Shooting pistols both eyes open?

[LuckyDucky]

Does anyone here shoot both eyes open with pistol (no optics)? Do you have any tips on shooting both eyes open?

I feel like it would be faster and more natural.

 

[Dustin Cantrell]

Are you cross eye dominant? I am, so I have to shift the pistol over to the strong eye (left eye, right handed) and shoot both eyes open. Even at my poor performing level, I shoot much better with both eyes open. If you're not cross dominant, it's a whole lot easier.

 

[dennishoddy]

Its something I had to learn to do. Now, I can shoot with both open.
The brain focuses the eye on the sights and the spherical vision, for me anyway, is looking for the next target. Kind of weird describing it.

 

[Squid]

Took me a lot of dry fire draw and presentation practice. Probably took at least a year for me. Then I just realized one day when I was out shooting I had been using both eyes all day. Just kind of snuck up on me now I have to make a conscious effort to shoot with one eye closed. I don't think there is any real trick or secret to it. Just a muscle memory like most things shooting.

 

[twss]

You can squint the eye you normally close. I wouldn't do that long term, but as a transition it can be useful. It gives you most of your vision with the non dominant eye while really forcing the dominant eye to focus on the front sight. Practice, practice, practice.

 

[rawhide1]

As mentioned my others - practice. The more I shot the easier and more natural it became.

 

[jtischauser]

It's the only way to shoot a pistol fast.

 

[gondo]

dont freak out if you have to squint a little with your non dominant eye at first, i have to do this almost always my first couple shots of the day.... i think my eye gets adjusted to the distance of the sight or something for the day... your eyes are always adjusting but once you get your brain into the mix and it understands what your eye needs to focus on i think you are set for the day... you need to shoot both eyes open and not blink or you will never really see the sights lift and will never be able to shoot quickly.... i know its lame but i say under my breath before the buzzer goes off "cameron gonder sees the sights lift", when i say that i shoot up to my current ability 99% of the time... i forget to watch the sights lift and i miss half the targets

 

[Ian Swope]

I'm cross eye dominant and shoot with both eyes open. The one thing that helped me the most was instead of trying to force myself to use the non-dominant eye I used the dominant eye and just canted the gun slightly to the left (I'm right handed). This brought the focused front sight easier into my plane of view and really helped me not get too worried about which eye was doing what.

 

[Spiff]

Dryfire dryfire dryfire. I still squint my left eye a little when I'm shooting groups.

 

[Bob Sanders]

All my dry fire is done with both eyes open. But when I'm stressed or pressured during a match, like if I miss a plate, the left eye slams shut. Or if I don't pick up the front sight right away, I'm one eyed again. I really expect a drop in performance coming on, as I'm kind of doing both now. But when I'm really rolling, both eyes are open, and it hits me as a surprise when I'm done.

 

[racnsoonr]

I've seen Benjamin apply scotch tape over is left eye on his shooting glasses to encourage him to shoot with both eyes open...I've never tried it myself. Just don't forget to change glasses when you leave the range lol


At TDSA, they taught us to only close the non-dominant eye when "hard focus" is required...i.e. small targets or at distance.

 

[jtischauser]

For tougher longer range or really precise shots I'll squint the left eye. It's really hard to keep the left eye open on my shotgun too or during long range rifle.

 

[jeffhughes]

I've seen Benjamin apply scotch tape over is left eye on his shooting glasses to encourage him to shoot with both eyes open...I've never tried it myself. Just don't forget to change glasses when you leave the range lol

This works^

 

[drmitchgibson]

Mike Voight still squints his non-dominant eye. Just throwing that out there. I shoot everything two-eyes open unless I'm going for a precise shot.

 

[SpaceFlunky]

I've only been seriously shooting handguns for about the last year and a half (almost 2 years total) but I am still having trouble shooting with both eyes open. I am cross dominant (left eye, right hand). I have been trying to just squint my right non dominant eye and that helps but I still do not feel that I am capable of shooting with both eyes completely open. Its been rather frustrating. I also slightly cant the gun over to my left.

 

[LuckyDucky]

The reason I asked is because I tried it one handed at 3yds yesterday at the end of my shooting session and I was fairly accurate without much difficulty concentrating on focusing on the sights. If I can do that, then it has to be possible to improve the skill so I can do it at further distances.

 

[Dustin Cantrell]

I've only been seriously shooting handguns for about the last year and a half (almost 2 years total) but I am still having trouble shooting with both eyes open. I am cross dominant (left eye, right hand). I have been trying to just squint my right non dominant eye and that helps but I still do not feel that I am capable of shooting with both eyes completely open. Its been rather frustrating. I also slightly cant the gun over to my left.

Have you tried just shifting the gun over to your left side? That's what I do. I wore a patch on my left eye for a while around the house to try to train my right eye to be dominant. I went from not being able to shoot a rifle with a red dot with both eyes open at all to being able to do it. Now my right eye sees the dot and takes over. I know it sounds goofy, but it worked for me. I can't shoot right hand/right eye with both open on pistol. I need to start wearing the patch again occasionally to see if I can shift the dominance some more.

 

[jtischauser]

The reason I asked is because I tried it one handed at 3yds yesterday at the end of my shooting session and I was fairly accurate without much difficulty concentrating on focusing on the sights. If I can do that, then it has to be possible to improve the skill so I can do it at further distances.

At 3 yards you should be fairly accurate blind folded. Seriously. The trick to the action shoot on sports is knowing how bad of a sight picture you can get away with and still get good hits. At 3 yards my sights are the gun superimposed on the target.

 

[RevoShooter]

For me, the hard part was making myself focus on the target and get the front sight to focus in my dominant eye. I kept wanting to stare at my sights and bring them into focus instead of the target. Once I realized I just needed to focus on the target as a primary priority and get the front sight to just be there in the way, my brain was much less unhappy. Haha. Also, at least in dry fire practice, installing a HiViz type front sight and leaving the stock rear sight has helped a lot. I haven't had a chance to get to the range to see how it helps live fire, yet.