According to the Washington Double Star Catalogue
http://vizier.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/VizieR-3?-source=B/wds/wds
the separation was 2.1 arcsec in 1871 and 4.2 in 2019. This reference has it as 3.9 arcsec in 2002
https://arxiv.org/abs/1012.3383
so also consistent with it widening currently.
Visual doubles is not my field but I guess 4 arcsec separation with a 5 magnitude difference in brightness could be pretty tough
Cheers
Robin