Eye or eyes

[Wyatt Hurts SASS#72737]

Alrighty, for our game is there an advantage to shooting with both eyes open? Is it a bigger issue for gunfighters. If you shoot with both eyes open, how did you overcome the "ghost image?

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

I use both, except with a scope and tang sight. 

If you have 'ghost image', get your eyes checked. 

[Reverend P. Babcock Chase]

Howdy Wyatt,

 

I'm pretty sure that I use both eyes for shotgun. To be honest I'm not sure for rifle and sixgun. I think I have both eyes open although I may squint my left eye a little. The reason I'm not sure is that I can't get anyone to stand in front of me to check when I'm shooting. However, many folks have suggested after watching me shoot that I have both eyes closed.

 

Rev. Chase

[Wyatt Hurts SASS#72737]

38 minutes ago, The Original Lumpy Gritz said:

I use both, except with a scope and tang sight. 

If you have 'ghost image', get your eyes checked. 

Eyes have been checked and from what I have read and experienced seeing two front sights and at least a blur or even 2nd image of the target is very common. I know some will put frosted tape on the non-dominant eyes to avoid this.

 

My question is asking IF there are advantages to keeping both eyes open while shoot in our game.

[Phantom, SASS #54973]

7 minutes ago, Wyatt Hurts SASS#72737 said:

My question is asking IF there are advantages to keeping both eyes open while shoot in our game.

Yes

 

Wider field of view kinda keeps the brain from wondering "what's over there".

 

For revolvers, I turn my head a bit to the right so that my dominate eye works (I'm right handed and left eye dominant). For long guns I just squint my left eye and now I'm right eye dominant...don't close your eye, just squint.

 

Just what I do...

 

Phantom

[Wyatt Hurts SASS#72737]

14 minutes ago, Phantom, SASS #54973 said:

Yes

 

Wider field of view kinda keeps the brain from wondering "what's over there".

 

For revolvers, I turn my head a bit to the right so that my dominate eye works (I'm right handed and left eye dominant). For long guns I just squint my left eye and now I'm right eye dominant...don't close your eye, just squint.

 

Just what I do...

 

Phantom

I appreciate your input. I am also right-handed and left eye dominant. I shoot my pistols like a righty but learned to shoot my long guns left-handed

[Marauder SASS #13056]

There has been a LOT of studies about this , especially in all the action type sports. 

Some cannot open both eyes, but if you can, it is definitely an advantage.  You can actually see better, have better depth perception and have a much wider view.

[Phantom, SASS #54973]

5 minutes ago, Wyatt Hurts SASS#72737 said:

I appreciate your input. I am also right-handed and left eye dominant. I shoot my pistols like a righty but learned to shoot my long guns left-handed

Ya got a hell of a lot more talent then me...I'm a monkey on a football shooting my long guns left handed.

 

😜

 

Phantom

[Wyatt Hurts SASS#72737]

Just now, Phantom, SASS #54973 said:

Ya got a hell of a lot more talent then me...I'm a monkey on a football shooting my long guns left handed.

 

😜

 

Phantom

Nah, I just wanted to complicate my transitions way more than most 

[T-Square]

@Marauder SASS #13056  ? Then why do I still miss all the time ??!!  That is when the caps actually fire, and the lead goes down range ?

[Silver Creek Jack]

It may take you a while but both eyes open is most definitely an advantage!

[Chancy Shot, SASS #67163]

I am left handed, which is a blessing and curse.  I have been forced to do a lot of things with either hand.  I keep both eyes open and use the right eye to aim the right pistol and the left eye for the left pistol.  Seems to work just fine most of the time.  The army taught me to shoot long guns right-handed.  I keep both eyes open to better locate the targets thru the smoke (Find the base of the target stand and aim 3 feet up!).

 

Chancy

[Wyatt Hurts SASS#72737]

17 minutes ago, Marauder SASS #13056 said:

There has been a LOT of studies about this , especially in all the action type sports. 

Some cannot open both eyes, but if you can, it is definitely an advantage.  You can actually see better, have better depth perception and have a much wider view.

I want to really drill down in this. Do you see (no pun intended) enhanced depth perception helping with sight to target or more so for movement and picking up and putting down firearms?

[Wyatt Hurts SASS#72737]

10 minutes ago, Chancy Shot, SASS #67163 said:

I am left handed, which is a blessing and curse.  I have been forced to do a lot of things with either hand.  I keep both eyes open and use the right eye to aim the right pistol and the left eye for the left pistol.  Seems to work just fine most of the time.  The army taught me to shoot long guns right-handed.  I keep both eyes open to better locate the targets thru the smoke (Find the base of the target stand and aim 3 feet up!).

 

Chancy

Did it come natural to you to use the left eye to aim the left pistol and right for the right or did it take a lot of practice?

[Rye Miles #13621]

Both eyes definitely although I zero in with my right eye on the first shot from the rifle and then both eyes open. I know weird but it's habit I got into. I don't miss very often with my rifle.

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

1 hour ago, Wyatt Hurts SASS#72737 said:

Eyes have been checked and from what I have read and experienced seeing two front sights and at least a blur or even 2nd image of the target is very common. I know some will put frosted tape on the non-dominant eyes to avoid this.

 

My question is asking IF there are advantages to keeping both eyes open while shoot in our game.

Yes, wider field of view and better depth perception. 

55 minutes ago, Wyatt Hurts SASS#72737 said:

Did it come natural to you to use the left eye to aim the left pistol and right for the right or did it take a lot of practice?

Depends on eye dominance.

[Edward R S Canby, SASS#59971]

1 hour ago, T-Square said:

@Marauder SASS #13056  ? Then why do I still miss all the time ??!!  That is when the caps actually fire, and the lead goes down range ?

What are you focusing on, the front sight or the target?

[Chili Pepper Kid, SASS #60463]

I always close my left eye. I'm right handed and left eye dominant plus I have Diplopia aka double vision. I even close an eye when I'm spotting sometimes. I mentioned to my eye Dr. about the double vision a couple years ago and they added prism to my eye glasses and it's helped a lot. I now shoot with prescription safety glasses. 

 

Your mentioning of "ghost image" sounds like double vision.

[Wyatt Hurts SASS#72737]

No, there is not double vision, and this is only a when focused on my front sight thing. I also have tried glasses with adjustments to sphere and axis.

 

 

I do love all the thoughts here; so has anyone found the best technique to keep both eyes open and only see 1 sigh clear and fast?

[Griff]

3 hours ago, The Original Lumpy Gritz said:

I use both, except with a scope and tang sight. 

If you have 'ghost image', get your eyes checked. 

Actually, the "ghost" image he's referring to is not double vision, simply a result of a less amount of dominance of one eye over the other or the brain's ability to distinguish between them.  The first time I got my eyes checked was in my early teens, my dominant eye measured 20/13 and the other 20/14.  When testing for a military scholarship @ 17, both eyes measured 20/15.  When I finally joined the service @ 19, both were still at that level, but rifle training showed a slight difference in dominance and was taught to close the less dominant eye to avoid the "ghost" image.  It wasn't until I was in my mid-late 50s that my eyes deteriorated to 20/20.  Oh, how I wish I could regain that now!  

[Widder, SASS #59054]

I keep ALL 3 of my eyes open...... Right Eye, Left Eye, and 'I' didn't see it.

 

Agree with those about using both eyes open.   

I've talked with some of the best gunfighters in our game, and if I recall, I think nearly ALL of them keep BOTH eyes open.

 

..........Widder

 

[Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933]

 

[Wyatt Hurts SASS#72737]

Widder do they use the same eye on both pistols or are they right for right and left for left?

[Chancy Shot, SASS #67163]

4 hours ago, Wyatt Hurts SASS#72737 said:

Did it come natural to you to use the left eye to aim the left pistol and right for the right or did it take a lot of practice?

It just happened.  I didn't realize that was happening.  Then I got monovision contacts (right lens for reading and left for distance.).  For most situations, this works wonderfully. However, all of a sudden, I was missing a lot with my left pistol. Right eye could see the sites clearly, left eye could not.  Once I figured out what was going on, I went back to my shooting glasses with both lenses set to see clearly at 34 inches.  The number of misses dropped immediately.

 

That's my story and I am sticking to it.

Chancy

[Widder, SASS #59054]

1 hour ago, Wyatt Hurts SASS#72737 said:

Widder do they use the same eye on both pistols or are they right for right and left for left?

 

One particular top notch shooter, Bad River Marty, told me he uses BOTH eyes in the manner of Left Eye for left pistol and Right Eye 

for his right pistol.

He said he can see equally well AT THE SAME TIME with both pistols.

 

My eyes won't do that, but I understand a few other top GFer's have that ability.

 

..........Widder

 

[Marauder SASS #13056]

6 hours ago, Wyatt Hurts SASS#72737 said:

I want to really drill down in this. Do you see (no pun intended) enhanced depth perception helping with sight to target or more so for movement and picking up and putting down firearms?

I think the depth perception is more useful for movement, etc.  But everyone's eyes and brain work a little differently.

One thing is with both eyes open, you get more light.  The trick is to train your brain which eye to prefer in dominance.

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

8 hours ago, Edward R S Canby, SASS#59971 said:

What are you focusing on, the front sight or the target?

Front sight.

BTW, many right handed folks are left eye dominant. 

I am one of them.....

[watab kid]

ive just in the last few years found myself right handed and left eye dominant as we;; seems my eyes are changing all the time anymore , ive all but given up trap shooting and im staying  in the game by compensations as well , i guess we all find our ways to compensate till we just give it up , im not really ready to give it up just yet 

[Captain Bill Burt]

I’m another right handed left eye dominant shooter who has to squint. Corrected vision is still excellent at 20/15 in both eyes, but failure to squint yields two front sights and I don’t always pick the correct one.

Edited November 11 by Captain Bill Burt

[Wyatt Hurts SASS#72737]

You described exactly what I have been talking about Captain!

[Chantry]

56 minutes ago, Wyatt Hurts SASS#72737 said:

You described exactly what I have been talking about Captain!

I'm one of those left eye dominant, right handed people.  Handguns are shot using the right hand and left eye, long guns are used from the left shoulder using the left eye.   Something to keep in mind eye dominance is variable, meaning some eyes are more dominant than others.  I can not shoot with both eyes open with conventional sights.  It is only with red dots and other comparable optics that I can shoot with both eyes open.

 

There are pluses and minuses to being a left eye dominant, right handed shooter in SASS.  The pluses are you can stage a 97 or Marlin ejection port down to avoid empties getting into the action and you can load your shotgun with your strong hand.  Down side is most stage writes write stages from right to left, although Circle K is very good at having stages that written so that there is little to no advantage to the left or right eye dominant shooter.

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

I use my left eye to shoot my left pistol, rifle and shotgun, and my right eye to shoot my right pistol.  Unless it's a BAMM side match, then I use the right eye to shoot the rifle.   I close the eye I am not using.   Always have.

 

The only semi-autos I shoot right handed are my AR cuz it's an early one without the case deflector.   Getting hit in the forehead is an irritant.  The other is my M1-D for obvious reasons.  

But that being said, it all came naturally to me.  I am "semi-ambidextrous."   My Grandfather was ambidextrous, and I partially inherited that.   I am left eye dominant, I write with my right hand, and I bat that way, but I throw and do just about everything else, including eating, left handed.  

I am a strange strange duck.

[Rev Willy Dunkum, SASS # 61027]

I've been shooting gunfighter for years, both eyes open, same as others mentioned, left eye/left gun, right eye/right gun and I'm also right handed left eye dominant.  When I grab the rifle, I close my left eye.   Always have, just habit.  But my eyes are getting older and fuzzy but thats a different matter.

Rev

[Bison Bud]

As with most everything, it depends!  Keeping both eyes open does indeed give better depth perception and can be an advantage.  However, as others have already stated, I'm basically right handed and left eye dominant which does throw a bit of a stick in the spokes.  Back in my competitive trap shooting days, everyone told me that I had to keep both eyes open, but it just didn't work for me.  So, shooting right handed, I simply closed the dominant left eye and I really did quite well overall doing this.  When I started shooting CAS, I tried shooting the long guns left handed and got reasonably good doing so, but I was always more comfortable and quicker shooting them right handed by closing the left eye and still do it that way.  As for the handguns, I use the dominant left eye for both guns when shooting gunfighter.  I am so left eye dominant that I simply need to squint down the right eye and the left eye takes over and I've had no problems shooting the hand guns with either hand doing so.  So, as stated in my opening line, it really depends on the shooter, their dominant eye, and what actually works for them.  Good luck and good shooting to all.  

[Smokin Gator SASS #29736]

On 11/10/2024 at 12:59 PM, Widder, SASS #59054 said:

 

One particular top notch shooter, Bad River Marty, told me he uses BOTH eyes in the manner of Left Eye for left pistol and Right Eye 

for his right pistol.

He said he can see equally well AT THE SAME TIME with both pistols.

 

My eyes won't do that, but I understand a few other top GFer's have that ability.

 

..........Widder

 

 

This is a technique that may work well with SASS sized targets and distances but not as well at smaller farther targets. Of course where else do you see someone shooting like our Gunfighters other then at SASS matches?