[VisionaryM&P9]

:? I know this question might be juvenile and very basic but I need to know. When aiming is it proper to sight with non-dominent eye closed or leave them both open?

I leave only my dominent eye open, closing the other. It seems I pick up the front sight faster and easier after establishing target and rising to aim.

Is this method incorrect?

Thanks

 

[G56]

The preferred method is both eyes open, among other things it helps with peripheral vision, a lot of shooters tend to get tunnel vision under stress, so it is recommended that you practice with both eyes open.



You should be more aware of your surroundings and possible dangers with both eyes open, under stress you revert to your training, train right...shoot right.

 

[VisionaryM&P9]

I figured with practice both open would become more comfortable. Thanks for the quick reply

 

[Stupidman]

Ya, I used to have a problem with this. But then I made a little bit of conscious effort to practice with both eyes open and I got used to it fairly quickly once I tried. Now it comes natural. Practice doesn't make perfect... perfect practice makes perfect. (man, that sounds cheesy)

see, just like this guy-------->

 

[TAZ]

I also had an issue with 2 eyes open, but with a little practice and most importantly, properly identifying my dominant eye (I am cross eye dominant) it now comes naturally. In fact I shoot better with both eyes open than with just one.

 

[raz-0]

If shooting for aabsolute accuracy, one eye closed is usually better. If engaging multiple targets, or shooting ina situation where your environment matters (USPSA, IDPA, Self-defense training, real world self-defense), then both eyes open is the way to go.



The exception to that in general is cross eye dominance issues. For many people with cross eye dominance, closing the eye you don't want distracting you is often the only thing that works well.

 

[mad212]

i took me a while to start shooting with two eyes, but when u point and shoot its how ur going to naturally aim..

 

[TAZ]

I think that the issues with one eye vs. 2 eyes is almost a personal preferance. There and MANY olympic shooters who shoot both eyes open and they are shooting for absolute accuracy. They do however have a cover over the non dominant eye to eliminate any "distractions". From what I remember, the issue was eye strain. With both eyes open eye strain was less because when you close one you almost instinctively squint the other, even if its a slight squint it is still there.



As far as cross eye dominance goes, the issue is that you MUST shoot with the dominant eye. This requires a slight change in stance and grip to get the gun lined up with the dominant eye. Once I made these changes to my grio and stance I found that shooting both eyes open was not a big deal and now comes very naturally.



Based on my limited experience, the mistakes that cross eye dominant people make are as follows:

1. Ignore the issue all together.

2. Try to force a change in eye dominance using patches... sometimes this works, sometimes it does not.

3. Close dominant eye and shoot dominant hand-weak eye. Not a good combination as there is a reason you are cross eye dominant i.e your brain processes visual input from that eye better, faster, clearer...

4. Move head to align dominant eye with sights. Usually leads to craning the neck which is uncomfortable, or even worse turning the head so youre looking at the sights from the corner of the string eye. This leads to eye strain like no tomorrow.



Aside from #2, I tried the others and failed miserably until someone saw what I was doing and suggested that it is a lot easier to simply move the gun to the left a few inches to solve the problem. So far, ooching teh gun toward my left eye has helped me, but YMMV.

 

[G56]

I feel sorry for those that shoot that have a dominant eye reversal, that would be extremely disconcerting!

 

[TAZ]

Its kind of a PITA, but not the end of the world. The biggest issue is figuringout what the problem is. Lots of people just never get to the point where they properly identify their dominant eye and struggle like no tomorrow. Once you know that is up, the corrections are minor.

 

[Dakotapix]

Curiously as a photographer, I've always brought the camera up to my left eye but in shooting firearms have always aimed with my right eye with the left closed. I've been trying out aiming with both open but it still seems awkward. I also had cataract surgery on my left eye a few months ago so I'm still getting used to that. I'm still practicing with both open though hoping I can change old habits.

 

[VisionaryM&P9]

Im not sure i grasp the cross eye dominent thing but that must be my problem, cause when I try shooting both open I feel cross-eyed:?. I'm just so slow to refocus on the sights when moving to a new target and even between shots as the muzzle returns to plane. One eye feels so comfortable but I do see the advantages of having both open. I'll keep trying. Close the blinds so neibors dont get worried seeing me walking around the house gun drawn sighting targets around every corner.

 

[K]

If you can, shoot with both eyes open, but some just can not do so and still be as accurate or fast. Yes, ideally, you'd like to have both eyes open, but Brian Enos (an absolute IPSC legend) just couldnt do so, so he put transparent tape over the other eye, otherwise, he'd shoot with one eye.



Now, I can shoot with both eyes open, but I made GM in Limited shooting with one eye and had several 100% classifiers. Also, I didn't re shoot classifiers over and over just to make GM, it took me years of hard work and practice, so shooting w/ one eye is OK, for some, its even better. But if you can shoot with both, try it.

 

[mad212]

whats funny is there is dominate eye, and then ur good eye. and sadly my dominate eye is blind

 

[machgt]

the airsoft guns do come in handy for practicing this

 

[hopsmx]

2 eyes

 

[TAZ]

Im not sure i grasp the cross eye dominent thing but that must be my problem, cause when I try shooting both open I feel cross-eyed:?. I'm just so slow to refocus on the sights when moving to a new target and even between shots as the muzzle returns to plane. One eye feels so comfortable but I do see the advantages of having both open. I'll keep trying. Close the blinds so neibors dont get worried seeing me walking around the house gun drawn sighting targets around every corner.

Cross eye dominance is when youre say right handed, but your left eye is the dominant eye. or visa versa. You can identify your dominant eye by simply holding your thumb out at arms lenght. Now while standing a few feet away from a wall pick a spot on the wall like a switch. with both eyes open move your thumb till it cover the switch/spot. Now, withuot moving your hand, close one eye. if you can still see your thumb on teh spot the the open eye is your dominant one. if not, the the other one is. The idea is to line the sights up with the dominant eye when your shooting. Till I did so I also felt that I was cross eyed. Some people cant do it and it aint the end of the world.

 

[mad212]

wow that works pretty good actually, crazy thing is, when i try to make my right eye dominate it works. hmm

 

[ClosetCaseNerd]

Today I shot 250 rounds down range, and I'll tell you what. I can not for the life of me shoot with both eyes open. If I do so, it is entirely point shooting. When I have the sight aligned with two eyes open I see two blurry targets, or vice versa. I just cant do it. Oh well!

 

[Rvrctyrngr]

I'm cross-eye dominant. I learned Weaver a hundred years ago, and really had to crane my neck to align the sites (head almost resting on my strong side shoulder).



About 7 years ago a then national level competitor showed me a technique that really helped. I changed my stance to a modified Isoc., and craned the gun toward my dominant eye about 10 degrees from the vertical. The front site just popped out of the background, as I finally had the sites properly aligned

I couldn't believe the difference.



An additional bonus with this technique was a significant decrease in muzzle rise and felt recoil. With the wrist/forearm turned in this manner, the bones are more ergonomically aligned to absorb the force of the recoil.



Now, I'm NEVER going to win any bullseye contests, but I can hit what I'm aiming at, and do it consistently like I never could before.



YMMV.

Scott