Both for pistol but I still can't do it on a scoped rifle.

Ooops unless it is a long eye relief scope/red dot.

 

I'm the same way. I'm not sure you can shoot with a standard scope with both eyes open. I don't think I've even tried it. Don't have a rifle with a scope or I'd try it right now.

 

When I use my Crimson Trace laser grips I always shoot with both eyes open, and I find this to be one of the major advantages to using the laser instead of conventional sights.

Using Red-Dot Sights or conventional sights, I shoot with only my right (dominant) eye open.

This works for me. YMMV.

 

As a child I was taught to shoot a rifle with my left eye closed.
I was also taught to shoot a shotgun and a pistol with both eyes open.
Years later I taught myself to shoot a rifle with both eyes open.
Three years ago I went blind in my left eye.
I am still reteaching myself to shoot with only one eye.

 

As a child I was taught to shoot a rifle with my left eye closed.

Me, too - and I'm right handed. I can shoot both right and left-handed now, and with only one eye or two. I find that my eyes get less fatigued when both eyes are open and that it's more comfortable, even looking through a scope.

Whenever I shoot handguns, I generally try to do it both left and right-handed, just to stay in practice.

 

I was taught to shoot pistols 1 eyed. I broke myself of the habit. I took a while but I did it by practice.

 

1 eyed.

 

Right handed ... but left eye dominant makes me a good candidate for an eye patch.

Handguns usually are not a problem ... but rifles give me fits.

So I guess my answer is 1 eyed for rifles ... both eyes (most of the time) for handguns.

 

+1 but I'm right eye dominant and left handed so in reverse, but have never had good use of my left eye due to severe astigmatism.

 

I used to shoot my M 14 with both eyes closed...

 

Dang! I forgot to add the third option to the poll. Both Eyes Closed.

 

Both eyes open and on target, favoring right eye and front sight on target. Seems more natural for follow-up as well. Just my .02 worth.

 

I prefer 2 eyes but depending on the lighting some times I just can't pick up that front sight. Still working at 2 eyes full time.

 

My understanding is both open is best, though I have yet to make the leap and put any real effort into swapping over. I think it depends on the event you're shooting.

 

I usually shoot with both eyes open but for longer shots ~25 yards I have to squint or close left eye at least while lining up shot. But then again I can barely hit a 4" target at 25 yds.

 

If I'm really trying for accuracy I shoot with one closed (pistol or rifle). Otherwise I leave both open - keeps me more aware of my surroundings.

 

Both eyes but right eye dominant, right handed.

 

I really tried to use both eyes.

However, with my aging vision now a days it is more a hinder then a help.

So I shoot one eye'd.

 

While I originally learned with one eye closed, I switched over to both eyes open many years ago.

 

I was taught one eye open, and have been trying to convert myself to shooting with both eyes open.

After half a century of practice with one eye, I find it a hard habit to break.

 

Interesting responses. I've always shot with one eye closed. Now I'm going to have to try this two eyes open stuff, and see how I do.

 

It helps open your field of vision, improving your situational awareness, target transitions, threat identification, etc. Like I said though, depending on what kind of shooting you're doing, you may not need to improve those areas...oR if you're like me, your type of shooting DOES need those things yet you still don't shoot with two open. That's probably one of the reasons I get beat all the time. lol

 

I just tried out my new red dot a week ago and thought it would be hard getting used to having both eyes open, but within 15 minutes it felt perfectly natural.

With a laser, which I've only used once, I had both eyes open of course.

With iron sights I always close my left eye. I can't imagine how I could accurately align iron sights with both eyes open unless I were standing sideways toward the target such that only one eye could actually see it. Isn't that a position used by some bulls eye shooters who fire with one hand? (I really have no clue.)

 

I can't imagine how I could accurately align iron sights with both eyes open unless I were standing sideways toward the target such that only one eye could actually see it. Isn't that a position used by some bulls eye shooters who fire with one hand? (I really have no clue.)

Not sure about that position part but from the standpoint of a new shooter who had heard that it is better to keep both eyes open, but who at first felt more natural with one eye closed, it is definitely possible to "phase out" your weak eye or simply just focus more (or only) on your dominant eye. It is possible you don't have a weak/dominant eye as well. Whatever works for you... works.

 

I always shoot with both eyes open. It's just natural. Shooting with one eye only takes more time, puts more stress on the eyes and will give you a tunnel vision affect. If you ever had an intruder in your home, you would want all the visibility available to you. JMHO

 

I always shoot with both eyes open. It's just natural. Shooting with one eye only takes more time, puts more stress on the eyes and will give you a tunnel vision affect. If you ever had an intruder in your home, you would want all the visibility available to you. JMHO

Given that most self-defense shootings happen within 10 feet I doubt many in that situation are carefully aligning their sights with any numbers of eyes. If a deadly threat is across the room and coming at you fast I'd tend to think point toward the threat & pull trigger as fast as possible is the most likely response.

Same as if an angry grizzly is looking at you as a apetizer.

 

You forgot the both eyes closed option I voted one eye closed because I am left eye dominant but right handed. This isn't as big a problem with pistols (although I do group better lining with the right eye, it's been thouroughly tested), but with rifles it is a must. With shotguns, since I'm a clay shooter, I keep both eyes open untill I have a good bearing, then I close the left eye and shoot. The only real time I think shooting both eyes open is the best option for me is when shooting from the hip. (btw, shooting skeet from the hip is about the most fun thing someone can do).

 

I always shot with one eye closed. But the last time I was a the range I tried with both.... I ended up with one eye closed again. What a coincidence.

 

Two eyes open, all the time.

 

I was left handed in 1st grade but wrote backwards so the teacher changed me to right handed. I don't really have a dominate eye. If I close both eyes and mount a long gun to my shoulder and open them I may be looking down the sights or at the side of the BBL. When I clay bird shoot I smear a small dot of chapstick on the left lense of my glasses and that keeps the right dominate but allows for both eyes open. For all other shooting I close my left eye or squint it enough to give the right dominance.

 

I shoot with both eyes open, except still targets long distant, with a Scope. I can concentrate on the target, and trigger pull, better by blocking anything out, but what is in the scope.

 

I was always taught to shoot with my left eye closed but am re-training myself to shoot with both eyes open. That is what they are starting to teach us now in the Army too so that you can maintain your field of vision.