Aiming with a scope

[ncrary]

All my life I have been closing my off eye when shooting rifles, both scope and open sights. I know both eyes open is the preferred method for red dots and pistols, but with my rifles it has always been one eye closed. Recently I have been talking with a guy who shoots with both eyes open. I have been trying it, and it is taking some time to get used to it. Sometimes my dominant eye and off eye converge and the target is blurry, so I just blink and it clears up. I assume that will go away with practice. Not enough trigger time yet to determine if it improves accuracy.

What is the consensus out here? One eye closed or both open and why.

 

[TJE]

I just started using a scope in the last year and I have found (for me) that both eyes open helps me see more clearly through the scope and to get on target quicker. I don't know if the type of scope would make a difference or not. I assume they would be about the same. I have a Vortex, three Hawkes, and a Aztec and it works for me on all of them. It also seems that the better the quality of glass, the easier it is to shoot with both eyes open. 
Just my thoughts.

Tom

 

[Mousefart]

Just covering all of the bases: You've tested yourself to be sure of which eye is dominant? Chances are that you have, but I ask because it sounds like you could be shooting with your non-dominant eye. I am a bit cross-wired myself, and it makes things interesting on occasion. 

 

[ncrary]

TJE - yes, getting on target is quicker, especially small targets at the longer ranges.

Mousefart - I have tested and am right eye dominant as well as right-handed.

This morning I was shooting and I found that with both eyes open I could clearly see my target and the bulls-eye. However after a few minutes the image would blur. I would look away and blink and then the image was clear again. I am thinking since this is a new way for me I just may need to practice and train my brain.

 

[Lawndart]

I shoot with both eyes open, because it give me situational awareness. Plus my eyes do not get tired easily. If I am taking longer shots with a pistol,sometimes I very slightly quint my left eye to make my right eye focus better.

 

[Barbarian]

I agree, both eyes open gives you perifreal vision for safety and targets of opertunity 

 

[dirtbikerick]

Hey ncrary, I have exactly the same issues your describing, I thought it might be my 60 year old eyes and it just might be cause I don't remember it being this way when I was younger. Anyway I guess we just blink and shoot.

 

[ncrary]

As I use the both eyes open technique more, it is getting easier. The brain is amazing in its ability to take images from each eye, one looking through a 10 power scope and the other unaided and make sense of the combined image. I know people with contact lenses who have one eye for reading and one for distance and do fine. So I guess using a scope should not be much different except that we don't do it often enough to make it a natural thing.