Your shooting technique

[HitNmiss]

Might of posted this in the wrong spot.but I'm trying to train myself to shoot with both eyes open.i shoot my rifle,shotgun,and pistol one eyes only.i can see the benefit with a pistol especially with both eyes open.

Both my pistol and shotgun both eyes open I ain't worth nuttin that way. With the pistol again both eyes open when I bring the gun up it takes a few secs for my eyes to adjust to the front site with my rear sight a blur a bit,as I'm told it's suppose to be.that my delemia,say in a defense situation both eyes open u have more feild of veiw.but if it takes a few seconds thats second u cannot spare.im told it takes practice to get used to it and have no problem with that.maybe more insight from other members?

Was kinda just curious how many others are there like me?people I know personally shoot all one eye.but nothing wrong with trying to further hone a skill.

 

[JBP55]

I learned to shoot pistols with both eyes open. I have been closing one eye for years because I now see double when trying to shoot or use a camera with both eyes open.

 

[Guate_shooter]

MOST people get to a point where they see 2 targets when they shoot w both eyes open with a handgun unless you have thousands of rounds downrange (which most dont), it works great for gaming when you can afford to "miss" and not kill a liability.

Quote from a known Instructor when a student asked him which target should he shoot since he was looking at two his words where "shoot in the middle" I asked what he meant by the middle and he believes that your brain actually separates the targets even further than the reality to be able to process what they are seing and by shooting the middle you focus both eyes in 1 point.

It will all depend on the situation, how close you are to the target and how much of a precise shot you need IMO.

THere are several ways to breakout tunnel vision which seems to be your main concern, AFTER you neutralize the first threat.

Keep in mind in a self defense situation your brain slows down to be able to process all the info that is receiving and that is one of the reassons WHY it seems that it takes forever when in reality it all last a 2-5 seconds, so adding more for it to process will only make it work at slower pace ........

 

[IfItFliesItDies]

Personally, I shoot handguns with one eye closed. I use both eyes for quick target acquisition but if I'm shooting for accuracy one eye is the way to go.

I've seen professional shooters do it both ways though. It all depends on what you're comfortable with.

 

[HitNmiss]

Haha man this will sound crazy,but I was laying in bed last night trying both eyes open aiming at a door Hindge and various things.kinda caught it real quick.but then started thinking.in defense two eyes would b better.so I'll practice at home messing around and at d range.once deer season is about to start ill sit with my rifle and a snap cap just to relearn or refresh myself of that trigger before goin shoot to freshen up for the season.

Gunna try both eyes open a bit more because I can see in many instances in a defense situation where it would be very benifical.also am looking into start shooting in little competitions at nicks.im by no means not profit ant with a pistol,don't mean it to sound so.just trying to learn a different technique.comp and def I can see benifits to shot both eyes open.

 

[3fifty7]

My wife is right handed and left eye dominate. She shoots her pistols right handed but with her head turned to 2 oclock and look down the sights with her left eye, and also having a contact point between the chin and right arm.

I attempt to shoot with both eyes open when possible. If Im gonna target shoot a pistol at distance I generally end up closing one eye.

 

[Russo]

I shoot with boths eyes open

 

[Rabbit]

Keep in mind in a self defense situation your brain slows down to be able to process all the info that is receiving and that is one of the reassons WHY it seems that it takes forever when in reality it all last a 2-5 seconds, so adding more for it to process will only make it work at slower pace ........

a freaky occurrence but very cool that our minds can do this.

 

[enutees]

I think you should learn to shoot with both eyes open. It is much faster and just as accurate. It does however take a lot of practice to do so. Most of which can be accomplished through dry fire as does not require as many rounds down range as most would have you think. I'm speaking of handguns mostly but it can be done with low power scopes and red dots on rifles as well as shotguns.

When you truly learn to shoot with both eyes there is no double image and it is just as clear of a sight picture as one closed. Maybe if I were shooting a very small target at 25+ yard distances with a handgun it might pay to get that razor sharp image.

And Guate, when we miss in competition it isn't because of having both eyes open while looking at the sights it is because the person missing isn't actually seeing the sights.

 

[Guate_shooter]

I think you should learn to shoot with both eyes open. It is much faster and just as accurate. It does however take a lot of practice to do so. Most of which can be accomplished through dry fire as does not require as many rounds down range as most would have you think. I'm speaking of handguns mostly but it can be done with low power scopes and red dots on rifles as well as shotguns.

When you truly learn to shoot with both eyes there is no double image and it is just as clear of a sight picture as one closed. Maybe if I were shooting a very small target at 25+ yard distances with a handgun it might pay to get that razor sharp image.

And Guate, when we miss in competition it isn't because of having both eyes open while looking at the sights it is because the person missing isn't actually seeing the sights.

Exactly that technique is prone for looking AT the target over the sights and not at the target through the sights ...............

Still two diferent things in my opinion

And by missing I didnt mean miss the target all together, simply miss the KILL zone on a person which is NO wheres located on the stomach like a gaming target tends to extend to. Kill zone on a person that can shoot back is nipple to nipple, and the lenght of sternum anything else outside of this zone is simply a miss that will NOT take a person down magically like most believe.

Its amazing how an aprooved paper silhoutte target has the X in the wrong spot ..............

 

[enutees]

Exactly that technique is prone for looking AT the target over the sights and not at the target through the sights ...............

Still two diferent things in my opinion

And by missing I didnt mean miss the target all together, simply miss the KILL zone on a person which is NO wheres located on the stomach like a gaming target tends to extend to. Kill zone on a person that can shoot back is nipple to nipple, and the lenght of sternum anything else outside of this zone is simply a miss that will NOT take a person down magically like most believe.

Its amazing how an aprooved paper silhoutte target has the X in the wrong spot ..............

I will respectfully disagree as I see my sights quite well with both eyes open. It is irrelevant where the scoring zone is on the target. If you changed our targets to be more anatomically correct then that is where I would shoot. It is not a matter of target focus or sight focus it is learning to see both things simultaneously.
Each shot you fire is different and requires a different amount of focus on the sights or target.

Of the people that I consider really good pistol shooters I only know of a very small handful that shoot with one eye.
I've gone back and forth on this with other "tactical" guys but won't do it again because this is the internet and as the old adage goes. Arguing on the internet is like running in the Special Olympics. Even if you win, you're still retarded.

 

[nickatnite]

In relation to "approved gaming targets", if you look at the NRA B-27 target and think about where the X-ring is in relation to vital organs, the top of the ring is where the aorta will be. Just lower of that is the top of the diaphragm and the lungs, so yeah, they are correct.

 

[HitNmiss]

I will respectfully disagree as I see my sights quite well with both eyes open. It is irrelevant where the scoring zone is on the target. If you changed our targets to be more anatomically correct then that is where I would shoot. It is not a matter of target focus or sight focus it is learning to see both things simultaneously.
Each shot you fire is different and requires a different amount of focus on the sights or target.

Of the people that I consider really good pistol shooters I only know of a very small handful that shoot with one eye.
I've gone back and forth on this with other "tactical" guys but won't do it again because this is the internet and as the old adage goes. Arguing on the internet is like running in the Special Olympics. Even if you win, you're still retarded.

I like to hear it from both sides d fence.while i mite not agree,with their opinion sometimes is does get the best of me.very good pointers so far though.bout to head to the range and do some load development and also give both eyes and one eye a try.and continue my training with both eyes mostly

 

[kcinnick]

right now I see two targets and two sights. I know which site to use, but don't know what target to hit so I close one eye when I am thinking about it. Tell you the truth, from Beep to Show clear I have now idea if I have both eyes open or not, but I am new to gun games.

 

[Guate_shooter]

 

[IfItFliesItDies]

I can tell you anatomically that the X on the gaming targets is near some important stuff. It'll either hit the diaphragm, inferior vena cava, aorta, or a bunch of bowel depending on penetration. None of those will cause instant stoppage, but all but the bowel will result in a pretty quick neutralization.

I do agree that the sternum is a better target though. I usually try to group on the 8 and 9 instead of the X when I'm practicing.

 

[Emperor]

I've gone back and forth on this with other "tactical" guys but won't do it again because this is the internet and as the old adage goes. Arguing on the internet is like running in the Special Olympics. Even if you win, you're still retarded.

Well, this adage may be old, but it is till damn funny!

 

[Sin-ster]

There are some World Class shooters that actually close one eye for certain types of shots at certain distances-- tight, past 15 yards, etc.

The vast majority shoot with both eyes open, always.

To the OP-- make sure of your eye dominance. What you're trying to learn will be an exercise in futility if you don't know whether or not you're cross-dominant. Also keep in mind that different vision qualities, ailments and the like may very well limit what you're capable of in the first place. It doesn't take much to throw your eye sight off, and perhaps shooting with both eyes open is physically impossible for you.

A dot on a rifle or a shotgun at clays/birds... You had darn well better be shooting with both eyes open, and a strict target focus (with the dot or bead as a mild background point of reference). This is vastly different from focusing on the front post while shooting a pistol, and if you're not using both eyes, you're just plain doing it wrong.

 

[Vanilla Gorilla]

I can tell you anatomically that the X on the gaming targets is near some important stuff. It'll either hit the diaphragm, inferior vena cava, aorta, or a bunch of bowel depending on penetration. None of those will cause instant stoppage, but all but the bowel will result in a pretty quick neutralization.

I do agree that the sternum is a better target though. I usually try to group on the 8 and 9 instead of the X when I'm practicing.

Bowel Wounds are not ecspecially lethal or painful. I say this from personal expirence, Im light by about 2 foot of small bowel secondary to GSW. The hype about abdominal wounds comes from Hollywood. The old....Im gut shot Johnny!... When you take out death resulting from Sepsis, Shock, Hypothermia and other wound related complications you will see outcomes that are really very good. You will not stop a threat by tearing up bowel or anything else in the lower abdomen for that matter. Even causing traumna to the liver which may result in death by exanguenation is a realitively slow process.

I treated a MARSOF guy with a 7.62x54R through and through to his abdomen that caused evisceration. He remained awake, alert, and orientated and in fact pleaded with me not to cut off his stupid Crye Shirt. I had to knock him down with a dose of Ketamine to get him to be still. Think about how far gut shot deer run.

Practice using a 5x8 card long ways and centered, with the top edge at the junction between the "head" and body of an IPSC Shilouette. Thats a much more realistic Combat Effective Area. You have to destroy major vascular structure or the Autonomic Nervous System. Anything else is a total crapshoot. Not what I said about DESTROYING Vascular Structures. Nicking or tearing an Aorta MAY and likely will result in death. Unfortunately events like the FBI's Miami Shootout show that it likely will not happen soon enough to save your life.

 

[Emperor]

Think about how far gut shot deer run.

Extremely good point! Many times they don't expire for days; when you haven't found them, and dispatched them on the track.