prescription lens attached to gun: legal?

[contender1121]

Please refer to the attached picture of my recently completed Contender for Unlimited class. At the very end of the rear sight is a lens holder made by Anschutz that allows a prescription lens to be placed in front of the adjustable iris. The lens has not yet been installed in this picture. Said lens has zero magnification and is for astigmatism correction only. Another member questioned if this was legal for the Unlimited class and perhaps it belongs in UAS. His thinking was that this made it "telescopic" and thus it was UAS. This same picture and my rationale are over in the Small Bore section.
Not that it has any direct bearing here, but this statement is in the description of the device on Champions Choice website: "This product is now legal for ISSF competition due to a new ISSF rule change that becomes effective January 1, 2017 which allows the use of a corrective lens in rifle sights".
Can anyone give an official opinion?

[19 Turkeys]

Humble opinion only. With zero magnification I would allow it in Unlimited at our range.

Steve W.

[captainjohn]

I’ve forward your question to our rules chairman, maybe he will respond back here or I’ll let you know .

[contender1121]

Humble opinion only. With zero magnification I would allow it in Unlimited at our range.

Steve W.

Your humble opinion is appreciated Steve.

[contender1121]

I’ve forward your question to our rules chairman, maybe he will respond back here or I’ll let you know .

Thank you, John.

[260 Striker]

First off, I agree with Steve BUT the rules mention optical sights have NO magnification limit so a picky judge may say zero magnification is not legal in open sight categories. Also a later rule says all optical devices must be removed to shoot in open sight categories. Now correct me if I am wrong but isn't a peep sight an optical device??????? I think the intent of optical devices mean lens. I know of shooters who use the static stick on lenses that stick to their shooting glasses so your device mounted on the gun would be no different. I suspect if you went to a championship match you would be questioned since your device is a lens. Even the loupe style glasses offer interchangeable lens options and are legal but are not attached to the gun. Just shoot at matches like Steve's and you will have lots of fun and not be banned.

[contender1121]

First off, I agree with Steve BUT the rules mention optical sights have NO magnification limit so a picky judge may say zero magnification is not legal in open sight categories. Also a later rule says all optical devices must be removed to shoot in open sight categories. Now correct me if I am wrong but isn't a peep sight an optical device??????? I think the intent of optical devices mean lens. I know of shooters who use the static stick on lenses that stick to their shooting glasses so your device mounted on the gun would be no different. I suspect if you went to a championship match you would be questioned since your device is a lens. Even the loupe style glasses offer interchangeable lens options and are legal but are not attached to the gun. Just shoot at matches like Steve's and you will have lots of fun and not be banned.

I would think one could construe the "no magnification limit" to also apply to the lower end as well as the upper end.
This is an excerpt from my remarks over on Small Bore where I first posted a pic of the gun: "Now, rule B-6 speaks of removing "scopes and optical devices" from guns to be shot in open sight categories. Does a prescription lens with no magnification qualify as an "optical device"? Perhaps a rule guru can give an opinion. Also, does a non-magnifying acrylic aperture in the front sight constitute an "optical device"? The latter sentence ties in with what you are saying about a peep sight, in general, being an "optical device". Is the aperture a "lens" even tho it has no magnification? Peep sights have been blessed, of course, for use on Production guns so one must surmise that the aperture is NOT looked upon as an optical device or lens or anything that could possibly be considered a shooting aid or telescopic device or whatever.
Is a non-magnifying prescription lens an optical device? Absolutely. But I feel that one must consider it's usage in the overall context of things. If prescription glasses are allowed for competition then can some possible advantage be imagined in having that same prescription attached to the gun? Not in my imagination. To me, this is the crux of the matter. What is the undeniable advantage of a correction lens mounted on the gun?
Oh well, the rules dude has been made aware of this conundrum so, hopefully, we will have a ruling soon.
As an afterthought, red-dot sights are now legal for production on a trial basis for all of us old farts.

[captainjohn]

This is only legal for UAS while it does not supply magnification it does have focus correction. Focus correction is a big part of the problem. If the correction is in the glasses instead of the sight it is legal
Dell Taylor
Chairman rules committee

John if you could post this I would be appreciative. I will not be around a computer until Tuesday

[contender1121]

This is only legal for UAS while it does not supply magnification it does have focus correction. Focus correction is a big part of the problem. If the correction is in the glasses instead of the sight it is legal
Dell Taylor
Chairman rules committee

John if you could post this I would be appreciative. I will not be around a computer until Tuesday

So be it, though I fail to see the advantage of "focus correction" mounted on the gun over having it in one's glasses. Focus correction is focus correction no matter where it is attached. Thanks to all for the discussions.

[260 Striker]

I thought the whole intent of peep sights, especially the ones with an adjustable iris, was for "focus correction". Now I'm more confused. And now that red dots are on a trial basis and I'm guessing the "non-magnifying" type red dots then they have several lenses that correct focus for the red dots so what is the difference. By the way I'm probably one of the oldest farts around so chose to shoot UAS instead of Production with a red dot but to each his own and I'm for the change if that keeps people shooting. My recent cataract surgery allows me to see iron sights again for my Production guns. Not as good as 30 years ago but still usable on a good day.