One or Two Eyes?

[Gene_SC]

When you are shooting an air rifle with a scope, do you use one or two eyes to sight with. Or do you leave both eyes open when you are shooting, using a scope.

The reason I ask this is because when I was young and was taught to use one eye and squint the other. Back then both my eyes were in good shape. 20/20 vision back in the old days.. Since then I have had cataract surgery in both eyes and need glasses to drive according to the Department of Motor Vehicles..

I am right handed and have been using only one eye (right eye) to look through the scope with and closing my left eye.

I recently read a review about leaving both eyes open when sighting through a scope. So today I tried this. At first it was very awkward, but after a 100 pellets or so it became very natural.

I had my scope set for using one eye and had to adjust the scope with using two eyes..  DaveD gave me some help on scope adjustment which improved my target shooting allot. With using two eyes to shoot, I notice my wobble is almost completely gone now. I can get a better fix on the bulls now and that really makes me happy. This has improved my shooting even more.

I just wondered if anyone has tried this. Or maybe everyone does use two eyes to shoot... lol

Anyway I would like to hear your opinions on this..

Thanks

Gene

I use 2 at some times. just depends. It helps me track my target a little better. Might be my trap shooting days rubbing off.

[ribbonstone]

Lot less strain to just leave the "off" eye open...takes a little bit of practice, but like you found out, but about 100 shots you've got the hang of having that eye open, but more or less ignoring what it is sending (same technique they teach for using microscopes).

[daved]

I keep both eyes open, but it was tough getting used to it.  I borrowed a trick from the off-eye dominant crowd.  I put some masking tape over the left lens of a pair of safety glasses.  This still let in light to my left eye, but no strain trying to keep the eye closed.  I still use them occasionally, and they came in handy when my step-son and his girl friend were over and doing some shooting with me.  Turns out she's left eye dominant, but right handed.  Not a big surprise, she's a good artist, but by using the glasses, she was able to start shooting very respectable groups in short order.  So keep it in mind if you have friends that seem to shoot witht their off eye.

Dave

[-=ed]

I can leave bot eyes open when my left eye doesn't have to see a contrasting/busy background.

If its a problem, and since I have glasses, I took the right lense of a pair of flip-up sunglasses, and sprayed the left lense flat black.

[vinceb]

...with my camcorder!

What you suggested is what I had to do last June at the Reading Air Show, while I was trying to videotape some of the low-altitude flyovers. I had the optical zoom cranked up pretty good, and oftentimes I HAD to keep both eyes open - my left eye kept the 'corder pointed in the correct general direction, while my right eye (in the viewfinder) tried to keep the plane centered.

If I lost the plane in the viewfinder (which happened quite a bit), I'd never catch it again if it wasn't for my open left eye...

I use both eyes.

[shadow]

Eye's wide open, My dad trained me in all my shooting skills. He spent his time in the service behind a scope . Also helps if charlie tries to sneek up on you ,right dad.

[Gene_SC]

That is for sure Shadow. Lil guys in black sure were sneaky..

Gene

Two eyes that's the way they train you in the Army, and it's a must for a red dot.

My grand son has a red dot on his 760 and couldn't hit the barn if he was standing inside it. Taught him to shoot with boths eyes open now he's a pretty good shot with the red dot.

[DanoInTx]

Wow!

That is amazing.  I have never ever shot with both eyes opened.  I didn't even think it was possible.  I wear glasses for a slight distance thing, but they are bi-focals because I have some problem with my eyes not focussing in the same spots(sorta crosseyed in a way) at close distances.  I noticed at work last year when I was doing alot of wiring I would get the worst headaches.  Wife said,"It's cuz you can't see".  So I went to the doc.  Doc said,"You can see pretty good, but you're not looking at the same things".  Apparently my eyes will "flutter" trying to capture the same point of focus, and my brain puts it all back together, then after doing that all day long I have a headache, go figure:)  I've never tried to shoot with both eyes opened, guess I'll have to give it a try.  I DO shoot much better with my glasses on though, and I also use a Red Dot alot on my pistols...maybe my eye opens and I don't notice it...odd.

Dan

[nmmike]

Two........ always!!
I shoot with both eyes open, rifle & pistol, everything from formal target to qualification (cop) shoots. A lot of the 'big time' target shooters have glasses that block the off eye. Astronomy books & magazines recommend the use of an eye patch rather than squinting. Apparently, if you squint, the 'good' eye will react sympathetically along with the eye being squinted.
As someone else said, it's also good for keeping an eye out for the bad guys. :p
Mike
PS: Thank the Lord for spell checkers!