Shooting with both eyes open

[ivanwi11iams]

Here I am again, asking more questions.

Is it possible to shoot with both eyes open and still hit your target?
If so, how?

Thanks

Ivan

 

[Bkreutz]

Here I am again, asking more questions.

Is it possible to shoot with both eyes open and still hit your target?
If so, how?

Thanks

Ivan

That's the way I was taught, don't know any other way to do it.

 

[EugeneNine]

If you have an eye condition like mine. I can't remember what its called at the moment but my brain only "see's" one eye at a time basically ignoring the other.

 

[bp231986]

I remember at first it took some use to but doesn't everyhting you learn for the first time? I'm sure there will be people that say you shouldn't because of this and that and what not but find out how you shoot the best and stick to that.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[dant]

we like to call it more of an "instinct" shooting, reacting to the target, instead of the typical "bullseye" competition, we did that also later on, but have gone back to both eyes open.but I recall WAY back in the late 50's we learned shooting chipmunks in an old stone quarry, and we did NOT have time to "sight" in on any of them as they ran so darn fast...you heard them before you even saw them........all I can say as to "how" is point at something with your shooting hand trigger finger, and then close one eye at a time and see where your finger is pointed......that's a start.......
do and use what works for YOU, try them all, that's why there are so many forms of shooting sports...........

 

[DR505]

If you have an eye condition like mine. I can't remember what its called at the moment but my brain only "see's" one eye at a time basically ignoring the other.

I too always shoot with both eyes open. Even with a scope, both eyes open. When I shoot with my non-dominant hand, I use the non-dominant eye. It seems I can switch eye dominance for shooting just by concentrating on it. I shoot pretty good.

 

[David harleyson]

I have a friend that shoots with both eyes closed. Sorry Popper, couldn't resist.

 

[jarhead1178]

I use both eyes because 10 years ago Dr. buchered cataract surgery on my right eye and now have very limited vision in that eye. Some years back when still had 20/20 in both eyes I was at the local range and some young guy said " hey pop your supposed to shoot with both eyes open ". I told him thanks for the tip Sonny but I used one eye while in Korea and I'm still here so mind his business.

 

[Bert Man]

Both eyes open has some benefits if you can train yourself to do it. You get a wider field of view and better depth perception.

 

[thebeamanater107]

I'm right eye dominant. When looking down my sights, both eyes open, i focus on my right eye to aim, pull the trigger, then focus on the left to look downrange. I did that enough to get it figured out. All you have to do to practice is look down the sights and try to focus on the sights for a minute then out there for a minute.

I found its easier for me to close one eye to aim and shoot, then open both eyes to look. That's just me though

the original point and click interface, by Smith & Wesson

 

[MT99]

You can shoot well with both eyes open if you don't have too much binocular rivalry and can suppress the eye you aren't aiming with. If you are cross dominant, ie right-handed and left eye dominant, it can be difficult. I sometimes overplus the non-sighting eye in the shooting glasses (I'm an optometrist) so that eye sees slightly blurry and is easier to suppress. You generally want both eyes open for trap and skeet. For target shooting, it is less important.
Some people can't close one eye without scrunching up their whole face. For stationary target shooting, I find those people do much better with both eyes open.

 

[shouldazagged]

I learned as a boy to close one eye, but later realized that I shot better with both open. It proved especially useful when using a scope, as the non-dominant eye helped align the scope and find the game more quickly in the glass. I've shot with both eyes open for close to sixty years now.

 

[Johnny_w]

The only way I can do it is with a red dot sight. So, I've put red dots on all of my guns. Both eyes open, focus on the target, get red dot on target and the shot goes where the red dot is.

 

[jrm53]

I used to shoot steel falling plates and the fastest best shots at the matches were using red dot sights with the filter on the front turned to black out the picture through the sight but the dot would still be visible in the black and they shot both eyes open and were just about unbeatable. With practice I got where I could shoot that way. Jeff

 

[CatSnipah]

Both eyes open has some benefits if you can train yourself to do it. You get a wider field of view and better depth perception.

This.

It's ideal. One eye "sees" down the sights, while the other "sees" your target. Blended together and it's a sure hit.

If I'm distance shooting with rifles, I tend to use one eye for a bit, then gradually open my other.

Also, I use just one eye at first with any new pistol, until I learn the point of aim/impact relationship.

 

[S&W Fan]

That's the way I was taught, don't know any other way to do it.

Same here. We all have a dominant eye (unless of course there's a physical/medical reason) and figureing it out isn't difficult-note it's not always the same as our dominant hand though usually it is. Once that's accomplished as others have stated the benefits are many. All this assuming (uh oh lol) that we're talking handguns. With rifles/high power scopes it's one eye, with my AR & Eotech then both again.

 

[timn8er]

Some days it just doesn't matter for me. One eye open, two eyes open, third eye open...some times I think I could shoot better with both eyes closed, from memory. Then I'll have a good day where I can shoot the hands off of a penguin at thirty yards. I just never know till I get to the range.

 

[snubbyfan]

Some days it just doesn't matter for me. One eye open, two eyes open, third eye open...some times I think I could shoot better with both eyes closed, from memory. Then I'll have a good day where I can shoot the hands off of a penguin at thirty yards. I just never know till I get to the range.

So that's why penguins don't have hands, you done shot 'em off.
I do practice point shooting with both eyes open but I also shoot with one closed and sometimes I'll use the laser for fun. Depends on what I feel like doin' at the time.

 

[sophie]

I too have always shot with both eyes open and that was how I learned to do it early on.

 

[wbraswell]

Both eyes open. I shoot handguns left handed, and long guns right handed, both eyes open.

 

[skrazo]

OOhhhhhhhhhhhhh........................ Am I actually supposed to "hit" those targets? Whew!.........learn somethun' new every day!

 

[Vegetaman]

As a person who wears glasses, having both eyes open distorts too much trying to shoot, so I close my non-dominant eye.

 

[joeintexas]

I shoot with both eyes open but it doesn't matter, I'm blind in my right eye. Had to learn to shoot all over again several years ago.

 

[sasu]

Closing one eye puts a strain on the other eye, too. The eye muscles act symmetrically. That is a strong reason to shoot with both eyes open, to get the maximum performance from the eye doing the aiming.

 

[Donn]

Always do, now. Wasn't always that way, had to re-train myself.

 

[vonn]

I have tried both eyes open but definitely shoot better with one closed . My non dominant eye has a problem according to my eye doctor. She had me bring my guns in and made me glasses that really helped my shooting at targets and finding deer,etc. when hunting. I recommend a good eye exam by a Dr. who understands shooting , mine helped me a bunch.

 

[Cpo1944]

I had lasic surgery and the doc messed me up, my right - dominant eye- is set for far distance ,while my left eye is for near. This is just opposite to what it should be. I recently bought a pair of shooting glasses which correct the problem -my Eye Doc examined my eyes and made a RX . Now I can see the front sight again with the right eye, and the target with the left. It feels plumb weird and takes awhile to adjust, but it works and I`m shooting two eyed again.

 

[Cpo1944]

Both eyes open. I shoot handguns left handed, and long guns right handed, both eyes open.

At the same time??????

 

[11B Lifer]

Many years of competition-eyes open. Closing the non dominant eye causes eye fatigue. I have used a shield on my glasses to block the non dominant eye-this helps focus in certain lighting-and as my eye sight deteriorates. Type of sight has a major impact-I can "see" my model 41 sights-and M17 sights aren't too bad-Colt 1911 or 1911A1 sights wear my eyes out pretty fast-try a shield (masking tape a piece of cardboard) on your non dominant eye-to experience the effect.

 

[Qball]

I have a friend that shoots with both eyes closed. Sorry Popper, couldn't resist.

That could have been a fun remark, but unfortunatly it is way more comon than you think.

Lot of slowmo of shooters show just that, closed eyes