Vintage Ray Ban shooting glasses w/optical attachment

[Narragansett]

Here are two pair of my shooting glasses that I have owned and worn on the range for 40 plus years. These are the "ambermatic"
lens that will turn to a dark bronze in direct sunlight.
The pair with the wrap around shafts are dedicated shooting glasses and sit higher up on your face to clear rifle or shotgun stocks.
As you can see one has the brand etching on the lens and one does not.
I would say your glasses are certainly in the same age range as mine, plus or minus.
The "bullseye" attachment that went over the lens was a popular shooting aid for those of us in bullseye competition. That mount could have been used for a "blackout" lens or an aperture attachment. I have seen rifle & pistol shooters use them along with an eye patch over the non shooting eye and side screens over the shafts to block out peripheral distractions.
I am also a pilot and have a couple pair of the dark green lens glasses that I bought in the late 60's.

I have a pair of Aviators that I bought in 1969, while working on the water

 

[digi-shots]

Loc n Load, great looking glasses, thanks for posting! I had never heard of "ambermatic" before.

In addition to the white Ray Ban logo on the right lens, are there any other letters or etchings on the glass? My yellow ones are unmarked but the green ones have a BL etched on each lens (right next to where the hinge attaches). It's hard to see unless the lighting is right.

 

[PALADIN85020]

I had a pair of those yellow Ray Ban shooting glasses in the early and middle 60s when I was actively shooting Bullseye. As I recall, they were designed to sit higher up on the nose. The attachable aperture gimmicks actually worked to make both the target and the sights sharper.

John

 

[LPD256]

Thanks for posting a picture of your dad's set-up. I wondered if they were for both rifles and handguns.

The glasses would look good displayed with a Target gun and ammo.

The glasses I first posted are Ray Ban, the lenses themselves are unmarked. I think Ray Ban/Bausch & Lomb started putting BL on the lenses in the late 1970's. It's almost invisible.. lightly engraved on the glass right next to the hinge. You have to hold it up to the light to see it.

I have two pair of these yellow lens shooting glasses..
- Ray Ban "Shooters" Model
- American Optical "Ful-Vue"

Just saw this which prompted me to do some close-ups. The shades are 1974 vintage when I rode a Police Motorcycle. My Dads shooting glasses have leather blinders riveted to the frame. I've never seen another pair. B&L logo on the metal case. Two sets of lenses. Enjoy.

 

[digi-shots]

LPD256.. those riveted leather gliders are really nice!

The green Ray Bans look like one of mine, but yours has the wrap around ear pieces.

 

[rvolvr]

The Merit Iris eyepieces have been around a long time but they disappeared for a while and people stopped using them when the suction cup got old and hard and replacements couldn't be found. Merit also made a popular rear sight aperture for target rifles.

I'm still using a Merit adjustable iris I purchased in the early 80s. Yes, long ago the rubber suction cup stiffened up and would not stay attached to the lens using the recommended soapy water. For at least the past 25 years, I've used a light smear of 90 weight gear oil instead. That lasts for months at a time before the cup pops free. Too much oil can get a bit messy around the edges. There's a learning curve.

Merit still makes the thread-in rear apertures for target sights - Redfield, Lyman, etc. There was an ad in a recent gun mag. I haven't contacted them yet, but most likely they sell replacement suction cups. But then I wouldn't smell the gear oil anymore. Nostalgia!

VIA for AR-15/A2

 

[loc n load]

Response to #22.

Yes, the pair that has the etching also has a tiny B with an L overlaid on a portion of the B. On the left lens (in photo) at 9 o'clock and the right lens at 3 o'clock. And you are correct, they are tiny and almost invisible.
It was raining yesterday, so I could not show you what the darkened lens looks like.
Got plenty of sun today, you can see the difference. I am a big fan of the B/L aviator style glasses.

 

[gmborkovic]

Back in the 60s I bought and sold at the shop Bud Decot shooting glasses.
Bud use to work all the skeet and trap shoots. Selling his Hy-Wide glasses.
He was a character. He use to say when it comes to shooting, one bird was the difference between a chimp, a champ or a chump.

 

[Nevada Ed]

All my shooting glasses had the wire ear loop, so they would stay in place
and it also kept them from falling into the lake when I went out fishing in my boat
and had to lean over to net or get a fish or mess with a down rigger.

I lost a good pair of "Regular frame" glasses on a early fishing trip and learned my lesson, the hard way.

Here in Nevada we also use rose or purple lenses, due to the background and lighting, that we have.

Those are great glasses, even if you don't shoot !!
You might also try them after the sun goes down and see if they help out
while driving. (yellow )

Enjoy

 

[digi-shots]

Thanks for all the good info. I don't shoot that much but I do like vintage guns and accessories.

I was going to part with the yellow ones but will keep at least the Ray Ban to go with the green lens Ray Bans. The yellow "American Optical" are really big.

The Ray Ban green "aviators" kinda "fell off the truck" so I don't have any money into them (long story)... and are in excellent shape.

 

[digi-shots]

As a follow up to my last post…. the glasses didn't actually fall off a "truck" but were lost and never claimed. They did belong to a F-14 pilot.