[Stalin's Ghost]

Having shot American scopes most of my life, I never saw a rubber eyepiece until I began shooting the POS and POSP Dragunov style scopes in 4X and 8X. I think they offer advantages for both safety and shooting concentration.

I soon came to really like them as they instantly position my eye relief for quick shots, giving less time setting up shots. They also stopped annoying reflections and seemed to help me concentrate and see better in bad light as my eye adjusts to darkness better.

When I let new shooters try the rifles I had several comments on how nice it was not to get whacked in the forehead by the scope, a common and discouraging starting experience with big-bore rifles. Everybody has seen the half-circle bloody scope cuts -this prevents scope "bite" and potential real disfigurement (and liability) from the nasty scope cuts on newcomers to heavy recoil.

Anyhow, it occurred to me to get a few eyepieces for American scopes. I found them on eBay from Hong Kong for under $10 delivered and put one on a Leupold Vari-X 3X9 with great results. Looks cool, too.I have both types -

 

[John Crusher]

Isn't that what shooting glasses are for ?

 

[Mark75H]

Shooting glasses will not set your eye the correct distance from the scope for both safety and focus, nor will they block glare into the lens. If you are wearing glasses and are too close to a scoped big bore rifle ... the scope is going break your glasses and bloody your face.

I love the T end eyepieces, but with a mild allergy to the material, can't use them correctly. I have to set them up a little short so they don't touch my face during recoil. The fancy eyecup eyepieces might work for darkest night shooting, but they don't work for me in daylight or twilight (even though I think they look really​ cool).

 

[Stalin's Ghost]

+1 -a recoiling scope comes back in the face of an unskilled shooter as hard as it hits the shoulder, and as fast.
I've seen many a bloody forehead cut or eyebrow or shooting glasses driven into the bridge of the nose. The rubber eyepiece both keeps proper focal distance and cushions the shock if somebody "creeps the scope." You could also cut one down to just a rim if training beginners. I saw one scope recoil gash that needed four stitches.

Shooting glasses will not set your eye the correct distance from the scope for both safety and focus, nor will they block glare into the lens. If you are wearing glasses and are too close to a scoped big bore rifle ... the scope is going break your glasses and bloody your face.

I love the T end eyepieces, but with a mild allergy to the material, can't use them correctly. I have to set them up a little short so they don't touch my face during recoil. The fancy eyecup eyepieces might work for darkest night shooting, but they don't work for me in daylight or twilight (even though I think they look really​ cool).

 

[Shoobedoo]

I've seen many a bloody forehead cut or eyebrow or shooting glasses driven into the bridge of the nose. I saw one scope recoil gash that needed four stitches.

Saw this happen just a few weeks ago at my local range. Young guy of about 20 strolls up to the range house with a half moon shaped cut in his forhead, blood streaming down, and sez.."I think I need a Bandaid" LOL

I really felt bad for the kid, and I wanted to slap whoever was introducing him to the joys of rifle shooting, and didn't warn him that these things can come back in your face with considerable force.
:angry:


I'm very careful with my own rifles, especially when shooting a new setup for the first time or evaluting new loads.