Shooting With Both Eyes Open ?

[DubbleURX]

I am not sure what you were trying to get at. I was totally agreeing with you and simply supporting your statement.

Until I started competing regularly, I did not see the need for shooting with both eyes unless you were using a shotgun or a paintball gun.

It is simply more efficient to use both eyes.

I wasn't sure what you were trying to get at, either, which is why replied...now I know.

IMO, it's not always about what's more efficient, especially if you've been using one eye for shooting over a 30 year period. At this point in my life, using what experience I have is good enough, BUT I'll give it a shot anyways. I'm not going to lie, though...I'm not going to be overly consumed with using both.

[onelonehorseman]

I always shoot everything with both eyes open, but I am not cross eye dominant. But as others have said, shooting with both eyes open can be a problem if you are right handed, but left eye dominant, or vice versa.

[Dannicus]

I started out cross dominant, and it was a major problem for me to use both eyes, but I switched hands and I'm 100%.

I've never heard of any instructor teaching anyone to start with one eye. You don't want to have to work to break that bad habit later on.

Defensive shooting > both eyes.

Competition shooting > Both eyes.

Even precision shooters keep both eyes open even though many block one off.

[sonofeugene]

Every time I do one of those checks to see if I'm left or right dominant, I get mixed results. I'm thinking I'm neither which apparently a small percentage of the population is.

[OffGrid]

My shooting started out with squirrels and jack rabbits as part of my job on the ranch.

If I closed an eye my grandfather or my dad would slap me up side my head. Their thinking was if an unintended object (cow, horse, dog etc.) would be accidently move in line of sight it would be seen sooner. Grandpa said you need to see more than just what your shootin at.

I will sometimes squint my left eye momentarily while getting on target but not enough to close off any sight.

[jpx0123]

went to the range with a coworker to give him some tips and practice on his new HD gun during our lunch break. was trying to shoot with both eyes open. I can do it but takes me a lot longer to aim and everything is crazy looking. but I am still going to practice it. im right handed and left eye dominant. causes focus problems and double vision when I try. been shooting with 1 eye closed for so long now, its actually faster for me to acquire my target and ready to shoot than using both eyes open at the moment. but everyone is right about loosing depth and peripheral vision when doing this. which is why I am trying to train to use both eyes, but it ain't easy that's for sure.

[himurax13]

im right handed and left eye dominant. causes focus problems and double vision when I try. been shooting with 1 eye closed for so long now, its actually faster for me to acquire my target and ready to shoot than using both eyes open at the moment. but everyone is right about loosing depth and peripheral vision when doing this. which is why I am trying to train to use both eyes, but it ain't easy that's for sure.

Are you doing slow static shooting?

Are you trying to only focus on your front sight?

Trust me, if you are closing one eye, you are shooting super slow.

If I closed an eye my grandfather or my dad would slap me up side my head. Their thinking was if an unintended object (cow, horse, dog etc.) would be accidently move in line of sight it would be seen sooner. Grandpa said you need to see more than just what your shootin at.

Excellent advice.

If a defensive shooting were to occur, I doubt you or the other party would stand still long enough for you to take your time to properly take a shot while closing one eye.

[Cyberion]

Let me throw in a wrinkle. My wife has corrected vision with contact lenses. A common practice today is to correct one eye for seeing near and the other for seeing far. While funky at first, the brain quickly adjusts and soon everything appears normal. So the dominant eye differs based on target distance. If trying to focus on the front site too this causes troubles. Add a moving target and things would get more difficult quickly. In addition, if something goes bump in the night, she's not wearing contact lenses so the site pictures would be different than when wearing contacts. So what to do?

I read the article below which suggests the use of more visible front sites with poor eyes. Good idea. http://blog.cheaperthandirt.com/pres...-aging-vision/

My wife asked for and received a laser for her handgun. Now I know why. She can use both eyes to focus on the target and look for the dot on the target. I think in this case technology is a great help. She doesn't get to train that often so I think this is a good solution for her.

[bountyhunter]

There is no discipline which involves using your eyes where only using one provides any advantage.

Exactly. Especially in a defensive situation. Train and shoot with two eyes open.

[Voo]

I try to keep them open but I tend to squint my left eye when shooting.. but then again I'm azn..

[Smitherines]

Let me throw in a wrinkle. My wife has corrected vision with contact lenses. A common practice today is to correct one eye for seeing near and the other for seeing far. While funky at first, the brain quickly adjusts and soon everything appears normal. So the dominant eye differs based on target distance. If trying to focus on the front site too this causes troubles. Add a moving target and things would get more difficult quickly. In addition, if something goes bump in the night, she's not wearing contact lenses so the site pictures would be different than when wearing contacts. So what to do?

I read the article below which suggests the use of more visible front sites with poor eyes. Good idea. http://blog.cheaperthandirt.com/pres...-aging-vision/

My wife asked for and received a laser for her handgun. Now I know why. She can use both eyes to focus on the target and look for the dot on the target. I think in this case technology is a great help. She doesn't get to train that often so I think this is a good solution for her.

Yep, that's my issue as well. Switched to one contact lense a couple years ago and was able to toss the reading glasses (woo hoo!). But I'm cross eye dominant with the eye that is used for near vision, so the front sight is quite clear when shooting. But opening both eyes causes everything to go out of whack. Guess I just need to keep working on it.

[essjay]

I'm cross-dominant - right-handed and left-eye dominant, but with the caveat that my right eye is my stronger eye.

As a result, I cant my handguns to the left in Isoceles and use my right shoulder as a cheekrest in Weaver. From a defensive standpoint there's no real issues, but if I'm trying to shoot for a group, I do much better with one eye open unless I'm shooting a RDS. My main issue is that when I focus on the front sight, I see the rear sight twice. I'm guessing that I just need to train myself to unsee the picture from my right eye (the ghosted "left" rear sight).

For shotguns, I can't really get the beads to line up right regardless of which shoulder I'm working with, so I shoulder it on the right side and keep both eyes open until just before I snap the shot off. Good enough to hit about 75% of the clays I'm chasing, but it's still a training issue I need to work on.

For rifles, I can get an open-aperture rear sight to work on either shoulder with both eyes open, but using a narrower aperture I don't think I could shoot very accurately right-handed with both eyes open. Again... training issue.

I thought about going to see an optometrist to get some corrective shooting glasses (a friend, for example, is left-handed and right-eyed, but is having glasses that will blur the vision on his right eye so that the left takes over), but I'd rather spend that money on training and/or ammunition.

[caliberetta]

I was shooting the wrong way for a long time until I realized I was cross eye dominant. It took me several months of regular training and home practice to learn to aim with my stronger eye and with both eyes open, before it became natural. It was not easy.

[ElDub1950]

Let me throw in a wrinkle. My wife has corrected vision with contact lenses. A common practice today is to correct one eye for seeing near and the other for seeing far. While funky at first, the brain quickly adjusts and soon everything appears normal. So the dominant eye differs based on target distance. If trying to focus on the front site too this causes troubles. Add a moving target and things would get more difficult quickly. In addition, if something goes bump in the night, she's not wearing contact lenses so the site pictures would be different than when wearing contacts. So what to do?

I read the article below which suggests the use of more visible front sites with poor eyes. Good idea. http://blog.cheaperthandirt.com/pres...-aging-vision/

My wife asked for and received a laser for her handgun. Now I know why. She can use both eyes to focus on the target and look for the dot on the target. I think in this case technology is a great help. She doesn't get to train that often so I think this is a good solution for her.

Considering everything, sounds like a fine solution. The only thing I'd throw in is a pair of glasses on her night stand with a prescription that allows her to see well across the room, just to be certain she can distinguish a possible intruder from drunk uncle Harry.

[Cyberion]

...as long as she has the far lens in her dominant eye AND is shooting w/the arm on the same side; using the opposite arm however will cause problems.

Thanks. I'll have to check on this with her.

Don't understand what you mean by "the dominant eye differs based on target distance." This makes no sense.

Since you've already defined the dominant eye as something you're born with, I should have said instead "depending on the distance, your brain may be asking for a clear picture from your dominant eye or non-dominant eye."