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Please Convince My Brother...


JP.308

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Recently, I was talking with my brother and he told me that he shoots clays with one eye closed. ;):blink::unsure::wacko::( I told him to try and use both (he is right-eye dominant so that's not the problem) and that he would shoot a lot better if he did. Well, as things normally go he didn't think that his brother's advice was good enough to convince him. He's willing to look at the response that I get here and listen to you guys. I have heard of a few other people shooting trap with one eye closed -this in't common nor correct is it?

Thanks!!!

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JP,

You are correct. Shotgun is a two eye sport.

Having said that, I'm a one eye (open) shooter. I've shot thousands of clays-mostly sporting and skeet with a little trap thrown in. I've also shot flyers and helice. I can't force that 2d eye open.

Trap is the easiest game (IMO) for a one eye shooter. The angles are much easier than the other disciplines.

I shot sporting clays this past weekend after nearly a year layoff. The left eye slammed shut-as always.

I did pull out the LC Smith live pigeon gun and run the 16 yard trap-low gun, of course. :D

I don't think I've helped your case-sorry.

Dave

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Ask him what does he see when he pulls the trigger. Get details. If it turns out that he likes to watch the rib, then that will do more harm than a closed eye.

Focus must be on the bird and gun movement mirrors the speed of the bird.

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I am 63,been shooting shotgun & reloading shotgun for 42 yrs. I started 1 eye.went to 2,back to 1,back to 2,etc,etc. I shoot all disiplines,trap,skeet,SC,5 stand,wobble, international bunker & IPSC 3-gun. I do not hunt birds.

The name of every single shotgun game is to HIT & BREAK AS MANY TARGETS AS YOU CAN.

If this means shooting 2 eyes,do it. 1 eye,do it. BLINDFOLDED,do it!!!!!

Do what breaks the most targets for YOU.

That what it is all about.

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Two eyes are better, if you don't have a cross dominance problem, because of depth perception. More important in clay target games with varied speeds, angles, etc, etc. Also, increased peripheral vision is a good thing.

Have him try parking a car, inbetween two parked cars, with one eye closed. :D

If you have to use one eye for whatever reason, then you can adapt. But, if you don't have to...take the advantaqe. ;)

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Thanks for all the info, just one question to Zhunter (or anyone else with comments) - Any tips on how to shoot a scoped rifle with both eyes open? I shoot both handgun and shotgun with both eyes open, but I never have seen how one could shoot a rifle with both eyes open. Is there much of an advantage to this on rifle anyway?

I'm going to print this out - hopefully it will be helpful to my brother (it's been helpful to me anyway) - he's pretty new at the sport and I believe if he learns now, how to shoot with both eyes open he can become a better shot for trap and waterfowl.

Thanks!!!

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OK, scoped rifle with two eyes open :ph34r:

Sorry, could not resist :D

Obviously your dominate eye is looking thru the scope, but your non-dominate eye is open and registering info the whole time too. Your mental image will be what is thru the scope, but the subconcious will take in other info as well. And if the need-be arises, your mind can shift to the non-doninate eye for alignment etc....

Like I have said many time inthe past, 2 is always better than one, which reminds me...

What do Bigamy and Monogomy have in common?

Bigamy is having one too many wives, so is Monogomy! :lol:

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Thanks for the reply, I understand the point behind it, but when I tried it last with rifle (again I shoot shotgun and handgun with both eyes open) it seemed that my scope eye couldn't focus well enough to see the target clearly.

I will try it again though and see what happens.

Thanks!

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  • 9 months later...

If you have an Open division gun or any gun with a red dot scope, place tape over the exit side of the optics. With both eyes open you can still see the target and the red dot (ACOG anyone?) one eye sees the target, the other eye sees the red dot and your brain overlays the two images into one image. If that doesn't convince your brother try this:

This is your brain shooting with both eyes open :)

This is your brain shooting with only one eye ;)

This is your brain shooting with only one eye when I kick your butt shooting with 2 eyes :wacko:

Nolan

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It's no different than shooting a limited pistol, some can shoot 2 eyes some can't. Shotguners use the same tricks we do, tape over lense etc. Find what works for you and stick with it. You can't force yourself into 2 eyes if you have any crossdominance including the kind that just shows up when your stressed or tired. Many good shotgunners shoot one eye just like many good pistol shooters do.

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  • 1 month later...

Lots of good shooters pull the trigger with only one eye open, but most of them keep both eyes open as they acquire the target and mount the gun. They only close the off eye (or the tape on their off lens only comes into play) as the gun mount is finished and they are about to pull the trigger.

bill

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  • 1 month later...

Careful shooting a scoped rifle with both eyes open, I was taught how to track moving game through a scoped rifle with both eyes open, the nonscope eye will see pretty much a full field of vision as the scoped eye stays in alighment. Make your brain process the cross hairs onto the nonscoped eye image, BUT you MUST close the nonscoped eye to fire, because the cross hairs will seem to be in a different spot on nonscoped eye verses the scoped eye. If you do keep the nonscoped eye open, you must force your brain to realize which crosshair image to fire at. Believe me, I tried it at the range, the cross hairs are ONLY aligned on the scoped eye image

Edited by Malak
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I've shot lot's of different disciplines and they all coached to have both eyes open. The reasons vary from it's more natual, you have depth of field, less muscles are strained, and your eyes calibrate to each other. For example, if you close an eye your other eye will change the amount of light it lets in as a response. Not sure if this is true or not but made sense to me.

I started using both eyes with 3 position rifle 20 years ago. I used a piece of an opaque plastic milk jug attached to the left side of the rear peep sight. A "blinder" but it still let in light. I would shoot with my right eye and then lean over and check my shot in the spotting scope with my left eye, and always have both eyes open. After doing this several thousand times I no longer needed the blinder or any aides and I shoot anything with both eyes open now. Very very handy with a scoped rifle where you can see things going on around you and much faster target transitions.

My point is it takes some practice but I sure prefer it. There are some good suggestions here on ways to help get him there.

Little off topic but a cool trick you can do with a spotting scope... look through the scope with your left eye but see what you're looking at with your right eye. You move the scope until the object you want to see is the center of the big ring you can see with your left eye and then magically it appears in the scope.

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  • 2 months later...

Both eyes open and on the target. If you take time to look at the sight bead you are going to miss. I use the sights to make sure my shotgun is properly mounted before calling for the bird. Also, if you pick your head up off of the stock you are assured of seeing one thing. An unbroken clay target.

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