Safety glasses: they work

[seabiscuit]

In my materials class (I'm a mechanical engineering major), we just got a guest lecture from a forensics engineer. A retired AF LtCol, he now runs his own consulting business and does all sorts of real-world engineering analysis.

One interesting case involved a KB on Kimber. The shooter was using reloads, and a round fired out-of-chamber. A piece of brass which doctor's couldn't find took out his right eye.

In the hospital, he kept telling the doctor, "I wish I'd been wearing safety glasses." The doctor told him safety glasses wouldn't have helped. So the guy thought, "If that's the case, then I'm suing Kimber."

So this retired LtCol was hired to determine if safety glasses would have helped. Estimating the speed of the piece of brass and its size, they were able to determine its kinetic energy (KE). To simulate the situation, the bought a pellet rifle which fired at 1,000 fps and used a hard-tipped pellet.

They bought over twenty pairs of safety glasses - from cheapo Walmart to top of the line from Cabela's - and fired the pellet rifle at them from 3-4 feet. The pellet had six times the KE of the piece of brass. The fired one round into each lens of all the glasses.

And none of the pellets penetrated the glasses.

So, wear 'em. They work. And don't shoot bad reloads.

[VolGrad]

Good post.

A buddy and I did some very informal "testing" on the range once with several different makes of "shooting glasses" from the cheapo ones to some nice ones. We fired .22lr from arms distance, 9mm, and .357sig. Once that was finished we broke out the Casull just for fun.

Some were better than others but all would have been better than nothing.

I have some pics somewhere but it's a PITA to upload and post them and it was VERY informal so I fear pics would lead to more questions than answers so I'll just leave it at that.

[Pistol Shooter]

Good info. thanks very much for posting.

My wife and I always wear our glasses at the range.

Question: My son wants to start shooting and wears eyeglasses. How do I handle this?

Right now, I cannot afford to buy him special shooting glasses made to his prescription.

He wears expensive eyeglasses with Transitions lenses, do these offer any protection?

Thanks for your input.

[JodyH]

Buy him a pair of ANSI Z87.1 rated safety glasses that will fit over his eyeglasses.
Eyeglasses that aren't shatter resistant can be worse than no protection at all.
Not only do you have the flying object but also glass shards or powdered glass entering the eye.
You could also buy some really nice prescription safety glasses for under $150.

[Chuck Haggard]

When I wore glasses I paid a bit extra for polycorbonate lens on my normal glasses. I didn't have the wrap effect, but the lens would stop pellets from a round of high brass #4 birdshot at 7 yards.

Most of your old school looking shop safety glasses should fit over your son's eye glasses.

[Odin Bravo One]

Question: My son wants to start shooting and wears eyeglasses. How do I handle this?

Right now, I cannot afford to buy him special shooting glasses made to his prescription.

I understand that money is tight, and shooting glasses appear to be a luxury, especially quality glasses that must be custom ground to a specific prescription that is likely to change over time...........

Now a simple question for you..........

How much are those two eyes worth to you?

[Pistol Shooter]

Thanks very much to all of you for the thoughtful responses. They are greatly appreciated.

I think we'll start with some "ANSI Z87.1 rated safety glasses that will fit over his eyeglasses" and work towards a pair of prescription shooting glasses.

[JodyH]

Thanks very much to all of you for the thoughtful responses. They are greatly appreciated.

I think we'll start with some "ANSI Z87.1 rated safety glasses that will fit over his eyeglasses" and work towards a pair of prescription shooting glasses.

Home Depot should have a pair for under $15

[axonrecall]

Thanks very much to all of you for the thoughtful responses. They are greatly appreciated.

I think we'll start with some "ANSI Z87.1 rated safety glasses that will fit over his eyeglasses" and work towards a pair of prescription shooting glasses.

Just to list one of the options out there, ESS currently has discounts on most of their products if you follow their link from Oakley's SI store. With the discount you can get some eyepro as well as some corrected uRX inserts for around $140 with free shipping. The eyepro and the inserts are only $47, but they charge $90 to correct the inserts, you might be able to find a cheaper price locally. For sure you won't find a cheaper solution than the safety glasses one hehe. Just giving ESS a shoutout because I know 2 guys who survived IED blasts with their vision intact thanks to some of their eyepro.

[Josh Runkle]

A few months ago I was shooting a local bowling pin match with a few buddies and I took a direct ricochet back to the glasses. The Lenses stayed intact (but with two large scratches) but the frames actually broke into several pieces. The lenses impacted directly into my eye, which gave me a black-eye and a cut on the cheek, but if I hadn't been wearing them I probably would have lost an eye.

WEAR YOUR GLASSES!!!