A couple of years ago, I began the long search for a solution for 80 year old eyes and the M1 Garand. Solution for M1 Garand Iron sights and tired eyes

Got close a couple of times, but as the old saying goes, "Close only counts in hand grenades and horse shoes." The FFII was an improvement, but the red dot was a bit too large.



I realized there was room to mount a Millett red dot which worked until eyesight deteriorated a bit more and I searched for some magnification.



Well, the third time is a charm. Enter the Primary Arms 3X Compact Scope, and it just barely clears the clip ejection port!



Kinda spoiled the M1's girlish figure.......



.....but, boy, does she perform....on paper, at least.



The real test would be our first coyote calling trip afield. I was concerned as to whether I’d be able to see the small one moa dot in the field with this new optic, so was aiming it at a coyote sized bush located about 175 yards down the sendero and had about decided that would be the outer limit for my old eyes.



Just as a young coyote stepped out @ 150 yards, posing perfectly broadside while staring back at the decoy. As luck would have it, a very slight shift of the rifle was all it took to center his shoulder.

Took up the first stage on the NM trigger and, as had occurred countless times in competition, long years past, the 2nd stage broke almost automatically @ 4.5# as the reticle settled on his shoulder, this time launching a 125 gr Nosler BT @ 3050 fps instead of the slower 168 gr. Sierra Match King.

Even with the light bullet and the heft of the M1, recoil was sufficient that I lost my sight picture and upon recovery, my first instinct was to wonder if I could have possibly missed? Was pretty sure the sight picture had been as perfect as I could make it, but could not see any sign of a dead coyote.

POA and POI turned out to be one and the same, however, and the coyote had just gone down so fast I could not see him, lying hidden in the grass (indicated by CQB ring of scope reticle above). He had dropped right where he stood without a twitch. Ya gotta love the 125 NBT for coyotes in either the 308 or 30-06 if you don’t save fur.



Finally! One more check mark on my 82 year old bucket list!

Regards,
hm

Looks like it works, good shot!

Please PM me with, or post here, the contact for the smith who supplied the base, I could be interested in one.

quote:

Originally posted by WY:
Looks like it works, good shot!

Please PM me with, or post here, the contact for the smith who supplied the base, I could be interested in one.

I designed the base pictured above for my own use and the gunsmith who machined it for me was a friend, who has since retired.

The good news is, that unbeknownst to me a company by the name of HOPCO was bringing a very similar product to market at the same time, which was brought to my attention this thread.

Had I known they would soon make the mount available, I would have purchased one, from them.

ETA: My cost to have fabricated was very close to the price HOPCO was charging at the time but I did save the postage and had the satisfaction that my pet project worked . They mount the Fastfire directly on the base where I used a picatinny rail, making my sight about 1/4"-5/16" higher than theirs; a slight disadvantage requiring a raised comb on the rifle, but as it turned out allowed me to try various optics much easier.

Regards,
hm

Thanks!

Hope it works out for you!

Regards,
hm

What a great design concept.I recently sold my M1 to another member here but I must confess that I would be reluctent to change a vintage piece for any reason.Now a CMP or blue sky (if it works at all) would be the ticket.

quote:

Originally posted by NormanConquest:
What a great design concept.I recently sold my M1 to another member here but I must confess that I would be reluctent to change a vintage piece for any reason.Now a CMP or blue sky (if it works at all) would be the ticket.

Agree 100%, Norman. I have a real attachment to the M1; have been issued or owned one for 65 years and it really bothered me when my eyesight went south and I could no longer shoot one. Thus the search for a means to attach an optic to my M1 without permanently altering the rifle.

My optic base can be removed by removing the two screws (threaded into the base itself, not the rifle) and the rear sight replaced in about 5 minutes, thus restoring rifle to it's original condition.

I knew my rifle was accurate, it was a DCM service grade which I accurized to NM standards with the original barrel. I shot it several years in service rifle competition, but was pleasantly surprised by the near 1/2 moa groups it is capable of with the 3x optic.

Regards,
hm

It is the cost of age.I still have as well as others a match Anschutz 54 LH / micro sights (that I can't see anymore)am I feeling sorry for myself? Hell yes! I do not want to just fall in the grave;I intend to fight every step of the way.

quote:

Originally posted by NormanConquest:
It is the cost of age.I still have as well as others a match Anschutz 54 LH / micro sights (that I can't see anymore)am I feeling sorry for myself? Hell yes! I do not want to just fall in the grave;I intend to fight every step of the way.

Hang in there, help is on the way.

I fought kickin' and screamin' but due to rules, had to abandon the M1 sometime around age 50 as service rifles were required to be "as issued". First step was to switch to "match rifle" category, which can have any "iron sights".
1) If your 54 has a post front sight, try the aperture front if you have not already done so.
2) If you still cannot see try putting an adjustable rear sight. The camera iris lens type opening can be adjusted to help eye focus on front sight. Adjustable rear aperture
a) Front sight still fuzzy? You can add a corrective lens to the rear sight to help sharpen front sight. You'll have to get your optometrist to help w/correct Rx. This becomes a balancing act between front sight and target sharpness. Shoot for sharpest front sight until target just barely fuzzy as you can sacrifice a bit of clarity of target w/o ill effects.

3) Next you can adjust the size of front aperture to sharpen your target.
a) Old fashioned way by changing inserts in iron front sight. sight inserts
b) Or better yet Adjustable front aperture

4) Last resort is optics.

Never give up, where there is a will, there is a way.

Regards,
hm