both eyes open for clay shooting, right?

[Barms 98]

Was getting some tips for clay shooting vs pistol target shooting.. First mistake i was making was trying to hit clays I was one eye open only.. then trapper/instructor told me that was incorrect. So two eyes open was a big improvement.

 

But here is my two eye open question. As i was putting the barrel of the gun up to my cheek to look down the barrel, (as i was told to get the barrel up high enough so that i just see the front sight and barely see the barrel), what i was doing was i was closing one eye to line up my sight to my eye/cheek and then opening both to acquire the clay. It got me thinking.. when you are lining up the sight do you line it up with both eyes open? maybe i was getting myself off angle by finding the sight with just one eye. By off angle i mean maybe i should be pulling the butt more across my face, so i'm centered (as opposed to it being more "right sided" because i lined it up with just my right eye)

 

(if anyone cares.. i hit about 60%.. lol..)

[Soju 153]

I usually shoot clays with both eyes closed. I then assume I hit 100% of them.

[tt-33 8]

both eyes open unless you are cross eye dominant,if you are cross eyed youve got to figure out how to combat it

[Pew Pew Plates 358]

No, if you are cross eye dominant you shoot both eyes open and shoulder to your dominant eye

[bry@n 195]

Or put tape over your dominant eye to force yourself to see out the non dominant eye.

 

Where were you shooting?

[fishnut 2,358]

i shoot with bouth eyes open but i do not aim much. i have shot clays with my guns so much that it has become muscle memory, i just pop the gun to my shoulder and fire. but i have had no formal training just allot of practice. when i shoot guns that are not mine it takes me a few shots to get it down but i usually get it quick enough. as i said though i have never had any formal training just a bunch of old timers telling me what to do.

[Barms 98]

ahhhh.. so GlennP says shoulder to the dominant eye.. so there is a "technique" to the both eyes open.. i was just wondering if i focus with my dominant eye or focus the sight with both eyes.

[RecessedFilter 222]

I'm not sure how to cure your problem other than shooting a lot more and practicing shooting with both eyes open, ANDDD come to the shotgun shoot out for even more practice!

[Socom 19]

I shoot both eyes open

[Ian S 22]

First, ask yourself why you close one eye. To get rid of the ghost image of your sights? When you learn to shoot with both eyes open, you get yourself used to ignoring the false image and using the real image of your sights.

 

So, close your eye as normal, line yourself up, then open your other eye and take note of the second barrel and sights that come into view. Then ignore it. It doesn't exist.

 

Then look out to the point where you're going to hold to pick up the target. For trap you should be looking out to the house, 16 yards or more. Even with both eyes open, there should be only one house, and now your depth perception is not crippled. Focus on the target when it comes out and follow it. You're not aiming the shotgun, you're pointing it.

 

Next, when you shoulder the gun again, keep both eyes open, remember which image was real and ignore the false one. Don't try to make them one image or you'll shift both and make yourself cross eyed. Use the real image and ignore the ghost image.

 

You want to be using the one eye that is in line with the barrel and sights to aim.

[tt-33 8]

not everyone can switch shoulders my wife cant do to a shoulder surgery we go the chap stick on one lense.several instructors have told me its better to shoot one eye under her situation

[Smokin .50 1,907]

ahhhh.. so GlennP says shoulder to the dominant eye.. so there is a "technique" to the both eyes open.. i was just wondering if i focus with my dominant eye or focus the sight with both eyes.

 

There's a darn "technique" for just about everything in shooting today, lol! Glenn has it right!

 

That being said, I fall into the category of non-dominant vision (yes there are a few of us), so since I'm right-handed I shoot long guns from the right side (for the most part, lol).

 

My way of smacking the birds is to mount the shotgun with both eyes open and call for the bird. Once I see the direction and speed, I close my left eye to remove the "other image" and maintain whatever lead I have chosen and snap the trigger. I usually smack close to 90% of the birds, so for me this "technique" works. You have to figure-out what works best for your eyes.

 

I can use a spotting scope with either eye. A camera always gets my left eye. A pistol always my right, except for USPSA and IDPA gun games. For those gun games I just point the muzzle and snap the trigger with both eyes open, not even using any sights at all. For rifles, although I sometimes fool around with shooting some of the larger, easier to hit Gongs from the left side at various black powder matches, I generally always use my right side and close my left eye to finish the shot.

 

Have a great time shooting and be safe.

 

Dave

[Kingsoverqueens 10]

I start with both eyes open to see the bird fly and then close my right eye (I shoot long guns lefty but am right eye dominant) to finish my sighting before tapping the trigger.

 

I shoot around 20 birds out of 25.

[Ian S 22]

While the bird is flying, you should be focusing on the target, intently. After you have mounted the gun, there is no need to be looking down the barrel or at the beads. See the bird, focus on the bird, your gun will follow.

 

80% is a respectable number, but I bet you'd be higher if you focused on the target.

[NJKen 23]

I do better with both eyes open on most guns. That all goes out the window as soon as you add magnification (scope) . If there is a lot of glare or distraction I will close one eye to "focus" better on the situation. With fast moving target you will benefit by shooting with both eyes open.

Ken