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Old October 3, 2006, 09:02 PM   #1
Axion
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Shooting with one eye closed.

I tried searching for this but no luck so here goes. I have an easyer time focusing on the front site with one eyes closed but have been wonder if this is propper form or not.
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Old October 3, 2006, 09:09 PM   #2
Arizona Fusilier
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Hmmm, I know I have participated in at least one discussion on this forum with regards to closing one eye.

I think the consensus was: no, keeping both eyes open is preferred, yet many people (including myself) were taught to close one eye from the beginning, or discovered it was a good way to fight cross-eye dominance.

If its easier for you to shoot that way, don't sweat it .
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Old October 3, 2006, 09:30 PM   #3
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Thanks for the reply, I' going to try and learn to aim with both eyes open if I can.
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Old October 4, 2006, 12:34 AM   #4
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Yeah, it's not big deal Axion...

Two eyes open is preferred, but if you can't do it for whatever reason, or are simply more comfortable shooting with one eye closed it's OK just like Arizona said.

Shooting with both eyes open has several advantages. The main advantage is 3 dimentional vision. Humans and many predatory animals have "Binocular Vision" in which both eyes are facing forward on the skull allowing for excellent depth perception. Simply we can judge distance well. By closing off one eye out vision is reduced to 2 dimensional or "FLAT" vision, kinda like looking at a picture in a book. You KNOW that things in the foreground are closer than things in the background, but in the picture everything looks like it is the same distance away. With that in mind, shooting with one eye closed is totally fine for target shooting, being that you are attempting to place your shots in a certain spot of a flat surface.

However, for hunting or for defensive shooting Guaging distance is very important.

Another benefit to shooting with both eyes open is a wider range of vision. You are able to see more of the surrounding area around your target while still being forcused on it.

Binocular vision is also cruicial is judging lead on moving targets. So it's a good idea to at least try and learn to shoot with two eyes open.
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Old October 4, 2006, 12:50 AM   #5
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Whichever works for you is best. I've been shooting for almost 50 years now, and I've tried keeping both eyes open, but I just can't do it. For me, I go with the dominant eye (right) and shut the other one. That just works better for me. Just sayin'.
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Old October 4, 2006, 01:20 AM   #6
perpster
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I have had remarkable success shooting with both eyes closed. The gun still goes bang EVERY time I pull the trigger!

Don't worry about form; shoot whatever way you are most comfortable.
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Old October 4, 2006, 01:24 AM   #7
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The big advantage that comes to mind from keeping both eyes open is in speed of acquisition. I've found this especially true with a scope because both eyes will naturally look to the same spot. If your passive eye sees the target, your dominant eye will also snap to it through the scope, cutting search time to almost nil. Many a' whitetail landed in the freezer because I could move on them fast. Milli-seconds count once in a while.

Since this is in tactics, I'll address that point also. From a tactical POV, the last thing you want to do is intentionally blind yourself on one whole side, even for a moment. If you're actively searching for a threat, your aim and vision should be acting together. You wouldn't likely perform a threat sweep with one eye closed in order to maintain your aim where you look, and closing one eye quickly in order to aim is going to effect both reaction time, and accuracy because your eye will automatically readjust to the change in sight picture. In the case of multiple threat, maintaining the possibility of catching periphial movement in time could mean the difference between identifying the next target and becoming the next target.

In both scenerios, the same thing is true--you will react how you train.
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Old October 4, 2006, 02:59 AM   #8
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It is better to shoot with both eyes open. If you are having difficulty, try this:

If you shoot right handed, place a piece of cellophane tape horizontally across the left lense of your shooting glasses about halfway up. With your arms extended and your right eye closed, the tape should occlude everything from your wrist forward. It still allows depth of field and peripheral vision benefits from having both eye open while eliminating the double image.

This will help you get used to shooting with both eyes open, particulary if the reason you close your other eye is because you see 2 sights.
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Old October 4, 2006, 08:03 AM   #9
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Interesting... I have a hard time shooting with both eyes open too. How does the tape go on? Like one stripe horizontally across the middle?
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Old October 4, 2006, 06:27 PM   #10
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Quote:
It is better to shoot with both eyes open. If you are having difficulty, try this:

If you shoot right handed, place a piece of cellophane tape horizontally across the left lense of your shooting glasses about halfway up. With your arms extended and your right eye closed, the tape should occlude everything from your wrist forward. It still allows depth of field and peripheral vision benefits from having both eye open while eliminating the double image.

This will help you get used to shooting with both eyes open, particulary if the reason you close your other eye is because you see 2 sights.
Lurper I've seen you post this before and may have to give it a try. In my case I don't see two sites with both eyes open but rather two targets. I've also found that if I squint with my left eye it helps, this probably is doing the same thing as tape would.
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Old October 4, 2006, 06:29 PM   #11
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Both eyes open....Lots and Lots of practice. Watch the target, wait til you see the front sight come into the picture. (9/10 times with a handgun, that is accurate enough). fire the weapon. Repeat over and over and over and over....


You have to get a feel for your own weapon. We aren't talking a week or two. We are talking hundreds or thousands of rounds over several months.

It has taken me about 1500 rounds to learn how to shoot my eotech equipped rifle with two eyes and it took me about 700 rounds to re learn how to shoot a pistol with two eyes open.
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Old October 4, 2006, 06:54 PM   #12
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Quote:
I have had remarkable success shooting with both eyes closed. The gun still goes bang EVERY time I pull the trigger!

I thought it was only me. Hee,hee!!!
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Old October 4, 2006, 06:59 PM   #13
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Axion,
Either way, it still works. Are you focusing on the front sight or the target?
Also, this works with iron sights but not with optics (aimpoint c-more, etc.). The reason is with iron sights you want to focus on the front sight. With optics, you focus on the target.

What you are really doing is training your mind. But most people cannot accept that so it is easier to say you are training your eye. You can reach a point where you no longer have to use the tape. If you revert to seeing two images again, then go back to the tape for a while.
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Old October 4, 2006, 07:09 PM   #14
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I'm focusing on the front site.
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