help aiming with two eyes

win357 · June 20, 2007, 07:25 PM

Ever since I started looking more into proper technique on how to fire I figured I should shoot with two eyes open. I've gone to the range like 5 or 6 times now and everytime I've shoot with one eye. I've been dryfiring at home and I cannot get a good picture with two eyes open. My right eye is my domninant eye, but when I try and shoot with two open sometimes my left eye takes over. Any tips on how to overcome this or is just a matter of practice. As I've learned from baseball though, it's always better to practice efficiently and correctly.

Tanzer · June 20, 2007, 10:03 PM

My right eye was supposed to be my dominant eye. I found out some time ago that my left eye is my shootin' eye. My sight picture is right when I can look down the sights with two eyes, and if I squint my right, the sight picture remains the same. I shoot with both eyes open confidently now, but it took some time to figure this out. It's natural now - automatic. I don't know if this is the case with you, but it was for me.
Good Luck.

DGindlesperger · June 20, 2007, 10:10 PM

left eye here....I talked to my brother awhile back and he has gotten use to shooting his issue m16 and saw gun with both neyes open. Now he swears by it. Made sence to me while he was in the sand box for a year, the more you can see the better. I'm still am trying to get the hang of it.

Night Watch · June 21, 2007, 11:46 PM

Point your finger at a spot on the wall across the room from you. Now close your left eye; is your finger still pointing at that spot; or, has it moved? Do the same thing with your right eye. Whichever eye leaves your finger pointing directly at the object, that, is your dominant eye.

The solution to your other problem is to slightly squint with your other eye. You'll still retain your peripheral vision. Remember, it's the front sight that you want to see clearly - Not the target!

Motobie · June 22, 2007, 03:05 AM

Win357, I'm a new shooter like you. I had to switch using left eye to right eye as I'm a right hander. Then I had to learn shooting with both eyes opened. It took me few weeks to get used to it. Just keep training that right eye.

A good trick that I found useful was using a red dot scope. The bright red dot made focusing on it easier. When you feel comfortable shooting with both eyes open, try shooting without the scope.

fixboot · June 22, 2007, 03:25 AM

Quote:

A good trick that I found useful was using a red dot scope. The bright red dot made focusing on it easier. When you feel comfortable shooting with both eyes open, try shooting without the scope.

Took the words right off my keyboard. Red dot or holo would be a good place to start. I got a cheapy cheap BSA from my neighborhood wally world for around 30 bucks to start with.

Tanzer · June 22, 2007, 07:10 AM

Whatever you do, remember that it takes learning/training. Otherwise anybody could just pick up a gun and be Brian Enos. Seek help from guys at the range etc because when you develop a bad habit, it's hard to break. Don't listen to one person exclusively. I get great results the way I do things, but it has to be something you can do. Don't forget that stance is involved, and horzontal placement of the weapon. Have you tried placing a box or something under your weak elbow so that you can hold/get sight picture without tiring until you determine your best hold? Google Brian Enos also. He's one of many - Massad Ayoob also has a site on grip/sighting.
+1 on Night Watchman - Let the target blur - See the front sight clearly. If you're trying to do both, you'll see two targets.

Sacha Baron · June 22, 2007, 06:45 PM

shooting with both eyes open gives you better depth perception and better peripheral vision. both of which I want in a defense situation.

I didn't take me too long to get the hang of it, now I just kind of get in a 'zone' where I have both eyes open and try to focus on the front sight.

just practice, practice, practice.

Black Adder LXX · June 22, 2007, 08:14 PM

Quote:

The solution to your other problem is to slightly squint with your other eye. You'll still retain your peripheral vision. Remember, it's the front sight that you want to see clearly - Not the target!

Good tip, thanks.

Dwight55 · June 23, 2007, 07:52 PM

FWIW, . . . I used to shoot bullseye some 40 years ago, . . . left eye closed, right eye super focused on the front sight, . . . and while I never brought home the Camp Perry honors, . . . I could keep it in one ugly ragged hole out at 50 feet (with maybe a few flyers

).

Something happened, . . . I got bored with that shooting, . . . and started to teach myself to shoot pistol like I did shotgun, . . . both eyes open.

It clicked when I took off my glasses, . . . as I am very slightly near sighted, and the right eye is the worse. My perfect focal length is about 6 ft or less, . . . so I kinda hit it naturally. Wouldn't shoot any other way now.

Bottom line? Keep working on it, . . . try new things, . . . you may be surprized at what will click for you. Just make sure that you have a truly decent set of sights on whatever you are shooting. The front sight especially needs to be a big post, . . . and a white dot or something to focus on.

May God bless,
Dwight

Lurper · June 27, 2007, 01:14 PM

Do a search, this topic has been discussed many times.

One eye will be more dominant than the other and it is usually the same eye as your strong hand. Once you know which eye is dominant, place a piece of transparent tape horizontally across the lens of your shooting glasses on the non-dominant eye side. The tape will usually be from the halfway line up. This will occlude the sight from the non-domnant eye. Doing this will also train your mind which image is "true" and you will eventually be able to do it without the tape. If you encounter the problem again, repeat the process.

The problem with dot sights is that when using them, you focus on the target, not the sight. When using iron sights, you focus on the front sight.

Xenia · June 30, 2007, 01:53 PM

I have an astigmatism and when I was told that it is best to train with both eyes open I was concerned. I am very left eye dominant. But, when I followed the suggestion of letting the target blur it helped.

But I also consciously focused on my left eye. I imagined my left eye plotting a direct course out to the center of the target and I focused on relaxing my right eye.

When I get tired I have to consciously think to do this but then, I am also a newbie to shooting.

I really appreciate all of the suggestions in this thread.

gunmetal · July 1, 2007, 11:01 PM

Ideally, you want to be able to shoot:

1. with both eyes open, and at the same time,
2. aiming with either one (think of shooting around cover).

+1 to Lurper's frosted tape method.

I had problems with this at first due to being cross-dominant (right-handed, left-eye-dominant). I didn't get around to using the tape myself because I was able to overcome it by practicing at home (aiming and dry-firing), but my understanding is that using tape is the best way to defeat a stubborn cross-dominance problem.

As for shooting around cover, you could do so by either switching hands or by tilting the pistol so it lines up with your other eye. (If you're using two hands, I don't see why you wouldn't opt for the latter.)

JoeBlackSpade · July 6, 2007, 04:18 PM

Unfortunately it's going to take practice.

With enough rounds downrange, and for close targets (20 meters) you'll eventually be shooting your handgun without USING the sights at all. This skill (instinctive shooting) can be developed using 8 to 10 steel targets (each about 4" diameter) in random patterns, and at different distances (from 7 to 20 meters out). The satisfying report of the round impacting steel will indicate a hit. This type of setup on a range will allow you to transition from sights (fundamental marksmanship) to instinctive-level proficiency. Steel targets also eliminate the need for changing paper, and they can be rolled around the range to accommodate a variety of configurations.

Eventually, you'll be using both eyes wide open, and looking at your target continuously rather than your sights. Your eye will still be looking directly over your sights, but your focus will be on the center of the target. If you're doing it right, you'll be scanning, plinking, scanning-plinking, etc. until you've nailed them all.

Also, I wouldn't expect to employ this skill at targets any further than 20 meters max. This is a skill designed to teach you how to engage multiple targets smoothly, and you can incorporate other drills with it, including failure to fire/feed, movement, cover and concealment, etc.

SeanShot · July 8, 2007, 09:53 PM

I've never tried shooting a real gun with both eyes, but I do it a lot with airsoft/paintballing. One problem with iron sights is that you have a tendency to look at the back sight. To overcome this, I use my dominant eye (my right eye) and look at my target, align my gun as accurately as I can without aiming, then slowly bring my gun up and eye down. That will keep the focus where it should be.

June 20, 2007, 07:25 PM	#1
win357 Member Join Date: June 6, 2007 Location: Florida Posts: 16	help aiming with two eyes Ever since I started looking more into proper technique on how to fire I figured I should shoot with two eyes open. I've gone to the range like 5 or 6 times now and everytime I've shoot with one eye. I've been dryfiring at home and I cannot get a good picture with two eyes open. My right eye is my domninant eye, but when I try and shoot with two open sometimes my left eye takes over. Any tips on how to overcome this or is just a matter of practice. As I've learned from baseball though, it's always better to practice efficiently and correctly. __________________ EAA Windicator .357 2"

June 20, 2007, 10:03 PM	#2
Tanzer Senior Member Join Date: February 18, 2007 Posts: 884	My right eye was supposed to be my dominant eye. I found out some time ago that my left eye is my shootin' eye. My sight picture is right when I can look down the sights with two eyes, and if I squint my right, the sight picture remains the same. I shoot with both eyes open confidently now, but it took some time to figure this out. It's natural now - automatic. I don't know if this is the case with you, but it was for me. Good Luck. __________________ Only the ignorant find ignorance to be bliss. Only those of us who know better will suffer from it.

June 20, 2007, 10:10 PM	#3
DGindlesperger Senior Member Join Date: June 19, 2007 Location: Portland OR Posts: 124	left eye here....I talked to my brother awhile back and he has gotten use to shooting his issue m16 and saw gun with both neyes open. Now he swears by it. Made sence to me while he was in the sand box for a year, the more you can see the better. I'm still am trying to get the hang of it. __________________ Dan G. Ebrio quid faciamus nauta :barf:

June 21, 2007, 11:46 PM	#4
Night Watch Registration in progress Join Date: June 30, 2005 Posts: 369	Point your finger at a spot on the wall across the room from you. Now close your left eye; is your finger still pointing at that spot; or, has it moved? Do the same thing with your right eye. Whichever eye leaves your finger pointing directly at the object, that, is your dominant eye. The solution to your other problem is to slightly squint with your other eye. You'll still retain your peripheral vision. Remember, it's the front sight that you want to see clearly - Not the target! __________________ 'Things go wrong. The odds catch up. Probability is like gravity; and, you cannot negotiate with gravity. One other thing: God always has the last laugh. You need to remember that!'

June 22, 2007, 07:10 AM	#7
Tanzer Senior Member Join Date: February 18, 2007 Posts: 884	Whatever you do, remember that it takes learning/training. Otherwise anybody could just pick up a gun and be Brian Enos. Seek help from guys at the range etc because when you develop a bad habit, it's hard to break. Don't listen to one person exclusively. I get great results the way I do things, but it has to be something you can do. Don't forget that stance is involved, and horzontal placement of the weapon. Have you tried placing a box or something under your weak elbow so that you can hold/get sight picture without tiring until you determine your best hold? Google Brian Enos also. He's one of many - Massad Ayoob also has a site on grip/sighting. +1 on Night Watchman - Let the target blur - See the front sight clearly. If you're trying to do both, you'll see two targets. __________________ Only the ignorant find ignorance to be bliss. Only those of us who know better will suffer from it.

June 22, 2007, 03:05 AM	#5
Motobie Member Join Date: May 12, 2007 Posts: 40	Win357, I'm a new shooter like you. I had to switch using left eye to right eye as I'm a right hander. Then I had to learn shooting with both eyes opened. It took me few weeks to get used to it. Just keep training that right eye. A good trick that I found useful was using a red dot scope. The bright red dot made focusing on it easier. When you feel comfortable shooting with both eyes open, try shooting without the scope.

June 22, 2007, 06:45 PM	#8
Sacha Baron Member Join Date: June 17, 2007 Posts: 27	2 eyes shooting with both eyes open gives you better depth perception and better peripheral vision. both of which I want in a defense situation. I didn't take me too long to get the hang of it, now I just kind of get in a 'zone' where I have both eyes open and try to focus on the front sight. just practice, practice, practice. __________________ www.AYOOB.com *( WRC/Formula1 > ) ( P220 > * )**

June 23, 2007, 07:52 PM	#10
Dwight55 Senior Member Join Date: June 18, 2004 Location: Central Ohio Posts: 2,568	FWIW, . . . I used to shoot bullseye some 40 years ago, . . . left eye closed, right eye super focused on the front sight, . . . and while I never brought home the Camp Perry honors, . . . I could keep it in one ugly ragged hole out at 50 feet (with maybe a few flyers ). Something happened, . . . I got bored with that shooting, . . . and started to teach myself to shoot pistol like I did shotgun, . . . both eyes open. It clicked when I took off my glasses, . . . as I am very slightly near sighted, and the right eye is the worse. My perfect focal length is about 6 ft or less, . . . so I kinda hit it naturally. Wouldn't shoot any other way now. Bottom line? Keep working on it, . . . try new things, . . . you may be surprized at what will click for you. Just make sure that you have a truly decent set of sights on whatever you are shooting. The front sight especially needs to be a big post, . . . and a white dot or something to focus on. May God bless, Dwight __________________ www.dwightsgunleather.com If you can breathe, . . . thank God! If you can read, . . . thank a teacher! If you are reading this in English, . . . thank a Veteran!

June 27, 2007, 01:14 PM	#11
Lurper Senior Member Join Date: March 21, 2006 Posts: 943	Do a search, this topic has been discussed many times. One eye will be more dominant than the other and it is usually the same eye as your strong hand. Once you know which eye is dominant, place a piece of transparent tape horizontally across the lens of your shooting glasses on the non-dominant eye side. The tape will usually be from the halfway line up. This will occlude the sight from the non-domnant eye. Doing this will also train your mind which image is "true" and you will eventually be able to do it without the tape. If you encounter the problem again, repeat the process. The problem with dot sights is that when using them, you focus on the target, not the sight. When using iron sights, you focus on the front sight.

June 30, 2007, 01:53 PM	#12
Xenia Junior Member Join Date: May 27, 2007 Posts: 13	I have an astigmatism and when I was told that it is best to train with both eyes open I was concerned. I am very left eye dominant. But, when I followed the suggestion of letting the target blur it helped. But I also consciously focused on my left eye. I imagined my left eye plotting a direct course out to the center of the target and I focused on relaxing my right eye. When I get tired I have to consciously think to do this but then, I am also a newbie to shooting. I really appreciate all of the suggestions in this thread.

July 1, 2007, 11:01 PM	#13
gunmetal Member Join Date: February 6, 2006 Posts: 67	Ideally, you want to be able to shoot: 1. with both eyes open, and at the same time, 2. aiming with either one (think of shooting around cover). +1 to Lurper's frosted tape method. I had problems with this at first due to being cross-dominant (right-handed, left-eye-dominant). I didn't get around to using the tape myself because I was able to overcome it by practicing at home (aiming and dry-firing), but my understanding is that using tape is the best way to defeat a stubborn cross-dominance problem. As for shooting around cover, you could do so by either switching hands or by tilting the pistol so it lines up with your other eye. (If you're using two hands, I don't see why you wouldn't opt for the latter.)

July 6, 2007, 04:18 PM	#14
JoeBlackSpade Senior Member Join Date: July 4, 2007 Posts: 162	no shortcuts Unfortunately it's going to take practice. With enough rounds downrange, and for close targets (20 meters) you'll eventually be shooting your handgun without USING the sights at all. This skill (instinctive shooting) can be developed using 8 to 10 steel targets (each about 4" diameter) in random patterns, and at different distances (from 7 to 20 meters out). The satisfying report of the round impacting steel will indicate a hit. This type of setup on a range will allow you to transition from sights (fundamental marksmanship) to instinctive-level proficiency. Steel targets also eliminate the need for changing paper, and they can be rolled around the range to accommodate a variety of configurations. Eventually, you'll be using both eyes wide open, and looking at your target continuously rather than your sights. Your eye will still be looking directly over your sights, but your focus will be on the center of the target. If you're doing it right, you'll be scanning, plinking, scanning-plinking, etc. until you've nailed them all. Also, I wouldn't expect to employ this skill at targets any further than 20 meters max. This is a skill designed to teach you how to engage multiple targets smoothly, and you can incorporate other drills with it, including failure to fire/feed, movement, cover and concealment, etc.

July 8, 2007, 09:53 PM	#15
SeanShot Member Join Date: July 8, 2007 Posts: 42	I've never tried shooting a real gun with both eyes, but I do it a lot with airsoft/paintballing. One problem with iron sights is that you have a tendency to look at the back sight. To overcome this, I use my dominant eye (my right eye) and look at my target, align my gun as accurately as I can without aiming, then slowly bring my gun up and eye down. That will keep the focus where it should be.