shooting with both eyes open

[Clayface]

I squint my left eye. But I don't completly close it. I could see people using the eye closed method when shooting out of iron sight.

[ST5MF]

I squint my left eye. But I don't completly close it. I could see people using the eye closed method when shooting out of iron sight.

Why is that?

[Midian]

Unfortunately for me it's impossible. My left eye suffered a cataract from a childhood injury, and I didn't get it removed until 2007. Through all those years my right eye led the charge and my left eye slid more and more out of alignment. Even with the lens implant I have now, I still have double vision (and it is exacerbated by fatigue, I can tell you) unless I wear a corrective lens.

At the age of 47, focusing in close like that gets harder and harder with both eyes...especially if one is off the rails.

I have to shoot with my right eye.

If that one goes, I move to scattergun only!

[masameet]

... I find it impossible to shoot with both eyes open. I can't focus on the target. And flinching becomes a problem.

Find a good firearms instructor who can break down the fundamentals of shooting for you. You'll find that focusing on the target by seeing/sighting and flinching are two different aspects of shooting.

Here's two techniques to controlling/extinguishing flinching:

From the late Sgt. Paul Starzyk, Martinez (CA) PD (this is more mind control/attitude adjustment]: When you sight down the target, exhale and think "Press" as you pull back the trigger. Before you know it, you'll have pulled the trigger.

From Larry Glen, my firearms instructor: When dry firing your firearm, pay attention to the muscles of your trigger hand. If any muscles other than the trigger finger move, then you have to figure out how to keep those other muscles still.

Anyway I keep both of my eyes open as I sight down the barrel with the bullseye above the front sight. I'm left-eye dominant, with some astigmatism in the right eye, wear thick lensed eyeglasses, and am right-handed. Not to mention I'm a girl!

Also don't forget the benefits of bench rest shooting. If your hands are shaky, your grip or stance incorrect, you're tired, your firearm's sights are off, etc., resting your elbows on the stall table or on some carpeted block of wood will help you to suss out certain issues.

[ocabj]

The reason why I shoot both eyes open is because it's natural. Your facial structure naturally prefers both eyes in the same state, open or closed. If you force one eye in a state not the same as the other, you're introducing strain to the eye you're using to aim with (and hopefully it's your dominant eye).

Notice how some competition shooters will use a blinder for their non-shooting eye? This is so they can isolate the vision so their only using their dominant eye to shoot, without having to close the other eye.

[SJgunguy24]

I shoot with both eyes open most of the time. Pistols always, snap shooting and moving targets always. Long range rifle shots with optics, i'll go to one eye.
I learned with it really counts and i'm in the zone(from pistol competitions) I can see the round leave the barrel and follow it to the target. It a strange feeling, because I can see it and others can't.

[joepamjohn]

Shooting any type of shotguns at flying (moving) targets is best accomplished by having both eyes open. Doing this helps you point and not aim at your target. When I shoot a rifle, I use one eye only.

[SgtDinosaur]

I have been shutting my left eye for so many years that I don't think about it. I have forced myself leave it open upon occasion just to see what it's like. I can shoot both ways.

[Clayface]

Why ?
Well I squint my left eye when shooting out at targets at 50-100yrds away only. I usually keep both eyes open when shooting with my shotgun. The reflex sight really makes it possible with no problems at all.

[phish]

I usually use a blinder for the left eye typically, either tape or the cloth one that attaches to my shooting hat. It allows enough light into the left eye so there isn't a sympathetic enlarging of the right pupil.

[Steyrlp10]

I usually use a blinder for the left eye typically, either tape or the cloth one that attaches to my shooting hat. It allows enough light into the left eye so there isn't a sympathetic enlarging of the right pupil.

Same here. Shooting with both eyes open for my type of competition causes less eye fatigue. I have an opaque "blinder" that I can flip up or down when I'm scoping the target or during target changes.

[xrMike]

The reason why I shoot both eyes open is because it's natural. Your facial structure naturally prefers both eyes in the same state, open or closed. If you force one eye in a state not the same as the other, you're introducing strain to the eye you're using to aim with (and hopefully it's your dominant eye).

I figured that out soon after I first started shooting rifle with irons. If I closed my left eye, my right eye would tire sooner, and pretty early into the session I'd have a hard time getting a consistent sight picture. What I do now is take a 2-inch piece of translucent bandaging tape and slap it over the left-side lens of my shooting glasses and shoot with both eyes open. Can't see anything through the left side, and I can definitely shoot better for longer this way because my dominant eye doesn't get tired/strained as quickly.

With pistols I don't bother with the tape since I've trained long enough with picking up the front sight quickly with the dominant eye (and because sight picture doesn't have to be nearly as precise with pistol as for rifle).

[xrMike]

I usually use a blinder for the left eye typically, either tape or the cloth one that attaches to my shooting hat. It allows enough light into the left eye so there isn't a sympathetic enlarging of the right pupil.

Good point about pupils...

I also discovered in my own shooting that my eyesight is best when my pupils are smallest. I've tried shooting at mid-day with my prescription sunglasses on, and then with my clear prescription glasses, and I am always slightly more accurate and consistent with the clear lenses. I always attributed that to having smaller pupils with the clear lenses. Kind of like with a camera lens, how you get a little more distortion at wider f-stops (larger pupils) because the light has to be bent/refracted more through your cornea to form the image. ??? that's my theory anyway...

[C.G.]

I shoot with both open, but had to re-learn since originally I was taught to shoot with one eye closed (in case of Kaboom, I would still have one eye left, I was told).

[NSR500]

I shoot with both eyes open for almost all shots except for when I have to make a precision shot.