Using both eyes more accurate?

[AndrewTB]

Well ive gotten used to using both eyes for aiming. Now all I need to do is get to the range to test it out when I fire. Its taken a lot of trying but I think ive got using both eyes down. So how accurate are you overall with both eyes open compared to using 1 eye?

[CabinJohn]

Andrew, accuracy should be the same. The real advantage - as you probably already know - is that shooting with both eyes open will greatly increase your field of view, and should not detract from your accuracy as it is or was shooting with only one eye.

[AndrewTB]

Everything around goes into a blur when using both eyes. Should I train to try and get rid of that or do yall have the same issue?

[Joven]

I have always struggled with this. It seems that I can acquire a sight picture faster with one eye than two. But as Cabinjohn says, there is a tactical advantage to using both eyes.

[Talon66]

..increases depth perception which is a good thing! For the distances involved using a handgun, it's not necessary to get a "perfect" alignment of your sights (eg. shooting a rifle at a target 200 yards away with open sights). Determine which eye is your dominant eye, get your sight alignment in front of that sight, acquire the "flash sight picture" and the bluriness should become nonexistent.

[GLP Standard]

As I found out today, sadly, Its a lot harder for me to get a perfect sight quickly using both eyes. Also, when I try, I see doubles of the target. Not sure how to fix that. Everyone read my second post in my thread "Qualifying Tomorrow" I posted something in it that I would like some help with, and I dont think anyone is going to read it, because it already got tons of views earlier today and last night

[Hollywood D]

My accuracy probably goes up about 50% using both eyes. I don't really know how to explain this, but I don't use the sights either unless i'm pretty far away. I look at where I want the bullet to go, aim the gun with my hands and it's usually pretty damn close.

[USP45usp]

Andrew,

What is important is that does it work for you. My father always wanted me to fire with both eyes open, but I always closed one eye (the left).

I started to read on the subject and trained myself on it. My accuracy has improved greatly. Yet, even with it open, the left eye "sees" motion and is blurry but the right eye is stronger to me than I remember.

But, everything should be a blur anyway exept for your sights. The target is blurry, everything around me is blurry, all I see is the front and rear sights with such clarity that I actually put down the gun one time because I noticed that I had gotten a scratch on the top of the slide somehow. I had to take a closer look.

But, everyone shoots, sights different. Like golf, or bowling, you have to find what is right for you and gives you the best shots. It's hard to explain.

On slow fire, I aim and then I shift focus to the target and "burn" into my brain where I wish to hit the target, then I shift to focus on the sights and then put the front sight where my mind says that the area I wish to hit exists and then fire until out or told to stop.

In my years of shooting, I have learned how to keep both eyes open, focus, re-focus, focus, re-focus, as I'm firing, the short pause bringing back to target, fire, etc..

It's really hard to explain, there is no "fix" for everyone and everything. There is no standard that one size fits all. The same goes with guns, carry rigs, everything that deals with any type of 'sport' or personal action.

Try out everything and then develope what works for you. That's all I can say.

Wayne

[calshooter]

I can corroborate what the others have related - shooting with both eyes definitely helps and (obviously) increases both depth perception and field of view. When I started shooting around 17 years ago, I was told to use my 'strong eye' (my left). It was uncomfortable to have one eye squeezed shut, and quickly realized having both eyes open, while still using my 'strong eye' for aiming, was ideal. Interestingly enough, I'm right handed, and was told I should use my right eye. Never worked that way.

My current career happens to be in optical alignment and I've always used both eyes in this as well, a carry over from shooting.

[Night Watch]

Ya know, everybody's eyesight is a little bit different. What works for one person isn't necessarily going to work for somebody else. You've got 'a do what works for you. If you're shooting a shotgun, sure, keep both eyes open; but I really don't think it matters all that much for rifle or pistol - especially on the first shot.

[Lycanthrope]

Using both eyes is usually better to shoot quickly although you may have to squint or tape your glasses to get your front sight in focus.

[Ozzieman]

I have been doing it for years and find that I can shoot much longer without getting eye strain.
But I find it very hard to teach others how. I found the best way is if they wear glasses to cover one lens and let them shoot.
One other thing that I found, once you get good shooting that way its much easer to shoot with eather eye.

[Mike40-11]

hmm. I dunno, only got one....

Although back when I had two, I did like the better field of view and situational awareness with both open on a pistol or point shooting with a rifle.

[AndrewTB]

Mike,
At least you dont have to close an eye when you want to shoot 1 eyed.

Please dont take it as an offense but for some shooters its a dream.:p

[Mike40-11]

Andrew, none taken. I do wear a patch and have had several people ask if I wear it for shooting though :)

Yeah, the closing the off eye is something I don't have any problem with now! Bad part is I had to learn to shoot left handed. Getting there:rolleyes:

[ClarkEMyers]

Both eyes open is best by test but that is not the same as viewing with both eyes. Experience shows that closing one eye leads to squinting with the other and that both eyes open is better vision.

However in many cases the off eye is blocked - the fancy international shooting glasses will often have a blinder. Similarly in traditional American bullseye a Merit attachment on the master eye with the off-eye obscured as by spreading a little Vaseline on the safety glass so as to obscure the off eye works.

Hunting with a scope or with a red dot sight or with other sights may give different results as well.

Personally I shoot action pistol with both eyes open, hunt with a Scout Scope and obscure the off eye for serious bullseye, squint for plinking at a gallery range.

[Eghad]

The best way I found if you are having trouble is to take a piece of frosted scotch tape and put it on your shooting glasses over your weak eye...this will help with the double vision and will let that other eye get use to reamining open.....

filed of view and depth perception are better with two eyes open.

[AndrewTB]

Well I just got back from the range! DIDNT CLOSE MY EYES ONCE! Well to blink of course.

My shots were a bit more scattered this time around but I was able to get more headshots etc..

What I really found an imporvement in was with range. At 25 yards I was hitting bullseyes. 25 yards may not sound like much but when I tried with 1 eye last time I went to the range I couldnt hit crap.

[Chris W]

Personally I shoot action pistol with both eyes open, hunt with a Scout Scope and obscure the off eye for serious bullseye, squint for plinking at a gallery range.

That is a voice of experience. Both eyes for times when either you or the target are moving, or when you're rapidly transitioning from target to target. Obscure off eye (rather than squint) for slow shooting and hardcore accuracy--bullseye, silhouette, etc.

[k9lwt]

Stick with whatever works best. I will say that if you want to shoot with both eyes you need to practice, practice, practice. Whichever eye is dominant with do just that-dominate. You have much better peripheral vision with both eyes open and therefore you will recognize much more of the situation.

I started to shoot with one eye, then quickly forced myself to keep both eyes open years ago. I haven't gone back since. For most practical handgun applications, using two eyes is best. If you have a longer than normal shot and you have the time/cover-it's sometimes necessary to really aim and get the best possible sight picture/sight alingment. If that's the situation, you might be better off with using one eye.

[Ozzieman]

That goes to the extreem.
Whears glasses with a patch over one eye, the other has a cover thats a wheel within a wheel with several holes. You can select the size of hole you look through, He says that it improves depth preception.
All I know, is that it looks silly.
Give me both open any time.

[Derius_T]

I try to shoot with both eyes open whenever possible. It seems to work very well for up close work. But sometimes I revert to my 'ol hunting rifle days and catch that right eye locked up like popeye! ;)

[johnnymenudo]

So what do you all recommend with a right handed shooter that is left eye dominant? My girlfriend wants to learn to shoot and I would think that both eyes open she would need to use her left eye primarily for sight alignment. That would work for handgun, but what about rifle? There is no way she can get a good cheek weld and align her left eye with the sights if she shoots right handed.

I have heard a good compromise for the left eye dominant person who shoots right handed is to close the left eye and use the right. The other option is to learn to shoot left handed. She is a new shooter, but all of our dryfire practice thusfar has felt odd to her if she tries left handed.

Any ideas?

JM

[Lycanthrope]

Teach her to shoot left handed.....or...use a wide view reflex red dot sight (like the Eotech) that does not have parralax. That may allow her to shoot with both eyes open. It's not out of hand to even offset mount the red dot as long as you know the distances you will be shooting and you can adjust for the error. I've shot some red dots mounted at 10' o clock position in USPSA 3 gun and out to 100 yards or further.

[molonlabe]

The physiological reason is to prevent fatigue. For a box of 50 rounds you would probably not see a difference but it would become important in competition. What one eye does the other will follow not only in muscle movement but the response of the pupil. That is the main reason competition shooters learn to keep both eyes open. Sometimes this is disconcerting to some people and they use block fitted away from their glasses to prevent seeing from both eyes but they do not patch their eye.

You should always learn to shoot with your dominate eye.

[GUNSMOKE45441]

Guess I was just lucky, my Dad taught me to shoot with both eyes open.
Works really well for me, it's as though you can see through your sights,(superimposed) and see the whole target as well.

[FP2000H]

When learning to shoot, which seems like an everchanging process, I was advised to shoot both eyes open. I'm right handed and near sighted, more so in my left than in my right so with glasses off, the right eye image is very clear. With glasses on, which is how I practice, I seem to recall being told that I was left eye dominant by the same fellow who passed me sage advice that day. I'm not really sure if I am since I didn't really understand how to shoot with both eyes at the time and just had to play with my vision and what I saw. I essentially train to shift dominance to my right eye when I get a sight picture with pistol. It gets more natural with time and on a good day yields very pleasing results.

[Drunk Fat Man]

This thread really helped me. Reading all your advice gives me something to try next range time.