The Firing Line Forums

Go Back   The Firing Line Forums > The North Corral > Lock and Load: Live Fire Exercises

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old March 16, 2014, 03:00 PM   #26
TimSr
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 8, 2013
Location: Rittman, Ohio
Posts: 2,074
Both eyes open will only work if you shoot with your dominant eye. I shoot both eyes open until I switch and shoot left handed. Then I must close my dominant right eye.
TimSr is offline  
Old March 16, 2014, 03:50 PM   #27
darkgael
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 9, 2006
Location: Homes in Brooklyn, NY and in Pennsylvania.
Posts: 5,472
Eyes

Quote:
Both eyes open will only work if you shoot with your dominant eye. I shoot both eyes open until I switch and shoot left handed. Then I must close my dominant right eye.
I am guessing that the weak hand practice is for defensive shooting scenarios.
Closing one eye means that you loose your peripheral vision on that side.
Desirable? No.
Pete
__________________
“Auto racing, bull fighting, and mountain climbing are the only real sports ... all others are games.” Ernest Hemingway ...
NRA Life Member
darkgael is offline  
Old March 16, 2014, 04:22 PM   #28
longknife12
Member
 
Join Date: March 13, 2014
Location: Colorado
Posts: 95
I was trained for both eyes 50 years ago. Do it with rifle/ handgun and shot guns.
Dan
longknife12 is offline  
Old March 16, 2014, 06:51 PM   #29
Frank Ettin
Staff
 
Join Date: November 23, 2005
Location: California - San Francisco
Posts: 9,471
I shoot everything -- pistols, shotguns, and rifles (even with a scope) -- with both eyes open. When shooting left handed (non-dominant hand, right eye dominant) I just turn my head slightly to the right to line up my dominant right eye with the sights.
__________________
"It is long been a principle of ours that one is no more armed because he has possession of a firearm than he is a musician because he owns a piano. There is no point in having a gun if you are not capable of using it skillfully." -- Jeff Cooper
Frank Ettin is offline  
Old March 19, 2014, 09:58 AM   #30
psalm7
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 7, 2014
Location: Middle TN
Posts: 543
I shoot everything with both eyes open except sniper rifles wich is my favorite shooting now . When I was trained on a hand gun I was shown to focuse on the target and just have the sights in periferal vision kinda blurry is this correct ?
psalm7 is offline  
Old March 19, 2014, 10:12 AM   #31
Frank Ettin
Staff
 
Join Date: November 23, 2005
Location: California - San Francisco
Posts: 9,471
Quote:
Originally Posted by psalm7
...When I was trained on a hand gun I was shown to focuse on the target and just have the sights in periferal vision kinda blurry is this correct ?...
Not the way I was trained (check my profile for my background).

With handguns or rifles, I focus on the front sight. If shooting a rifle with a scope, I focus on the reticle. When shooting moving targets with a shotgun (wingshooting), I focus on the target.
__________________
"It is long been a principle of ours that one is no more armed because he has possession of a firearm than he is a musician because he owns a piano. There is no point in having a gun if you are not capable of using it skillfully." -- Jeff Cooper
Frank Ettin is offline  
Old March 20, 2014, 08:46 PM   #32
TimSr
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 8, 2013
Location: Rittman, Ohio
Posts: 2,074
Quote:
I am guessing that the weak hand practice is for defensive shooting scenarios.
Closing one eye means that you loose your peripheral vision on that side.
Desirable? No.
Pete
Both for defensive, in case of right arm disabled, and for deer hunting (pistol) when the deer appears on the wrong side and turning around is not an option. Desirable? No, but not ever shot I ever take will be under ideal conditions, and with me in an ideal position, so shooting left handed with one is an option.
TimSr is offline  
Old March 24, 2014, 05:45 PM   #33
Vireye
Senior Member
 
Join Date: August 21, 2012
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 202
My father shoots with both eyes open and swears by it, but he learned it as a way to get around being right-hand, left-eye dominant.

I, however, have never been able to do it effectively. Oddly I THINK it has something to do with my contact lenses...I've been wondering if they correct my vision to the point where both eyes are identical in terms of vision, so they "fight" for dominance. So as a result my vision either blurs or the sight post actually "jumps" as I align it to my right eye, then suddenly it seems like my vision has gone left-eye dominant, then back to right. It's a pain, so I just shoot with one eye open.
Vireye is offline  
Old March 25, 2014, 03:44 PM   #34
Frank Ettin
Staff
 
Join Date: November 23, 2005
Location: California - San Francisco
Posts: 9,471
Eye dominance comes in a variety of "flavors." Some people have a very strongly dominant eye. Others have a weaker dominance. In some, dominance shifts from one eye to the other, especially when fatigued.

Sometime weal dominance or shifting dominance can make it impossible for one to effectively shoot with both eyes open. In that case he'll have to fall back on "Plan B", closing one eye.
__________________
"It is long been a principle of ours that one is no more armed because he has possession of a firearm than he is a musician because he owns a piano. There is no point in having a gun if you are not capable of using it skillfully." -- Jeff Cooper
Frank Ettin is offline  
Old March 27, 2014, 03:02 PM   #35
Jim243
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 5, 2009
Location: Just off Route 66
Posts: 5,067
Quote:
With handguns or rifles, I focus on the front sight. If shooting a rifle with a scope, I focus on the reticle. When shooting moving targets with a shotgun (wingshooting), I focus on the target.
Stereoscopic vision is best used for distance valuation, one of the reasons we drive cars with both eyes open. And need depth perception for flying an airplane. But for shooting I have always use my right eye unless using a red dot sight. Concentrating on the front sight is most important without distraction from objects on the right or left. Many competition shooters will wear blinders or a patch on their glasses so they can concentrate on the target and sights.

Shooting with both eyes open may be needed for wing shooting with a shotgun to range distance to the clay bird or real bird. One of the reasons I don't shoot skeet or trap. But since 90% of my shooting is with a scope, it's one eye for me. (they don't have dual lenses on scopes)

Jim
__________________
Si vis pacem, para bellum
Jim243 is offline  
Old March 27, 2014, 06:35 PM   #36
psalm7
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 7, 2014
Location: Middle TN
Posts: 543
I shoot lower power scopes like 4x or 3-9x with both eyes open . I train like that with tatical gear and have adapted it to my hunting skills . When shooting bench rest or sniper rifles then I use traditional one eye closed .
psalm7 is offline  
Old March 29, 2014, 08:52 AM   #37
Hunter Customs
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 26, 2005
Location: Osborn, Missouri
Posts: 2,697
I shoot shotguns and handguns with both eyes open.
I've even shot scoped rifles with both eyes open, however most of the time I do close my non dominate eye.

I always tell people to shoot what works best for them, but don't be afraid to experiment with different techniques.

Best Regards
Bob Hunter
www.huntercustoms.com
Hunter Customs is offline  
Old April 24, 2014, 01:55 PM   #38
CJ882
Junior Member
 
Join Date: April 23, 2014
Location: Glen Rose TX
Posts: 2
I'm new to pistol shooting (about 4 years now) and have in the last year or so decided to get serious about it and join some competitions. I have shot everything with one eye closed my whole life...did not know any better .

With my eyes getting older (I just turned 50) I have been looking for anything that would help. As soon as I get some fiber optic front sights I'm going to work on retraining myself to shoot with both eyes open.

Thanks for all the great information here!

Take care, SC

Last edited by CJ882; April 24, 2014 at 10:26 PM.
CJ882 is offline  
Old April 27, 2014, 07:59 AM   #39
Hunter Customs
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 26, 2005
Location: Osborn, Missouri
Posts: 2,697
Quote:
When I was trained on a hand gun I was shown to focuse on the target and just have the sights in periferal vision kinda blurry is this correct ?
In my military days I had this type of training on handguns, shotguns and rifles for CQB.

With the rifle and shotgun we were taught to just flip the butt of the long gun between your arm and body with the stock coming to rest just under your arm pit and the stock being squeezed between your upper arm and the side of your chest.

The Army called it "Quick Kill" it's actually a type of point or instinct shooting and yes it's done with both eyes open, I still practice and train this way today.

It's very effective for close encounters once you learn the technique, and as the name implies, it's quick.

Best Regards
Bob Hunter
www.huntercustoms.com
Hunter Customs is offline  
Old September 26, 2014, 10:34 AM   #40
Doug Orlob
Junior Member
 
Join Date: September 24, 2014
Location: Washington St
Posts: 2
Both eyes open

I developed a sight that makes it much easier for novas shooter to shoot with both eyes open. It eliminates double vision of the target and the sight.
For panic point and shoot situations my sight increases your reaction time.
I know that many people just point and shoot and don't use the sight but with my sight you can only see the sights with one eye at a time. Less confusion with the sight picture.
You can see it on Utub "shooting with both eyes open" under Milpro.

Doug Orlob

Last edited by Doug Orlob; September 26, 2014 at 03:46 PM.
Doug Orlob is offline  
Old January 8, 2015, 09:38 PM   #41
yellowdragon
Junior Member
 
Join Date: August 23, 2013
Posts: 8
Handgun: I shoot with both eyes open up to about 15 yards. After that I naturally start closing my non dominant eye.
yellowdragon is offline  
Old January 16, 2015, 01:26 AM   #42
Doug Orlob
Junior Member
 
Join Date: September 24, 2014
Location: Washington St
Posts: 2
Occluder sight review

http://youtu.be/niDgz6zsyyo

Honest review!
Doug Orlob is offline  
Old February 19, 2015, 05:48 PM   #43
osbornk
Senior Member
 
Join Date: August 11, 2012
Location: Mountains of Appalachia
Posts: 1,598
At 67, I've shot with one eye closed all my life. I am now learning how to shoot with both eyes open. My sd9ve is the size and weight of a Glock 19 and I shoot it low and left. I know it is not my eye but if I have to adjust my grip and trigger finger, I might as well change everything.
osbornk is offline  
Old March 26, 2015, 05:57 PM   #44
ironox
Member
 
Join Date: May 12, 2013
Posts: 49
One solution to double imaging, since you are wearing shooting glasses anyway, is to get a clip on occluder which blocks the line of sight from one eye.

Yes, this works for me. Get this... I'm right handed, but left eye dominant. However, I have astigmatism in my dominant eye. Therefore, I get a clearer sight picture sighting out of my right eye. When shooting I place a piece of scotch tape on my shooting glasses blocking my dominant eye (left eye). The first time I tried this my sight picture cleared dramatically and made target acquisition easy. Hopefully I can switch eye dominance with consistent training.
ironox is offline  
Old March 26, 2015, 08:13 PM   #45
Recoiljunky
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 11, 2011
Location: Jupiter, florida
Posts: 233
I shoot with both eye open for everything. When using iron sights dominate eye focusing on the front sight and other eye on the target. They naturally bring them together too. I find I'm able to be way more accurate and a lot faster to get on target weather it's shooting off the bench or on a run and gun. Even with scoped rifles both eyes open while ignoring one eye works very well.
Recoiljunky is offline  
Old March 27, 2015, 06:09 AM   #46
darkgael
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 9, 2006
Location: Homes in Brooklyn, NY and in Pennsylvania.
Posts: 5,472
RJ:
Quote:
When using iron sights dominate eye focusing on the front sight and other eye on the target.
Whatever you are doing, it isn't that. It is optically and physically impossible for human eyes to focus on two different objects at different distances at the same time.
What you are experiencing may well be "binocular rivalry" - where the focus switches from eye to eye....first one eye and then the other, back and forth.
In any case, when you have the front sight in focus with your dominant eye, you see the target (out of focus) beyond that.
Pete
__________________
“Auto racing, bull fighting, and mountain climbing are the only real sports ... all others are games.” Ernest Hemingway ...
NRA Life Member
darkgael is offline  
Old April 4, 2015, 06:16 PM   #47
dirtd0g
Member
 
Join Date: April 3, 2015
Location: New England
Posts: 69
Right hand and right eye dominant, here. I've always shot everything with both eyes open... However, just recently starting dabbling in magnifying optics, will ease my left eye closed when really aiming in through a scope.

I used to have a paintball gun and the vertical feed was right ontop of the marker... And they even had a rail up there that was completely obstructed! I threw a cheap red dot on it and with both eyes open could "see through" the feed and acquire the target just fine.

The eyes and how the brain uses them is pretty amazing.
dirtd0g is offline  
Old April 5, 2015, 04:30 PM   #48
G Dog
Junior Member
 
Join Date: November 29, 2011
Posts: 2
All eyes open. Always and with everything.
G Dog is offline  
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 02:39 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
This site and contents, including all posts, Copyright © 1998-2021 S.W.A.T. Magazine
Copyright Complaints: Please direct DMCA Takedown Notices to the registered agent: thefiringline.com
Page generated in 0.08600 seconds with 9 queries