What is taught in typical shooting schools?

Question:
Do you fire with both eyes or close one eye?

Choices:
Both
One

 

I close BOTH eyes !

Hip

quote:

Originally posted by Hipshoot:
I close BOTH eyes !

Hip

Maybe shooting the 577 T-Rex!

quote:

Originally posted by Hipshoot:
I close BOTH eyes !

Hip

A Zen master I assume?

quote:

Originally posted by hogfarmer:

quote:

Originally posted by Hipshoot:
I close BOTH eyes !

Hip

A Zen master I assume?

Let the Force be your guide.

I don't need the FORCE. I'm a sound shooter----If I hear a sound in the woods I shoot in that direction !

Hip

Back in the day I fired the department qualification course with my eyes closed. The course involved 10 rounds each at 3,5,10,15, & 25 yardlines. I'd get my body alignment set, focus on the target, then at the whistle, close my eyes, draw my handgun (a S&W 66 2.5"), with eyes closed fire 4 rounds, eject, holding the gun down so as not to see the target I'd load 6 with a speed-loader; close my eyes, bring the gun up and fire 6. Hits on the silhouette target were 1 point, misses 0, possible 50 points; seems qualifying was 38. After the 10 yardline and I had a score of 28 the rangemaster was very concerned that anyone could qualify as such; but the disadvantages became apparent at 15 and 25 yards and I ended up with a score of 36. Still not too bad for going through the course with eyes closed. That was done on the practice round. For the record round I kept both eyes open and shot a 50.

I squint one eye !!!

Odd thing to me, I guess because I can't do it, but Lora shoots her rifle with both eyes open. To further the situation she was born left handed, but in the early to mid 60's when she was a kid her Mother "Trained" her to be Right Handed.

After we got married, she said she would like to hunt with me. I thought that was really neat because my first wife never really wanted to get involved, so I went to trying to get things together so we couild hunt together., and she wasn't even on the paper..

Things finally began clicking when I got a Ruger Model 77 Ultra-lite in .257 Roberts and topped it with a Cabela's Pine Ridge in fioxed 6 power cheapie.

When we took it out to the range the first time I had sighted in fairly well and then let her start shooting. She fired two shots and I was concentrating on where she was hitting. I had her get up and I shot the rifle again and it was right in where I had it set.

I had her get back behind the gun to shoot again and this time watched her real close and finally realizerd that even though she does most stuff right handed, she is left eye dominant.

So after a few minutes of spousely conversation, we switched shoulders and let her shoot left handed, and the problem was solved'

The only thing I still can't understand is how she can keep both eyes open when looking thru the scope, I have tried it and can't do it.

When I coach people I tell them that all firearms should be fired with both eyes open. This is predicated on the fact that you have the same strong side and eye dominance. First thing I always do with new shooters is check for eye dominance. If you're right handed but have a left dominant eye you can train yourself to shoot with both eyes open but it takes quite a bit of practice. In that case it's easier to just close one eye. Of course if you can comfortably change from right to left, or the other way around, without much difficulty that is the best solution.

So over 1/3 of you guys are saying that shooting schools teach to close one eye??????
I suspect that's the number of you who close an eye but that's far from the way it's taught.

On a personal level, do whatever you think works best for you with a rifle when you've got plenty of time. I'll always use both eye with rifle, pistol or shotgun.

With a shotgun or rifle irons, you'll never be able to consistently hit rising targets if you close an eye since the gun will cover the target.

Zeke

Actually, I don't know what shooting schools teach. If that was the question, I guess I didn't read it right. All my life,(so far) I have shot pistols and rifles with one eye closed. I've never gone through any involved process to determine which was my dominate eye and such. I'm right handed and so I close my left eye and blaze away. I keep both eyes open when shooting a shotgun but that is totally different from shooting a rifle.
I'm old enough to remember when, for want of a space filling article, some of the gun writers started espousing keeping both eyes open. At the time, I thought it was kinda silly and nothings happened since then to change my mind.

I'm left eye dominant and shoot right handed, always have. I also shoot with both eyes open regardless if it's a rifle, shotgun or pistol. Eye dominance can be overcome with practice. In my case it was just doing it a lot.

quote:

Originally posted by Hipshoot:
I close BOTH eyes !

Hip

i am right handed.. but I shoot all my rifles left handed. I am left eye dominant, I can see out of my right eye a little, but I am legally blind in right eye, so I have to close it when I shoot.

I hear ya Vines--------I'm blind in one eye and deaf in the other !

Pull trigger, pray.

Dave

quote:

Originally posted by Cougarz:
I'm left eye dominant and shoot right handed, always have. I also shoot with both eyes open regardless if it's a rifle, shotgun or pistol. Eye dominance can be overcome with practice. In my case it was just doing it a lot.

I believe Bell poo pooed the master eye. Said if you practiced enough you will learn to do a thing right.

To start with keeping both eyes open is not required to be a good or fast shot..its yellow journalism and a rumor started by our govt training troups...probably shooting machine guns..Ive shot many animals, with one eye closed even in stressful conditions..as have many others...If you grow up shooting with an eye closed your probably deadly and good as the shooter with both eyes open..and you certainly have more focus...I can shoot either way and can't tell any difference and in fact all kidding aside I still squent my left eye and believe that helps me focus on a specific part of the animal, standing or charging..and I find it an advantage when point shooting also..

I think in this case its all about practice and method, not about which eye is closed..Ya don't need to be looking at anything but that charging bull, not whats around him..

quote:

Originally posted by Atkinson:
Ive shot many animals, with one eye closed even in stressful conditions..as have many others...If you grow up shooting with an eye closed your probably deadly and good as the shooter with both eyes open.

I think in this case its all about practice and method, not about which eye is closed.

Agreed.

Does it REALLY matter in the long run how any individual shoots as long as they are comfortable with it and successful using it?

In our personal lives do any of us ever do anything the EXACT same way as anyone/everyone else?

I put the rifle over my right shoulder and leave both eyes open when looking through a mirror. No need for scope or iron sights, just a good mirror.

Just kidding (I'm guessing I didn't need to say that). I always close one eye and hope that my other old eye can focus on the crosshair in my scope.