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cjs · Member

How is the proper way to aim a rifle, with or without a scope.

I have always closed one eye when I shoot, does anyone else?

I see a lot of people who have both of their eyes open, but it just seems awkward to me. Is there a way to get better at it without shooting?

Just a random thought for the day.
Thanks.
-Chris
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Star craft replays

KyPlinker · Member

Your only supposed to keep both eyes open if you are shooting through a red dot, on standard irons or glass you should close your non dominant eye. When standing and shooting off hand, use whatever hand position you feel is most stable. Get your rifle on target, sight in, and then close the eye your sighting in with. Open it again. If your point of aim has wandered then you are not in a stable position. The goal is to get your gun to not move at all, even when your dominant eye is closed.

Shooting prone with a sand bag or rest of some kind is the most stable position, shooting off hand from a standing or kneeling position provides the most challenge.

Bhargav · Veteran Member

Well normally what happens is when you close your non-dominant eye, you feel comfortable shooting couple of shots e.g. 10-15 but then when you start shooting more than that then your dominant eye starts getting affected by your forcefull closure of non-dominant eye and this can blur your vision.

The best way to avoid this is .. wear a non-dominant eye blinder. This is a small flap like think which you wear on your head and you flip it on your non-dominant eye when you want to cover it and then unflip it when you want to see thru both the eyes. This way you don't have to forcefully close your non-dominant eye and also your eyes will not get tired.

Yes offhand shooting is more challenging as compared to prone. Offhand shooting gets more challenging especially if your gun has a sling attached. when the sling swings.. you gun will move too and on top of that you are breathing so that also will move the gun.

hope this helps. Mr. Green

Slavia · Moderator

Bhargav is right.

In general, you should be as relaxed as possible when you shoot so only those muscle groups involved in aligning the sight picture are active. Closing your non-dominant eye causes other muscles to compete, which makes it harder to aim and can throw you off when the shot breaks.

That is easier said than done for me, so I use blinders. Besides hanging one on your head, they can be mounted on the gun (some sights have this provision). The photos are of my Slavia 631. The blinders are from milk jug or antifreeze jug material. My brother says that white is better, but I am more comfortable with black. Something about equalizing light transmission into both eyes. Blinders can also be hung from the bill of a baseball cap, or mounted on glasses.

The photo is of a Hy-Score clip-on, but I have done it with cheap safety glasses, milk jug material, and self-adhesive velcro. I've even heard of smearing vaseline on the lens over the non-dominant eye (the glasses, not your eyeball).

Gadgets are nice, but remember the central theme is to achieve relaxation. Take a breath. Enjoy the sunshine. Have fun. Be safe.

Rogerflat · Silver Status Member

If scopes were meant for you to use both eyes then they would be BInoculars not MONOculars.

broommaster2000 · Moderator

I'm still waiting for a rifle that you can shoulder, and the scope projects information towards a screen that is in from of you, like a HandyCam. Mr. Green

Rogerflat · Silver Status Member

An airgun with a HUD....and I thought I'd heard it all.

cjs · Member

Thank you for all of the feedback! This was very helpful.
-Chris
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KyPlinker · Member

I still support the idea that you should be as tight as possible for supreme accuracy. If your prone with a support, then go for relaxation, but in an offhand position, you need to be tight and in a rock solid position. At least, so says Carlos Hathcock, (Google him), and thats also my experience with shooting real firearms, if you are too loose then your accuracy is down the hole.

Also, i didnt take blinders into account because i have never, and will never use them, i assumed it was the same for the original poster.

craigfperry · Member

i shoot with both eyes open glass or iron as this helps me to stay relaxed(still).
if i close my left eye im all over the place.
i shoot right but am left handed.
even at that when it comes to target shooting i'm not very good at being still.
when it comes to fur in my sights it's a different story.
it's almost like an auto pilot deal, i don't usually miss .

cliffspot · Veteran Member

When I shoot paper, OH MY GOD! But when I shoot at anything else...Bing! Another mistake most beginners make is to face the target with shoulders squared. You should be the same as if you stand in the batters box while aiming the rifle at the pitcher. Hand placement is up to you and your comfort level.

Slavia · Moderator

KyPlinker · Member

Good points!

Roy · Veteran Member

I agree that both eyes should be open when shooting. If you find this difficult, as many of us do, my suggestion is to experiment with two shades of rifle mounted blinders ; one black and one white(or of a colorless translucent material). Eyeglass mounted blinders, in my experience, are a nuisance when not actually shooting, unless of course, they are of a "flip-up" design. You will probably shoot best with the lighter colored blinder. The reason is because a black field in front of the non dominant(non aiming) eye will cause that pupil to dilate in an attempt to compensate, and since the eyes work together, the aiming eye pupil will also dilate and will result in eyestrain, false images "burned" into the retina(relax, it would be for just a second) and less accurate shooting.
Roy

Mar · Veteran Member

You have two eyes for a reason...but it may take some time to get use to it.

I prefer two.