Aiming properly with both eyes open

[urnoodle]

I am left eye dominant, something I only realized in the past year, and have been trying to train myself to shoot more often with my right eye when I use a handgun. In the past I automatically used my left eye for handguns, but still used my right eye for rifles. Since forcing myself to use my right eye for handguns my marksmanship with them had gotten better. I've tried shooting with both eyes open, but it feels too weird. After several months of shooting handguns with my right eye it feels more natural and is nearly automatic.

Do you still close one eye? I want to get my aiming down with both eyes open and improve my accuracy. I was told that when I was knee high to a grasshopper and before I started school that I used to do most things left handed. When I started writing I used my right hand. I have not managed to do anything well left handed until now. There is a very obvious difference in my patterns and trigger control but my grip feels sloppy.

[C-dub]

I am left eye dominant, something I only realized in the past year, and have been trying to train myself to shoot more often with my right eye when I use a handgun. In the past I automatically used my left eye for handguns, but still used my right eye for rifles. Since forcing myself to use my right eye for handguns my marksmanship with them had gotten better. I've tried shooting with both eyes open, but it feels too weird. After several months of shooting handguns with my right eye it feels more natural and is nearly automatic.

Do you still close one eye? I want to get my aiming down with both eyes open and improve my accuracy. I was told that when I was knee high to a grasshopper and before I started school that I used to do most things left handed. When I started writing I used my right hand. I have not managed to do anything well left handed until now. There is a very obvious difference in my patterns and trigger control but my grip feels sloppy.

I now close my left eye. I may try with both eyes open at some point, but training myself to shoot with my right eye with handguns is working. I am right handed. I'm going to try my first IDPA match next month and when it comes to the off hand shooting I may switch and use my left eye.

[OldCannon]

Greg Hamilton, John Holschen, (from Insights training) and I had an interesting conversation about this in one of their classes. I'm left-eye dominant and right-handed as a shooter (but left-handed with writing - I'm a weird one ). When the discussion went to the whole cross-dominance/both-eyes-open thing, Greg made an interesting statement. He said this distance:

Left Eye <-------------------------------------------> Right eye

is all you have to worry about. Whether you're shooting left or right handed (and you should train "weak-hand" shooting as well this way), is to shift the position of the pistol just a couple inches either way in an "isosceles" position, which is VERY easy to do. Those fancy "Weaver" stances don't work so well with cross-dominance, but they don't recommend that for other reasons as well (and Greg and John LOVE to physically demonstrate why a Weaver stance/grip is the path to certain doom).

Looking at it another way, an isosceles triangle is formed by the points between your shoulders and where both your hands hold the pistol in an extended shooting position. Shifting the "pistol point" a couple inches to either side has no effect on the stance or grip.

So: Isosceles + both eyes open = optimal positioning/flexibility.

[urnoodle]

I must be weird too because who would have thunk I would shoot better left handed. Certainly not me. I can't even pick up mashed potatoes on my fork with my left hand without dropping them in my lap.

Next time I'm at the range I'll give this a try.

I now close my left eye. I may try with both eyes open at some point, but training myself to shoot with my right eye with handguns is working. I am right handed. I'm going to try my first IDPA match next month and when it comes to the off hand shooting I may switch and use my left eye.

I look forward to hearing how you did at IDPA. I don't know if "break a leg" is appropriate but break a leg!

[G26ster]

I am right handed and left eye dominant. I shoot handguns with my right eye closed. If I open both eyes, the sight picture remains unchanged. Why should I shoot with my right eye because I am right handed?

[urnoodle]

I am right handed and left eye dominant. I shoot handguns with my right eye closed. If I open both eyes, the sight picture remains unchanged. Why should I shoot with my right eye because I am right handed?

My sight picture changes with both eyes open which changes my accuracy. What I don't understand is why my accuracy is considerably better with my left hand with both eyes open. I'd like opinions on what I should work on. Continue shooting right handed until my accuracy improves or shoot left handed and work on my sloppy grip. I know I should at some point be able to shoot without a discernible difference between both hands. I'm not there yet so I'm trying to focus my training on one aspect. With all the people on the board, I'm sure someone here had a similar issue and I'm interested in hearing what they overcame it.

[G26ster]

My sight picture changes with both eyes open which changes my accuracy. What I don't understand is why my accuracy is considerably better with my left hand with both eyes open. I'd like opinions on what I should work on. Continue shooting right handed until my accuracy improves or shoot left handed and work on my sloppy grip. I know I should at some point be able to shoot without a discernible difference between both hands. I'm not there yet so I'm trying to focus my training on one aspect. With all the people on the board, I'm sure someone here had a similar issue and I'm interested in hearing what they overcame it.

Forget which hand to shoot with for a moment. If you say you are left eye dominant (which you did in a previous post), and you aim only with your left eye, and then open your right eye also, if the sight picture moves, you are not left eye dominant IMHO. I can't address why you are more accurate with your left hand, if you are right handed.

[The Annoyed Man]

Those fancy "Weaver" stances don't work so well with cross-dominance, but they don't recommend that for other reasons as well (and Greg and John LOVE to physically demonstrate why a Weaver stance/grip is the path to certain doom).

Bah! What do they know?

[Purplehood]

I am right-handed and always shot with my right eye. In the recent past I read some posts talking about the dominant eye and discovered that according to the literature, I am left-eye dominant.
Since I shoot Expert with the Rifle and can barely hit a barn with a pistol, I have not changed my practice with long guns and continue to shoot them using my right eye.

[The Annoyed Man]

I've tried aiming with my third eye. Nobody around me seems to like that.

[urnoodle]

I can't explain the weirdness that is me. My sight picture changes no matter which eye I open when moving from one eye open to two. The change is not as drastic moving from left eye open only to both eyes but it's still messing with my accuracy. I use a B8 pistol target. Using my right eye open only, when aiming dead center on the "X" with the pistol in my right hand, I hit about 5-6 inches to the right of the "X" at approximately 20 yards. So basically I have to aim to the left edge of the target to compensate. With my left eye open and the pistol in my right hand at the same distance, I'm hitting left on the outer edge of the ring adjacent to the "X". When using my left eye aiming dead center at 20 yards with the pistol in my left hand, I'm hitting the bulls-eye more frequently and with tighter groups.

About a year ago I started shooting so I haven't locked into one thing yet. If I'm going to change which hand I shoot with, I wonder if now is the time to make the transition. I haven't spent any time shooting rifles yet but I intend on having an AR built for me. I'm wondering should I start working on my awkward right hand placement on the grip when shooting left handed so when I start shooting rifles, I'll already be more accustomed to shooting left handed to fit with my eye dominance. Or is one always more proficient in shooting one firearm type over another?

TAM,
Maybe that's my problem I have one of those too that I wasn't aware of.

[C-dub]

I must be weird too because who would have thunk I would shoot better left handed. Certainly not me. I can't even pick up mashed potatoes on my fork with my left hand without dropping them in my lap.

Next time I'm at the range I'll give this a try.

I now close my left eye. I may try with both eyes open at some point, but training myself to shoot with my right eye with handguns is working. I am right handed. I'm going to try my first IDPA match next month and when it comes to the off hand shooting I may switch and use my left eye.

I look forward to hearing how you did at IDPA. I don't know if "break a leg" is appropriate but break a leg!

I don't know either, but it's probably more reasonable than "shoot a leg."

[apostate]

Greg Hamilton, John Holschen, (from Insights training) and I had an interesting conversation about this in one of their classes. I'm left-eye dominant and right-handed as a shooter (but left-handed with writing - I'm a weird one ). When the discussion went to the whole cross-dominance/both-eyes-open thing, Greg made an interesting statement. He said this distance:

Left Eye <-------------------------------------------> Right eye

is all you have to worry about. Whether you're shooting left or right handed (and you should train "weak-hand" shooting as well this way), is to shift the position of the pistol just a couple inches either way in an "isosceles" position, which is VERY easy to do.

John made a similar comment in the CQC class this month.

He also said you don't lose much (if anything) by closing one eye while shooting. Not saying to walk around like a cyclops, but while the sights are on target and finger is on the trigger, he says it's perfectly fine to close one eye if that gives you a better sight picture and you shoot better. Something to think about for those struggling to keep both eyes open.

[NaCl]

Is this mostly relating to pistols? I thought you were supposed to shoot with both eyes open. But then again I'm self taught.
I am trying to move skills I learned Playing competitive paintball in college to shooting real guns and IDPA.
Where did y'all learn to shoot, my father is learning about Gina from me so I can't go to him.

PS:
I am trying to train myself to shoot with both eyes open with a ghost sight. That is not going so well.... But, this is my first rifle. Does this work for anyone?