Author Topic: Both eyes open? (Read 7453 times)

JoshT · « **on:** June 16, 2009, 08:55:03 PM »

A topic on another board got me thinking...

I shoot pretty much all my sights with both eyes open. Standard sights, peep sights, handguns, shotguns and scopes up to about 10x... all of them with both eyes open... that's how I was taught. I know keeping both eyes open has many advantages if you can do it: greater field of view, maintaining depth perception, view of critter uneffected by recoil, etc. I guess this is why the whole "all I saw was a scope full of fur"... or "I couldn't find it in the glass" things have never happened to me.

But, I know most guys shoot with one eye closed even with open sights. Have any of you tried to master shooting with both eyes open and just can't do it... or are there advantages shooting with only one eye that I'm just not seeing?

haugenna · « **Reply #1 on:** June 16, 2009, 09:42:55 PM »

I shoot clays at 100 and 200 offhand with both open to see where I hit. I don't have the confidence to do it on an animal.

BC CHASER · « **Reply #2 on:** June 16, 2009, 09:48:42 PM »

I shoot everything with both eyes open. I am also cross dominant. I have tried to train my wife the same but she always has to close one.

littlebuf · « **Reply #3 on:** June 16, 2009, 10:06:59 PM »

im both eyes open 100% of the time with handguns and open sights, also with a scope up to the higher magnifications, once its up around 9 or 10 i tend to close one eye

Antlershed · « **Reply #4 on:** June 16, 2009, 10:12:21 PM »

I was just taught to shoot with one eye closed, so that's how I've always done it. Never thought to try shooting with both open. I can see where you would have an advantage if you can do it though.

shoot-em-dead · « **Reply #5 on:** June 16, 2009, 10:43:35 PM »

Quote from: Antlershed on June 16, 2009, 10:12:21 PM

I was just taught to shoot with one eye closed, so that's how I've always done it. Never thought to try shooting with both open. I can see where you would have an advantage if you can do it though.

walt · « **Reply #6 on:** June 16, 2009, 10:50:20 PM »

Both eyes with a shotgun or a pistol, one eye with a rifle. It is how I was taught and has worked out well for me. I have never tried both eyes with a rifle.

BigGoonTuna · « **Reply #7 on:** June 16, 2009, 11:30:33 PM »

i've always shot with one eye closed with a rifle or pistol -- both open with a shotgun.

ecnclan · « **Reply #8 on:** June 17, 2009, 08:00:57 AM »

Both eyes open for everything.

BLKBEARKLR · « **Reply #9 on:** June 17, 2009, 08:15:24 AM »

I shot with both eyes open for a while but then started getting a wondering eye and I stopped that. Asked the doctor and he said it was because my domiant eye was behind the scope so my other eye would start to wonder around

SpokaneSlayer · « **Reply #10 on:** June 17, 2009, 08:19:54 AM »

I keep both eyes open until I get the sights on my target, then close one before shooting. Kinda best of both worlds. When shooting trap or skeet, I do the opposite. Close one eye to get my sight plane, then have both eyes open before calling for the bird.

Straight Shooter · « **Reply #11 on:** June 17, 2009, 08:49:01 AM »

Quote from: littlebuf on June 16, 2009, 10:06:59 PM

...with a scope up to the higher magnifications, once its up around 9 or 10 i tend to close one eye

MountainWalk · « **Reply #12 on:** June 17, 2009, 10:49:42 AM »

Both open for all shooting.

257 Wby Mag · « **Reply #13 on:** June 18, 2009, 12:16:26 PM »

Josh, I've always shot with one eye open, bow, rifle, musket, and shotgun. Never had a problem.

TheHunt · « **Reply #14 on:** June 18, 2009, 12:43:49 PM »

I shoot with both eyes open. I think it boils down if you can hit what you shoot at, one or both eyes open. My opinion and I have no scientific data to back it up, but here is my logic.

A single eye collects light to make out the image your looking at. With both eyes open you are collecting twice as much light. Therefore your brain can consume more neural stimulas from two eyes then one which in low light conditions you should be able to see better with two eyes open then one. But what the heck do I know? I am not a neurologist or medical doctor but I have played doctor a few times in my life!!!

Mookie · « **Reply #15 on:** June 18, 2009, 12:59:05 PM »

I have forced myself to shoot with both eyes open when using open sights, not peep. The reason. When having to do a fast shot, whether in self defense or getting that squirrel, the natural reaction is to point and shoot with both eyes open. If you train with only one eye open then your natural reaction and training conflict.

dbllunger · « **Reply #16 on:** June 18, 2009, 01:02:09 PM »

Start with both eyes then finalize the shot with one. Short range combat/fast style shooting both eyes. Same with sights, scopes, or red dots, bow, rifle, shotgun, pistol.

BigGoonTuna · « **Reply #17 on:** June 18, 2009, 01:06:56 PM »

i tried shouldering my rifle and looking through the scope with both eyes open. my issue is that until i close my left eye, the image in the scope is fuzzy(the reticle is sharp, but the target is blurred). guess i can't do it

bowhunterforever · « **Reply #18 on:** June 18, 2009, 10:54:57 PM »

Bow, Rifle, and shotgun one eye shut.

bow4elk · « **Reply #19 on:** June 18, 2009, 10:58:01 PM »

Recurve/longbow - both eyes wide open

Compound (with peep) - squint left eye to center peep during draw, then both open for shot

bearhunter59 · « **Reply #20 on:** June 25, 2009, 02:43:12 PM »

biggoontuna...sounds like you need your eyes checked...no joke, serious. What you described is exactly what happens with me when I try to use both eyes. I know I need glasses. What is happening is one eye is seeing a little nearsighted and the other one is either ok or seeing a little farsighted. Try focusing on the rear-sights one eye at a time, and then try focusing on the target with each eye individually. In my case, I can see the rear sights clear as day with my right eye, but can't see the target worth a darn with it. I can see the target clear as a bell with my left, but it's just fuzz with my right eye. My left eyes is @20/15, and my right eyes is @20/80, according to the eye doc.

I'll bet you either already use reading glasses, or need them...

JoshT · « **Reply #21 on:** June 25, 2009, 02:56:37 PM »

You shouldn't ever "see" the sights... you should "see" the target and look through the sights.

BigGoonTuna · « **Reply #22 on:** June 25, 2009, 03:49:21 PM »

Quote from: bearhunter59 on June 25, 2009, 02:43:12 PM

biggoontuna...sounds like you need your eyes checked...no joke, serious. What you described is exactly what happens with me when I try to use both eyes. I know I need glasses. What is happening is one eye is seeing a little nearsighted and the other one is either ok or seeing a little farsighted. Try focusing on the rear-sights one eye at a time, and then try focusing on the target with each eye individually. In my case, I can see the rear sights clear as day with my right eye, but can't see the target worth a darn with it. I can see the target clear as a bell with my left, but it's just fuzz with my right eye. My left eyes is @20/15, and my right eyes is @20/80, according to the eye doc.

I'll bet you either already use reading glasses, or need them...

i've wondered if i needed glasses, but it's mainly for reading things at distance(like road signs). when i was working, i printed newspapers and could see a line of dots sticking out(which is about .010" wide) if the colors were out of register without a magnifying glass. i kind of figured that screwed up my eyes.

jackelope · « **Reply #23 on:** June 25, 2009, 03:59:29 PM »

you could just have eye dominance issues. i do. i wear glasses...i'm a right handed shooter with a dominant left eye. it's backasswards from what it needs to be. i try really hard to shoot with both eyes open but have trouble doing it depending on the situation. it's a pretty common issue people have.

Gearhead1940 · « **Reply #24 on:** June 26, 2009, 10:25:06 AM »

Quote from: jackelope on June 25, 2009, 03:59:29 PM

you could just have eye dominance issues. i do. i wear glasses...i'm a right handed shooter with a dominant left eye. it's backasswards from what it needs to be. i try really hard to shoot with both eyes open but have trouble doing it depending on the situation. it's a pretty common issue people have.

Yep, that's my issue too. Left eye dominant, right handed. When I used to shoot competitive .22 I had a perscription lense made for my shooting glasses for my right eye and had an opaque "patch" for my left.http://www.knobloch-shootingglasses.com/allframes.html The opaque eye patch let you keep your eye open without seeing downrange screwing up your sight picture and by keeping the eye open with the same relative amount of light it wouldn't put an undue strain on your shooting eye.

jackelope · « **Reply #25 on:** June 26, 2009, 10:33:27 AM »

that patch is real common among clays shooters too.

Pathfinder101 · « **Reply #26 on:** June 26, 2009, 10:40:35 AM »

This is how I had it described to me; if you are right handed and right eye dominant (or left handed and left eye dominant) then you should shoot with both eyes open. If you are right handed and left eye dominant (or vice-versa) you should close your dominant eye otherwise it tries to "take over" when your non-dominent eye is looking through/down the sight/scope.
I am right handed and left eye dominant, and I have found this is true. I would love to shoot with both eyes open for a better field of view, but I cant, the sight picture keeps shifting on me.

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Author Topic: Both eyes open? (Read 7453 times)

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