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Thread: Shooting both eyes open...

  1. #1
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    Shooting both eyes open...

    Hi everyone,

    I know this is a pretty fundamental question, but I wanted to ask here just to have a 100% answer.

    I have been shooting with both eyes open on both pistol and rifle (irons, no optic). Outdoors during daylight it's pretty easy. At an indoor range with pistol it's a bit more difficult. Although I have to say that the sights on my handgun are factory HK sights; so not that great.

    My question is this:

    Is there a specific one-way to be focusing on the sights when shooting both eyes open?

    1) Should I have the front sight in focus, two rear dots blurred, target blurred?

    2) Should I have the target focused with the three dots blurred?

    I noticed lots of times I get the two images of either sights or the target when I'm aiming. Is it ok two line up the sights on target with say the left image? I wish I could explain this better, so I hope you understand. What I mean by two images is sort of what happens when you have one eye open, and then close it while opening the other. You get that shift of whatever object you were looking at.

    Thanks, I hope this post was clear to understand.

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    It sounds like you need to find which eye is dominant.

  3. #3
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    Focus on the front sight.
    The target and rear sight should be slightly blurred.
    You cannot line up the sights through your dominate eye with the target you see with your weak eye and make accurate shots.


    Sent via telegraph with the same fingers I use to sip whiskey

  4. #4
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    As dbain99 said, you should be focusing on the top edge of your front sight. The rear sight and target should be visible, but out of focus. To help with the "two images" I sometimes squint my non-dominant eye and that seems to help.
    Owner/Instructor at Resolute Response

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    Seriously, it is more tactically sound to shoot with both eyes open if you can, but if it slows you down, that isn't really good.

    This may help you 'train' your eyes: Find out what is your dominant eye. Then put a piece of scotch tape over the non-dominant eye - well actually the lens on your shooting glasses. You don't need to cover the whole lens, just where your none dominant eye is focused when the weapon is in firing position and you are looking through the sights. Someone can help you by placing the tape for your as you are sighting-in.

    Evaluate periodically to see how you do with both lenses clear. You DO NOT want to see two targets, two sights, two of anything. If that happens, just close an eye and sight. With the rifle pretty sure you'll naturally keep the eye behind the sights open LOL, with the pistol same deal, but it really doesn't matter - you can get a good sight picture out of your non dominant eye if it has good vision.

  6. #6
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    This is probably the best single resource on the matter:
    http://pistol-training.com/articles/vision

    It is a detailed article, but here's the gist:
    The eyes should focus on the front sight, but converge on the target.
    This will result in the shooter seeing "two sets of sights", and may be difficult to focus on the front sight with the vision converging elsewhere.
    This is solved by (shock) training and practice.

    Being able to do this with your vision is the single largest leap forward in handgun proficiency other than eliminating the pre-ignition push.
    Jack Leuba
    Director of Sales
    Knight's Armament Company
    jleuba@knightarmco.com

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by dbain99 View Post
    Focus on the front sight.
    The target and rear sight should be slightly blurred.
    This^^^^

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Failure2Stop View Post
    This is probably the best single resource on the matter:
    http://pistol-training.com/articles/vision

    It is a detailed article, but here's the gist:
    The eyes should focus on the front sight, but converge on the target.
    This will result in the shooter seeing "two sets of sights", and may be difficult to focus on the front sight with the vision converging elsewhere.
    This is solved by (shock) training and practice.

    Being able to do this with your vision is the single largest leap forward in handgun proficiency other than eliminating the pre-ignition push.
    Thanks very much, I've read the article and have it bookmarked. I'm looking to take some pistol training courses within the next few months hopefully. Obviously I will start with a beginner course, but do you recommend having the skill of shooting both eyes open down before taking a course? I'd assume most people taking beginner courses would probably not know of the importance of shooting with both eyes open.

    Quote Originally Posted by 26 Inf View Post
    Seriously, it is more tactically sound to shoot with both eyes open if you can, but if it slows you down, that isn't really good.

    This may help you 'train' your eyes: Find out what is your dominant eye. Then put a piece of scotch tape over the non-dominant eye - well actually the lens on your shooting glasses. You don't need to cover the whole lens, just where your none dominant eye is focused when the weapon is in firing position and you are looking through the sights. Someone can help you by placing the tape for your as you are sighting-in.

    Evaluate periodically to see how you do with both lenses clear. You DO NOT want to see two targets, two sights, two of anything. If that happens, just close an eye and sight. With the rifle pretty sure you'll naturally keep the eye behind the sights open LOL, with the pistol same deal, but it really doesn't matter - you can get a good sight picture out of your non dominant eye if it has good vision.
    I see what you're saying, and if I were in a position where I had to shoot for my life today then I'd do what's most comfortable for me. Though I'd like to learn to do it the right way. As I mentioned above I don't have any formal training yet. I shoot when I can, but this is just with going by what I learn from reading/watching training videos.

    I know it's not as fast, at least until I develop the skill. So I'd like to learn the right way from the start versus learning a bad habit.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by w3453l View Post
    Thanks very much, I've read the article and have it bookmarked. I'm looking to take some pistol training courses within the next few months hopefully. Obviously I will start with a beginner course, but do you recommend having the skill of shooting both eyes open down before taking a course? I'd assume most people taking beginner courses would probably not know of the importance of shooting with both eyes open.
    It depends greatly on the instructor as to what they will teach, and why. There is a heavy tendency for basic/beginner classes to teach bullseye fundamentals, which I do not necessarily agree with.

    I see what you're saying, and if I were in a position where I had to shoot for my life today then I'd do what's most comfortable for me. Though I'd like to learn to do it the right way. As I mentioned above I don't have any formal training yet. I shoot when I can, but this is just with going by what I learn from reading/watching training videos.

    I know it's not as fast, at least until I develop the skill. So I'd like to learn the right way from the start versus learning a bad habit.
    I would put forth that if you were put into a situation that resulted in firing a pistol under duress that you will revert to that which you have the greatest confidence in with regard to the situation. At normal interpersonal violence distances with minimal proficiency this usually involves putting the gun between you and the threat, looking past the gun at the threat, and pulling the trigger until the threat stops doing that which warranted the violent response. And frankly, at those distances, achieving a hard front sight focus is usually not crucial. The simple trick is to get the eyes to track the sights while that is happening, and ensure that they are "good enough" to get the needed level of accuracy to resolve the situation. High visibility sights tend to help with that.

    The more you do it right, the more likely you will be to perform the needed actions under stress. Simple dry-fire repetition will help significantly. The sooner you start getting the sights on target with both eyes open, and getting the front sight in focus, the less you will have to "fix" closing an eye.
    Jack Leuba
    Director of Sales
    Knight's Armament Company
    jleuba@knightarmco.com

  10. #10
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    F2S offers a good explanation for practical use of the concept.
    Last edited by T2C; 09-27-16 at 21:14. Reason: Deleted work product
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