Which is more effective – shooting with one eye open or two?
Is there an advantage to shooting with one eye closed? Probably not. This is how you were probably taught to shoot, but does it have any benefit? Some claim to be more precise. Others say the target is easier to spot. Is it true?
In long-range shooting, closing one eye can even lead to facial fatigue, and the eyes will tire faster, making you less able to see small changes and unable to hit long-range targets.
The following tips will help you improve on shooting with both eyes open.
Is there an advantage to shooting with one eye closed? Probably not. This is how you were probably taught to shoot, but does it have any benefit? Some claim to be more precise. Others say the target is easier to spot. Is it true?
In long-range shooting, closing one eye can even lead to facial fatigue, and the eyes will tire faster, making you less able to see small changes and unable to hit long-range targets.
The following tips will help you improve on shooting with both eyes open.
Face with both eyes open
Facing with both eyes open will help you better judge how far away the piece is.
Shooting with both eyes open allows you to use your peripheral vision and be more aware of what is happening around you. If you can’t see your surroundings, you may miss out on opportunities.
Shooting with both eyes open at first can be challenging and may even feel weird.
Humans have binocular vision, and our brain can process two images, converting them into one. When we put the sight of a rifle close to our eye, the brain imposes two images on it, and you will see two images, one through the reticle and another further away and somewhat less sharp. But with practice, you will be able to accustom your brain and eyes to see both images clearly, and not have that double vision.
Find your dominant eye.
Shooting with both eyes open can be difficult if you’re not sure which vision is your dominant one. Guessing is very simple. Pick a spot on the wall about 5 meters from you. Put your hands in front of your face with the palms facing outwards so that a triangle is created between the thumbs and the other fingers – as in the attached image.
Look through the hole formed and move your hands towards your face. When you reach your face, the hands should cover one eye, and you should see through the other. The one who is not covered is the dominant one. Once you know your dominant eye, take the time to practice and develop your memory to keep both eyes open.
Darken the vision in your non-dominant eye
One of the obstacles many shooters encounter is the natural tendency of the non-dominant eye to focus on our surroundings. With both eyes trying to focus on a nearby point simultaneously, some people experience double vision, which is not suitable for precision.
Why shoot with both eyes open?
If you already know what your dominant eye is, our recommendations are:
Whenever possible (ignoring left-handed people), it should be pointed as naturally and keeping both eyes open towards the point where we want to shoot with the sight of our rifle.
It is highly recommended that from the beginning, we get used to practicing shooting keeping both eyes open, always with prior verification that the directing vision coincides with the cheekbone of the rifle support.
This will bring us essential advantages to hit our shot, since:
– We do not reduce our visual field because when we close one eye, we are reducing our visual field by approximately 25%
– We will have the ability to measure distances. Calculating how far away the target is essential, which is impossible with a closed eye.
– Shooting with both eyes open also fundamentally helps us in the emotional sphere. The act of closing one eye notably increases our feeling of insecurity and, therefore, of stress, not a good thing for the hunter or the shooter when taking their shots.
Although it is not usual, for a specific group of right-handed people, their dominant eye is the left, which prevents them from shooting with their eyes open, something fundamental for the shotgun, for example, since both eyes allow the depth of movement of the target to be calculated while shooting.
It is advisable for this group of people to shoot with a carbine specially made for left-handed people, or by default, an ambidextrous carbine.
