Having trouble aligning sights when shooting both eyes open

[Thrash1982]

The last year or so I've noticed that I seem to be having trouble aligning my pistol's sights left to right when I shoot with both eyes open. With both eyes open my groups are all to the left. They're consistent, just not where I want them. It doesn't seem to matter which gun it is, everything is consistently left. When I close my left eye my groups shift back to the right. Not quite 100% centered so I might have a little bit of an issue with trigger control as well but I believe the sight alignment is the larger issue.

Can anyone offer any advise on sight alignment? Would something like the XS big dot sights help? I feel like a set of sights that offer some sort of horizontal alignment indicator would be a possible solution.

 

[PistolPete45]

I had that same problem still do if I stand wrong Right handed and left eye dominant If I stand with my right foot forward aim down mt left forearm to the front sight no problem ..

 

[tarosean]

What's your current sight picture? Dots, black, fiber, etc etc.

 

[Zerodefect]

Only one eye can sight at a time. Brain has to decide. Proper practice and some more training will overcome this easy. Don't give up. Once your brain is on your right eye, if I block your left eye, sight picture should not really change.

XS big dot will only make this problem worse. Get a wide slot rear sight, and a super skinny fibre optic front. Like a .150-.156 rear slot and a Dawson .110 width front blade.

So instead of putting all the sights perfectly in line and on eachother, you have more of an AR rifle sight kind of thing going on. Free Space around the front blade.

Focus on the front, allmost ignore the rear. Allmost ignore the target. Focus on the front sight, blurry target.

 

[Nom de Forum]

Thrash1982,

I found your explanation a little vague. Are you a cross dominant shooter (right eye dominant/left hand dominant or left eye dominant/right hand dominant)? If that is the case that may be your problem if you are are using your non-dominant eye with your dominant hand. If you are cross dominant you can be one of many people who shoot pistols accurately if you aim with your dominant eye. If you are attempting to keep more that just the front sight in clear focus stop doing that. If you are shifting your focus attempting to do that it will spoil your aim. The human eye cannot clearly focus at two different distances simultaneously. If you are not cross dominant you may not have a particularly dominant eye, try slightly squinting the eye opposite your dominant hand to help focus your eye. Eventually you will probably not have to squint. None of these suggestions will do any good if your problem is merely forming a bad sight picture. Make sure you understand how to align your sights properly, and focus on a smooth trigger squeeze.

 

[9mmepiphany]

The XS big dot sights will only make it worst as there is even less horizontal alignment feedback from the wide spread ears.

Are you focusing your left eye on the sights?
Are you looking through the rear notch, with your right eye?
Are these all black sights?

The first thing I'd try is putting some translucent tape on the left lens of your shooting glasses to prevent the left eye from focusing

 

[AKElroy]

Try this. I think the exercise alone will demonstrate why your shots pull to one side when alternating between both eyes or one.

To find out which is your dominant eye, point your finger at a distant object with both eyes open. First close one eye and then the other. Your finger will remain lined up with the object when your dominant eye is open.

I am 20/15 in my left, 20/40 right, and right handed. I don't fight the dominance. I shoot all pistols right-handed / left eyed, all my rifles are lefties.

 

[Nom de Forum]

.....I am 20/15 in my left, 20/40 right, and right handed. I don't fight the dominance. I shoot all pistols right-handed / left eyed, all my rifles are lefties.

Which eye is dominant has nothing to do with which eye has the better vision. You just coincidently have better vision in your dominant left eye. I 20/20 in my dominant right eye and 20/15 in my left eye. I am right handed and use my right eye to aim.

 

[Thrash1982]

I am right eye/hand dominant. All sights on all of my pistols are 3 dot style sights. One set with fiber optics. The rest are white 3 dot or tritium with white around the tritium vial. When I shoot I do my best to focus on the front sight.

 

[Drail]

You can use either eye but you must "teach" your brain to only "see" the image from one eye and to ignore the other one. (and to NOT try to blend them into one 3 dimensional image which the brain desperately wants to do) This is most difficult for some people. Human brains can be stubborn things. It took my wife a very long time to figure this out and then one day - "Oh wow!, I get it now". The translucsent tape trick is VERY helpful. You want light to enter the "off" eye but not to "see" a focused image. I see one image looking down the sight line and one image and the other eye looking down the side of the barrel. It is very cool once you retrain your brain. The trick is to not fight it ("seeing" two images) - just let it happen. When it is done properly your brain actually perceives the front sight as being semi transparent - it is clearly defined but you can see the front sight and what is hiding behind it at the same time. Pretty Zen stuff here. You can practice this at home with a finger or a pencil held out where the front sight would be.

 

[Thrash1982]

I think part of my problem is that my eyes want to focus on the target and I really have to make a conscious effort to focus on the front. A wider rear notch would probably help to make the front sight more obvious. Any suggestions for a good set of sights that have a wider than normal rear notch?

 

[9mmepiphany]

Something that will help right away is if you get rid to the dots on your rear sight blade.

They tend to draw the eye and distract the brain into looking at them. They also are slower to align correctly as they disrupt focus on the front sight

 

[tarosean]

Something that will help right away is if you get rid to the dots on your rear sight blade.

+1

While I prefer a black serated front with black rears. My biggest revalation shooting, was getting rid of 3-dot sights

 

[Zerodefect]

I think part of my problem is that my eyes want to focus on the target and I really have to make a conscious effort to focus on the front. A wider rear notch would probably help to make the front sight more obvious. Any suggestions for a good set of sights that have a wider than normal rear notch?

I use a Warren tactical comp (.150) rear sight and a Dawson (.110 wide) front FO sight on a Glock 23. .156" wide rear sights give a little bit of room with .125 night sights, and good speed with .110 or .115 front siights. Sometimes ultra accurate .090 super thin sights.......are really slow. Don't know why, but I'll bet that a 5" barrel length has alot to do with it. Extra length makes the front sight swing more, easier to lose the front.

My 1911's are similar ideas. Plain black wide notch rear site. 10-8, Heinie Ledge, Warren. Dawson fronts all the time. Saddly, you can expect to ruin a front sight or 2 on handbuilt guns like 1911's. Sometimes it'll be low or high and you'll need to order another one at a custom height. If you're too low, grind your front sight down until your zero'd well. The measure it and order a new one. Too high? Got to get the calculator out. Haha.

But with Glocks, generally the same exact size sights give repeatable results on any similar Glock. I literally got height measurements from Glocktalk. Modern machining is wild.

 

[easyg]

Something that will help right away is if you get rid to the dots on your rear sight blade.

This is exactly what I did.

 

[tuj]

You might want to try masking tape on the non-dominant eye of your shooting glasses. You want to use white tape because then your eyes will both get light, but it will help you train your dominant eye to take over.

 

[Mitlov]

Focus on the front, allmost ignore the rear. Allmost ignore the target. Focus on the front sight, blurry target.

My problem is this. With both eyes open and my focus on the front sight, I see two versions of the rear sight next to each other, and two versions of the target next to each other. Do the rest of you simply train yourself to always look at the left version of the target (or right if you're shooting left-handed), or is it unusual that I see two targets when I focus on the front sight?

When I'm trap-shooting, I focus on the bird, so it's not an issue.

 

[tuj]

My problem is this. With both eyes open and my focus on the front sight, I see two versions of the rear sight next to each other, and two versions of the target next to each other.

I think that is astigmatism presenting itself. I have a mild case of it myself. Training with a blinder over one eye helped tremendously.

 

[Hossfly72]

I was always taught to shoot with both eyes open. I do with a pistol, but usually close my left eye when shooting with a rifle, not always, but mostly. I'm a pretty decent shot with both. But I never thought to ask WHY shoot with both eyes open. Dad was a Marine, so I just figured if it was good enough for the USMC, it would be good enough for me.
So, why do we keep both eyes open when we shoot?

 

[9mmepiphany]

So, why do we keep both eyes open when we shoot?

This is a good question, because while I'm sure most folks think they know, I'm also sure that many don't know and are brave enough to ask. I'll also note that many folks who "know", might not be correct.

1. I was taught, when shooting defensively that it allows better visual awareness...after all, you're seeing twice as much of your surroundings with both eyes open. An interesting side effect of this can be observed if you are shooting with a red dot sight. If you leave the front cover on a red dot (usually on a rifle, with a sight like a Aimpoint Comp) down (blocking the exist, but allowing you to see the dot) you can still shoot using the dot as a aiming point by superimposing the dot, seen with your dominate eye, over the image seen by your non-dominate eye.

2. Your focus is better with both eyes open. When you close one eye, the pupil dilates with the reduced light...most folks know this...however, the brain senses a general reduction of light input and dilates, to a lessor degree, the other eye's pupil also. This makes your focus less sharp.

3. You shoot more accurately when you leave both eyes open. Besides the reduced sharpness of focus, it adds additional strain to you facial muscles to keep one eye closed...because most folks squint when they close one eye.

 

[tuj]

So, why do we keep both eyes open when we shoot?

If you watch the top target shooters (ISSF, Olympics), they almost always use some form of blinder over their non-dominant eye. But they still shoot with both eyes open. The reason for this is that closing one eye causes the other eye to compensate, which strains your dominant eye and dilates the pupil. This is why you want to use a blinder that is white translucent, so your blinded eye still gets light.

For practical purposes, both eyes increases situational awareness and your field of view.

 

[Thrash1982]

I don't seem to have a too much of a problem with seeing two rear sights. Seeing two targets can be somewhat confusing at times. My biggest issue seems to be keeping the same amount of open space on either side of the front sight. I think I still have the plain black Meprolights that my Kimber Custom II came with. When I get a chance I'll put those back on and see if that improves my shooting.

 

[9mmepiphany]

My biggest issue seems to be keeping the same amount of open space on either side of the front sight.

Are you saying that you are trying to balance the light coming through the rear notch, on each side of the front blade?

That you are moving the front blade laterally, inside the rear notch, to make the slivers of light even/balanced on each side?

 

[Thrash1982]

Are you saying that you are trying to balance the light coming through the rear notch, on each side of the front blade?

That you are moving the front blade laterally, inside the rear notch, to make the slivers of light even/balanced on each side?

Correct.

 

[9mmepiphany]

Then, I have good news for you.

You don't have to do that. Just look through the rear notch and see the front sight blade. Your subconscious will balance the sliver of light on either side...it is based on the same principle as the eye centering the front blade on when looking through the rear aperture/peep on a rifle.

Only one eye can look through the rear notch at a time, because the notch should be in front of the dominate eye. Ignore the image without the outline of the rear notch