Is learning to shoot with both eyes open necessary?

[Xander]

I tried shooting both eyes open, and I was faster, but I did it a bit differently.

Instead of focusing on the front sight, I focused on the targets, but the sight is also clear in my sights.

Is this bad? When I focus on just the front sight the target is impossible to find almost, I'm slower, and the target ghosts horribly

I used to that too, what have helped me is to snap my eyes on the next target and look for the A zone, the gun follows (sights), and when I know (see) they are aligned, I just focus on the front blade, that's it and I break the shot.

[tackdr1ver]

Shooting with both eyes open is one of the hardest things to do. When I first started I was shooting out of one eye and it was killing my time and movement. A buddy noticed this and suggested I try keeping both eyes open, it was a great suggestion. The next several matches I tried to shoot with both eyes open but most of the time I would revert to one eye. After forcing myself to do it over and over again it got a little easier, two years later it is much much easier. I still get the ghost double at times(although it is rare) but I have learned to trust my judgement and just shoot. This is a difficult thing, stick with it and you'll get there! Hard work pays off and if you really want to elevate your game, you'll need to have both eyes open 99% of the time to do so!

[theycallmeingot]

I think shooting with both eyes open and which focus you use to shoot with are 2 totally different things. for most targets, for me, a focus on the targets is sufficient. It also happens to be much easier to have both eyes open using this focus. There will be the occasional long or small target where you will need to focus on the sights. it would be nice to have both eyes open on those too. i cant, unless i do the tape trick.

i've never heard anyone who can shoot with both eyes open say that it doesnt help them. i've only heard people who cant, dismiss it as unnecessary. and so i keep wearing my silly tape in hopes of one day not needing it.

[Xander]

For me, I always carry a natural lip balm

[canadianbacon]

I'm burning through bricks of 22 trying to get it down, My FO sight for my 22/45 comes in today, probably make it even easier,

so far I've been shooting black sights on black steel targets, it's been easy to lose the sights to say the least lol.

So far I've noticed my transitions are a lot faster, and my first shot from a holster is faster as well, it's easy to find the sights and get the on target with both eyes open

[tray999]

I shoot right handed but I am left eye dominate. I have tried to shoot handguns both eyes open for 30 years. I just can not do it... I wish I could!

[PrinC]

Shooting with both eyes open is one of the hardest things to do. When I first started I was shooting out of one eye and it was killing my time and movement. A buddy noticed this and suggested I try keeping both eyes open, it was a great suggestion. The next several matches I tried to shoot with both eyes open but most of the time I would revert to one eye. After forcing myself to do it over and over again it got a little easier, two years later it is much much easier. I still get the ghost double at times(although it is rare) but I have learned to trust my judgement and just shoot. This is a difficult thing, stick with it and you'll get there! Hard work pays off and if you really want to elevate your game, you'll need to have both eyes open 99% of the time to do so!

+1

Practice, practice, practice......That's what is needed to get it right. I can tell you that it is very necessary in practical shooting. Shooting with one eye when on the move actually hinders your speed and reaction time. Keep at it and you will get the hang of it in time.

[kimberacp]

I shoot right handed but I am left eye dominate. I have tried to shoot handguns both eyes open for 30 years. I just can not do it... I wish I could!

same with me...but I did change. using BE tip of masking taope over the left eye, while shooting, made the right eye muscles take over the job of focusing.

Try transparent tape over your left eye. Use it during dry fire, practice and go to a few matches. Before you know it, you will be using your right eye to focus.

It only takes a few weeks.

[tray999]

I shoot right handed but I am left eye dominate. I have tried to shoot handguns both eyes open for 30 years. I just can not do it... I wish I could!

same with me...but I did change. using BE tip of masking taope over the left eye, while shooting, made the right eye muscles take over the job of focusing.

Try transparent tape over your left eye. Use it during dry fire, practice and go to a few matches. Before you know it, you will be using your right eye to focus.

It only takes a few weeks.

Thanks Kimbercp, I will give it a try, but it's hard to teach us old dogs new tricks..... : )

[benos]

Is learning to shoot with both eyes open necessary?

For me, definitely not.

be

[nick romero]

That is a very tricky thing to learn. I have been trying to learn to shoot with both eyes open for a while now and im still struggling. i also am right handed but left eye dominant so i struggle with that but have learned to shoot left handed to adjust

[NicVerAZ]

I personally don't even know what I do. I know that when I shoot bullseye I close my other eye. This is because BE is a tunnel vision type of sport, pretty much like motorcycle racing or even bowling.

I am not sure if I use both eyes or not when I shoot practical... It does not seem to matter at all to me, I still have three dots aligned and the target behind.