Among experienced shooters and hunters I know there is general agreement that both eyes should be kept open, whether using iron sights or scopes. Aside from some folks that have serious eye problems, the thinking is that if someone picks up a rifle, shotgun or handgun and squints one eye closed as they are looking down the sights that this is the mark of inexperience.

OTOH, it is said, keeping both eyes open gives depth perception and increases the field of view.

What's your opinion?

Yep, you should have both eyes open for a better field of view if nothing else....

I find that it depends on the magnification of the scope, amongst other things...

And, I wear glasses and this causes problems with 2 eyes open. Sorting out your scope will make it clear for your eyesight. In effect, it's like wearing a monocle. Sharp image and sharp reticule is how it should be. So that's geared up for one eye and then the other one is left without any correction at all.

So, if you've got good eyesight, no problem. For those of us who walk around sporting necessary yet trendy glasses, it can be difficult. Personally, 1 eye for rifles and 2 for shotguns.

D

Gidday Handloader, like Daveyboy said, it depends on a number of factors.

I have tried shooting one eye and both eyes open and it works for me either way but only in certain circumstances. Over iron sights on a pistol I can both one or both open, although I get a much better picture of the sights with just my master eye open. With a rifle scope I shoot one eye only, which is the way I believe they were intended to be used (otherwise there would be two eyepieces like binos). The only optical sight I use both eyes open is my Tasco Red Dot on my Mod 94 Win. Using both eyes does give me depth perception and because the sight isn't magnified both eyes are "seeing" on the same plane.

Spectacles is a whole new ball game. Luckily I don't need mine when using a scope. I think only an expert in this field could help here, ie an Optomestrist etc.

So long as the reticle is in sharp focus and the intended target is clear everything should be ok. But then again, I'm no expert.

Cheers, Vince

Hi folks

So there you are, walking around and looking like a tree with your goggs on.

Then you see your quarry, take your goggs off and put the scope to your eye. What do you do with your glasses? Constant cause of frustration this one.

I have toyed with the idea of getting my eyes done and I can't wear contacts (can't stand the sight of blood!) so it's a bit of a pain.

Oh to be young!

I have allways been told to shoot with both eyes open.

to be honest, I have allways shot with one eye.

after shooting with one eye for so long, its hard for me to focus on a object with two eyes open looking threw the sites.

I think I shoot as good as can be expected.

depth conseption, I think is allways done with both eyes open before putting your gun sites on a target. after that useing one eye for aiming works good. at least it does for me.

I agree both eyes should be open, but I shoot with one eye through a scope and both open with my pistol with open sights. and both open with my bow. Whatever Works.

Glock

Howdy. It depends on the situation I do it both ways. Bow or handgun both open always, rifle open sites both open, scoped rifle if the animal is walking both open, if he's still it could go either way
Joe

Daveyboy wrote:

Hi folks So there you are, walking around and looking like a tree with your goggs on. Then you see your quarry, take your goggs off and put the scope to your eye. What do you do with your glasses? Constant cause of frustration this one. I have toyed with the idea of getting my eyes done and I can't wear contacts (can't stand the sight of blood!) so it's a bit of a pain. Oh to be young!

Hey there Daveyboy, how are ya? I reached the age of needing Eye Crutches at 47 and I am now on my 5th set as my eyes deteriorate with age...now 53.

Mate, the easy way to carry your glasses when not using them, but needing them regularly is to use one of those cords that grannies use. From spectacle one arm, round the back of ya neck onto the other spectacle arm. When ya need to use the scope just lift your eye crutches off and drop them. They will merrily hang under your chin until you put them back on.

Never tried contacts but I would imagine that they would be the same prescription as your specs....difficult to remove quickly if ya want to use your scope. Got a mate who had laser surgery. Only worked on one eye and he's not convinced that it has done the job entirely on the other.

Cheers, Vince

1895ss wrote:

Yep, you should have both eyes open for a better field of view if nothing else....

But that doesn't mean I always do.........

I'll get this right in a minute!!

The laser surgery the mate had only worked on one eye and not on the other. The Dr that did said he won't touch the other eye again, would cause more problems than it would fix.

Vince

Both eyes open for me.

I was always told to do that since I was really young and I keep at it since wiser men then me told me to do it

Dimitri

I don't remove my specs when using a scope. In fact I use a scope on everything now cause I can't see the open sites anymore, they're too fuzzy. By the way Vince I am only two years above you. I really only need glasses to read and close distances.

Gentlemen...One eye or two eyes...If I can out shoot you with only one eye. What's the difference...And who cares? If any one of you want to look down on a person that shoots using only one eye, you better make darn sure he can't out shoot you first...

Some of us have imbalanced eyes. Some of us have astigmitizium. Some of us are just blind...Both seeing and in the mind...

Never heard you had to shoot with two eyes open, except for shotgun use and close in tactical work. It's not natural when it comes to long range shooting with a scoped rifle. Have you tried shooting varmints at 600 yards using x24 magnification? What's the other eye good for at that range? It's natural when hunting to start with two eyes open, but, when it's time to aim, it's natural to use one eye. When it comes to laser sights you use two eyes as you are concentrating on the target not the gun.

I'm with Bushmaster on this one.