Do you shoot with both eyes open??

Sir Henry - July 6, 2021

Ever since I first held a gun, I’ve always been trained to shoot with one eye open and one eye closed. But after watching this video called How to Shoot with Both Eyes Open, I have changed the way that I train and shoot.

Here are some key points that are made in the video that just make sense

• During a situation where you are needing to use your firearm, your fight or flight adrenaline response will kick in and your primal instinct will be to open both eyes wide open to absorb as much information as possible. The natural response is not to close one eye and precisely aim.
• We have two eyes to gain better sight picture, better field of depth, and to let more light in. Closing one eye cuts this down.
• Your field of vision is cut by a third when you close one eye. Try squinting one eye and see how much of your vision is now gone. What if there was an enemy coming at you from that blindspot?? Or even just for safety out on the range, wouldn’t you rather have that additional third of vision to keep an eye out for a loose kid or dummy who thinks he can start walking down range to retrieve his target when everyone else is still shooting??
• When you are squinting one eye for long periods of time when shooting, you get fatigue in your face. And for me, in my eyes as well. When I’ve spent a day on the range, the squinted eye and side of that face is tired because that’s not a muscle I use regularly.
• This technique can even be used with a rifle and a scope and can allow you to track your target or animal easier.

Now this is not something you can pick up and master after your first day at the range practicing this technique, it took me many times, but it will come. I’ll let the video explain how to train for this, so go watch that, but here is my experience.

After seeing this video, I emptied my gun and practiced what to expect while at home. Closed one eye and then opened the other and practiced gaining that sight picture following the advice given in the video. On the first day at the range, I shot a few rounds like normal and then tried the slightly squinted eye technique. I was able to hit the target a few times with both eyes open. Over the next two times to the range I was able to gain that sight picture faster and more accurately until it was second nature. I’m sure with continued practice it will be a better and safer way to shoot.

I wanted to share this technique with you all to see what your thoughts were and if anyone else practices this way of shooting. 

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Depends on the sight and the situation. I keep both eyes open with a red dot or a shotgun bead. With a pistol, I practice reflexive aiming. For more precise stuff, I’ll aim with one eye. But the problem is I’m right-handed but left-eye dominant. I really should shoot left-handed but I just can’t get the hang of it.

 

Being cross eye dominant does complicate things, but in that video he discusses that issue. 

 

I too am right handed but left eye dominant.  I have trained myself to shoot long guns left handed, otherwise I just get all bent out of shape.

I always shoot with both eyes open.

 

This is an older video by Lucas but still a good one. Both of these methods work for fixing any cross eye dominant issues you may have at first. I did this at first but I’m to the point now where I just ignore it and shoot normally, just takes a lot of reps for your eyes to get used to it. If you’re using an optic with magnification over roughly 3 or 4 power then just close your left eye and your right will take over, no need to worry about dominance with a higher powered optic, so long as the diopter is adjusted to your eye you’ll be fine. You put yourself at much more of a disadvantage by shooting on your non dominant side. Having a red dot on a handgun will also mitigate a lot of the problems from being cross eye dominant and make it much easier to shoot with both eyes open. Red dots on carry and duty handguns are quickly becoming the standard for a reason.

 

Thank you for sharing this video. I didn’t know this was something you could fix and work on.

 

Glad to help. Things like shooting with both eyes open are the standard in modern hangun techniques, and once mastered you’ll find it makes a world of difference. Once you’ve mastered it with iron sights consider trying a red dot, they’ll help to add another level of speed and accuracy to your shooting.