MetropolisLake Posted January 11, 2014 Share Posted January 11, 2014 Here's something I don't get. So you're supposed to shoot with both eyes open. Fine. But, you're apparently also supposed to focus on your front sight, allowing the rear sight and the target to blur. Sounds good at least. Do you know what happens if you do both these at the same time? You see two targets! How are these two ideas compatible??? Makes no sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MetropolisLake Posted January 11, 2014 Author Share Posted January 11, 2014 http://www.homedefensegun.net/front-sight/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bountyhunter Posted January 11, 2014 Share Posted January 11, 2014 (edited) There are two kinds of focus: mechanical (eye lense) focus and brain focus. If you eye focus on the front sight, it will double image the target. If you eye focus on the target with the sight picture in your sight line, it will "soft focus" the sights but you can give it brain awareness and align sights. The second method for nearsighted pwople like me is to have glasses made where the eye focus of the laft eye is distance and the right eye is at sight length. In that case, I can use both eyes with left eye target focused and right eye sight focused and shift brain attention back and forth. You can also use a peep sighter (Meritt sighter) which actually allows focusing the sight image and the target at the same time, or very close to it. Edited January 11, 2014 by bountyhunter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bountyhunter Posted January 11, 2014 Share Posted January 11, 2014 (edited) The problem with using hard single front sight focus for CQB (defense) situations is that closing one eye probably eliminates 80% of the field of view since the gun is obscuring so much of the view with the sighting eye, which is the only one left to see with. I agree you absolutely need to see the sights, but you certainly can see them well enough by "looking through" them with soft focus to score a 3" group or less at the sub-7 yard range that 99.99% of all defense situations involve. Edited January 11, 2014 by bountyhunter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grapemeister Posted January 11, 2014 Share Posted January 11, 2014 (edited) I tempted to say most, but at least a good many shooters eventually are able to learn which sight picture, or set of sights is the good one when shooting with both eyes open and seeing a double or second ghost image of the sights. Over time you don't even notice the second set of sights. I had this problem many years ago and I overcame it with time and practice. The double imagine was there I just learned which set of sights to look at. Some years ago my left eye became even more dominant as my right eye became weaker. Now I just use my left eye to shoot with, although both eyes are still wide open. Give it some time, the ghost imagine will eventually go away as you learn to ignore it. If time and practice still doesn't work for you, put a piece of scotch tape over one lens of your glasses. Edited January 11, 2014 by grapemeister Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MetropolisLake Posted January 11, 2014 Author Share Posted January 11, 2014 I can handle a ghost image of my sights. What I can't handle is two targets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grapemeister Posted January 11, 2014 Share Posted January 11, 2014 I can handle a ghost image of my sights. What I can't handle is two targets. Shoot both? Sorry, I can't help you with that one. I'm sure someone will chime in with some suggestions. In the mean time you may want to go back and search old post. This same problem comes up all the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasref Posted January 11, 2014 Share Posted January 11, 2014 I had the same problem when starting out. Try this tip I saw. Start with one eye closed and sight the weapon. Just before you squeeze open the closed eye. Also practice dry-firing with both eyes open at home. Remember weapon empty and ammo in another room! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mgardner Posted January 11, 2014 Share Posted January 11, 2014 I focus on the target only and snap my eyes to the next and the gun follows. When I press out to the target the gun is always a bit low and as the sights come into my peripheral vision I make any slight correction then as they come onto the target I quickly focus on the front and finish pressing the trigger. It happens rapidly enough that I have never experienced seeing two of anything. The only time I ever had problems was for a few years after being hurt badly I needed to shoot left handed and use my weak eye. Then it was impossible to shoot a rifle or shotgun without taping the glasses or shutting one eye. Pistols shooting was still done with the dominant eye. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coyote4x4 Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 It takes practice, that's all. Just today, in fact, my friend and I were teaching a newbie for his first foray into competitions and this very thing came up. He was seeing double images and didn't know which one to shoot. One trick is to put a piece of scotch tape over your shooting glasses of your non-dominant eye. After a while (a "while" meaning weeks or longer), your brain figures it out and it's second nature. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nebwake Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 I have had this problem my whole shooting life. I was born left eye dominant and right handed. I shoot all weapons right handed. After working to become right eye dominant by wearing one contact, and wearing an eye patch while at home, I became omni dominant with my eyes, Bsically whatever eye has something infront of it, the other takes over. Kinda a problem with shooting both eyes open. So like many have said, place a small piece of tape over your shooting glasses right in your field of view. This only needs to be 1/4"x1/4". In tactical situations when I dont have my shooting glasses on, I instinctivly squint my left eye slightly, which does the same thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MetropolisLake Posted January 13, 2014 Author Share Posted January 13, 2014 It takes practice, that's all. Just today, in fact, my friend and I were teaching a newbie for his first foray into competitions and this very thing came up. He was seeing double images and didn't know which one to shoot. One trick is to put a piece of scotch tape over your shooting glasses of your non-dominant eye. After a while (a "while" meaning weeks or longer), your brain figures it out and it's second nature. I was doing ok until I read that article above. I've been shooting with both eyes open unless I need a lot of accuracy. I'm starting to think that saying "focus" on the front sight is just bad wording. It is literally impossible to have both eyes open, with both of them focusing on the target so only one target appears, yet also "focus" on your front sight. "Pay attention to", or "look at" your front sight even though your two eyes are focused on the target makes more sense. Actually the first response about hard vs. soft focus makes more sense than anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captain037 Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 I think the description of focussing so that the front sight is clear and the rear and target are out if focus is confusing. I rather describe it as a clear front sight and less clear rear and target. You have to be able to correct the relationships of the three as a whole. If you focus so hard that the target doubles, I think that's to much. It does take practice, slow fire practice until it clicks. It will click if you stay at it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
56hawk Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 It is literally impossible to have both eyes open, with both of them focusing on the target so only one target appears, yet also "focus" on your front sight. "Pay attention to", or "look at" your front sight even though your two eyes are focused on the target makes more sense It is possible, it just takes practice. Part of the confusion though is in how we use the word focus. The front sight should be in focus meaning it is a clear picture. Your eyes however are both pointing at the target, so you only see one image of the target. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scffacenter1 Posted January 14, 2014 Share Posted January 14, 2014 Finally just broke this habit myself. I used chapstick on my shooting glasses (left lens) and it worked pretty well. Took almost a complete month of dryfire drills 4 times a week. Another thing that also helps me is to squint my non dominant eye just as I am aquring a sight picture. Then when you relax that eye, the dominant eye takes over and then the brain ignores the "other target" Give it a while and you won't even see the other one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captain037 Posted January 14, 2014 Share Posted January 14, 2014 When I train new shooters, mostly new police officers, I begin by explaining that you never would walk around with one eye closed or in some of those crouched positions that some shooters adopt. That would skew your perception of things around you. The reason, anything that changes the blood flow to the optic nerve can change how we see things. I realized this years ago when we still qualified shooting a ppc course that consisted largely of shooting from the barricade. I watched shooters follow the weapon as it crept down the barricade and hence their body position become somewhat contorted and their neck at odd angles. When they did this many of them shot groups at a different point on the target. My optometrist verified that restricted blood flow can change how the optic nerve sees. Now, I know that this is not possible in a match but you can practice standing and shooting in as natural a position as possible some as a part of your other drills. Like anything else, practice as correctly as possible and the real world or a match will take care of its self. Sorry if this was a long winded way to say that in my opinion shooting with both eyes open is benificial and is worth learning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ssanders224 Posted January 14, 2014 Share Posted January 14, 2014 (edited) It takes practice, that's all. Just today, in fact, my friend and I were teaching a newbie for his first foray into competitions and this very thing came up. He was seeing double images and didn't know which one to shoot. One trick is to put a piece of scotch tape over your shooting glasses of your non-dominant eye. After a while (a "while" meaning weeks or longer), your brain figures it out and it's second nature. I was doing ok until I read that article above. I've been shooting with both eyes open unless I need a lot of accuracy. I'm starting to think that saying "focus" on the front sight is just bad wording. It is literally impossible to have both eyes open, with both of them focusing on the target so only one target appears, yet also "focus" on your front sight. "Pay attention to", or "look at" your front sight even though your two eyes are focused on the target makes more sense. Actually the first response about hard vs. soft focus makes more sense than anything. I think you need to do some more researching/ reading. There are some very long threads on the site with good information on this subject. You are using the word "focus" indiscriminately. You focus on the sights, but let your eyes CONVERGE on the target. The sights will be clear, but there will be two sets. The target will be fuzzy, but there will only be one. Having two sets of sights is not a problem, because your dominant eye and brain will use the correct set. Seperating your "focus" and your "convergence" is most certainly possible. I dont understand why so many people act like seeing "correctly" should just happen. It is exactly like any other shooting skill. It will happen naturally for some, and be something that requires a lot of training for others. Edited January 14, 2014 by Ssanders224 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now