Shooting with Both Eyes Open

[ChickenHawk]

Well, after reading a few discussions about this I decided to train myself to shoot with both eyes open.

My main motivation was simply that after shooting a few hundred rounds my left eye got tired of being squinted shut and THAT affected my shooting.

I've made four range trips over the past two weeks and have started working on it.

Strangely, I've seen no degredation in accuracy, even at first. What I have had to deal with is learning how to focus my attention properly to see the sights clearly with my dominant eye. Like, which one of those six target images in my brain am I supposed to shoot at!!

After some practice this is becoming much more natural and I'm seeing the sights very clearly. Also, it is FAR less tiring since I'm not required to squint. I couldn't imagine going back to one-eyed shooting again. Too uncomfortable. Not to mention the vastly superior peripheral vision you maintain this way!

I'm already convinced that new shooters should all be taught this way. They wouldn't have to UN-learn they one-eyed way.

Cheers,
ChickenHawk

 

[OF]

Two eyes open is the way to be. I still close one eye out past 20 yards or so, but anything closer than that and it's both eyes open.

Before I got used to it I could neve have imagined I'd be able to do it. You're absolutely right that you really need to keep at it and in a few weeks, bingo. You'll figure it out. It only gets easier from then on as you get more and more used to it.

 

[Standing Wolf]

I shot with both eyes open for years. I wish I still could.

 

[KriegHund]

I find it more comfortable to shoot pistols with both eyes and depending on the type of sights on a rifle both or one.

 

[pax]

I'm already convinced that new shooters should all be taught this way. They wouldn't have to UN-learn they one-eyed way.

For people who have a dominant eye, that's undoubtedly true.

Some people have eyes that are so evenly balanced as to dominance that it's completely unpredictable which eye will be dominant on any given day. For such folks, trying to train them to shoot with both eyes open would be a positive disservice.

pax

 

[Standing Wolf]

I wish I'd learned to shoot with both eyes open. Bullseye shooters wised me up to the trick. It took me awhile to get the hang of it; once I mastered it, however, I found I could see a little better, and no longer angled my head leftward.

Sad to say, if I keep my left eye open any more, I can't still focus on the sights or red dot, but end up looking at the target.

 

[DarkKnight01]

Dry fire exercise is a great way to help develop using both eyes as well...

 

[heypete]

I learned to shoot with both eyes open in the Army, and it's stuck with me. I even shoot scoped rifles with both eyes open .

I'm left-handed and left-eye dominant, though I can see quite well out of either eye (Can one change dominance on command? It's not quite a total change of dominance, but I can focus out of one eye or the other when necessary, though shooting from the right shoulder is a but clumsy with a rifle for me. Had to learn it for building clearing, though.). Comes in handy sometimes.

 

[messiercat]

Dunno, guess I've always shot with both open. Squinting is way too uncomfortable and my dominant right eye just kicks in, although if I concentrate I can switch.
BTW, to me keeping both eyes open is the point with red dot scopes. With practice the tube practically disappears and the dot is out there on target.

 

[Joshua Hutchison]

trying to shoot with only one eye to me had always felt unnatural to me, so ive always used both eyes

for reference, Im right handed, and left eye domiant, but I shoot left handed.

 

[stealthmode]

i have and am still learning to shoot both eyes open. i dont know if i am doing it correctly but i turn my head a little so i dont see double sights. i am right handed but left eye dominant so its not like i am turning my head too much. i can really see the advantage to both eyes open if ever a situation were to arise, better field of vision.

 

[moredes]

Evahbody'll laugh, but the only eye I can wink is the dominant eye....so I have to shoot with both eyes open--imagine me behind a scoped rifle with the scope eye closed .

 

[1911 guy]

Only way to go

There is a reason, most of us probably know why, the military and all reputable instructors teach us to shoot with both eyes open. You have better depth perception, greater field of view and reaction time on a moving target is significantly less. All good things.

 

[ReadyontheRight]

My Dad told me very early to keep both eyes open when shooting, so I've always done that.

For me -- right-handed and right-eye dominant, I think shooting with both eyes open FORCES you to focus on the front sight - as you should. Try it.

If you close one eye, it's too easy to look past the sights at the target.

 

[perception]

Some people have eyes that are so evenly balanced as to dominance that it's completely unpredictable which eye will be dominant on any given day. For such folks, trying to train them to shoot with both eyes open would be a positive disservice

I am that person. On any given day, either eye could be dominant. On those days I have to vary which eye I focus on the sights. On some days, both eyes will be equally dominant. I always see two different barrels and sights lined up on one target. It is VERY fatiguing to shoot with both eyes open on those days.

 

[Red Tornado]

I saw a thread on this a couple of months ago, and thought I'd give it a try. My right eye is very dominant, and it came very naturally. It's just a matter of remembering to keep 'em both open, and then no problem.

The first time I tried it, my groups immediately tightened up. The still aren't anything to brag about, but I was amazed at how much difference it made. Now I've just got to practice enough so that it's not automatic to shut my left eye. It's like you said, I've got to un-learn the one-eye way. It may take a while, but I'll get there.
RT

 

[Twycross]

I am right-eye dominant, but I have always shot both eyes open. Rifle, pistol, shotgun, everything. I am trying to train myself to shift eyes at will while looking through a scope.

 

[Stevie-Ray]

Right handed, left-eye dominant. This presents a problem for me trying to keep both eyes open. I close the right eye.

 

[ChickenHawk]

Sounds like our experience was similar, Red Tornado. I'm liking this better every time I go to the range.

Regards,
ChickenHawk

 

[Obiwan]

Great article on this in the latest issue of SWAT

 

[kennedy]

I shoot pistol left handed, rifle right handed and right eye dominent, I am going to try both eyes open when pistol shooting, see if it helps.

 

[ghost457]

when i started shooting, i was instructed to have both eyes open, i am right-handed, left-eye dominant. i shoot left handed/left eyed, but i always keep my right eye open. i/v never tried to shoot with one eye only, it just doesnt work for me, i start focusing on the target, whereas if i have both eyes open, one eye is on the sights, the other i guess is looking at the target, iv never paid attention to what my other eye is doing when im shooting.

 

[CAS700850]

When I started shooting, it was "close the left eye, sight with the right eye" for the .22 rifle. When I got older and started shooting handguns, after a while I tried keeping both eyes opened and found that not only was accuracy the same, but I suffered less eye fatigue during a shooting session.

Tactically speaking, it makes sense to keep both eyes open. Why limit your field of view?

 

[Mongo the Mutterer]

I am trying to teach myself to shoot with both eyes open. Went to the range yesterday and shot 125+ rds of 9MM.

I wear glasses with no line bifocals, and the acquisition of the front sight is extremely difficult with both eyes open for me. My instructor nags me at times for moving my head over my right shoulder (like a rifle).

I hit 9 of 10 rounds in a 3" circle at 15 yards in 3 seconds with one eye closed. Someone tell me why I should change?

Someone tell me how to get past the bifocal problem and I'll try it...

 

[klover]

I shoot with both eyes closed

ok, somebody had to do it


Mongo, try some progressives @ $500 a pop. Really helped me. Got to thinking if I lost my glasses, one laser gun might be a good idea.