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February 16, 2014, 12:50 AM | #1 |
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Both eyes open pistol shooting?
Hello friends! Well I've been shooting handguns for about 4 years now. I've always used a one eye closed technique when it comes to shooting, but recently I've heard that for defensive pistol shooting it might be a good idea to use two eyes instead of just one. I recall being taught it's best to shoot with your one dominant eye and to squeeze the other one shut, so this is news to me. If you think about it, it makes sense. I could see how having two open eyes would be better for situational awareness.
What are your thoughts on this? Do you like to shoot with both eyes open when shooting pistols? What are the pros of doing this? I've read many threads were people mention that they do this, but no threads about why it would be preferable over a one eye closed approach. What do you think? Thanks for your time! |
February 16, 2014, 06:20 AM | #2 |
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Tried both eyes open, can't do it. defensive situation is different then target shooting. I'm not clearing my house with one eye open. More then likely I will be point shooting if it comes to that, two eyes open. If I have time or have to aim, I have already identified my target, it's instinctive to switch to one eye and very quick.
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February 16, 2014, 12:18 PM | #3 |
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Two eyes are better than one, but only if it works for you.
If having them both open causes blurry or double vision, then there's no advantage. Sometimes slightly squinting the non dominant eye works, too. Use what ever method allows the best view of sights and target. And it might change, depending on the available light and distance from eyes to sights.
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February 16, 2014, 01:25 PM | #4 |
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Keep em both open -
Typically your master eye automatically overrides the other eye so keeping both eyes open just lets you stay situationally aware better.
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February 16, 2014, 05:15 PM | #5 | |
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Quote:
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February 16, 2014, 06:07 PM | #6 |
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I have always shot with both eyes open in competition, plinking and hunting. For me it is far faster to pick up the target.
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February 17, 2014, 08:40 PM | #7 |
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I even shoot both eyes open with a scope on a rifle. It makes finding your target easier.
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February 17, 2014, 11:19 PM | #8 |
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I shoot everything both eyes open. Optic, irons, pistol, whatever. Both eyes open for handgun shooting is also taught via the NRA lesson plans they have us use for certified courses.
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February 18, 2014, 02:44 AM | #9 |
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Learning to shoot with both eyes open can be frustrating, especially if you ever decide to try to learn how to do it with a scope, but it is very useful in certain situations. If you want to learn how to do it, just look through the sights like you normally would, then slowly open your other eye. Eventually, you'll be able to bring your gun up and acquire the sights with both eyes open. It doesn't take much practice, and it is very easy to practice at home while dry firing.
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February 18, 2014, 04:42 PM | #10 |
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"If you want to learn how to do it, just look through the sights like you normally would, then slowly open your other eye. Eventually, you'll be able to bring your gun up and acquire the sights with both eyes open. It doesn't take much practice, and it is very easy to practice at home while dry firing."
I have a substantial library on pistol shooting. Early reading and documentation showed a preference for using one eye and most of the early 2700 match shooters used one eye, then it changed to using both eyes. Reason was that the closed eye suffered from lack of oxygen from being closed and caused stress to the closed eye. Basically, do what works for you, I start with one closed in matches and decide if have enough light to see the bull , need more light, open the other eye. |
February 23, 2014, 07:05 PM | #11 |
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Tried it, too many years of shooting with one eye closed made it too uncomfortable and unnatural feeling.
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February 23, 2014, 11:53 PM | #12 |
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I shoot with both eyes open, but I have to work up to it every time. It's like my brain forgets it's training. I am right handed, but left eye dominant. When I shoot right handed and leave both eyes open I have trouble bringing in the sights.
I also have this problem with scopes, if I shoulder a scoped rifle with both eyes open, I just won't see through the scope until I close my left eye, then I can open my left again and maintain the scope picture as well. After having these issues for several minutes (maybe as long as 30 minutes) I seem to become used to it, and I can shoot with both eyes open for extended sessions without any problems. rifle, pistol, and scoped rifle. When I finish and come back the next day, or the next week or whatever. I will have to work up to being able to shoot with both eyes open again. It kind of annoys me that I have to re-train every single time, this has been happening for many years. Maybe I'm a freak of nature.
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February 24, 2014, 12:52 AM | #13 |
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i am right-handed and left eye dominant
when i hold out the gun with eyes on the target, i see two guns, the gun on the right is how my left eye sees it, the picture doesnt change if i close my right eye, i didnt learn to shoot with one eye closed so i dont even think about it
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February 24, 2014, 08:59 AM | #14 |
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Both eye's always open no matter what I'm aiming across or thru. Just a preference learned while bird hunting as a youngster. And prompted to do when in the Service.
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February 24, 2014, 04:53 PM | #15 |
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Both eyes open for both handguns and long guns.
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February 25, 2014, 04:31 PM | #16 |
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I've tried this and while I can see both images and tell which one is correct I end up concentrating on the target not the target in the sights, and lose my sight picture as a result.
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February 26, 2014, 06:16 AM | #17 |
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Eyes
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.
I shoot with both eyes open - all guns, all types of sights. The reason for this has already been mentioned in passing....our vision in the aiming eye is more acute if both eyes are open. Evidently the pupils of the eyes dilate sympathetically. So, when one eye is closed, the pupil of the aiming eye reacts to that to a degree. Pete
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February 26, 2014, 01:59 PM | #18 |
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I try to shoot with both eyes open sometimes it helps if I just blink the left eye once or twice.
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February 28, 2014, 11:44 AM | #19 |
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For what its worth, there are a lot of people out there that don't know if they shoot with both eyes open or not.
They are concentrating on fundamentals and not their eyeballs I've noticed this a lot the last 30 years or so. Just last week in one of my classes I had one lady was shooting if what I considered a near perfect standing position. I had everyone in the class stand back and watch her shoot. No movement what so ever, she didn't even blink when the hammer fell. About 15 minutes later the one vs. two eyes were the best. Then the lady I mentioned said she always shot with one close. The other girls looked at her like she was nuts. I told her she did indeed shoot with both eyes open, she didn't believe me until the other girls told her she did have both eyes open. -------------------------------------------------------- Closing one eye is like plugging up one ear, it screws up your equilibrium. In defense situations it doesn't matter, chances are you are under three yards and you'll be point shooting anyway. If target shooting, if you have difficult with your sight alignment with both eyes, then take something and block off the lens of your shooting glasses, for the non dominant eye so it doesn't distract you. This works also for rifle shooting for someone who is left eye dominant and shoot the rifle right handed. Blacked out the left lens so you have to use your right or non dominant eye.
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February 28, 2014, 04:50 PM | #20 |
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Iv'e been staying out of this thread since there are so many people here who shoot better than I do, but just want to reinforce something kraigwy just said; blanking one eye but keeping both open delays eye strain and helps focus.
I use one of these http://champchoice.com/store/Main.as...ns&item=CC100W and, even though I can not see through the translucent plastic, when it feels to me like both my eyes are focused on the front sight, the shot is a 10 or X. A strip of tape on the lens works too, especially to just try out the technique. |
March 2, 2014, 10:45 PM | #21 |
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If you do block the lens, do it with something translucent instead of something that completely blocks the light to your eye.
Your pupils work together, so if you completely block the light to one eye, it causes both pupils to dilate somewhat. Thinking of your eye as a camera, we know that when you increase the aperture size (pupil size), it reduces the depth of focus. That is, it means that it requires more careful focus to get objects at differing distances into proper focus. Since shooting with iron sights requires getting multiple objects at different distances into reasonable focus, increasing the aperture size is undesirable. Ideally you want your pupil to be at the minimum size possible that still allows you to get enough light into your eye to allow you to see the sights and target. When I choose to block one eye, I use a properly positioned strip of scotch tape on the lens of my shooting glasses.
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March 3, 2014, 02:05 AM | #22 |
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I am a two eyed shotgun shooter but can only do it CQB for rifle or HG. Defiantly gives you more field of vision with two eyes. Need to be able to both see and hit the threat. For me that means closing one eye to lock on my sights one I am out past the 15 yard line. If you can shoot two eyes open no question in my mind that is best.
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March 3, 2014, 11:22 AM | #23 |
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I was born nearly blind in one eye.....
I do believe I keep both open though when I shoot a handgun. I know I close my blind eye when I shoot a rifle or shotgun. I have no idea why? |
March 3, 2014, 04:41 PM | #24 |
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I was always told to shoot both eyes open for everything
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March 3, 2014, 05:10 PM | #25 |
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I physically cant shoot with both eyes open besides point shooting. A friend of mine who was new to shooting naturally shoots with two eyes open, he actually had no idea that most people shoot with their dominant eye.
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