One eye vs. two?

[Slotimus]

I bet there have been a couple of threads about this but I wanted a new one so I could get some fresh input on the idea. Does anyone know some tips and tricks to try at the range tomorrow to help me shoot with both open? I have shot shotguns and rifles my whole life and only now that i'm 21 i'm shooting pistols. I need your help in learning to shoot with both open due to self defense issues. Thanks guys.

[Philadelphia]

Step one -- keep both eyes open.

Two -- if you're having a little trouble with which rear sight and which target are the ones to use, try half winking your non-dominant eye a little. For some people, this is enough to sort it out at first. (with my own eyes, depending on the lighting if my non-dominant eye gets better/brighter lighting it sometimes wants to take over -- a quick half wink gets the dominant eye back in charge fast).

If that doesn't work, try smearing a little vaseline on the non-dominant eye lens of your shooting glasses until you get the hang of it. Use less and less until you need none.

If that doesn't work, put a piece of masking tape on the shooting glasses. Then go to the vaseline. Then go to the half wink. Then you won't need anything.

Some combination of the above will work for almost everyone.

[J8300]

To know which one to line up you simply line up the sights normally with your dominant eye open and the other closed. Then you open them both, then close your weak eye again and note which one disappears and which is in the same place as when you started. Now you know which one you have to line up with both eyes open.

Then you just have to remind yourself to do it with both eyes open until you do it automatically.

If you know you want both eyes open and you know which image you need to line up it's just a matter of making sure you do it. Practice it while shooting and eventually that other eye wont creep closed.

[BUCKMARK]

I'm in the process of learning the old Jedi trick of shooting with both eyes closed. It's a real bitch! I shot the window out of the wife's SUV yesterday...just when I thought I had it down.


Just keep practicing, you will get the hang of it in time. Just remember to start out slow and worry more about hitting targets with both eyes open, and less about speed.

[fultonCoShooter]

Originally Posted by BUCKMARK

I'm in the process of learning the old Jedi trick of shooting with both eyes closed. It's a real bitch! I shot the window out of the wife's SUV yesterday...just when I thought I had it down.


Just keep practicing, you will get the hang of it in time. Just remember to start out slow and worry more about hitting targets with both eyes open, and less about speed.

now thats some funny shit right there!!

Did you yell "look what you made me do" afterwards?

[Wasz]

On your shooting glasses, put a little piece of tape that blocks out your view of the front sight in the weak eye. So right eye dominant, put the tape on the left lens. The tape should not block out your entire lens, just a portion of it where the front sight is. Then shoot with both eyes open. After a while remove the tape. If you need to then squint the left eye until you can keep it open. I just went through this and its still tough. Every so often I lose focus and have to think about getting it back.

Also it helped that when I first tried it (after shooting with one eye for years including with my handguns) I just shot. I shot at nothing and just concentrated on the sights. Once you get seeing the front sight a little more under control then try punching some paper. Its not as hard as it seems when you first start out, it just takes some getting used to.

[sjl127]

Find this book:

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/boo...=9781889031941

Instinct Combat Shooting: Defensive Handgunning for Police

It's helped me out tremendously.

This is what the books about - 2 eyes open, instinctively knowing where to point your pistol wherever it is.