On shooting with one eye open

[miamiboy]

So lately things have eased up a bit for me and I've been able to get back into a little bit of shooting (plus I've been doing a bit of dry-firing, too), and I've been taking notice of the things that I'm learning. I'm relatively new to firearms, especially compared to many of the members already here, and I'm working on building the same level of control that many of the good ones already posses. Any how, I know that every now and then there is a new thread on the good 'ole THR about shooting with one eye open. Normally I favor having both eyes open, but while dry-firing today I noticed something helpful: closing my dominant eye when practicing with my non-dominant hand seems to help me acquire the front-sight quicker and a bit easier with the same side's eye. Not only that, but after a little while of doing this it also translates over to better results with both eyes open.

The majority of the time acquiring the front sight with the opposite eye isn't hard for me; that is, until it starts getting a little repetitive and I don't pay attention as much. Looks like a little patience and baby steps is the way to go for me. That's my experience and I hope it helps anybody in a similar position.

 

[jonmerritt]

It's an exercise, the more you do it, the easier and quicker it gets.

 

[.378 Wby]

Both eyes open provides for depth perception. My problem (trap shooting) is that I can't see the rib on the barrel with both eyes open. I get about four ribs/beads and two or three birds, (or so it seems).

So, I sight down the rib, get a bead w/ one eye. Call for the bird, swing the gun and open both eyes. Bang.

Once I get the bead in view with one eye, I can tell where it is with both eyes open, and I get depth perception on the bird.

Point shooting close range with a handgun is entirely different. I look at the target, point the gun and shoot. Maybe it's the trap shooting, but I don't look for sights on the gun. I just point at the target and shoot. Deadly on a 9" pie plate at about 20 feet.

 

[owsi26]

I close my left eye as not only am I right handed, but I'm left eye dominent. Ideally, I would prefer a laser and to keep both eyes open.

 

[dagger dog]

I'm 63 and have worn eyglasses all my life(nearsighted), now I have problems with cataracts, they are not to the stage that requires surgery. The dominant eye is the worst, I put myself on hiatus from iron sights quite some time ago, especially handgun,but always shot them with both eyes open, my rifles are scoped which helps.

Since aquiring two new hand guns the urge to shoot them accuratley has been great and I have been shooting with the dominant eye( the bad one) closed and still using my strong side (right) hold, which has me shooting with my left eye but right side hold. Guess what? Makes no difference once you get used to it, I don't know about rifle, but it it works with hand gun. I purchased a diopter and an occluder to clip to my glasses and am going to start using that so I can again get used to the both eyes open.

 

[waldonbuddy]

I have shot with one eye since I was a kid. I hit the target that way.

If both eye's open work's for people then that is the way they should shoot, however I have tried shooting with both eye's, and I still prefer one eye.

 

[ByAnyMeans]

I am left handed and right eye dominant. I shoot handguns and shotguns with both eyes open with my left hand and it works. For rifles I shoot right handed with my left eye closed.

 

[Radium]

for fast shooting practicalish and clays etc i shoot with both my eyes open and with my right arm. but when i shoot for accuracy 25/10 yards 22lr pistol/airpistol i switch hand and shoot with my left eye and hand and closing my right eye. its fully normaly many people block the eyesight of the non dominant eye so they dont need to close the other eye. so yes shoot with 1 eye open when shooting accuratly but for fast shooting use both. thats my tips.

 

[Rembrandt]

Rooster Cogburn did his best shooting with one eye...

 

[miamiboy]

Thanks for that tip Radium. LOL @Rembrandt