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Using a scope?
- Thread starter Bill West
- Start date
Art Eatman
Staff in Memoriam
I've never really given thought to the "both eyes open", regardless of irons or scopes. If you can reliably have tight groups and reliably hit your target when in the field, it seems to me that it doesn't matter.
The only way I know of for looking through a scope with both eyes open to feel natural is if the scope is a true 1X scope, which is very rare. Two eyes open works with shotguns or red dot sights, but not with most scopes. My advice is to close your off side eye when using a scope.
My other piece of advice is to get a better scope, Tasco Pronghorn scopes tend to be atrocious.
My other piece of advice is to get a better scope, Tasco Pronghorn scopes tend to be atrocious.
shootniron
New member
Both eyes open works well with any power scope...not just 1X. It is like anything else...just a matter of getting used to it. Both eyes open is the only way that I have shot scopes or irons for 25yrs...it just works better for me.
Do what works best for you.
Do what works best for you.
Two eyes are always better than one regardless of the weapon or sights. If you can do it. Some people simply cannot, especially on scopes with more magnification. The less magnification you have the easier it is to do. If you practice doing it it gets easier unless your eyes are cross dominate.
You have one eye that is dominate and if you're right handed it is usually the right eye. The left eye is usually dominate for left handed people. But if you're right handed and left eye dominate you'll have to close the left eye. My brother is that way and he found it easier to learn how to shoot left handed.
Why?
Closing one eye causes more eye strain after more than a few shots. Some people who simply cannot leave both eyes open use an eye patch over the other eye so they can leave it open. Some place a piece of tape over the lense of shooting glasses to block their vision through that eye and still keep it open.
With one eye only you can no longer judge distances accurately and you lose 1/2 of your peripheral vision. When hunting and shooting at flushing fast moving game having your depth perception and all of your peripheral vision is a big help. Even more so in a SD situation.
Shooting static targets from a bench at the firing range it matters much less. But I advise people to learn how if at all possible. Unless you're cross eye dominate anyone can learn how with practice.
My brothers cross eye dominance didn't prevent him from shooting a rifle off a bench, he simply closed the dominate eye. But he really struggled shooting a shotgun with one eye closed. When he made the decision to shoot left handed behind his dominate eye he became a MUCH better shot. It took some time to re-learn how to shoot from the other side. But it paid off for him.
You have one eye that is dominate and if you're right handed it is usually the right eye. The left eye is usually dominate for left handed people. But if you're right handed and left eye dominate you'll have to close the left eye. My brother is that way and he found it easier to learn how to shoot left handed.
Why?
Closing one eye causes more eye strain after more than a few shots. Some people who simply cannot leave both eyes open use an eye patch over the other eye so they can leave it open. Some place a piece of tape over the lense of shooting glasses to block their vision through that eye and still keep it open.
With one eye only you can no longer judge distances accurately and you lose 1/2 of your peripheral vision. When hunting and shooting at flushing fast moving game having your depth perception and all of your peripheral vision is a big help. Even more so in a SD situation.
Shooting static targets from a bench at the firing range it matters much less. But I advise people to learn how if at all possible. Unless you're cross eye dominate anyone can learn how with practice.
My brothers cross eye dominance didn't prevent him from shooting a rifle off a bench, he simply closed the dominate eye. But he really struggled shooting a shotgun with one eye closed. When he made the decision to shoot left handed behind his dominate eye he became a MUCH better shot. It took some time to re-learn how to shoot from the other side. But it paid off for him.
I was raised in the "close one eye" era. It's hard to get away from that after 1/2 century of shooting. I've dealt with "wrong eye dominance" and numerous other foibles of beginning shooters and would offer that you just close the other eye and proceed. A 2.5 X scope is not the best place to start with both eyes open and will likely confuse your sight picture. Once you get used to mounting and aiming the scope mounted rifle, you can experiment with both eyes open.
shootniron said:Both eyes open works well with any power scope...not just 1X. It is like anything else...just a matter of getting used to it. Both eyes open is the only way that I have shot scopes or irons for 25yrs...it just works better for me.
I've found this too. Closing one eye would seem to introduce a stress that isn't necessary. I believe binocular vision helps me to find the area on which the scope will focus, and when I am concentrating on a shot I am not aware of most of the scope image or the image of my left eye; I am mentally focused on the small area I expect to hit.
It doesn't really differ from using iron sights. Both eyes are open, but my mental focus is on the front post and getting the target to sit on it perfectly.
That said, I don't have any cross dominance issues.
IMO, both eyes open, especially when hunting, especially when in the timber when a shot on a game animal presents itself. I find when I bring the rifle up with both eyes open, the rifle comes up and naturally puts the scope's "hairs" exactly in line with my vision, exactly on the animal; no "hunting" hairs this way when the heart rate likes to rise a bit...
Practice looking/scoping at a specific target; rock, stump and etc., with both eyes open until you've developed this technique; doesn't take long, really, and I've found it's like riding the proverbial bicycle, and it doesn't matter if it's 50 yards or 300. You can do this practice at home with a safe, empty rifle (of course), too; back yard, garage, even in the house to prevent a nosey neighbor that might give you "both eyes" whilst dialing 911. Hopefully not, HA!
I got to shoot a very high-end ($$) long range competition bench rifle not long ago, and to shoot it right one needed both eyes open just to use both levels on the scope. That was a different process there, but I was fairly comfortable with it because I always keep both peepers open when using a scope. BTW, I use both eyes on open sights, too; nothing I even have to think about anymore.
Practice looking/scoping at a specific target; rock, stump and etc., with both eyes open until you've developed this technique; doesn't take long, really, and I've found it's like riding the proverbial bicycle, and it doesn't matter if it's 50 yards or 300. You can do this practice at home with a safe, empty rifle (of course), too; back yard, garage, even in the house to prevent a nosey neighbor that might give you "both eyes" whilst dialing 911. Hopefully not, HA!
I got to shoot a very high-end ($$) long range competition bench rifle not long ago, and to shoot it right one needed both eyes open just to use both levels on the scope. That was a different process there, but I was fairly comfortable with it because I always keep both peepers open when using a scope. BTW, I use both eyes on open sights, too; nothing I even have to think about anymore.
Learn to mount the scoped rifle in such a way as to have the scope properly aligned with your eye, use a scope with appropriate magnification(not TOO much), and you'll be happier in the long term vs. many of the other options.
I've heard all the comments about having both eyes open so you can "get on target", so you "see the area around the target", and numerous others. If you learn to properly mount the rifle, you won't need to worry about "getting on target" cause you'll already be "on target". If you use an appropriate magnification, you WILL be able to see the area surrounding the target rather than looking through a pinhole of excess magnification.
I've heard all the comments about having both eyes open so you can "get on target", so you "see the area around the target", and numerous others. If you learn to properly mount the rifle, you won't need to worry about "getting on target" cause you'll already be "on target". If you use an appropriate magnification, you WILL be able to see the area surrounding the target rather than looking through a pinhole of excess magnification.
I cannot use a scope with both eyes open except at low powers. I have a Nikon 1X4 African on my 45-70 SBL and it is a true 1X. With the scope set at 1X it is a delight to shoot with both eyes open. I can acquire and shoot as fast as I could, and more accurately, than with the Ghost Ring sites also installed.
The only way I know of for looking through a scope with both eyes open to feel natural is if the scope is a true 1X scope, which is very rare. Two eyes open works with shotguns or red dot sights, but not with most scopes. My advice is to close your off side ey
Low power IER ("Scout") worked for me .....took some getting used to ....I learned to close one eye with conventional scopes ...... unlearning stuff is as hard as learning, IME.
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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