Shooting with both eyes open

[jirushi]

Lately I have been trying to shoot with both eyes open, as I know this is better.
Mostly to prevent eye fatigue, in my experience.
With scoped guns, I find this easy and indeed much more relaxed; not squeezing my left eyes shut feels better.

However, with my vintage airguns that do not have a scope, I am struggling.
Both with aperture sight as with standard rear sight.
I focus on the target with my right eye for a second or so, then my left eye seems to "win" the focus contest, and I have to close it at this point in order to see things clearly.

I wondered if there are tricks / training techniques to make it easier to shoot with both eyes open?
I remember seeing competition shooters using something in front of their shooting glasses to prevent the "other" eye from seeing the target as well?

Many thanks

[kash2001]

Hi yes both eyes open has always been preferable, I was taught to shoot this way when competing at Bisley and in the junior national squad. The idea is to reduce eye fatigue on the dominant eye and better field of vision etc.

Having a dominant eye really helps as I did and feels natural to keep both eyes open. People do use a peace of clear plastic on a head band or a hazed lense in a pair of glasses. It's better not to block light to the non shooting eye, as muscle strain occurs.

They are quite simple to make but I'm sure someone must sell something similar nowadays, just never needed it myself.

Happy shooting and keep trying as eventually it'll become natural.

Atb

[xbow]

I used to wear shooting specs and had a translucent “blinder” for my other eye. Some folks had blinders on their shooting caps if they didn’t need glasses.

[AC99]

As above. If you are shooting a rifle or pistol with open sights (as opposed to optics) then it is always better to keep your non-sighting eye open and use a blinder to restrict the amount of light entering that eye thus minimising the strain cased by attempting to keep one eye open and the other closed.

If you normally wear glasses then find an old pair which will focus on your front sight. If, as you say, you are attempting to focus on the target, this means you are not aligning the sights which will be out of focus. By focussing on the front sight the target will appear blurred as will the rear sight but by doing this, sight alignment errors will be minimised. You obviously cant focus on all three at the same time. If you want to take it really seriously you may consider buying shooting frames - spectacle frames with a lens holder one side (for fitting a prescription lens) and a blinder for the other eye; all can be adjusted to suit individual requirements, but they are quite expensive.

If you visit the 'Target Shooting' forum on this site you will almost certainly find relevant posts. Good luck!

[Muskett]

The non dominant eye is not fully open, but semi open. All sorts of tricks to help with this. This semi open allows some light to the eye, and so alleviates some eye strain as both eyes have some light going to them.
The dominant eye is actually doing all the work and computing.

Both eye open shooting as in a shot gun, or using a superimposed red dot, is quite different.

There is a lot to using iron sights correctly. Mighty accurate, precise, they can be. Young eyes is always a help as there is quite a lot to do.

[jirushi]

Thank you for all the interesting replies. I appreciate it.

When shooting with a scope, I find it easy and natural to keep the non-sighting eye fully open too.
But with open sights, I will have to practice.
A blinder, and a semi-open non-sighting eye.
And focussing on the front sight.

Strange how I am only learning this now. But it's never too late to learn!

Probably a daft question, but why is using a peepsight easier on the eyes than a "normal" rear sight?

[ptdunk]

I use a flip down diffusing blinder on some normal safety glasses for 10m pistol and pistol HFT with open sights and keep both eyes fully open.

got them from intershoot: https://www.intershoot.co.uk/product...r-for-glasses/

and a blinder for 10m rifle that attaches to the rearsight and I've made a leather one for use with a no.8 rearsight on a Britannia. (sacrilege I know)
I shoot HFT & FT both eyes open with a scope, but when it comes to vintage rifle with open sights I just close my left eye. I know it's not ideal but I couldn't get on with both eyes open with open sights on either rifle or pistol and a flip down eye blinder for vintage comps seems a bit much.

[IMG][/IMG]

Probably a daft question, but why is using a peepsight easier on the eyes than a "normal" rear sight?

I think whereas with open sights you focus on the front sight, and so the rearsight and target are a bit blurred, the diopter brings the frontsight and target into focus, which makes it easier to aim, plus if you have a ring front sight the human eye can line up a circle within a circle very accurately, throw a round target into the mix and you can line them all up inside each other very accurately.

Cheers,
Matt

[trajectory]

Guess it's not easy if you are not used to it but theres a couple of things that might help.

Assuming you know your sight is ok & been recently confirmed you dont need corrective lenses or need them updating. Sorry but it's important to know you are starting off ok.

Shoot in good light, ensure the sights are clear, correct eye relief to rear sight sufficient gap or border if using a square blade, ensure you can focus on front sight. Good contrast between sights & background. Practice for short periods, stop before tiredness or strain kicks in. Take a few deeper than average breaths before taking aim. Dont hold aim too long, concentrate but dont rush. Take time between shots. Establish a time pattern & try to follow it. Rest between shots, look at objects & focus on things at varying distances.

Glasses / shades might help.

Practice, build up stamina over time, don't expect massive changes quickly......patience is key.

I'm lucky I was taught to shoot with both eyes open from the start so it 2nd nature but I can see how it might be less natural to some.

Ps dont think it works with BSA light patterns though ( just kidding)

Edit. Forgot to mention dry practice.......you can pracice without actually needing to fire a pellet, just holding the rifle on aim & replicate the holding/ sighting regime is good practice. Try to replicate lighting conditions & sight picture though.

[jirushi]

I use a flip down diffusing blinder on some normal safety glasses for 10m pistol and pistol HFT with open sights and keep both eyes fully open.

got them from intershoot: https://www.intershoot.co.uk/product...r-for-glasses/

and a blinder for 10m rifle that attaches to the rearsight and I've made a leather one for use with a no.8 rearsight on a Britannia. (sacrilege I know)
I shoot HFT & FT both eyes open with a scope, but when it comes to vintage rifle with open sights I just close my left eye. I know it's not ideal but I couldn't get on with both eyes open with open sights on either rifle or pistol and a flip down eye blinder for vintage comps seems a bit much.

[IMG][/IMG]




I think whereas with open sights you focus on the front sight, and so the rearsight and target are a bit blurred, the diopter brings the frontsight and target into focus, which makes it easier to aim, plus if you have a ring front sight the human eye can line up a circle within a circle very accurately, throw a round target into the mix and you can line them all up inside each other very accurately.

Cheers,
Matt

Hello Matt,
Thank you for your reply and the photo.
Those look very useful to make shooting with both eyes open, possible/easier. Good idea to attach a blinder to the peepsight.
You might be right that using a blinder is a bit ott when shooting a Light Pattern.
But I will try it, to see how I get on.

[jirushi]

Guess it's not easy if you are not used to it but theres a couple of things that might help.

Assuming you know your sight is ok & been recently confirmed you dont need corrective lenses or need them updating. Sorry but it's important to know you are starting off ok.

Shoot in good light, ensure the sights are clear, correct eye relief to rear sight sufficient gap or border if using a square blade, ensure you can focus on front sight. Good contrast between sights & background. Practice for short periods, stop before tiredness or strain kicks in. Take a few deeper than average breaths before taking aim. Dont hold aim too long, concentrate but dont rush. Take time between shots. Establish a time pattern & try to follow it. Rest between shots, look at objects & focus on things at varying distances.

Glasses / shades might help.

Practice, build up stamina over time, don't expect massive changes quickly......patience is key.

I'm lucky I was taught to shoot with both eyes open from the start so it 2nd nature but I can see how it might be less natural to some.

Ps dont think it works with BSA light patterns though ( just kidding)

Edit. Forgot to mention dry practice.......you can pracice without actually needing to fire a pellet, just holding the rifle on aim & replicate the holding/ sighting regime is good practice. Try to replicate lighting conditions & sight picture though.

Thank you for your great advice.
Dry practice is a good idea; I can even do that in my house.
I went to an optometrist recently. My eyesight is fine, although I am a tiny little bit nearsighted.
Taking it easy, and taking a few deep breaths before taking aim is also a good tip. I have tried this before, but forgot soon after.
I have some work to do! It's all good fun.