Both eyes open shooting

[Snakedoctor42]

I'm new to the NWF Forum and I'm not sure if this is the right place to ask this question. But i can't seem to aim worth beans with both my eyes open when shooting my pistol. Bersa 9mm Thunder 9 Pro. I can aim and hit the target great with one eye closed, but in a realworld situation with an attacker or someone breaking into my house I'm not gonna have time to close one eye and shoot. Does anyone have any tips on how to shoot accurately with both eyes open?
Thanks

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[Cougfan2]

I'm the same way. I have tried it repeatedly and I just can't do it, not even with a shotgun. With a shotgun I will track the target with both eyes open, but then close my left eye right before I shoot.

 

[hapuna]

The first thing you should probably do is determine which is your dominant eye. Do you know how to do that by holding your hands up in front of you and sighting something? If you know that you then need to train yourself with both eyes open to get the same sight picture you get with the dominant eye. It might not be the same as the eye you use with your eye closed. When you know the dominant eye compare your sight with both eyes to your sight pic with just the dominant eye. You can train both eyes to use that dominant sight picture.

 

[jbett98]

Buy a Crimson Trace laser grip that fits your pistol.

 

[olydemon]

Im going through the same learning curve as you (and.. I have the same pistol as you). I just realized Im cross dominant, meaning right handed but left eye dominant. I grew up shooting rifles left handed and now know why. Might have been from not being able to close my left eye very well as a kid? but now as an adult after doing the test Im for sure Left eye dom. I also have a hard time with both eyes open, and when I do close an eye its the right one. After coming to this realization I can now get a better image with both eyes open when I slightly turn my head to the right forcing my left eye to look at the sights. I can still see a out of line barrel with my right eye, but when I close the right eye that goes away and I see the correct alignment in the other eye. If you search for "Cross Dominant eye" here you'll find a thread thats a poll about shooting with one eye or both. Some real interesting responses and some info to help overcome this, or at least adapt to it.

here are a couple vids i just watched the other day on this issue...

YouTube - SAR: Eyes Wide Open - Eye Dominance Training 1 of 2 (pt 2 YouTube - SAR: Eyes Wide Open - Eye Dominance Training 2 of 2)

YouTube - The Dominant Eye

YouTube - Beginner Shooting Tips w/ Il Ling New: Dominant Eye

 

[Scott]

I found it easy using a shotgun and practice and now the only time I close an eye to shoot is with a rifle. Practice, practice and practice. It will come in time. You have a made it habit to do that but you can break it. Try an EOTech and keep both eyes open like you should. I see many people use red dots with one eye. You will get it. Or play with airsofts against a friend but where safety glasses and you will really learn to shoot with both eyes open. You won't have the time to aim with one eye when playing airsoft.....

 

[mjbskwim]

Practice in your house with a unloaded gun.pull it up to aim at something,keeping both eyes open.

IF you have a gun that fits you perfect,this becomes easier as the aiming part is natural.
I will bring my gun up at aim on something small a lot,just to make sure I grab it correctly every time.Then as you bring it to target,the sites are lined up perfect.(point shooting)

And all that stuff about your dominate eye is groovy.

 

[chemist]

I'm glad to see that cross-dominance has already been mentioned. It sounds like it could be the source of the problem.

For practice I'll close one eye as if target shooting, then repeatedly open and close the support-side eye to get a clear picture of what the both-eyes image should look like. This even works in dry-fire drills.

Don't be too hard on yourself - there's a huge chasm between target shooting and rapid point-shooting, so start with a fullsize target silhouette at 1 meter. Do you get one pattern or two distinct clusters?

The only trouble with the "practice-practice-practice" mantra is that ten days of shooting 100 rounds isn't nearly as good as twenty days of shooting 50 rounds. There's no substitute for calendar time.

 

[Bunny]

I don't know how helpful this will be, but I aim and shoot with both eyes open and it works the same way as if I closed the other eye. The dominant eye I'm aiming with focuses on the sight/target and the other just kinda takes in the peripherals and light. I just kinda defocus it the way you might if you're looking at those weird 3d posters. I'd suggest aiming the way you normally would with one eye closed, and as soon as you have a good aim, open your other eye and practice staying focused on it. With enough practice your dominant eye will focus automatically. If you still have trouble you might look into instinctive shooting.

 

[Kevatc]

You know you finally have the both eyes open technique mastered when you feel weird closing the non-dominant eye.

 

[Mica]

I found the cure for that at Ft. Leonardwood MO. bout twenty years ago. sounds like you already got the pertinent advice.

 

[Bunny]

I just realized Im cross dominant, meaning right handed but left eye dominant.

here are a couple vids i just watched the other day on this issue...

YouTube - SAR: Eyes Wide Open - Eye Dominance Training 1 of 2 (pt 2 YouTube - SAR: Eyes Wide Open - Eye Dominance Training 2 of 2)

YouTube - The Dominant Eye

YouTube - Beginner Shooting Tips w/ Il Ling New: Dominant Eye

After watching those videos a moment ago, I just realized the same. I'm cross-dominant too. I'm primarily a right handed shooter, with a dominant left eye (because my vision is more clear in it than my right).

What seems kinda unusual to me though, is that even though I'm left eye dominant, I can switch between the two. But I favor and aim with the right (weaker) eye so that my posture and orientation feels more comfortable.

So basically I see better with my left, but use my right, and can switch but choose not to. I wonder how many other people shoot with their "bad eye" like that.

Thanks for posting those links. Really interesting and informative. Plus now I've realized what a freak I am for aiming with my weak eye.

 

[Mica]

you are not a freak. alot of folks develop shooting habits that work just fine. the more you shoot. the more your muscles build reflex memory and also you throw in hand eye cordination and it all works together. In real life situations. 1 inch groups at 100 yards is not as important as center mass.

 

[Bunny]

Yep, whatever works best.

 

[blankman]

Eye dominance can be overcome many ways,look for ways others have done it then try your own variations. I shoot every type of firearm with both eyes open even scoped rifles,once you have your technique practice that way with everything, dont go back and forth.

 

[Old506]

I am cross dominant and shoot both eyes open with my right eye "finding the sight".

The two things that you need are hours of dryfire and copious amounts of ammunition.

 

[chemist]

you are not a freak. alot of folks develop shooting habits that work just fine. the more you shoot. the more your muscles build reflex memory and also you throw in hand eye cordination and it all works together. In real life situations. 1 inch groups at 100 yards is not as important as center mass.

Oh, I'm not so sure that we've established that he's not a freak.

 

[Bunny]

Oh, I'm not so sure that we've established that he's not a freak.

Oh, I'm not so sure that we've established that she's not a freak.

Fixed it for ya.

 

[madderg]

In a real life situation both eyes must be open to see as much as possible around you, good cover, obstacles, etc... some people write that in a real life and death situation you become tunnel-visioned. I have found just the opposite to be the case. You become super focused, hearing, sight smell...with enough training you turn uncertainty and fear into extra energy. Training is a must.

 

[Kevatc]

In a real life situation both eyes must be open to see as much as possible around you, good cover, obstacles, etc... some people write that in a real life and death situation you become tunnel-visioned. I have found just the opposite to be the case. You become super focused, hearing, sight smell...with enough training you turn uncertainty and fear into extra energy. Training is a must.

Absoposilutely wise words right there sports fans.