Shooting w/ both eyes open...

U

Uncle Ben

New member
I have seen some of you say that you shoot with both eyes open rather than only opening your dominant eye (for the sake of a better field of vision).

My question is: do you turn your head to the left (if your right eye is dominant) so that your right eye will be in line with the sight and to decrease double vision of the sights? Or do you keep your eyes both "pointing" straight forward?

I am wondering if the difficultly of focus and double vision problems with the sight will go away with practice, or if you turn your head a little.

Thanks!
 
I will assume you are using the Isosceles stance,
I do not turn my head, and I always have both eyes open.
That wasn't always so, As years ago I would always close my left eye to shoot with any kind of sight, any position.
I started with both eyes open with scopes, and used to squint initially. This took time and before long I was able to keep both eyes open with any sight, any position.
What are you deliberately focusing on? Not every one correctly focuses on the front sight. Every thing else is in conflict with your focus.
Even with both eyes open the dominant eye in charge, the non dominant eye will help get you on target much faster, and provide a much greater field of view.
 
I've done minor training with some 00 buckshot in my 870 with open eyes. With double pistol grips on mine, it's hard not to keep both eyes open, but once I was comfortable enough with the gun, I wouldn't even have to line my eyes up with the sight. I could just point it where I wanted to go and know where the buckshot would end up. Keeping in mind that that's at HD distances of no more than 25-30 feet.

It's a much more effective way of aiming for HD and will keep both sides clear and keep you from being blindsided buy a possible burgalar or the like.
 
Should have mentioned that... yes, my (current) chosen stance is isosoles, but I am going to continue to experiment to see what works the best for me.
 
I'm barely right eye dominant, and shoot iso (newer shooter). Any tips, other than just forcing myself to practice with both eyes?
 
Squinting worked for me,
As soon as you get focused in on the front sight, open the weak eye.(slowly at 1st.)
If you are new to shooting, do you know witch eye is dominant?
Its amazing how many youngsters we find that are right handed and left eye dominant. Even upon checking each one in the classroom we will find another on the range.
We do a free air rifle booth at the county fair, (MN DNR/Firearms Safety Inst.) and find many that are cross eye dominant.

Another drill easy to practice at home.
I am going to continue to experiment to see what works the best for me.
Click to expand...
I prefer the modified Weaver myself. I also know that the Isosceles is a better all around stance.
 
I like the Weaver stance for close up and the Isoscolese for longer distances. In the Weaver, it's hard to use both eyes, so I naturally squint, using the same-side eye as the hand my gun is in. In the Isoscolese stance, I still naturally squint. Many, many, MANY years ago when I first learned to shoot, the popular stance was the "Reid and Malloy" Adam 12 shoot-from-the-belly (point the gun like a finger) low Isoscolese. Now, of course, that's the LAST resort, and should be.

Pick a stance and sighting method that works for YOU, every time.
 
"My question is: do you turn your head to the left (if your right eye is dominant) so that your right eye will be in line with the sight and to decrease double vision of the sights? Or do you keep your eyes both "pointing" straight forward?"

I orient toward the target, with both eyes "pointing" straight forward and my gun lined up with my dominant eye, not my center line.

Check yourself in front of a mirror. If your pistol is held on your centerline you'll have to move your head. That's not optimal and a grip shift is in order.
 
A relevant link:

See Lurper's below. That's about as good as explanation as I;ve seen. - Good job.

Note the photo:

http://www.blackhawk.com/product1.asp?P=98DV00BH

His gun is aligned under his eye, not on his center line. (Granted, the photo could be better but despite what my wife tells everyone, I do have better things to do than endlessly search the web.)
 
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I'm fairly strongly right eye dominant and have always shot with both eyes open -- whether pistol, rifle or shotgun. With a pistol, at various times I've used an isosceles stance and at other times a Waver. And I've really never given it much thought. It just naturally works for me.
 
Tape?

I dont get double images, but I know to keep both eyes open for depth perception. Whats the point in having the eye open if its covered by tape?
 
Yes, tape

I used the tape method, and it helped me quickly train to both eye open shoot.

I started with a 3/8" by 3/8" peice and kept cutting it down to almost nothing.

Now, my brain has been trained to see only one image.

It works.

Shootsafe
 
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