one eye or two

[Guest jackdog]

Here is the question.

How do you normally shoot, one eye open both eyes open and Why?

Is your shooting style different for pistol, rifle or shotgun.

[Guest Phantom6]

Since the only sight you really need at most pistol ranges (10 meters or less) is the front blade, two eyes unless I'm taking a long shot. Sight alignment becomes more critical the greater the distance. Of course it makes little difference on the range except to say that in a pinch you will never rise to the occasion. You'll only sink to the level of your training so you ought to train the way you need to fight and survive. Don't loose what's going on in your periphery. Keep your situational awareness.

[Guest macho999]

I keep them both open but I'm only seeing out of one if that makes any sense.

[Guest Voodoo_1]

One eye open for all guns. I was on the ROTC rifle team in high school (many, many years ago:p)and while shooting many rounds in practice and competitions using scopes this became my usual way of shooting. I've tried shooting pistols at the range with both eyes open, but things just seem to blur out. I know both eyes open is considered a better defensive method, but just haven't been able to adapt, yet.

[Guest jackdog]

Like most of us I learned to shoot with one eye open. The Marine Corps had an excellent method of changing that. The instructors would jab you in the closed eye with a thumb and then severly chastise you with verbal abuse that was usually followed by your DI getting extremely deep in your S**T, both verbally and in most cases physically. Since those wonderful days I've shot using both eyes open, this includes scoped rifles.

[saintsfanbrian]

Both eyes open for pistols, I haven't done much rifle shooting lately so I haven't tried it with them. I like being able to see what's around me.

[Guest Voodoo_1]

jackdog,

Your Marine Corp. training would get my attention! Do you still shoot scoped rifles with both eyes open? Caught an episode of Future Weapons the other night with the ex-Navy Seal testing the Barrett .50 cal. rifle. First thing I noticed was, after the ex-Seal got his cheek weld on the stock, he closed his left eye and scoped his target with his right eye only. I can't recall ever seeing anyone shoot a scoped rifle with two eyes open. I guess if someone jabbed their thumb in my closed eye repeatedly, I could learn to shoot with 2 eyes open.

[Guest GlocKingTN]

I use one eye for all. It just comes natural that way!

[Donnie]

Both eyes open for me when shooting a non-scoped gun.

[Guest jackdog]

Yes I still shoot scope rifles with both eyes open. I know that sounds weird but if I close one eye my shooting goes down hill. To my way of thinking, you should use what works best for you. I think in a combat situation, your peripheral vision is essential to survival, so learning a both eyes open technique could be a very valuable weapon in your arsenal of self defense.

Another technique the USMC used to stop trigger jerking was to place your index finger between the hinged butt plate of the M 14 rifle and the stock then bang entire assembly on to the ground (finger Included). Lord glad I did not have that problem. Incidentally I scored expert in training and through out my career in the corp.

[TGO David]

If someone tried to break me of my shooting style these days by jamming their thumb into my closed eye, I'd probably shoot them on the spot. But I'm temperamental like that.

[Marswolf]

I think in a combat situation, your peripheral vision is essential to survival, so learning a both eyes open technique could be a very valuable weapon in your arsenal of self defense.

Precisely, Jackdog. Having said that, I normally only keep one eye open when using a scoped rifle.

For pistols, I keep both eyes open. This just evolved over time. First, I'm blind as a bat without corrective lenses, and since I spend a lot of time in rainy areas, contacts work well. Being over 40 (well over), I also need some help with reading distances. So I use Monovision contacts. The right eye is for distance and the left eye is for reading. It works well.

Now...I'm right-eyed, so I normally used that eye for aiming guns. One day I noticed that I had shifted to the left eye. Reason? With my distance corrected eye and developing farsightedness, I couldn't see the sights well with that eye. My arms weren't long enough....

So, I now shoot handguns left-eyed. The right one just stays open and aids with the peripheral stuff.

[molonlabetn]

Both eyes open for all sights and optics... It's really not that hard to focus through a magnified scope while alternatly using the 'weak' eye to scan for the target. Red-Dot scopes are designed for use with both eyes open, and so are ghost-ring sights. The most important thing is to determine which eye is dominant, and be able to conciously use it.

[Guest jackdog]

Damn molon I thought I was abnormal until your post. Well I might still be, but hey I really like me.

[molonlabetn]

For really high magnification optics, when using a rest or bi-pod, and shooting at a single, un-moving target... I sometimes might close my weak eye.... say if the sun were really bright or something...

But if I think that I'll have to re-aquire a target which will move outside the FOV of the scope, I keep them both open... even if the weak eye is squinted just a bit to reduce glare.

No point in losing track of a target because I (literally) have tunnel vision!

Remember:

- tunnel vision can help you kill

- peripheral vision can keep you alive

[Marswolf]

Actually molonlabetn, I partially do what you do. I keep both eyes open with a high power scope until I acquire the target. Then I normally close my weak eye (remember distant stuff will be out of focus with that eye) unless there is a reason to keep it open. Helps me concentrate on the target. But I'm talking about a 8-32 scope and taking my time on the shots.

[Guest Hyaloid]

Precisely, Jackdog. Having said that, I normally only keep one eye open when using a scoped rifle.

For pistols, I keep both eyes open. This just evolved over time. First, I'm blind as a bat without corrective lenses, and since I spend a lot of time in rainy areas, contacts work well. Being over 40 (well over), I also need some help with reading distances. So I use Monovision contacts. The right eye is for distance and the left eye is for reading. It works well.

Now...I'm right-eyed, so I normally used that eye for aiming guns. One day I noticed that I had shifted to the left eye. Reason? With my distance corrected eye and developing farsightedness, I couldn't see the sights well with that eye. My arms weren't long enough....

So, I now shoot handguns left-eyed. The right one just stays open and aids with the peripheral stuff.

Marswolf,

Just out of curiosity, are you right-handed? If so, and you are using your left eye for near (i.e. front sight), what stance do you use for pistols?

I would assume the isoceles as eye dominance is not as important there as it is with the Weaver.

I ask because I am right handed and left eye dominant. I have been closing my left eye and using my right only with an isoceles stance, but my next range trip I will be using my usual stance and trying it with both eyes open.

Also, as a side note, there are also bifocal contact lenses available (different than monovision) that work through a principal called "simultaneous vision", and they work pretty well for alot of people.

[Marswolf]

Yeah, I use an isosceles stance and am right handed. I didn't even notice when I switched eyes. It just happened, probably because I do keep both eyes open with handguns.

I've heard mixed reviews of the bifocal contacts. Monovision works for me. First law of engineering - if it's not broken, don't fix it.

[Guest DEIMOS]

I have shot for years closing one eye. As I have educated myself, I now practice keeping both eyes open. When under stress, you will not close one eye. So, I practice both eyes open for this reason.

[Guest db99wj]

I shoot one eyed as well, will be trying the both eye open thing.