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Offline azmark

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One eye or two?
« on: February 09, 2008, 01:48:34 PM »
When shooting a handgun, do you leave both eyes open or shut one of them?
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Mark Dickinson
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Offline Castaway

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Re: One eye or two?
« Reply #1 on: February 09, 2008, 02:53:27 PM »
Both open for pistol or rifle.  You loose about 20% visual acuity when you close one eye.
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Offline Jerry Lester

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Re: One eye or two?
« Reply #2 on: February 09, 2008, 05:15:29 PM »
Both open with rifle or a handgun, scoped or open sighted.
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Offline Graybeard

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Re: One eye or two?
« Reply #3 on: February 09, 2008, 05:26:58 PM »
Two with shotgun one with rifle and handgun.
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Offline Lloyd Smale

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Re: One eye or two?
« Reply #4 on: February 10, 2008, 12:59:56 AM »
one eye and im to old to change now.
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Offline irold

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Re: One eye or two?
« Reply #5 on: February 10, 2008, 02:16:03 AM »
With a scope , two eyes to locate the target , and fire .  I find myself using one eye if the target is stationary, or I'm trying for a " fine" shot
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Offline Ken ONeill

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Re: One eye or two?
« Reply #6 on: February 10, 2008, 02:20:07 AM »
Two.
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Offline S.B.

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Re: One eye or two?
« Reply #7 on: February 10, 2008, 03:55:03 AM »
What ever works more comfortably for you. I feel too much emphasis is put on rules for people trying to learn to shoot? If you have trouble, stick to the established guidelines, if not have fun and don't worry about it.
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Offline drdougrx

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Re: One eye or two?
« Reply #8 on: February 10, 2008, 03:57:06 AM »
two with a handgun and shotgun, one with a scoped rifle.
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Offline azmark

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Re: One eye or two?
« Reply #9 on: February 10, 2008, 07:22:32 AM »
I have always just naturally closed one eye.  Lately I've noticed people leaving both eyes open, and was told this was the best way.  I looked in the Army Marksmanship Manual, and it says to leave both open.  I just thought I'd ask and see what other people do.  When I leave both eyes open, I see two front sights except when using the one-handed "bullseye" type of stance and turning my head just right.  I'm not a very good pistol shot when shooting off-hand and always assumed I needed to work on my grip and trigger control.  I wanted to know if shooting one-eyed might be a major problem.
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Offline S.B.

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Re: One eye or two?
« Reply #10 on: February 10, 2008, 07:31:14 AM »
If your seeing two front sights chances are your not fociusing on the front sight?
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Offline azmark

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Re: One eye or two?
« Reply #11 on: February 10, 2008, 07:44:10 AM »
No, my eyes are kind of messed up.  With two eyes open, my right eye can be focused on the front sight and it's pretty sharp.  The target will be fuzzy and I'll still see a second image of the front sight, out of focus, to the left of the image that's clear.  I do wear glasses and I know I have an astigmatism.  The prescriptions are also quite different for my right and left eyes.  You'd think they would end up the same but it doesn't feel that way.  Maybe I'll just have to practice both ways and see what happens.  I have spent very little time in the one-handed bullseye stance.
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Offline S.B.

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Re: One eye or two?
« Reply #12 on: February 10, 2008, 08:26:39 AM »
I also, have an astigmatism but in my right eye so I close my left eye (I'm right handed).
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Offline kennisondan

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Re: One eye or two?
« Reply #13 on: February 10, 2008, 04:08:35 PM »
sometimes I close both eyes, obviously...lol
I am going to look at both ...
dk
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Offline Tom W.

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Re: One eye or two?
« Reply #14 on: February 10, 2008, 05:22:42 PM »
Your Front sight should be clear, with the target and rear sight somewhat fuzzy. You can't focus on all three at the same time. That's why there are Red dots and scopes. It makes the world a bit easier....
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Offline ihuntbucks

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Re: One eye or two?
« Reply #15 on: February 10, 2008, 05:43:46 PM »
I leave both open.Right or wrong,that's the way I was taught.....Rick
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Offline Curtis

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Re: One eye or two?
« Reply #16 on: February 11, 2008, 12:16:52 PM »
My problem is that I'm right handed but left eye dominant.  On a good day I can keep my sight picture with both eyes open, but most of the time the sights disappear as my left eye takes over.  I then find myself looking at the side of my pistol which is the view my left eye has of things.  I'm thinking that enough dry fire practice could overcome this, but I don't ever seem to make the time for it.  Mostly I just close my left eye to keep it from taking over the sight picture.

Incidentally, my dad is right handed but grew up shooting left handed.  I've never discussed it with him, but I bet he started shooting left handed because of left eye dominance which I seem to have inherited from him.

Curtis
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Offline S.B.

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Re: One eye or two?
« Reply #17 on: February 11, 2008, 12:35:54 PM »
My grandson(six_gunz boy) has an astigmatism in his right eye and has trouble seeing with his right eye. He's only 8 and loves to go shooting with us.
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Offline warrior1

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Re: One eye or two?
« Reply #18 on: February 11, 2008, 02:13:07 PM »
i just recently began skooting with two eyes with unscoped handgun.with scope firearms still one  eyed shooter.
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Offline kennisondan

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Re: One eye or two?
« Reply #19 on: February 11, 2008, 04:23:37 PM »
My dr. today told me the term for your brain adjusting to using a different eye and hand than I grew up using.. he said it accomodates ..
dk
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Offline Tom W.

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Re: One eye or two?
« Reply #20 on: February 11, 2008, 04:52:37 PM »
I'm right handed and left eye dominant. You'd laugh your butt off if you saw how I put my head when shooting offhand with open sights. You'd think I was trying to listen to my right shoulder.......But it works!
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Offline S.B.

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Re: One eye or two?
« Reply #21 on: February 12, 2008, 04:20:11 AM »
Quote from: Tom W. on February 11, 2008, 04:52:37 PM
I'm right handed and left eye dominant. You'd laugh your butt off if you saw how I put my head when shooting offhand with open sights. You'd think I was trying to listen to my right shoulder.......But it works!

Yes, but, I was taught to shoot by an older brother who was a jarhead Marine? And they insisted you use the right eye when right handed?
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Offline montveil

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Re: One eye or two?
« Reply #22 on: February 12, 2008, 04:45:18 AM »
I too am a right hand- left eye dominant shooter. It all started when I was about 11 and my dad started me shooting with a heavy Mossberg 22 auto.
No mater how I held the rifle I felt uncomfortable but I reasoned that my right hand was stronger and more "educated" so that's the hand I held the rifle.

  Later I found out that I was left eye dominant. In the Army I could load single rounds in the M! without chambering my finger-no problem with the clips OR the M!4./
  They would NOT let me fire the M 60 MG from the left shoulder because on occasion the weapon would send the last fired case back along the stock and would endanger my right eye.
I found this firing position very awkward. However, the 45 was another matter and I regularly shoot it both hands. I might try the "head on shoulder trick.
  Does any one have any suggestions to right eye training .
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Offline kennisondan

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Re: One eye or two?
« Reply #23 on: February 12, 2008, 06:45:36 AM »
the theory is that if you patch the left eye and practice all activities your brain will accomodate.. there are some experiments where the brain was forced to accomodate experimenter's subjects who had on glasses that switched right to left and after some time they could do that without thinking even drove that way...
I am not a trainer or a psychologist or neurologist... I am just a reader.... so : that is my theory and I am sticking to it..
but I would not just do the shooting, I would do everything for a while each day or all day if you could with the other eye patched over, and you would learn how to do it naturally.. I am not sure what happens when you take the patch off but...that was not asked (yet)
my theory is that once you practice with your dominant eye, then with both eyes open you will be able to tell which of the two sights is the real one, the one that does not change position when you close one eye then the other back and forth...
lol
dk
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Offline S.B.

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Re: One eye or two?
« Reply #24 on: February 12, 2008, 07:02:11 AM »
Quote from: kennisondan on February 12, 2008, 06:45:36 AM
the theory is that if you patch the left eye and practice all activities your brain will accomodate.. there are some experiments where the brain was forced to accomodate experimenter's subjects who had on glasses that switched right to left and after some time they could do that without thinking even drove that way...
I am not a trainer or a psychologist or neurologist... I am just a reader.... so : that is my theory and I am sticking to it..
but I would not just do the shooting, I would do everything for a while each day or all day if you could with the other eye patched over, and you would learn how to do it naturally.. I am not sure what happens when you take the patch off but...that was not asked (yet)
my theory is that once you practice with your dominant eye, then with both eyes open you will be able to tell which of the two sights is the real one, the one that does not change position when you close one eye then the other back and forth...
lol
dk

Actually, my opthomologist tells me that any thing that can be done to improve the sight with a patch, must be done before about age of 7 or 8?
EYE DOMINANCE CAN NOT BE CHANGED!
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Offline Tom W.

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Re: One eye or two?
« Reply #25 on: February 12, 2008, 07:06:04 AM »
Surprisingly enough, I don't have a problem with shooting rifles. I suppose because everything lines up on the right side. (and most are scoped, now.) But my 1911, or Ruger SRH .44 , Security Six  or 22/45....
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Offline kennisondan

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Re: One eye or two?
« Reply #26 on: February 12, 2008, 09:28:01 AM »
perhaps that is for improvement of eyesight like lazy eye ? I am talking about the brain learning to take it and turn it around or accomodate for the different sight pic. My neurologist was talking about me having to switch shooting hands and I responded in the negative.. he told me day before yesterday that the brain could adjust to my using the non-dominant hand and eye... they are checking for nerve damage in my right arm elbow and neck and wrist.... is why it came up.
but I am just repeating what I understood him to say.. but I have heard that with a lazy eye and a kid it is important to make the weak muscles in the eye adapt by using the one that is avialable the weak one... IN my case it is not weak it is just not dominant.. but heck I don't know... LOL
dk

Actually, my opthomologist tells me that any thing that can be done to improve the sight with a patch, must be done before about age of 7 or 8?
EYE DOMINANCE CAN NOT BE CHANGED!
[/quote]
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Offline Mikey

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Re: One eye or two?
« Reply #27 on: February 12, 2008, 10:27:28 AM »
Oh, let's see how I should say this..............

azmark: I usually keep at least two eyes open; sometimes I may 'squint' with my weak eye to focus my sight picture on the target.  True the Army Manual sez to keep both eyes open but if that doesn't work for you, squint or something to focus your dominat eye.  While you may lose some acuity with a one-eyed focus you may actually gain acuity if your weak eye has more of a negative than positive effect.  I try to get a good sight picture first and then keep my front sight on the target.  When I hunt with a pistol I wait for the critter to get into my sight picture rather than trying to chase it with a front sight.

Montveil - That is why they don't have any left handed riflemen or machine gunners in the United States Army and I was probably one of those who would absolutely NOT let you shoot a M60 Machine gun left handed.  M14s and M16s have been known to kick brass back right into a forehead and eyeball.  That being said however I'll bet your left hand shooting with the 45 was better than with your right hand......

Curtis - heck man, learn to shoot southpaw.  I occassionally go southpaw and am usually pretty happy with the results, and it's a lot fo fun.  Sometimes I even shoot two-handed and that is a real ball.  If you learn to shoot left handed and as a result carry left handed, even with your learned right hand dominance you would have an upper hand with concealability (just a thought).  Mikey.........
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Offline Heavy C

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Re: One eye or two?
« Reply #28 on: February 14, 2008, 05:59:18 AM »
I shoot with both eyes open now.  Growing up my Dad taught me to close one eye and I did well until I started shooting on the rifle team in college.  My dominant eye would fatigue half way through the matches.  The solution was to mount a blinder to one side of the rear peep sight.  This had the desired effect without the fatigue.  After college I was used to keeping both eyes open.  I shoot that way with handguns (scoped or not), shotguns, and rifles (scoped or not).

Seeing two front sites is something I think everyone will go through initially just because your eyes are not used to working together in this setting.  Just keep working at it and pretty soon it will become second nature.

Heavy C
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Offline Questor

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Re: One eye or two?
« Reply #29 on: February 14, 2008, 10:28:52 AM »
I use three, including my inner mystical eye. I need all the help I can get.
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