training red dot with the front covered?

[AverageJoeShooting]

Im curious to know if anyone does training where you put tape over the front of the red dot so it allows you to be more target focused?

Yong lee is a proponent of this training method 

[DodgeNerd]

I've tried it in Tim Herrons class, it works 

[Aircooled6racer]

Hello: I have shot whole matches with the front of the red dot covered. It really helps with your target focus and using both eyes effectively. I also find it helps new red dot shooters with not following the dot to the next target. The boucing ball syndrome I call it. It helps them to transition to the next target faster and actually pick up the dot quicker. Your eyes and brain will take a little while to figure it out if you are used to one eyed shooting but when you do it opens up a whole better way of shooting. Thanks, Eric

[BoyGlock]

8 hours ago, Aircooled6racer said:

Hello: I have shot whole matches with the front of the red dot covered. It really helps with your target focus and using both eyes effectively. I also find it helps new red dot shooters with not following the dot to the next target. The boucing ball syndrome I call it. It helps them to transition to the next target faster and actually pick up the dot quicker. Your eyes and brain will take a little while to figure it out if you are used to one eyed shooting but when you do it opens up a whole better way of shooting. Thanks, Eric

Yup. But it never help those uninformed ROs staring in awe wondering how you hit those targets w/ that lols or repeating command several times to be sure “you are ready”

[AverageJoeShooting]

Thank you all! i think im going to incorporate this into my training

[zzt]

I don't think it will take any time at all to get used to that.  The first time I 'tried' it was by accident.  I was shooting my bullseye gun with tube red dot and polarizing filter.  The front lens loosened and started to rotate.  By the time I was done there was no light coming through the sight.  The only thing I noticed was the target seemed dimmer.

[NamesNotMike]

I spent 75% of the first day and 25% of second day of Ben Stoeger's class with a paster in front of my dot. He noticed during the practice stage that I was dot focused or following the dot and not target focused. It took me awhile to, see around/through the dot to see the target but once I did it helped to call the shots better and transitions  improved. It does make you look at the target to confirm that you are not moving your eyes too soon to the next target on transitions.

I dry fire and live fire practice now and again with the dot covered to reinforce target focus.

[wingnut]

Are you covering the dot in a match or just practice?

[Chillywig]

I just covered a dot to see what you guys are talking about. So is the goal to see the dot with the dominate eye and target with non dominate eye forcing you to keep both eyes open? 

[clw42]

1 hour ago, Chillywig said:

I just covered a dot to see what you guys are talking about. So is the goal to see the dot with the dominate eye and target with non dominate eye forcing you to keep both eyes open? 

 

The goal is to be target focused and not be looking through the window of the red dot to see the sight on the target.  You should be looking to a spot on the target that you want to shoot, the dot shows up at that spot and then you shoot.  If you're looking through the window, then your following the gun around with your eyes.  The gun should be following your eyes.  If you're doing it right, the image you see won't change whether the dot is covered or not.  Another thing to try is dimming it way down (for training purposes, obviously you want to be able to see it on a sunny day outside).  A bright dot attracts your focus back to the dot when it should be on the target.

 

[Dan4147]

Good discussion.  Thanks.  I have never tried it, but will soon.  But, I can't see anyway.

[cnote]

[FTP_Shooting_Sports]

It works very well for training to shoot open with both eyes open. It is also a lot of fun to tease the uninformed. Just tell them that "open guns shoot themselves" which is what all non-open shooters think anyways

[vluc]

It is a magic dot after all!

[quiller]

Magic dot indeed. I just tried it and its very effective....guess I never realized who much I was tracking the dot and not the target! Thanks all

[Bakerjd]

If you want to see and here what one shooter thinks of it check out pops quest on you tube. He has done it for a few matches and has commentary of his thoughts. He seems to notice it helps with target focus a LOT. 

[Jules1985]

Please excuse that I hijack the topic. how is the red dot covered in order to achieve the effect? this type of training is completely unknown in this country.

[StefVanHauwe]

1 minute ago, Jules1985 said:

Please excuse that I hijack the topic. how is the red dot covered in order to achieve the effect? this type of training is completely unknown in this country.

Piece of paper/tape that covers the front of the red dot. You can still see the red dot, but because you cannot look through the glass you're required to focus on the target.

[Jules1985]

Thank you very much.

[AverageJoeShooting]

i posted a video of me shooting a match with the front part of the dot covered in uspsa shooting if you want to see how it works

[Jules1985]

Of course!

Would love to see it.

[AverageJoeShooting]

 

here it is

[TommyK]

There is some really good information in this thread. Thanks,..

[Nathanb]

I’ve got the sro cover from stone ridge gun works. I think i shoot better with the dot covered tbh 

[AverageJoeShooting]

17 hours ago, Nathanb said:

I’ve got the sro cover from stone ridge gun works. I think i shoot better with the dot covered tbh 

I covered my dot and liked it so much I never uncovered it.