One eye or two?

Dogleg

Dogleg

CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Rating - 100%
113   0   0
Location
Where dem buffalo roam.
I've have always shot with both eyes open, be it with rifle, handgun or shotgun. With scopes it doesn't matter whether they are 1 1/2 power or 20 X I still keep both eyes open, it is as natural as breathing.
Is there any reason for a shooter without cross eye dominence to use just one eye, or is it something that some just can't do? If so, what is the reason?
 
when target shooting using a scope I tend to close one eye, but when hunting I shoot both eyes open, as well with pistols its both eyes open.

I guess I close the one eye so I can concentrate on getting those holes to touch. :)
 
A learned behaviour?

Dogleg...............I have been shooting for some time, and I can't remember ever shooting with both eyes open. The first time that I was introduced to a firearm (age 6) I was told that a better site picture was formed with only one eye in use. Both military and police training did nothing to countermand that. I must admit that I have never fired a round with both eyes open, but I just tried a site picture with a pellet rifle and my brain almost overloaded!:eek: I don't know if it is a mental deficiency on my part or if either method is just a learned behaviour.
:confused: :confused: :confused: :confused:

Comments
 
I shoot with both eyes open with a low power scope, but I do not see that shooting with both eyes open at high magnification has an advantage. There is no common image that is useful to your brain, so once magnification gets much above 6X I tune out the ineffictive eye, and save myself a killer headache.

At a low power setting the situation changes. The effect is more like seeing the reticle floating in the air rather than pearing down a tube with the resulting limited field of view.
 
What I see looks like a crosshair painted on my picture window with a light circle that is the rim of the occular bell. The power doesn't seem to make any difference to me, and it does make field of view a non-issue. I do know that I can often pick up a second coyote when I'm calling just by virtue of seeing outside of the field of view of the scope, and I don't normally have any problem seeing my bullets impact despite recoil. Finding things in the scope isn't any problem at all. None of this was a learned skill, I would have to learn to close one eye.
Are there any eye mechanics out there that know how these images are processed by our brains? Obviously we are seeing different images, while looking at more or less the same thing. Are there degrees of eye dominence?
 
When shooting a rifle with a scope I use one eye. When shotgun shooting it's both eye's wide open.
 
I am totally left eye dominant and have to close it when I shoot a rifle right handed. Throw into the mix the fact that I have no field of binocular vision and things get really interesting!!

That being said, I have taught myself to shoot with both eyes open for snap shooting the AR. Pistol is a different story as the standoff between the sights and my eyes tends to make my left eye take over instinctively. As a result, I have to adjust my pistol sights quite a bit to compensate for the left eye dominance.
 
I shoot totally relaxed both eye's open I don't strain anything my rifle just goes of when its right I don't even know I am pulling the trigger

Jamie
 
Iaalways keep both eyes open, regardless of magnification. It's easy to ignore the left eye view, but still allows you to pick up movement, say from another target entering the area. Plus, squinting one eye closed becomes very fatiguing, very quickly.

John
 
I use both eyes open, easier to get back on target and assess the situation. A closed eye takes longer to adjust to light and focus distance after opening, which equals a longer reaction time.
 
I started shooting with only my right eye open. I started seeing more and more people with both eyes open and figured I'd try it. With lots of training myself, I now shoot with both eyes open. Groups have gotten closer and I can focus better at the target at hand.
 
I've been shooting my scoped .22 with both eyes open for quite some time, and have noticed the same positive effects mentioned above. What I have trouble with is the ring and post sights on my M-305. I just can't seem to get it lined up with both eyes open. If I line things up with my left eye closed then I can open the other eye and keep the post on target. I find my groups are not that good. I always thought these ghost ring (If thats what they are called?) sights were suppose to be shot with both eyes open. I haven't changed the size of the hole in the rear sight, maybe this would help?

Nic
 
Dogleg said:
I've have always shot with both eyes open, be it with rifle, handgun or shotgun. With scopes it doesn't matter whether they are 1 1/2 power or 20 X I still keep both eyes open, it is as natural as breathing.
Is there any reason for a shooter without cross eye dominence to use just one eye, or is it something that some just can't do? If so, what is the reason?
Click to expand...


I can't keep both eyes open when shooting, and I don't know why? I have 20-20 vision, but I have always needed to shut one eye. If I don't, the sight picture changes back and forth from my right eye to my left. It's the same with binnoculars.
 
I have been practicing shooting with both eyes open, shooting with only one eye open is a hard habit to break(not that I think it is a bad one), especially when I have been doing it for well over twenty years.

And yes, for me it has taken lots of practice :shotgun:
 
scanner said:
"...I can't keep both eyes open when shooting, and I don't know why? I have 20-20 vision, but I have always needed to shut one eye. If I don't, the sight picture changes back and forth from my right eye to my left. It's the same with binnoculars..."
Click to expand...

...perhaps neither of your eyes are 'dominant'?

:confused:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom