Shooting With Both Eyes Open ?

[Cyberion]

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.

I'm teaching her to shoot towards the sounds.

[BothEyesOpen]

^^^^^^^^^^^^

[essjay]

I'm sorry but this makes no sense. You're EITHER left or right eye dominant; can't be both. From the description of the adjustments you try to make shooting, you're simply a left-eye dominant person who is right-handed.

By "stronger" I meant that my right eye seems to focus faster than the left, not that my right eye was also dominant. Testing (and actually shooting) makes it pretty obvious that I'm left-eye dominant.

[madsend81]

Make an occluder using a small piece of translucent scotch tape. Place it on your shooting glasses over your dominant eye. You'll hardly notice it's there and you'll be able to shoot with both eyes open more easily.
Go to "Seeing Double? Make Your Own Occluder." for more information from the NRA trainers website for more detailed information on making an occluder.

This link Teaching Tip: Mask the Master Eye, details how to use lip balm on the shooting glasses for the same effect as tape.

[caliberetta]

Make an occluder using a small piece of translucent scotch tape. Place it on your shooting glasses over your dominant eye. You'll hardly notice it's there and you'll be able to shoot with both eyes open more easily.
Go to "Seeing Double? Make Your Own Occluder." for more information from the NRA trainers website for more detailed information on making an occluder.

This link Teaching Tip: Mask the Master Eye, details how to use lip balm on the shooting glasses for the same effect as tape.

Very interesting stuff, first time I learn of this -- thank you.

[Waffleobill]

Much more accurate than shooting with both eyes shut.

[Black Majik]

both eyes open here. it is more difficult for me to shoot both eyes open with some rifles. pistols is easy. just practice drawing an unloaded gun at home in a long hallway. if you are having difficulty picking up the correct sight picture, wink/squint with your off eye and the correct picture will come into focus.

Heh, I drive both eyes open and focus on the steering wheel.

[squeeze]

Anecdote after anecdote doesn't prove anything except what works best for them. Two eyes open vs. one eye should be based upon what works best for YOU. I am strongly cross-eyed dominant (left) but shoot shotguns, pistols and rifles right handed and right eyed because it works best for me. I alternate between both and one eye open.
Shooting is not a 3D event. Depth perception is nice but not needed. It does not disappear when you use only one eye. Don't believe me? Close one eye and reach for your coffee cup. Looking down that barrel requires only one eye.
I know many good shooters who are not cross-eyed dominant but shoot with just one eye open. Try every variety then DO WHAT WORKS BEST FOR YOU!
Posters talk about needing peripheral vision in order to see the other bad guy(s) when in combat. True but only AFTER you make that first shot count. Now back to the real world.

[Jet Setter]

Always. It takes time and practice.

[Dannicus]

Anecdote after anecdote doesn't prove anything except what works best for them. Two eyes open vs. one eye should be based upon what works best for YOU. I am strongly cross-eyed dominant (left) but shoot shotguns, pistols and rifles right handed and right eyed because it works best for me. I alternate between both and one eye open.
Shooting is not a 3D event. Depth perception is nice but not needed. It does not disappear when you use only one eye. Don't believe me? Close one eye and reach for your coffee cup. Looking down that barrel requires only one eye.
I know many good shooters who are not cross-eyed dominant but shoot with just one eye open. Try every variety then DO WHAT WORKS BEST FOR YOU!
Posters talk about needing peripheral vision in order to see the other bad guy(s) when in combat. True but only AFTER you make that first shot count. Now back to the real world.

Of course, there's always someone who just can't shoot with both eyes open due to some individual condition.

Learning to shoot one eyed is easier for most people. Just because it's easier to learn that way, doesn't make it right. It just makes it tougher to learn to shoot with both eyes open later on. You're creating a hurdle for yourself by getting into the habit of closing that non-dominant eye.

[JohnCCW]

There is no discipline which involves using your eyes where only using one provides any advantage. That just gives away half of the visual information that would go to the brain.. Not ideal in 99% of these activities. Keep both eyes open.

Olympic shooting?

[tpfishnfool]

Thanks everyone. Everything said I this thread makes sense. I'm left eye, right hand dominant, and looking to improve my shooting.
Good info..

[Lugiahua]

It really depends...
I have cross dominance since LASIK, which means I can shoot handguns both eye opened, but not all long guns.

If I was shooting AK or bead sight shotgun, my choices are: close left eye, shoot left handed, or use red dot.

also, if I was taking a very careful shot on handgun, I would slightly close my right eye to make sight picture clearer.

[geoint]

I was still pretty new to shooting when a buddy taught me that both eyes open is better than dominant eye only. Both eyes gives you a lot more situational awareness

Being new meant I didnt have much muscle memory to replace

[The sarge]

I shoot both ways. Slow fire distance shooting or scoped hunting is single eye open. When doing tactical shooting under 100 yards it's both eyes open. The Corps taught me dominant eye only when we began with iron sights but I find I can maintain a solid sight picture and shoot and move safer with both eyes open even with my ACOG.