Bob The Great

Focusing on the front sight has been an issue for me ever since I started shooting. Like so many, my first instinct was to focus on the target and I had nobody to correct me, so I got into this bad habit. Even so, I've always been a "good enough shot" that I never devoted much time to learning to really focus on the front sight. But, now I've decided to correct this, and here's my issue.

By focusing on the front sight with both eyes open, I see two targets, neither one of which is "right." When focused on the target, I see two guns, but I've learned to use the "left-hand" gun (seen by my dominant right eye), and ignore the other one. But that doesn't work with two targets, because the true target is roughly half-way between the two apparent targets. I did some experimenting today with my airsoft pistol, and couldn't hit jack aiming at either target. Aiming between them gave me better results, but I was still guessing to find the half-way point.

Eventually, I developed a kind of work-around, but I don't know if this is just me making things up, or if this is how it's really supposed to work.

I first focus on the target, then, without moving my eyes, change focus to the front sight. This way, I see one target, but it is fuzzy, and my front sight is crystal clear. I use the "left-hand gun" like I'm used to, put the front sight on the fuzzy single target, and fire. This worked OK, but I get the feeling I'm missing a crucial step. It is also not as fast because I have to switch focus from far to near to get the front sight clear without doubling up my target. Maybe this is just a practice issue, though.

Who can enlighten me about this? I'm kinda teaching myself, with the help of the internets, and all I've been able to find is that the target should be blurry, and the front sight clear (which I knew). Nothing about shooting this way with both eyes open.

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Freakdaddy

When's the last time you've seen an optometrist? It sounds like you could have a form of diplopia. When my dad first started me off on shooting with a rifle, I was shooting right handed as I'm right handed. I could not see the sight or target at all. He then, after much fustration on his part, had me shoot left handed. I was nailing it every time so we just thought I as an abnormality. I shoot long guns left handed and pistols right handed but using my left eye to aim. Years later an optometrist told me my right eye was a lazy eye. It would turn in slightly when I tried to focus on things but never to such a degree that people around me noticed it doing it. Whenever I tried to aim with my right eye, I would eventually lose the target/sight all together. I can shoot with both eyes open without any difficulty though.

Try shooting while closing your non-dominant eye and see if that helps. Or even now at home, close one eye and aim like you would at the range and then reverse it with the other eye and see what the results are. If you have a lazy eye, the difference between the two will be significant. It's hard to explain but you'll see (pun intended) what I'm talking about. Make sure your guns unloaded though. Closing one eye may be the only way for you to overcome it as no corrective surgery will fix it that I'm aware of. That's why I've never had the Lasik surgery done as it would only correct my vision, not my lazy eye. At least my glasses gives my "good" eye some protection. If anything happened to that one, I'd be screwed. Here's some info on diplopia.
Diplopia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Bob The Great

I'm due for an eye checkup, but I'm fairly certain I don't have diplopia. I can focus on any object I want from my nose out to infinity and get a single perfect image, but as I rotate my eyes to align them to a near object, far objects go out of alignment and result in 2 images of the far object and one of the near. Conversely, focusing on a far object gives the illusion of 2 near objects because the alignment of both eyes converges past the near object. I don't think this is a problem, it's just an artifact of binocular vision.

__________________
"A well-educated electorate, being necessary to the continuance of a free state, the right of the people to keep and read books shall not be infringed."
Is this hard to understand? Then why does it get unintelligible to some people when 5 little words are changed?

matiki

Have you checked eye dominance? With both eyes open point at something far away. Keep your hand pointing and cover your left or right eye. When you cover your dominant eye, it'll appear you are pointing at something else/your hand moved. I have nearly equal dominance... only a slight nudge in favor of my right eye. I can shoot both eyes open, but I must squint my left eye.

This exercise will also help you figure out if it's a real problem - even though with both eyes open you can't be sure where you are pointing - when you cover your non-dominant eye you should be pointing spot on at your target.

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Each of us has a natural right - from God - to defend his person, his liberty, and his property. These are the three basic requirements of life, and the preservation of any one of them is completely dependent upon the preservation of the other two. Frederic Bastiat, The Law

Bob The Great

I'm definitely right-eye dominant, which is handy since I shoot right-handed.

So, what do other people see when they focus on the front sight? 1 gun, 2 targets? 2 guns, 1 target? 1 gun, 1 target? (somehow?)

I had my gf do a couple of tests, and her eyes behave exactly the same way mine do. I can get either gun or target to converge into a single image, but not both. Which one do people use?

__________________
"A well-educated electorate, being necessary to the continuance of a free state, the right of the people to keep and read books shall not be infringed."
Is this hard to understand? Then why does it get unintelligible to some people when 5 little words are changed?

Shotdown

When I focus on the front sight, I see a huge dot and a blurry target behind it. I just want to keep that front sight where it needs to be. You already know where your target is, now keep the sights aligned.

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Bob The Great

Do you shoot with both eyes open?

__________________
"A well-educated electorate, being necessary to the continuance of a free state, the right of the people to keep and read books shall not be infringed."
Is this hard to understand? Then why does it get unintelligible to some people when 5 little words are changed?

kentuckycarry

I'm with ya here. When I look at the front sight, I see two targets. I'm left eye dominant but right handed. I was told by an instructor to turn my head to the right a bit, it helps.....

Bob The Great

well, at least I'm not alone.

I just tried to head turning - didn't do much for me. Maybe if I were cross-dominant, it would help, but I have to turn my head so far to the left, I'm basically looking over my shoulder by the time the targets got anywhere close to lined up.

Do you choose one target over the other, even with the head turning?

__________________
"A well-educated electorate, being necessary to the continuance of a free state, the right of the people to keep and read books shall not be infringed."
Is this hard to understand? Then why does it get unintelligible to some people when 5 little words are changed?

QKShooter

Self Defense Shooting and punching holes in paper are really two different animals.

You are in all probability never going to have time to do (below) in an actual self-defense scenario.

You'll need to clear leather and "hit it" fast and furious close in.
Work hard on doing that.

Also:
With your particular vision related problem you're a perfect candidate for a laser sight system added to your self~defense firearm.
Were I you I would absolutely invest in Crimson Trace or a LaserMax.
That way you'll only need to look at the target and you will not need to look at your firearm at all in a deadly threat scenario.
A laser sight system should work out great for you as you'll only have one red dot at the intended Point Of Impact to be concerned with.
In your case a laser would be the fastest and best way to actually get bullets into the bad guy in a big hurry.

"I first focus on the target, then, without moving my eyes, change focus to the front sight.
This way, I see one target, but it is fuzzy, and my front sight is crystal clear.
I use the "left-hand gun" like I'm used to, put the front sight on the fuzzy single target, and fire.
This worked OK, but I get the feeling I'm missing a crucial step. It is also not as fast because I have to switch focus from far to near to get the front sight clear without doubling up my target.
Maybe this is just a practice issue, though."

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