Can't shoot with both eyes open

[brand]

G'day,

I understand it's common for many shooters to shoot with both eyes open (one on the scope obviously).

I get that it helps target acquisition and all that because of the improved field of view with the non-scoped eye, for the life of me though I can't get the hang of it.

In my time at the range and with mates and whatever I've tried 7 or 8 different scopes and rifles and had a muck about with two or one eye open, and it just never works for me.

I can't focus on what I'm trying to do with the other eye open overlaying the image. My brain just doesn't accept it

Is this the case for anyone else? Dunno if I'm doing something wrong of if I'm just defective

[Chronos]

same for me, just make sure you look through the scope with your open eye

don't stress over it, do what works for you. i've hit plenty of targets with one eye closed

Chronos

[Apollo]

Both eyes open will work.

It takes a lot of practise, the main point is mental training. You need your brain to see the target through your sights / scope but ignore the different sight / scope picture received from the opposite eye and use that information to absorb the surrounds, like wind flags.

It does work, many many target shooters and hunters use this practise.

Patients, training and more patients.

[ebr love]

Depends greatly on zoom for me also.

The greater the magnification the more difficult it is.

(for me anyway)

[Oldbloke]

Shotgun or rifle, l'm hopeless with two eyes open. Anyway I'm not convinced its such a big deal. What do you lose 10% ?

[Warrigul]

Shotgun or rifle, l'm hopeless with two eyes open. Anyway I'm not convinced its such a big deal. What do you lose 10% ?

It makes it easier to focus on iron sights, a better field of view hunting etc etc etc.

Better to be taught from day one, as I was.

[Apollo]

Shotgun, Pee Rifle, Iron Sights, Telescopic ...it doesn't matter.

If you train yourself you can shoot both eyes open as well if not actually better than one eye.

Training, the same thing as learning to hold any firearm accurately.

You can wear blinkers, you can wear a fancy hat that shades all beside you away, you can do what you like as long as it works for you.

Try both eyes, for a number of days over a period of time and it will make sence.

There are untold links on the internet to show how to practise shooting, archery or whatever using both eyes.

[Fujix]

Not knocking it but it's not something I ever felt the need for. Never learnt to do it...

Just using a sensible magnification for the job works for me. With the zoom found back I never have any problems finding targets quickly.

[Warrigul]

Not knocking it but it's not something I ever felt the need for. Never learnt to do it...

Just using a sensible magnification for the job works for me. With the zoom found back I never have any problems finding targets quickly.

You can still shoot perfectly all right with just one eye open.

[Noisydad]

Muscle strain from holding your non aiming eye shut for a long time can make for a tiring session. Try wearing your shooting glasses with your "spare" eye's lens duct taped over so you can leave that eye open then maybe reduce the duct tape over time as your eyes become used to both of them open.

[jeebo]

you can wear a fancy hat that shades all beside you away

Muscle strain from holding your non aiming eye shut for a long time can make for a tiring session. Try wearing your shooting glasses with your "spare" eye's lens duct taped over so you can leave that eye open then maybe reduce the duct tape over time as your eyes become used to both of them open.

Ah that's what those hats are.

I've seen pistol shooting guys doing it where it has the flap fold down over one eye. Never knew what it was for...

Thanks both.

[Seconds]

Kids pirate eye patch. Works a treat...

[Noisydad]

Kids pirate eye patch. Works a treat...

Arrrrrr but ye would 'ave ti shoot a flintlock pistol in that case!

[Granting]

Just shoot black powder. You can't see s**t through the smoke anyway so no worries about the eye patch

[brand]

Thanks all for replies.

I'll try some of techniques and tricks mentioned and get a bit more practice at it and see how I go.

[Seconds]

Practice makes perfect.

[Westy]

Both eyes open will work.

It takes a lot of practise, the main point is mental training. You need your brain to see the target through your sights / scope but ignore the different sight / scope picture received from the opposite eye and use that information to absorb the surrounds, like wind flags.

It does work, many many target shooters and hunters use this practise.

Patients, training and more patients.

X 2

[von_klitzing]

I did a lot of practice with both eyes open in the scope at night. I got a red laser (or power board light etc) and pointed it across the house, then sat in the dark and practice lining up the dot in the scope. That way there are no other bright colors or objects to get in the way, just a single red dot. I found it really cool how with two eyes open, as you bring the target closer to the center, I see two red dots getting closer and closer together (one outside the scope, one inside). Your two eyes act as a centralizing device on their own. (Not sure if that's explained right?) but it works for me

[chilliman]

same for me, just make sure you look through the scope with your open eye

don't stress over it, do what works for you. i've hit plenty of targets with one eye closed

Chronos

for open sights I keep both eyes open, for scopes I close one - my lack of accuracy may be that I'm closing the wrong one.

[Chronos]

same for me, just make sure you look through the scope with your open eye

don't stress over it, do what works for you. i've hit plenty of targets with one eye closed

Chronos

for open sights I keep both eyes open, for scopes I close one - my lack of accuracy may be that I'm closing the wrong one.

Hey chilliman,

I really have to be conscious of it when using open sights. I've done the eye dominance test repeatedly over the years but find I'm neither left nor right eye dominant. This is a bit if a problem as I find with a shotgun or a pistol it's difficult for me to keep both eyes open but maintain my right eye sight picture. I find myself looking across the sight with my left eye ( I'm right handed)

More training required. Lol

Chronos

[Joom]

for open sights I keep both eyes open, for scopes I close one - my lack of accuracy may be that I'm closing the wrong one.

I don't know how people do it with that right hand/left eye dominant thing.

Seems like you'd be all sorts of tangled up.

[chilliman]

Actually that's me, right-handed but left eye dominant. I must concentrate when shooting pistol, with a longarm it's no problem.

[Joom]

Just picturing this in my head, so you hold the rifle as a normal righty would, but just twist/push your head forward a bit more to get the left eye on the scope instead of the rifle do you?

That feels...WAAAAAY weird to me

[Chronos]

Generally cross dominant shooters are forced to either shoot on their weak side or wear a blind to exclude their "strong" eye.

I know three people who are right handed but left eye dominant and they all shoot left handed with right handed rifles, cycling the bolt with their right hand, left hand stays on the palm swell and they pull the trigger with their left hand.

Chronos

[brand]

I'm a righty... I couldn't hit the broad side of a barn shooting left

Thankfully all 1-side dominant.

[chilliman]

Generally cross dominant shooters are forced to either shoot on their weak side or wear a blind to exclude their "strong" eye.

I know three people who are right handed but left eye dominant and they all shoot left handed with right handed rifles, cycling the bolt with their right hand, left hand stays on the palm swell and they pull the trigger with their left hand.

Chronos

I shoot rifle and pistol right handed and right eye despite being left eye dominant. works ok on longs, not so much with pistols.

[Farmjer]

Joom's profile picture is how I feel shooting left handed