Merit aperatures

[mjm46@bellsouth.net]

I was thinking about one of those stick on Merit aperatures for target shooting.
I'd be interested in knowing if they work well and are they restricted from use in any shoots. And how inconvenient are they to use.

[Long Ears]

Micah,
 I've had a Merit for several years now. The principle works and it's amazing how it clears both sights and the target. One problem is getting it set correctly on your lens, next is don't use any defogger or lens treatment or the darn little suction cup won't hold. I clean my glasses with alcohol before attaching it and it works fine. The real deal breaker is not very many Primitive shoots allow them. They let us wear our corrective glasses but we can't use the Merit. This really handicaps us as we grow older. Those young kids think they are good shots until I level the field using the Merit. I'm beginning to think I better start liking the Trade gun shoots a little better. Good luck, Bob

[hammer]

Micah, I use a much simpler option.
 
Take a pair of those cheap clip-on sunglasses with the thin plastic lenses.   Take a narrow marker pen, clip them to your specs and settle behind your rifle.   Keep your head still, bring the marker up to the clip-on lens and touch it in line with your iris, the rear and front sights.   Remove the lens and make a small hole on the mark with a red hot needle (drill bits leave a ragged hole).  Rub the lens over with a green scrubber to matt the surface and then spray with matt black car spray (leave the other lens as-is).   Adjust the hole size as necessary.   Flip up out of the way when not shooting. 

I have made another seperate aperture in my lens for pistol shooting.

Increases the focal length of the old eyes wonderfully and costs next to nothing.

Give it a try.

Peter.
 
   

[Nate McKenzie]

I couldn't sight in a gun without it. I keep one permanently mounted on an old pair of glasses.

[Standing Bear]

A wonderful tool.  I have made my own using different clips and cutting a piece of soda can about the size of the last joint on my little finger (you little fellers might want to use one the size of the last joint of your ring finger.  A little 5 minute epoxy and some flat black paint.  Experiment with different hole sizes.  You want the largest one that will clear up thye sights on that day (clouds etc affect it).  The Merit product allows adjustments.  The cup dries out over time 20+ years and you just order another from Merit.


30+ years ago an older friend of my Dad's - when not allowed to shoot peeps or a Merit said y'all just want to know who has the younges eyes, not who can shoot the best.
TC

[Gene Carrell]

I use a piece  of electrical tape with a small hole punched  through (smallest on my leather punch).  Keep  it on the  comb  of the rifle so I don't forget.

[LH]

I use the adjustable one for different light conditions and pistol or rifle.  Couldnt do without it.
http://www.champchoice.com/prod-GEHMANN_IRIS___DISC_FOR_REGULAR_GLASSES-1088.aspx

[bonron]

Years ago, well known pistol shooter Bob Kiser  gave me his answer to our problem. A simple piece of brass shim stock properly bent to fit over the lens of your glasses that has a 1/16 hole drilled at the appropiate spot. I'm still usingit.

[Don Getz]

They are legal at most Chunk Gun matches.   I have a Merit disc that you can dial the hole size, it does work.   I also made
some out of black plastic tape.   To get a nice clean hole in it, take a small finishing nail, cut it off and file a clean, flat end
on it.   Cut a small round piece of plastic tape and place it on a smooth piece of maple, or any hardwood.  Then place that
flat ended nail where you want the hole and smack it with a hammer, this will give you  a nice, clean hole.......Don

[Daryl]

Guys - such inovation - excellent ideas, thanks.

[dagner]

  the merit is very good    adjustable knobloc glasses is much better if you shoot a lot   but by time you put your prescrition glass lenses in and  the diaptor   you are getting close to $400.00   bottom line is that they stay in  same place and diapter does not move around .   over the years i have watched and heard all the cussing from people that scratched their  plastic lens up badly with the brass shim and tape  on lens. after watching the regualr  screw ups for 20 years  buy the merit.

[SR James]

I use one of these.  You get two of them for $5 at Harbor Freight.  Take out the magnifying lens and replace it with a thin "lens" cut from a thin black plastic.  Drill hole where you want it.  Clips on your eyeglass frame, moves up and down and in and out for adjustment.
The loup comes with two lenses mounted on adjustable arms.  You can either take one of them off or have a different size hole on each arm.
http://www.harborfreight.com/general-merch/assisted-living/165x-jewelers-clip-on-eye-loupe-94364.html

[dagner]

 I LIKE THAT IDEA JAMES THANKS