Shooting with two eyes open

[Wrangler]

Hi there. I have been poking around here for a while and think this is a great site. Very informative. Anyways I was at the range today practicing, working on shooting with two eyes open. While I hit the target every time, they were all spread out over the left hand side of the target. Only about 10 out of 200 were either to the right or center. I really want to improve in case there ever is the time I need to draw and shoot. Any thoughts for improvement?

[Guest Fenris]

Welcome!

What's your dominant hand/eye situation?

I'm RH/LED. I was shooting yesterday and had a hard time with two eyes open facing forward. I tend to cock my head so my left eye lines up the sights, but I realized from a SD standpoint this takes away some of my peripheral vision so I am trying to learn to shoot both eyes open eyes forward as well. With long guns and revolvers I'm pretty decent. With smaller pistols I have a sneaking suspicion I am going to have to learn to shoot left handed.

To determine your eye dominance pick out an object across the room. Make a triangle with your thumbs and forefingers and hold the triangle at arms length with the object you picked in the center. Slowly move the triangle to your face while keeping the object centered. The eye you bring your hands back to is your dominant eye.

After that it's sight picture, breath control, trigger control, practice, practice, and then some more practice.

I do feel your pain, though. I'm learning a new gun and I was shooting 1" groups at 20 feet yesterday with my revolver, then picked up my new semi and couldn't get a tight group for anything. Then my buddy shoots a sub MOA group with the semi.

[Wrangler]

I am the same on the Hand/eye. When I focus with one eye, I can do fine. Great groupings. I guess since it is my left eye is the dominate one, I keep hitting the left. One good thing is since most people are right handed, I am hitting their right side.

Edited February 6, 2009 by Wrangler
typo

[Guest Todd@CIS]

Welcome!

I'm RH/LED. I was shooting yesterday and had a hard time with two eyes open facing forward. I tend to cock my head so my left eye lines up the sights, but I realized from a SD standpoint this takes away some of my peripheral vision so I am trying to learn to shoot both eyes open eyes forward as well. With long guns and revolvers I'm pretty decent. With smaller pistols I have a sneaking suspicion I am going to have to learn to shoot left handed.

Although I believe you should bone up on your off-hand skills, don't change what you're doing with your strong hand.

I'm also RH/LED. When shooting with my dominant hand, I keep both eyes open and cock my chin to my dominant shoulder slightly...thus making use of the dominant eye.

Now, I really don't know I'm doing it and my peripheral vision is not hampered at all.

This is important for cross dominant handgun shooters.

[Guest Todd@CIS]

One good thing is since most people are right handed, I am hitting their right side.

I'm not sure I understand you?

[DaveTN]

Why do you need both eyes open?

If you are using sights you are target shooting and it doesn’t matter. If you are defensive shooting you are point instinct shooting and you just need to practice your eye/hand coordination.

[Wrangler]

I'm not sure I understand you?

I meant, jokingly, since I was hitting the left side of the target, it would be the right side of the person. And who knows, maybe shoot their arm or something. I was just making fun of myself really.

[Guest Fenris]

Although I believe you should bone up on your off-hand skills, don't change what you're doing with your strong hand.

I'm also RH/LED. When shooting with my dominant hand, I keep both eyes open and cock my chin to my dominant shoulder slightly...thus making use of the dominant eye.

Now, I really don't know I'm doing it and my peripheral vision is not hampered at all.

This is important for cross dominant handgun shooters.

This is exactly what I do. My chin goes to my shoulder. When I try to keep my head facing forward yesterday, I could, for lack of better word, *see* my brain struggling with which eye to use. I had both eyes open, focused on the font sight and the target would split in two images, and jump around when I wasn't moving my head. I don't know if that makes sense, but it was almost as if my brain was adjusting to this new sight picture and kept trying different things until it found what it wanted...

Thanks for the encouragement. I know I need to be able to shoot decently with both hands, and I know with a new gun I need more than 100 rounds to get the feel of it.

I appreciate the tips.

Edited February 7, 2009 by Fenris

[Guest Todd@CIS]

I meant, jokingly, since I was hitting the left side of the target, it would be the right side of the person. And who knows, maybe shoot their arm or something. I was just making fun of myself really.

LOL, without a smiley, I wasn't quite sure...

[Smith]

My brother-in-law and I have the same right hand/left eye issue. When he was going through the Academy he struggled at first. They switched him to a lefty and he set the top marks in the class in pistol and rifle. He later joined SWAT as their sniper/DM/Sharp Shooter/ whatever they are calling them now. He has since finished Marine Officer School and wherever he is now, he set the best marksman groups in the program. All this and he isn't really that much of a gun guy. He's somewhere in Quantico. I may have to switch to lefty!

[Guest jackdog]

Why do you need both eyes open?

If you are using sights you are target shooting and it doesn’t matter. If you are defensive shooting you are point instinct shooting and you just need to practice your eye/hand coordination.

Agree totally with the point shooting, but what if your shooting with a rifle in a fire fight situation.

[Guest jackdog]

Hi there. I have been poking around here for a while and think this is a great site. Very informative. Anyways I was at the range today practicing, working on shooting with two eyes open. While I hit the target every time, they were all spread out over the left hand side of the target. Only about 10 out of 200 were either to the right or center. I really want to improve in case there ever is the time I need to draw and shoot. Any thoughts for improvement?

Try this. Put a bright 1" sticky on a plain piece of paper. Concentrate on that spot. when ready draw and fire. In a little time your hand and eye coordination will take over. I would suggest you do this a 3,5, and seven yards.

Next hang an old shirt over a cardboard cutout and practice center mass button area. you will surprised how fast you start hitting center mass.

[DaveTN]

Agree totally with the point shooting, but what if your shooting with a rifle in a fire fight situation.

Then I’m using a holographic sight and both eyes are wide open. If I’m using a scope I’m closing one eye and it won’t matter a bit; no one is going to be that close to me.

I’m just kiddin’. I can’t use open sights or a scope with both eyes open and I have decided it’s a skill I will never need.

[Guest Grout]

Why do you need both eyes open?

If you are using sights you are target shooting and it doesn’t matter. If you are defensive shooting you are point instinct shooting and you just need to practice your eye/hand coordination.

I only practice "point shooting" within a point blank to 3 yds (15 ft) distance.Any further out and the sight picture ranges from a crude flash to a crisp picture depending on the distance.

[Guest jackdog]

Then I’m using a holographic sight and both eyes are wide open. If I’m using a scope I’m closing one eye and it won’t matter a bit; no one is going to be that close to me.

I’m just kiddin’. I can’t use open sights or a scope with both eyes open and I have decided it’s a skill I will never need.

Fair enough I honor your choice. Both eyes open with a scope takes a lot of getting used to, but is quite do able for me. My brother as tried for years and has given up on the idea.

[Guest gunslinger707]

If you really want to have some fun get you an old BB gun and remove the sight's then practice shooting with it.Toss a ball in the air and try hitting it then progressivly go smaller.

Necco wafer's are good target's you can see the hit's !:D:D

Try it you might be surprised how much fun it is !

[Guest MisterJimmy]

Welcome!

To determine your eye dominance pick out an object across the room. Make a triangle with your thumbs and forefingers and hold the triangle at arms length with the object you picked in the center. Slowly move the triangle to your face while keeping the object centered. The eye you bring your hands back to is your dominant eye.

I've tried this four times and keep ending up with the triangle/object at the center/bridge of my nose. Not sure what to make of that.

[Guest JeepMonkey]

If you really want to have some fun get you an old BB gun and remove the sight's then practice shooting with it.Toss a ball in the air and try hitting it then progressivly go smaller.

Necco wafer's are good target's you can see the hit's !:D

Try it you might be surprised how much fun it is !

Doing it with oranges and a .44 Magnum is even more fun.

[Smith]

I've tried this four times and keep ending up with the triangle/object at the center/bridge of my nose. Not sure what to make of that.

That's cause you are cheating! Put the "triangle" about 4-6 in. from your face and then close on eye at a time. The one it is centered with is you dominant eye.

[DaveTN]

I've tried this four times and keep ending up with the triangle/object at the center/bridge of my nose. Not sure what to make of that.

The triangle is too big.

Poke a hole in a piece of paper the size of a pencil. Hold the paper a foot or two from your face. With both eyes open, focus through the hole on something across the room. Move the paper to your face keeping the object in view. The paper will end up over your dominant eye.

[Guest Fenris]

Or use the hole in the center of a CD/DVD by holding the disc at arms length.

[Guest Schwarzgebrannt]

I'm RH/LED.

I don't allow myself to use my left eye to line up the sights, unless I'm using my left hand to shoot. I practice this whenever I'm dry firing or handling any of my pistols.

I'm also considering getting an eyepatch and wearing it for a few days straight to switch over my dominance in a more permenant way. Archers have been doing it for decades to fix these issues. For example, there's this scientist who wore a special headset that switched everything he saw upside down. After a few weeks of disorientation, his brain re-oriented his vision to a normal display. Then when he took it off, he saw the world upside down for a few more weeks

[Guest MisterJimmy]

I'm RH/LED.

I don't allow myself to use my left eye to line up the sights, unless I'm using my left hand to shoot. I practice this whenever I'm dry firing or handling any of my pistols.

I'm also considering getting an eyepatch and wearing it for a few days straight to switch over my dominance in a more permenant way. Archers have been doing it for decades to fix these issues. For example, there's this scientist who wore a special headset that switched everything he saw upside down. After a few weeks of disorientation, his brain re-oriented his vision to a normal display. Then when he took it off, he saw the world upside down for a few more weeks

Are you suggesting that wearing a patch on your dominant eye will somehow permanently switch your dominant eyes?

And why would that scientist want to see upside down?

Just curious.

[Guest Schwarzgebrannt]

Are you suggesting that wearing a patch on your dominant eye will somehow permanently switch your dominant eyes?

And why would that scientist want to see upside down?

Just curious.

Eye dominance is neurological. Look up perceptual adaptation. I guess it would be be more of an override than a complete change.

I don't understand your second question as to why a scientist would be interested in it. Why wouldn't one be?

Edited February 15, 2009 by Schwarzgebrannt

[Guest JeepMonkey]

Basically, our brain wants the images our eyes take in to be upright. So, if there is a constant disillusionment that causes your eyes to see upside down, your brain will "fix" the problem eventually. The same works for eye domination. My sister was originally RED, but had to have eye surgery to fix a muscle. A few weeks of wearing an eyepatch eventually made her become LED. To prevent the RE lazy eye they switched sides with the patches for a few more weeks, and what do you know, she was back to RED after it was all over.