Shooting with both eyes open?

I shoot everything both eyes open and I shoot right-handed/left eye dominant. Just another thing that will come with practice.
 
I can't shoot with one eye closed. Seems I'm not the only one.

To the OP, good luck with your eye/nerve problem. Hate to hear of such things. Hope it works out.
 
I prefer shooting with both eyes open as well with long eye relief scopes, pistols, and iron sights. I close my left eye when shooting through a riflescope. Being right-handed but left-eye dominant made for some interesting learning experiences but eventually I just started lining pistols up with my left eye and it's worked fine for me ever since. I unfocus my left eye but never close it completely when shooting rifles with irons and that seems to work, too. A patch or other cover would likely work just as well.
 
I agree, however some folks me included do not display a dominant eye. People are always saying "just make an opening between your palms and sight on a distant object...." well duh, I've only been shooting for forty years and I've tried left eye open, right eye open, both eyes open, left handed, right handed, etc. I shoot right handed, close left eye. It's hard for those who do have a dominant eye to grasp this, but if a person does not have a dominant eye that person must close one eye to aim. It does slow down target aquisition and affects depth perception but there is no other way, short of wearing a blinder which would be fine for shooting at stationary targets from a stationary position but is less practical for any type of dynamic shooting. For example, I recently took up IDPA. I have not shot a match yet, just holster training and a classifier. At holster training, I tried both eyes open. However when shooting around cover with both eyes open I see two cover edges, two guns, and two targets all about an inch apart. My eyes want to cross trying to pick which gun and target to pick.
 
but do you blink ? , watched a video with this american sniper shooting, both eyes open and doesn't even blink when the shot goes off !
no chance i could do that
 
Jetman said:
but do you blink ? , watched a video with this american sniper shooting, both eyes open and doesn't even blink when the shot goes off !
no chance i could do that
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I have been a 2 eyes open shooter all my life. Irons, optics, red dots, whatever...... I don't blink when the shot goes off either..... no formal military training but I've "sniped" an awful lot of game meat over the years :)
 
juicy256 said:
Hey guys just had a question about shooting with both eyes open? I recently had nerve damage to my left eye which prevents me from closing my left eye to aim, do any of you guys shoot with both eyes open I have tried changing to left handed shooting but it just feels so unnatural. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks a lot
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I shoot with both eyes open and find it the most natural for me.

This isn't an issue for me but people that are cross-eye dominant (right handed but left eye dominant and vice-versa) will have problems with rifles and will need to switch sides (easier than switching eye dominance in my opinion).

on-ca
 
on-ca said:
I shoot with both eyes open and find it the most natural for me.

This isn't an issue for me but people that are cross-eye dominant (right handed but left eye dominant and vice-versa) will have problems with rifles and will need to switch sides (easier than switching eye dominance in my opinion).

on-ca
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Here's one to mess you up. I'm left handed yet I've always shot right handed , but being right eye dominant it works out quite well, and have always shot with both eyes open.
 
In the 1980's (?) I used to teach the Saskatchewan Hunter Safety course in little town in Sask. Always included a "range day" on a Saturday. .22, .243 and 12 gauge. Parents were welcome, but would not allow them forward of a line on the ground - just me and the kids ahead of that line. Had a fence post set in the ground at our little town's range with wire hanger for clay pigeon - marked off about 20 yards - cheap Canadian Tire 7.5 shot and single shot shotgun. Explained seeing rear hump of receiver, then bead - cover clay pigeon on post with bead and fire - worked for everyone, except one girl. I could not believe a miss. Second shot also a miss. Stood directly behind her - very obviously the barrel pointed way off the left. No clue what made her want to pick it up to right hand shoulder - obviously left eye "dominant". Switched her to left hand shoulder - smoked three in row on the post. Then put a couple up straight away with spring powered thrower - smoked them too. Not sure who was smiling more - the young lady, or her Dad that was watching!!!
 
About twenty years ago , shooting from the bench, with a high power scope , I noticed the target was clearest when both eyes was open, the bullseye center was quartered. I could see the slight quarters past my cross hairs with both open, but blurred out when left was closed.
I started shooting with both open.
I asked my eye doctor, he gave some answer, which I don't remember.
 
I have a Mini 14 with tritium sights. They only work if you have both eyes open. Unfortunately can't use that rifle anymore. It is actually a great idea and pretty cool.
 
I was taught 35 years ago to shoot with both eyes open. It works well for me . I am right handed but left eye dominant so it cuts down on eye fatigue and strain and you have full situation awareness of your surrounding. It will take sometime but in my opinion its worth it.
I just recently put a red dot on one of my pistols and it was an easy transition as you should have both eyes open when using a red dot. I notice a lot of shooters closing one eye when using a pistol red dot. It sort of defeats the purpose of using one in my opinion.
 
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