one or two eyes??

I shoot with both eyes open. My dad always said

"if I have one eye closed and one through the scope (or down the rail) how am I supposed to see everything else?"

If I try and close my one eye, I can't hit the broad side of the barn. 

I shoot both eyes open with rifles and one eye for pistols, that's what they teach us at weapons training. But at the end of the day whatever works for you.

I shoot with both eyes open, regardless of whether it's rifle, shotgun, revolver or pistol. The brain has the ability to discard images from the non-dominant eye. Keeping both open allows for peripheral vision (situation awareness). When I tried using only my dominant eye for shooting, my vision would blur after just a few minutes. As a firearms instructor, I found that those with cross-dominant eyes benefited from using a patch and using the non-dominant eye (situation tactics)

I bought my flip up patch also called an ocular from Champion shooting supply years ago I am not sure if they are still in business. I also use an iris for open sights made by Merit this focuses the open sight picture very well by removing the surrounding area and makes open sights a little clearer. I also use either sight black or calcium carbide to black my sights this takes the glare off open sights that are blued and shinny The calcium carbide is mixed with water and lit to form acetylene and makes black soot that wipes right off.

I should add this equipment is used for competition target shooting and practice for the same. I do not think I would hunt with either especially the iris maybe the flip up patch but I don't hunt much.

Mike 

Watch the video that I posted. The guy talks about how to use both eyes, how to train your brain to focus on the dominant eye. I'm still working on it. I need to squint (just a squint is all it takes) the non-dominant eye until the dominant eye focuses then I can open them both all the way and my brain will hold focus on the dominant eye. If you practice it a few times it comes quicker and quicker, but when I walk away I have to do the squinting routine again to get my brain back in gear.

I am ambidextrous and have to keep my dominate right eye closed when shooting left handed or I can't get a sight picture. Right handed I keep both eyes open for all types of guns and all types of shooting. I have tried to shoot eyes open left handed, but just can't seem to make it work?

"Salticon"Thanks guys!!!! i think 2 eyes open is the way, i'll have to practice this. i think squinting one eye adds a variable to my shooting. im a benchrest guy and variables are your enemy when i need fly smacking accuracy @ 75 yards. A patch is mentioned, anyone know where i could find one?? Thanks again!

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All you need is a pair of safety glasses and tape the one side of the glass that you don't use. Over time you will get use to both eyes open and you want need the glasses any more

Are there any ambi shooters that have tried to train for weak side as far as keeping both eyes open? I have always been afraid to screw up my dominate right hand shooting. I don't shoot left handed much so I have never put much emphasis on getting better left handed.

"ajshoots"Are there any ambi shooters that have tried to train for weak side as far as keeping both eyes open? I have always been afraid to screw up my dominate right hand shooting. I don't shoot left handed much so I have never put much emphasis on getting better left handed.

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I can shoot with my left hand although I am right eye dominant I don't think it should mess up your eyes. I can't see as well with my left eye and when I do use my left eye I still keep both of them open and it doesn't seem to be much of a problem. I don't practice much with my left eye but I have shot a deer in the head at 50 yards hanging out of a tree stand with my left hand.

I am ok with pistols and other open sighted guns, but can't get a sight picture through a scope shooting left handed unless I close my right eye. I still shoot fine left handed but this thread got me thinking??

Go google how to test for eye dominance. Very easy to do. Sounds like you are left handed and right eye dominate, I typically recommend shooting RH or LH depending on which eye is dominate. You may be too far down the road though.

Shoot 1-eyed with open sights, both eyes open with a scope. I need all the help with target acquisition I can get.

I use one eye on diopter and high magnifying scopes (x25 and x32), two eyes for open sights and red dot sights (but I think I squint a little with my left eye).
Is it possible that most of the people using both eyes have a background in hunting?

Both eyes open although it is getting harder as I get older, works for me, I don't walk around with one eye closed as I suspect neither do a lot of other people

This is the flip up blinder I have only mine is black.

http://www.championshooters.com/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&view=productdetails&virtuemart_product_id=713&virtuemart_category_id=17&Itemid=111

This is the iris I use for open sights.

http://www.championshooters.com/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&view=productdetails&virtuemart_product_id=716&virtuemart_category_id=16&Itemid=111

I use one eye through a scope however a couple of years ago, I started keeping both open when shooting trap, sporting clays etc and my consistency has improved greatly. It took some getting used to but I like both open for shotgunning.

Handguns I shoot both eyes open, rifles one eye closed. I try both eyes open with a rifle, but can't get comfortable.

Both eyes open but I shoot right hand and I'm right eye dominate.

I wonder about those adults getting into shooting who are right handed and left eye dominate (or vice versa)...probably shoot one eye closed.

"best" for target shooting would be: both open, but one eye shielded . 

It's best of both worlds.But you're going to have to wear one of those thingies , which makes you look like a try-hard . 

So , one eyed closed : I'd say it's pretty bad. It makes your open eye start to twitch, and it starts to fatigue your face muscles. It's all around crap and horrible for prolonged shooting sessions. (personal opinion btw!)

Both eyes open : No face-muscle fatuiging and twitching, but, it does cost (brain?) energy . At the end of a target shooting session i notice it gets more difficult to focus the shooting eye, and i start to close my left eye because i have to .