shooting with both eyes open
 

So since I have been shooting pistols I have had a recurring problem. I can't shoot with both eyes open. I constantly either shut my left eye or turn my head to the left far enough that my left eye can't see the target. I am left-eue dominant but I have tried changing to left handed shooting and can't. Also when I was trying the left handed shooting I didn't find it any easier to acquire the sight picture. I focus on the front sight but I get either multiple sight post pictures or multiple targets.

I would greatly appreciate some help.

Thanks

the only suggestion I have right now (its early and I haven't had coffee yet) would be to wear an eyepatch over the left eye while at the range. train your brain to rely on your right eye while you shoot.

Another simple trick is to put a piece or two of cellophane tape over the left lens of your shooting glasses. You are wearing shooting glasses right? :)

That's pretty much what you have to do, train yourself to use your right eye.

It's not that uncommon, and a quick internet search would probably bring up several useful tips on how other people have dealt with it.

i have the same problem been working on trying to fix it for a while, might have to try the celophane tape on the glasses.

Well I went to the range today and did ok with both eyes open. I don't know what it looks like for others but I just focused on the front sight post and shot at the right most of the 2 images. Seemed to work well. I just need to make it more instinctive.

at what range are you using this 'technique'?

About 5 yards.

I wouldn't recommend it for distances any further than that, but if that works for you, good deal.

Ah, so you see two images as well. This is called "cross dominance". My wife has this too. We have a friend who is a british sporting clays coach, and he had her do the tape trick. It's the only way she's able to focus on the correct image.

I shoot sporting clays, and or skeet at least twice a month. I am right eye dominant and use the tape on the left lens of my shooting glasses, not enough to block out my peripheral vision just enough so mey left eye doesn't pick up the target first. This made all the difference in the world for me.

dksuddeth, what technique would you recommend?

I'd definitely go with the eye patch. it should train your brain/body to depend on your right eye for aiming without forcing the left to squint to remain shut. After a dozen trips to the range, you should be able to naturally rely on the right eye for aiming without undue stress on keeping the left closed.

I have never shot a gun before, but am interested in this talk of dominance. Would it be fair to say that a particular eye is dominant if: the image you see with both eyes open is similar to the picture you have when that particular eye is open and the other is closed?

An example for clarity:
I am left-eye dominant because when my left eye is open and my right is closed, the image I see remains the same even when I open my right eye.

I am very interested in the concept of aiming in different arenas and feel that this is of high importance. Do you have to correct for eye dominance? If so how?