headlight for shooting

I am frequently having difficulty seeing the sights when shooting at the indoor range due to poor lighting. Is is legal during a match to wear a headlight or have a small light attached to the bill of my cap, in order to see the sights better?
thanks

Following this

Same issue, only the outdoor range has covered benches so it's too dark to see my tiny white mark on the front sight and the sights are blurred. For that reason I only shoot iron sights at an indoor range, as they hung small fluorescent lights right above the shooting stations that illuminate my sights well.

I've been contemplating the lighting issue as well.

I did see a shooter at the indoor range that had tiny UV spot lights that clipped to each side of his his glasses frame like headlights that made the luminescent front sight glow.

I wouldn't call it illegal, but it would be strange and some might object to projecting light down range and possibly distracting fellow shooters. I hate it when other people on the range have laser sights. Those damn red spots flash all over the place.

One member of my indoor league brings light and sticks it up above the shooting position pointing down at the sights. You could also make an arm off your gun box with a light. I would argue that adding external light is legal.

Unlike a laser, these small lights would not likely show up down range since they aren't focused and they are only about 150 lumens. They probably wouldn't even show up at 20 ft unless it was pitch dark.

impalanut wrote:Unlike a laser, these small lights would not likely show up down range since they aren't focused and they are only about 150 lumens. They probably wouldn't even show up at 20 ft unless it was pitch dark.

If you are in the firing point next to me and there are not solid wall, when you look at me I will get a flash.

If it is a dim indoor range (as described) it would not surprise me if the other firing points would see light & shadows moving on the floor in front of the firing line.

I am only saying that it shouldn't be illegal, unless it disturbs other shooters. A fixed position light would be a more polite solution.

Something like this clipped to your shooting box?

https://www.amazon.com/Rechargeable-Upgraded-Reading-Lightweight-Bookworms/dp/B07H3QDZM1/ref=asc_df_B07H3QDZM1/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=309765155965&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=8363981670894167943&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=t&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9061211&hvtargid=pla-568088121573&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=60439548143&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=309765155965&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=8363981670894167943&hvqmt=&hvdev=t&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9061211&hvtargid=pla-568088121573

Just have it on low and you’ll be able to see stuff on your bench without disturbing others with a moving headlight.

I know that would make my life easier!  Didn’t even consider it until now.  I’m sure someone would complain

Thanks for the responses. I will try a fixed light.

How about glasses with lens which brighten things up?

Allgoodhits wrote:How about glasses with lens which brighten things up?

Example?  That could work too

I use an LED booklight attached to my box lid when I practice at the indoor range. Works very well.

This link shows lots of possibilities:

https://www.amazon.com/Eyeglass-Clip-Reading-Light-Glasses/dp/B01EHNJI30

One example:

Maybe OK for practice but during a match I'd protest their use.  If you were to turn your head my way and I happen to be looking in your direction just before a command was given I probably wouldn't be able to see my dot or iron sights for several seconds which is not good during sustained fire.  The light wouldn't have to be very bright to effect my iris.  Any light reflecting off your gun could be distracting to other shooters.

If its an indoor range doesn't it have dividers between the shooting stalls? If so that would eliminate the possibility of blinding or distracting neighbors.

zanemoseley wrote:If its an indoor range doesn't it have dividers between the shooting stalls? If so that would eliminate the possibility of blinding or distracting neighbors.

If the range in question has full dividers great, BUT not all have full dividers, of the 4 indoor ranges I shoot winter leagues at only 1 provides a wall from seeing the competitor next to you.  On one range the barrier is only on the bench so you see the competitors but you don't see their extended arm.  The 2 other ranges you shoot through a window, because only the area behind the firing line is heated.  So on 3 of the ranges a headlight could be problematic.

Why not ask about the lighting, are there other complaints?  Maybe all it would take is to clean the existing lights or increase their wattage, simple solutions are often overlooked.
- Dave

The head light was very distracting to adjacent shooters.  Not permitted during our league matches.

lablover wrote:

Allgoodhits wrote:How about glasses with lens which brighten things up?

Example?  That could work too

https://blog.safetyglassesusa.com/understand-your-shooting-safety-glasses-lens-color-options/

If one were shooting with a scope, with cross-hairs, I see how that might be useful, but I wonder what kind of difference it might make shooting indoors?  As the article says, it makes the target stand out better than the surroundings, but how might that help with steel sights, where you just want to see the front sight better?

Any colored lens works by blocking light.  Nothing can get brighter, although maybe the iris might open up more because there's less light, and maybe that would make the front sight brighter - if shooting outdoors.  I can't picture it helping much at an indoor range. 

Anyone here who has tried it, and can say how this works indoors from their own experience?

If the lens blocks or filters the UV, then things appear sharper. The perception is the light went up, in reality some of the light gets filtered.

I like this topic.

First, where we shoot indoors, they have lights above each shooting station that can be turned on with a dimmer. These help for irons. Atthe same range, I have an OLD dot sight that has automatic brightness. Its not adjustable. The targets are bright and the station is dim. The light above does no good, so I have a magnetic LED light I stick to the wall. If I hold the sight udnder the light, It thinks its brighter and turns up the dot so I can use it.

This works for me. It is not disturbing to any one else.

AND thanks to Wobbley, I ordered two of those book reading lights. One for my wife to read in bed and one so I can see the 2.8 grains of Bullseye while loading on my Dillon 450.

For years I used a Merrit optical attachment. Now that I am an old welder, The only thing that works indoors is a Dot sight.

David