Acquiring target with both eyes open

[firecrackerktm]

I read this is a skill to have and I'm not very good at it. Other than more practice (duh) are there any particular tricks that help?

I shoot OK with both eyes open, but I still have to close my left eye at first to aim.

(I know half my questions could be answered in a class but right now I have neither the $$ nor the time as a full time night class student)

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Munch]

Do this test. Dominant eye test - YouTube

After establishing which eye is dominant point the finger on the dominant side at an object. While looking down whichever arm open the other eye. Notice which image is off target. Keep both eyes open while shooting and practice ignoring the "phantom" image. You should have both eyes open for depth perception and more importantly peripheral field of vision. Hope this helps.

[firecrackerktm]

Thanks. Looks like I'm right eye dominant. (probably pretty common as I'm right handed too)

[GH]

Do this test. Dominant eye test - YouTube

After establishing which eye is dominant point the finger on the dominant side at an object. While looking down whichever arm open the other eye. Notice which image is off target. Keep both eyes open while shooting and practice ignoring the "phantom" image. You should have both eyes open for depth perception and more importantly peripheral field of vision. Hope this helps.

You're a little faster on responding than I am but that hit the nail right on the head, Munch.

I probably shoot with both eyes open about 70% of the time. At night in a combat situation it's sometimes wise to keep one eye closed to retain your night vision after a gun flash. Just like everyone should practice weak hand shooting it's good to be able to shoot with your non-dominant eye. You never know when you might lose the use of your strong hand or dominant eye. Of course you should practice until proficient with your normal way of shooting first.

[Exacto]

I read this is a skill to have and I'm not very good at it. Other than more practice (duh) are there any particular tricks that help?

I shoot OK with both eyes open, but I still have to close my left eye at first to aim.

(I know half my questions could be answered in a class but right now I have neither the $$ nor the time as a full time night class student)

Focus on the front sight with both eyes. The rear sight and the target will look a little out of focus.

[Momokahn]

One thing I did to help myself was put a piece of scotch tape on my shooting glasses on the non dominant lens. Leave both eyes open and practice that way. You will see out of your nondominant eye but of course it will be blurry. You will soon find your brain will kind of eliminate that eye and you will be well on your way to shooting with eyes wide open. Took me quite a while and a lot of dry firing but now it is second nature. Hope this helps and good luck.

[firecrackerktm]

My shooting glasses are my regular glasses though! I haven't ponied up for prescription safety glasses yet (and before y'all start finger shaking, yes I know I should)

[Mike1956]

Easier for me to just close my non-aiming eye.

[Munch]

My shooting glasses are my regular glasses though! I haven't ponied up for prescription safety glasses yet (and before y'all start finger shaking, yes I know I should)

You can find eye protection that fit over your prescription glasses. Radians Chief Overspec Safety Glasses with Clear Lens (Made In USA) They have some nice shooting glasses for the regular visioned folks too.

[WarMachine]

I always shoot with both eyes open. I'm not comfortable shooting with one eye closed. Maybe I would be if I used rifles with scopes but since I don't look through a scope or shoot rifles very often I find shooting with both eyes open to be the best for me.

[firecrackerktm]

You can find eye protection that fit over your prescription glasses. Radians Chief Overspec Safety Glasses with Clear Lens (Made In USA) They have some nice shooting glasses for the regular visioned folks too.

OMG fugly.

Still looking ... this crap is expensive.

[Superhouse 15]

Shoot squared off to the target with both eyes open and the gun centered in your vision. Your stronger eye should pick up the sights. If not, try leaning your head rather than closing an eye.

I was just reading a thread close to ths one about "instincts" . We have monkey brains, developed through years of survival of the fittest. Under stress we don't shut down half our vision and face away from a threat. We square off and look at it with our binocular vision. We crouch and instinctively protect our faces. Don't practice against the monkey part of your brain, learn to work with it.

[AVGuy]

I'm a videographer and developed the ability to keep both eyes open when recording. The right eye looking through the viewfinder and the left eye open to see what's going on in the general area. That way I can see if something in the shot will change and be able to adjust to it. I haven't translated that to shooting yet. My vision is kinda skewed and I use my right eye for close objects and the left for far objects. Hopefully more practice time will help me adjust to keeping both open.

[Ghost1958]

I practiced instinct archery for a long time also. Some can some cant, my late son was a natural at it while I can do it but not as well as he could.
That being said I sort of made up my own drill that worked for me. I just pointed my strong arm forefinger at things with both eyes open. Invariably my finger points exactly to what I point at. I just let my strong arm line the gun up my weak going along with it while maintaining a good grip. With a little practice point shooting out to 30 feet is very easy for me and most times a bit farther.
I may be doing it wrong but I dont concentrate on the front sight but the point I want the bullet to strike. The target is clear in my vision while the sights are a tad fuzzy. Im sure I do it "against the book" since i didnt read a book to learn it but it works for me. My left eye is quite a bit fuzzier than my right anyway from a skull fracture when I was young so that maybe why it works that way for me.

[retsupt99]

You don't want to look like a pirate when defending yourself in a Wally World parking lot.

It may take some practice, but you can easily learn to keep both eyes open.
After a while, it will actually seem odd to close one eye.