The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Two-eyed shooting

Don Fischer · August 7, 2017, 11:19 AM

I am not a good handgun shooter, it's rec. for me with mostly DA guns and cast loads. But out to about 40-50 yds I actually can hit now and then using sight's. I'm left eye dominate and shoot right handed, left eye closed. Get into my carry gun's and everything changes. I never ever shoot more than about 21 paces. Beyond about that range it might be hard to recognize an attack starting, at that range not much doubt about. That does not mean if something farther get's my attention I won't pay attention to it. That short range and my short barreled handgun and bad eye sight convinced me I had to learn to shoot both eye's open and point the gun. After a bit it actually does get easier to hit what your'shooting at. I have no idea about the front sight deal, have to try it some day. The situation of self defense I thing demands you don't aim the gun. To close to take the time to aim. And, as with myself, aiming a handgun with bad eyes is hard enough, with a short barrel gun, next to impossible. If you have time to aim well, the attack is likely to far off and you could be walking into trouble, with the law.

I'd thought about a 4" DA for carry but I'm an old guy and don't carry with 5 rds in the cylinder. A DA is also to heavy to carry around all the time and I mean all the time. If I'm awake, I'm armed. The DA simply to thick, to heavy, to long and I want a bit more fire power. So I carry a Shield 9m compact. The barrel is maybe an inch long and it has a single stack magazine, hide well for me. But it has crummy sight's. At least compared to my DA's, so sighting is difficult especially being right handed and left eye dominate. That is why I went to pointing rather than aiming. Aiming with that small gun I'd have trouble hitting a tank! Pointing, with some practice, got me through that. Your left eye dominate and right handed you need to make some kind of adjustment, the threat is to close for shooting 1/2" group's! I rally do need to look up the front sight method and see how that works. Just might be a whole better way for me. The fight will probably be over in mere seconds. Doesn't give a lot of time to get on target and actually hit it.

August 7, 2017, 11:19 AM	#10
Don Fischer Senior Member Join Date: March 2, 2017 Posts: 1,868	I am not a good handgun shooter, it's rec. for me with mostly DA guns and cast loads. But out to about 40-50 yds I actually can hit now and then using sight's. I'm left eye dominate and shoot right handed, left eye closed. Get into my carry gun's and everything changes. I never ever shoot more than about 21 paces. Beyond about that range it might be hard to recognize an attack starting, at that range not much doubt about. That does not mean if something farther get's my attention I won't pay attention to it. That short range and my short barreled handgun and bad eye sight convinced me I had to learn to shoot both eye's open and point the gun. After a bit it actually does get easier to hit what your'shooting at. I have no idea about the front sight deal, have to try it some day. The situation of self defense I thing demands you don't aim the gun. To close to take the time to aim. And, as with myself, aiming a handgun with bad eyes is hard enough, with a short barrel gun, next to impossible. If you have time to aim well, the attack is likely to far off and you could be walking into trouble, with the law. I'd thought about a 4" DA for carry but I'm an old guy and don't carry with 5 rds in the cylinder. A DA is also to heavy to carry around all the time and I mean all the time. If I'm awake, I'm armed. The DA simply to thick, to heavy, to long and I want a bit more fire power. So I carry a Shield 9m compact. The barrel is maybe an inch long and it has a single stack magazine, hide well for me. But it has crummy sight's. At least compared to my DA's, so sighting is difficult especially being right handed and left eye dominate. That is why I went to pointing rather than aiming. Aiming with that small gun I'd have trouble hitting a tank! Pointing, with some practice, got me through that. Your left eye dominate and right handed you need to make some kind of adjustment, the threat is to close for shooting 1/2" group's! I rally do need to look up the front sight method and see how that works. Just might be a whole better way for me. The fight will probably be over in mere seconds. Doesn't give a lot of time to get on target and actually hit it.