Pilla shooting glasses

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jwpzx9r

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May 9, 2013
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Thinking about new shooting glasses and some guys around me are using these. Can the price of these shooting glasses be justified for just an everyday non champion shooter? From all angles safety as well as vision and target acquisition. I currently use Randolph XWL but would like to get the central post out of the way. Randolph do a lens which is like this how do they stack up against Pilla no post glasses. I know I may be getting very few replies as not too many people use them.

 
Although I have Pilla glasses and lenses (all bought used), I do have experience of the Randolph Rangers and,  like you,  an 'everyday non champ' shooter, I feel the Rangers are every bit as good. Ask Ed Lyons off this Forum for his advice, he is certainly the man with the answer to your question.

 
Randolph's - every bit as good as Pilla but at least half the price. There lens tints are different so may suit your eyes better. The CMT (dark lens) is really superb (for me).

 
I have prescription shooting glasses   3 pairs  different tints  obviously ,    all zeiss     ,   I would need to sell my bungalow  to afford pilla  !!  

 
I consider them an excellent system, but a "splurge item."  Randolphs or Castellani's are fine, too.  If you look, you can find good deals on barely used Pilla lenses for $100 or so.  I never see a good deal on the "frames."

 
This always makes me curious as to how good they actually are and I just can't get over that emperors new clothes feel about glasses that expensive.

By comparison, I was recommended Revision Sawfly glasses by a couple of guys who had them issued to them by the army as standard, and I absolutely can't fault them. What's even better is they're about 70 odd quid brand new (and about £20-30 mint second hand!) with 3 different lenses!! (Mind, they're no good if you need prescription, so I appreciate that.)

 
 I Have some  Randolph ranger falcons. Superb. Really like the HD58. And would try some of the light purple if I could find them . Them dark purple are great but a tad too dark for most of England's summers. Mrs Jasper has the HD light which she uses almost exclusively regardless of weather. Great glasses . The newer falcon pro s have a clear nose piece etc.  The view from these is considerably better than my old Oakley's.. These should be outselling pills at least 3-1 but the promo here doesn't seem that Good. Zeiss lens as per pilla for considerably less cash. And proper metal frames which have a Lifetime guarantee.  And far less confusing and stupid lens colours and names. 

Recommended. 

Jasper. 

 
I have some prescription pillas. Bloody expensive, and a big "sod it why not" item for me. Extremely light, barely notice them on my face. Very very comfortable and the clarity is brilliant. Absolutely necessary though? Nope.

 
When I started out back in May I just used workshop safety glasses. Then as the summer sun got brighter I just used my day to day sunglasses. I eventually bought a set of 4 Evolution (forgotten the model) New Old Stock for £40. In all those scenarios I don’t believe any either helped or hampered my abilities. I feel somewhat like @El Spavo in the “Emperors new clothes”. 

I think it’s possible that such lenses could make a marginal difference which will help you hit one more clay in a hundred, but if you’re at the level where that’s critical, maybe you could get sponsored 🤔

 
You don't need them when starting out. Stick with safety glasses by all means, but do make sure they're safety glasses and not just sunglasses. 

As you take the game more seriously and spend more time on clay grounds your risk of an accident will increase. I've lost count of the number of times I've had shot or clay fragments hit me whilst out shooting. 

Pillas (and Rangers to an extent) are expensive. But you are getting fantastic products and I'd trade £180 for a damaged lens in a heartbeat if it protects my eyes in an accident.

 
. I've lost count of the number of times I've had shot or clay fragments hit me whilst out shooting. 
Not sure where you shoot Doug, but in 40+ years of clay shooting I reckon I could count the times I’ve been hit by shot or hit by fragments of clay on one hand. Once is one too many but if you are being hit constantly either you need to change where you shoot or stand in a different place

 
Not sure where you shoot Doug, but in 40+ years of clay shooting I reckon I could count the times I’ve been hit by shot or hit by fragments of clay on one hand. Once is one too many but if you are being hit constantly either you need to change where you shoot or stand in a different place
I park in the car parks, stick to the paths, and shoot from the cages. It happens.

 
Pillas (and Rangers to an extent) are expensive. But you are getting fantastic products and I'd trade £180 for a damaged lens in a heartbeat if it protects my eyes in an accident.
Not knocking any other makes as they should ALL provide adequate protection, merely saying how good the Revision glasses are, but again understandably if that's the main reason for getting them, you're still spending waaaay more than you actually need to. The Revisions are standard issue in the US & UK Army, and they're not gonna do that unless they're nails. There's quite a few independent reviews online where people have fired pellets, shot, arrows at these glasses to replicate all sorts of possibilities and got the faintest of dings on the lens if anything.

Not as posey as the pricey brands though, so that will put some off if they're that way inclined. Unfortunately, I think we all know people who have all the gear and little idea.

 
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Not as posey as the pricey brands though, so that will put some off if they're that way inclined. Unfortunately, I think we all know people who have all the gear and little idea.
Fortunately the bit in bold holds no interest for me at all... but why do you say  "unfortunately" are you embarrassed for them... or envious of them? 

 
The former. 👍

I'm more than happy with my little 525, not sure I'll ever need to change it unless it breaks, to be honest. 😊 I see plenty of people shooting worse than me with more expensive stuff which only strengthens my impression that, if it works, it's the man not the bang stick. Only thing I'm envious of is those with a nice, old school one piece cleaning rod, cos I can't find any new ones that I like.

I think I like everyone to get best value with whatever it is, and some things (w@nky nouvelle cuisine meals the size of a shirt button being one) just seem like they could be better or more realistic for what they are. It's okay, I realise I'm very much in the minority. 😏

 
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Well of course it will always be the man behind the gun but to F with using a crappy gun just because it fits with some sort of inverted snobbery. I shoot with a great gun not because I am a great shot but because it is a brilliant gun to shoot with and makes shooting an absolute pleasure. I am now looking at my glasses because although the ones I use are good I recently tried another type and the effect at the time was quite eye opening, sorry about that, things like that make you think about the equipment that you are currently using... it is I would agree a costly thought process. One comment though we as shooters very often put the price of items at the very wrong end of the scale. For example a really good gun MX8 or DT 10/11 is actually good value they last for ever and you only need one. In fact in terms of lifetime shooting a really good shotgun is the cheapest thing a shooter is going to buy... cartridges to shoot through it on the other hand are the most expensive.. very few shooters I know see it this way.

 
Well of course it will always be the man behind the gun but to F with using a crappy gun just because it fits with some sort of inverted snobbery. I shoot with a great gun not because I am a great shot but because it is a brilliant gun to shoot with and makes shooting an absolute pleasure. I am now looking at my glasses because although the ones I use are good I recently tried another type and the effect at the time was quite eye opening, sorry about that, things like that make you think about the equipment that you are currently using... it is I would agree a costly thought process. One comment though we as shooters very often put the price of items at the very wrong end of the scale. For example a really good gun MX8 or DT 10/11 is actually good value they last for ever and you only need one. In fact in terms of lifetime shooting a really good shotgun is the cheapest thing a shooter is going to buy... cartridges to shoot through it on the other hand are the most expensive.. very few shooters I know see it this way.
In as much as you asked me if I was envious, I could just as equally ask if you're a bit defensive? I was just trying to point out that one doesn't potentially need to spend a lot to get a lot: only trying to offer thoughts from personal experience? I'm not in the least interested what others end up buying at the end of the day as it doesn't impact my shooting, but you asked for an opinion and others chipped in with their two penneth as well. Funny old game isn't it. However, if you take subjective things out of it, such as feel, then what exactly are the Pillas and the like giving that the Revisions , Randolphs, etc. don't have for up to 9-10 times the price, apart from not having a post/bar over the nose?

Yup, and everything you said about your great gun applies also to me. For me my 525 is a brilliant gun. For me. I'm just very, very fortunate it happens not to have cost much and as it appears to fit me well (and others have kindly commented that it's a good tool for what one would think it is), and just as equally I don't see the point in spending more to get what I already have but with an adjustable trigger or summat else that I don't know if it'll help. I may well be like you and try a bit of kit and think WOW, but it hasn't really happened yet to the extent that I've noticed any real difference, even when I've tried more expensive guns. I've just not noticed any change,... I guess I'm just fortunate or something. :)

If you think a 525 is a crappy gun though, then I can't do anything about that, and I'm not interested in convincing anyone otherwise. It just works for me. Sorry bout that. :pardon:

It's about being wise... some are lured by fools gold for the sake of it.

 
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