Keep both eyes open because. . .

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Prof Young

New member
More than once I've read that when using open sights one should keep both eyes open. I don't recall ever reading the reason behind this suggestion. I have discovered that with my Beretta pico, using the laser, with both eyes open. I can shoot more accurately and quickly than using one eye and open sights.

What the deal here. Why keep goth eyes open with open sights?

Life is good.
Prof Young
 
Prof Young said:
...Why keep goth eyes open with open sights?
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I pretty much always shoot with both eyes open -- handguns, rifles, and shotguns with iron or optical sights. About the only time I would not would be precision shooting -- whether with a high magnification scope or iron sights.

I prefer having both eyes open for a number of reasons. First, it gives me the widest field of vision. This comes in handy both in the hunting field and in tactical/action shooting applications. Second, it preserves depth perception.

Also, closing one eye adds stress. It strains facial muscles, and can affect the vision of the open eye. Precisions shooters who prefer sighting with only one eye will usually use an opaque "lens" over the nondominant eye to block vision -- rather than simply closing the eye.
 
Not much to add to Franks post, same info in other words. I cannot imagine trying to close one eye with irons.

Even with a scoped rifle it is so much faster to get on target with both eyes open for fast shooting. Having both eyes open gives you a much wider field of view to see game in a hunting situation or threats in a SD situation. A lot of people incorrectly assume that a scope is a handicap up close and fast. Only if you're using it wrong.

When only using one eye it severely limits depth perception making it hard to accurately estimate distances to targets.

For a handful of shots it isn't much of a factor, but eye strain is a problem after a lot of shooting.
 
Also, closing one eye adds stress.
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I think that's the important one. If you've become accustomed to shooting with both eyes open and your face relaxed, clamping one eye closed feels uncomfortable and unsustainable.

Unless you are one of the unfortunates who have a cross dominance problem, you are only going to really register the alignment of sights according to your dominant eye. When I am shooting at longer distances, I don't really "see" or focus on the entire image within the scope, but am intensely interested in the alignment of the crosshairs or post with a small area of the target.

If you've any doubt about the superiority of shooting with both eyes open, take a couple of hours with a scoped 22lr and try a session with one eye closed. I believe you will find it uncomfortable.
 
I'm not bullseye shooting. While I understand there is a difference between the two I have fired millions of "shots" while playing paintball (I don't think its an exaggeration) and learned in doing so I shot "instinctively" better with both eyes open. When rifle hunting I learned that keeping both eyes open as shoulder the rifle helps you "find" your target much faster.

I just carried it over to pistol shooting. My eyes are FAR from precision instruments anyways and I have poor vision (its corrected to about 20/40 but starts out off the scale bad at less than 20/400) so that may very well influence my ability to gain the precision others do. Maybe people with good vision gain more by closing one eye?
 
I heard that keeping both eyes open...helps prevent a flinch, though you can probably see plenty of shooters on the range, that close both of there eyes when their shot cracks off --- Which is a sign of a flinch, albeit...sometimes a small one.
 
Closing one eye for repeated or extended periods causes the open eye pupil to dilate. The body does this naturally, trying to correct the vision. Then you get too much light into the one open eye. Open, close, open close, then the one eye that remains open gets blurry vision. Is this scientific? Not sure, but it happens to me. Personally, I can not shoot with both eyes open, as I see two targets. So, I put a piece of matte scotch tape on the lens of the glasses of the non aiming eye. I see one target with both eyes open, and don't get the dilation problems because light is still entering covered eye. Works for me!
 
Wow . . .

Wow. Okay, I think I'm going to have to learn to keep both eyes open when I shoot. Gotta love this forum.

Life is good.
Prof Young
 
Mike38 -

A shooter can get blurry vision by not breathing enough, due to lack of oxygen going to the retinas.
 
Tried it out today . . .

Tried it out at range today. Put about 300 rounds down range. Shot open sights and one scoped handgun. Worked on keeping both eyes open. May take some getting used to. I shot 22LR, 9mm and 380. I certainly didn't shoot any worse than usual and may have shot a little better. Life is good.

Life is good
Prof Young
 
I'm 71 and learned over 60 years ago that I was left eye dominant. Although I learned this with my dad's assistance I don't remember him ever mentioning eye dominance. I immediately shot my .22 more accurately when shooting left-handed with both eyes open. So, for over 60 years I have shot rifles and shotguns left-handed with both eyes open. I also shoot my compound bows left-handed with both eyes open. But, I am right-handed so I shoot hand guns with my right hand (or both hands) with both eyes open. I have trouble trying to drink a cup of coffee left-handed. With only one exception my rifle scopes are fairly low power variables, i.e., 2.5 -8x, and my rifled barrel 870 also bears a low power variable with long eye relief. I definitely encourage trying to learn to shoot long guns with both eyes open, but admit I have no experience shooting with very high power scopes so I don't know if both eyes open works with such scopes.
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I made this post several weeks ago and I think it also fits this thread.
 
I am totally new to hunting and would like to know some pros and cons about it. I have seen many guys keep one eye open then shoot. This helps to keep their concentration at the right point.
 
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