[meccan416]

Hello Fellow members,
I have been shooting pistols for some time now (over 20 years) and I want to take my accuracy as well as technique to another level . I'm a left eye dominant and right handed shooter which adds another twist to what I'm trying to accomplish. I've already started a regime where I pratice around 20 minutes a day dry firing my P226 with both eye's open and so far it hasn't been as bad as I thought. My big question that I have read mixed reviews on is what should my focus be on, the target or front sight? I'm hoping that someone with my same cross dominance that shoots with both eyes open can help clear up my question as well as give me some tips that will help make this transisition smoother. Thanks!!!

[dango]

So , that's my problem ? Maybe I'll try that , an open eye !

[NEOH212]

I'm not cross eye dominant but I shoot with both eyes opened 99% of the time and I focus on the front sight and the target at the same time. My rear sight is blurry to me if that makes any sense.

At distance, like 100 yards I may close my non dominant eye for accuracy but not often.

[NEOH212]

I find my hit rate out to 50 yards is much greater when I shoot with both eyes opened and at 100 yards and slightly beyond, I do better with my non-dominant eye closed.

I can shoot faster with a higher hit rate with both eyes opened.

[Keoking]

I haven't read very much, but what I have read has said to focus on the front sight, and the target should be a little out of focus.
I'm also right handed / left eye dominant. I used to shoot with my left eye shut, but retaught myself to shoot with both eyes open. Changing my shooting eye from right to left was ... interesting to say the least. It took a while, but now it is second nature. The change from thumb-over-thumb to thumbs forward was the same way.

[USMCsilver]

I shoot both eyes nearly 90% of the time, even when scoped (magnified or red dot).

Faster target aquisition and identification 100% of the time is the result.

[Wyoming]

Your eye can only focus on one item at a time. You should concentrate and focus your eye on the front sight for best results.

Try it.

As for left eye/right hand it doesn't matter. When using iron sights always look at the front sight. Same thing for rifles.

[bear62]

I can see out of only one eye ......... sooooo the rest of you are lucky to have a choice ........

[janice6]

I'm working on this too. Seems to help having a wider field of view for me.

[NEOH212]

Originally Posted by Keoking

I haven't read very much, but what I have read has said to focus on the front sight, and the target should be a little out of focus.

Yes. I forgot to mention this. The target should be slightly out of focus but not completely.

[ysr_racer]

This is for shotgun shooting, but here goes:

When you play baseball, do you look at the bat or the ball? With 1 eye or 2?

When you play golf, do you look at the club head or the ball? With 1 eye or 2?

When you play tennis, do you look at the racket or the ball? With 1 eye or 2?

When you merge onto the freeway, do you look at the hood of your car or where you want to go ? 1 eye or 2?

Are you starting to see a pattern here?

Look at your target and your brain will do the rest. Yes, I know, it’s not for everybody, but give it a try for a few months.

Now onto something else. After you hit the ball with the (bat, club, racket) do you stop dead in your tracks, or do you follow thru?

You follow thru.

Same thing in sporting clays, if you stop the gun, you probably shot behind the target.

Oh, I'm right handed and right eye dominant. Since we all have two eyes and they're next to each other you're going to see two images of the barrel. It's called parallax.

Look at the bird, not the barrel.

[Cybercowboy]

Right handed yet left eye dominant...

Have you considered taking up golf? Ben Hogan had your unfortunate condition...

[MikeG22]

As a good way to train you eye for it some too you can put a small piece of scotch tape on your shooting glasses to strengthen up the eyes for focusing.

[ThinkMud]

I try to do the same as NEOH212. I figured that in a real world situation, you will have both eyes open. I also try to practice shooting with both eyes open and focusing on the target for rapid fire at close range (-7 yards) with a pistol, don't know if that is bad to do or not.

[ThinkMud]

Oh, I also try to make myself shoot with the opposite hand and eye, each range trip.

[NEOH212]

Originally Posted by ThinkMud

I try to do the same as NEOH212. I figured that in a real world situation, you will have both eyes open. I also try to practice shooting with both eyes open and focusing on the target for rapid fire at close range (-7 yards) with a pistol, don't know if that is bad to do or not.

Right or wrong, it hasn't failed me yet!


I can nail 8" popper plates at 25 yards right out of the holster with in seconds.

If it didn't work, I couldn't do that!

[Lone Wolf8634]

I cannot shoot with both eyes open. I've tried and tried but with both eyes open and focusing on the front sight, the target doubles. I tried shooting at the left one...miss. the right one....miss. Neither is in the right place. If I shoot in between them I get closer, but not what anyone would call accurate.

[NEOH212]

Originally Posted by Lone Wolf8634

I cannot shoot with both eyes open. I've tried and tried but with both eyes open and focusing on the front sight, the target doubles. I tried shooting at the left one...miss. the right one....miss. Neither is in the right place. If I shoot in between them I get closer, but not what anyone would call accurate.

My father had the same problem. Are you sure it's not your eyes?

I know once my father got glasses, that problem went away.

[Lone Wolf8634]

Originally Posted by NEOH212

My father had the same problem. Are you sure it's not your eyes?

I know once my father got glasses, that problem went away.

It very well could be, I used to have 20/15 vision. The last few years my close up vision has been going (to the point that I need reading glasses or someone to hold a newspaper 4 feet away from me so I can read it).

But the double vision problem has been there since I started shooting pistols in 2000.

[Bill Keith]

I have always shot with both eyes open. As I get older, the eye lens doesn't react or focus as quicker as when I was younger. I see the rear sights as less distinct and focus on the front sights. I have placed trijicon front sights on my CCH and home defense guns. Also, I experimented with my eyes closed, bringing up the handgun to extender eye level, then opened my eyes to see how close the gun was pointed to the extended handhold on a target. Surprise! The closest to aimpoint are the K frame S&W revolvers and a 1911. Second closest was my G17 and G36.

[Cybercowboy]

Originally Posted by Lone Wolf8634

It very well could be, I used to have 20/15 vision. The last few years my close up vision has been going (to the point that I need reading glasses or someone to hold a newspaper 4 feet away from me so I can read it).

But the double vision problem has been there since I started shooting pistols in 2000.

I have to keep my left eye closed. 20/15 but at over 50 my close vision is crap. Both eyes open is a recipe for failure for me.

[TheJ]

I am cross eye dominant as well.

Both eyes open is optimal.

For pistols focus on the front sight is optimal.

[meccan416]

Thank you All for all of your advice!!! Happy New Year to All!!

[Berto]

I use both eyes for fast up close shooting. If you want to hit what you're shooting at, you'll focus on the sight picture or at least front sight up close.
At distance, if you're focusing on the target with a fuzzy sight picture, you're missing. It should be the opposite.

[ManWitaBigStick24]

Learning instinctive shooting is very important. Your hands tend to follow your eyes. And it pays to practice this!