob jones tac hood and epoxy that into a troy flip sight that's had the small aperture drilled out a bit. (the tac hood replacing the small aperture, while still retaining the use of the ghost ring). Then throw on a red dot. The dot being good for ghost ring or sighting above the rear sight, and if you peek through the small (now green tinted) aperture, the dot fades dramatically, leaving a clear precise iron sight picture. You see the green lens filters out the red light. Its cool.

FYI Bob is getting up there in the years, so cut him some slack and don't feel ashamed to poke him if you don't hear anything or he sends you the wrong lens.

BTW, the glasses rock. You're not going to pick up any hot dates wearing them, but I do highly recommend the frames for dedicated position shooting use.

Offsetting my optical center in my aiming eye lens was a good move as well. It makes sure you get the clearest picture where you need it the most.

Just call Bob on the phone and he'll hook you ritght up. I have one if his sights on two rifles and couldn't be happier. He's reall easy to talk to and he'll give you the stright dope.

Roy

Thanks for all the replies. I wound up settling on the +.37, and it showed up here only a couple of days after ordering.

looking through it in the back yard makes the post looked darker, thicker and more defined than without it. The test will come when I have time to take it out to the range for some live fire.

I started using one of Bob's inserts at Camp Perry. I had been shooting with Knoblochs, but decided to try one of Bob's inserts for the matches. Normally, I make a rule to not change ANYTHING right before the matches. I'm glad I made an exception. I needed a -1.2 diopter lens (I'm nearsighted) and it is soooooo much nicer than wearing glasses while shooting. I can take the lens of my Knoblochs and just wear the frames with the blinder on the right side.

Now I have to get a lens for my spare upper, and I'll need one for my NMAR air rifle when I get it...

Matt

I'm 57 also. I had a +.5, moved up to a +.67 (Bob told me to go to +.75, but I din't want to jump that far)

Had my eye exam and the doc measured my "shooting distance"......it was +.75. Bob knows what he's talking about.

I use the bjones glasses.....quirky looking, but they do a pretty good job of putting the best part of the lens centered with the eye,
and at a good angle. My normal glasses don't align properly. The glasses are inexpensive and you can also change lenses easily if you need to change.
I'm also going to try a lens, but it;s just a +.25. I'm still experimenting.....the glasses were the easiest way to start.

I put one of the lenses in my M1 Garand and it works great. I can see that front sight again, clearly, with no glasses on my face that fog up, slip over, etc.

Copyright © 1996 - 2013 :: AR15.Com LLC :: All Rights Reserved.
Any use of this content without express written consent is prohibited.