DirtyDeeds Posted May 16, 2007 Report Share Posted May 16, 2007 check your own eyes pick a thin verticle object like a cane stick about 10 yards away keep both eyes open and point at the cane as if you are aiming close your left eye if you are still pointing at the stick you are right eye dominantif you are pointing to the right after closing your left eye you are left dominant. Sorry to bring this to the fore again (at least I use 'search and didn't open another thread on the same topic!). I've been shooting in 'rifle mode' using either one eye totally, or closing one eye just before the shot. I've been shooting since January this year and normally shoot about 60% of the clays. It was suggested to me (and I read a lot about it in these forums) that my score could be improved with both eyes open. I recently tried this and found that some targets were easier, and some that I thought I should have hit I missed completely. I tried the above test with a lamp-post outside my window and normally end up seeing the post with a finger either side of it! When shooting clays I can normally see along the rib to the forsight until the gun is fully mounted, and then for some reason that 'picture' goes and is then dominated by two long barrels seeming to cross from right to left (I shoot right handed), albeit in the shadow of the 'straight mounted' gun (a bit like looking down a toilet tube with the right eye and looking at you left hand next to it with your left eye - you see a hole in your left hand!). Would an easy hit sight work, or should I just get an instructor to check me out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LEFTY478 Posted May 16, 2007 Report Share Posted May 16, 2007 Would an easy hit sight work, or should I just get an instructor to check me out? IMO, if after mounting, your sight picture changes so that you're seeing the left hand of the barrel, you my a left eye that is stronger in terms of magnification power, than the right, even though the right is dominant. If you're seeing the right hand side, you may be over rotating your head, possibly the comb is too low? If possible, ask an instructor or gunshop if they have the 'mag mounted' Easy-Hit bead, that you can test with. Stick it on and secure with electrians tape, then try it on some clays. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtyDeeds Posted May 16, 2007 Report Share Posted May 16, 2007 Cheers Lefty. I'll see if I can get ahold of one to borrow before I commit to £30. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Floating Chamber Posted September 2, 2007 Report Share Posted September 2, 2007 Guys, I am putting this thread at the top so my son can read it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
berettaman1 Posted September 3, 2007 Report Share Posted September 3, 2007 I have now been clay pigeon shooting 4 times and im struggling with which eye or eyes to use , I have been told by some people to always use both eyes but this weekend just gone i was talking how i was finding it hard using both eyes as i have used an airgun for most of my life , The man said to just use one eye as that what he does after reading that a clay champion only used one eye... So am i best with 2 or 1 ? FORGET THE CLAY CHAMPION. 1st get a clay shooter to determin your master eye. and check for gun fit remember your eye is the rear sight, and the bead is the fore sight. always keep your cheek on the comb if you keep your head upright. you should see all the rib of your gun. don't aim the gun by looking down the rib. watch the clay only. keep both eye's open. dont swing the gun. swing your whole body from the hips like a golfer. when you pull the trigger keep the gun moving DON'T STOP or you will miss. for a rising clay start below it and pass it as it vanishes behind the barrel. pull trigger and keep that gun rising, don,t be tempted so peek round the gun to see if you have hit the clay for crossing clays get in front pull trigger and KEEP THE GUN MOVING. KEEP IT MOVING . KEEP IT MOVING. Rifle shooters tend to shoot at the clay and stop the gun after firing. fact. summing up. if the gun don't fit you will miss. if you stop swinging the gun you will miss. all the best fromPETE., Wise words there Pete. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emmsy Posted September 3, 2007 Report Share Posted September 3, 2007 whichever eye dominant you are that is the shoulder you should learn to shoot from. when i first picked a gun up i was naturally left handed but i have a right master eye. my dad never even let me fire a shot from my left shoulder but made me struggle on right handed (i struggled with the weight rather than anything else as i was 11). that was the best thing i ever did as there it is very hard / virtually impossible to swap over your master eye!! over the years ive seen people stick tape on glasses, close an eye, etc etc without too much success just so they could shoot from the most comfortable shoulder. its fair to say i have probably had more success than most of them put together! ive always shot with 2 eyes open as a) its easier to judge distance if you shoot a big teal or driven if you only have 1 eye open how can you see lead ?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pin Posted September 3, 2007 Report Share Posted September 3, 2007 Just to comment on the last point Emmsy, I shut my left as I am about to shoot, can't help it. I don't miss many driven or teal You are bang on though, with my left closed it's guesswork, I estimate the lead needed and time it - might not be ideal but it works Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazzyboi Posted September 3, 2007 Report Share Posted September 3, 2007 I use both, I tried using the right eye only and i swear to god I couldnt hit a jumbo jet if it was parked right infront of me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AAA MAN Posted September 3, 2007 Report Share Posted September 3, 2007 whichever eye dominant you are that is the shoulder you should learn to shoot from.when i first picked a gun up i was naturally left handed but i have a right master eye. my dad never even let me fire a shot from my left shoulder but made me struggle on right handed (i struggled with the weight rather than anything else as i was 11). that was the best thing i ever did as there it is very hard / virtually impossible to swap over your master eye!! over the years ive seen people stick tape on glasses, close an eye, etc etc without too much success just so they could shoot from the most comfortable shoulder. its fair to say i have probably had more success than most of them put together! ive always shot with 2 eyes open as a) its easier to judge distance if you shoot a big teal or driven if you only have 1 eye open how can you see lead ?? Emmsy no like double teal though!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the pelt man Posted September 3, 2007 Report Share Posted September 3, 2007 Just to comment on the last point Emmsy, I shut my left as I am about to shoot, can't help it. I don't miss many driven or teal You are bang on though, with my left closed it's guesswork, I estimate the lead needed and time it - might not be ideal but it works Pin I found when first shot the Gun i kept both eyes open as told you must, I hit jack. I found that when the Gun is mounted and my right eye view is obstructed by the barrel/bead that my left eye then takes over dominance which results in aiming wrong. I think you will find this is what is happening with you. All i do is squint my left eye a little and my right eye stays dominant and i dont loose depth of field and keep a three D image. I now hit a lot of Clays/Pigeon. Catcherpelt hase to do the same. My misses when her right eye has the slightest obstruction it gives up completely and turns to the right leaving her only seeing with her left eye. It is very spooky seeing her watch tv with one eye and the other looking at me Give the squint a try. PELTMAN Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emmsy Posted September 4, 2007 Report Share Posted September 4, 2007 Emmsy no like double teal though!! true enough , i cant shoot at stationary clays to save my life. id rather shoot 70 yard crossers than something stationary like the second bird on double rise etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pin Posted September 4, 2007 Report Share Posted September 4, 2007 PinI found when first shot the Gun i kept both eyes open as told you must, I hit jack. I found that when the Gun is mounted and my right eye view is obstructed by the barrel/bead that my left eye then takes over dominance which results in aiming wrong. I think you will find this is what is happening with you. All i do is squint my left eye a little and my right eye stays dominant and i dont loose depth of field and keep a three D image. I now hit a lot of Clays/Pigeon. Catcherpelt hase to do the same. My misses when her right eye has the slightest obstruction it gives up completely and turns to the right leaving her only seeing with her left eye. It is very spooky seeing her watch tv with one eye and the other looking at me Give the squint a try. PELTMAN Good to bump into you tonight and discuss it.. Just for clarification I don't deliberately do this, though I can't shoot with both open this happens automatically and I can't stop it. Other than as Emmsy correctly points out about driven targets I don't see that it gives me much of a disadvantage.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john faul Posted September 4, 2007 Report Share Posted September 4, 2007 i am right handed and right eye dominant it is handy enough for me not having to change shoulders that is i use both eyes and i can hit more than when i used to close my left Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonsey Posted September 5, 2007 Report Share Posted September 5, 2007 I was taught to shoot with my left eye closed. I'm now trying to rectify it and having a very hard time of it. I don't have an eye dominance problem but no one checked when I first started and I didn't have a clue so thought everyone shot like that. I still can't get my head around shooting rabbits both eyes open or driven both eyes open. I'm pretty much getting there with everything else though. Sometimes I lapse into the old ways and then remember I need to keep both open so there's a bit of mad blinking going on for a few seconds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catamong Posted September 6, 2007 Report Share Posted September 6, 2007 Most good coaches will never teach anybody to shoot a shotgun with one eye closed. This is very bad advice, I know plenty of top quality shots, none of them shoot with only one eye open. You simply can't gauge distance accurately with one eye open, the sooner you get out of that dreadful habit, the sooner you will improve. Cat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
berettaman1 Posted September 7, 2007 Report Share Posted September 7, 2007 Just to comment on the last point Emmsy, I shut my left as I am about to shoot, can't help it. I don't miss many driven or teal You are bang on though, with my left closed it's guesswork, I estimate the lead needed and time it - might not be ideal but it works Pin I found when first shot the Gun i kept both eyes open as told you must, I hit jack. I found that when the Gun is mounted and my right eye view is obstructed by the barrel/bead that my left eye then takes over dominance which results in aiming wrong. I think you will find this is what is happening with you. All i do is squint my left eye a little and my right eye stays dominant and i dont loose depth of field and keep a three D image. I now hit a lot of Clays/Pigeon. Catcherpelt hase to do the same. My misses when her right eye has the slightest obstruction it gives up completely and turns to the right leaving her only seeing with her left eye. It is very spooky seeing her watch tv with one eye and the other looking at me Give the squint a try. PELTMAN I think if I have read your thread correctly, and what you are seeing when mounting your gun, then your gun is too low in the comb, in fact if you are having more misses on right hand crossers than left hand crossers then I would bet money on it, Get your gun fit checked bud, Cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr W Posted September 28, 2007 Report Share Posted September 28, 2007 Interesting thread cheers guys. I've only been shooting a few times in the past year and I'm now thinking that I will swap to my left hand to match my strong left eye dominance. I will let you know how I get on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chard Posted September 29, 2007 Report Share Posted September 29, 2007 Just to comment on the last point Emmsy, I shut my left as I am about to shoot, can't help it. I don't miss many driven or teal You are bang on though, with my left closed it's guesswork, I estimate the lead needed and time it - might not be ideal but it works Pin I found when first shot the Gun i kept both eyes open as told you must, I hit jack. I found that when the Gun is mounted and my right eye view is obstructed by the barrel/bead that my left eye then takes over dominance which results in aiming wrong. I think you will find this is what is happening with you. All i do is squint my left eye a little and my right eye stays dominant and i dont loose depth of field and keep a three D image. I now hit a lot of Clays/Pigeon. Catcherpelt hase to do the same. My misses when her right eye has the slightest obstruction it gives up completely and turns to the right leaving her only seeing with her left eye. It is very spooky seeing her watch tv with one eye and the other looking at me Give the squint a try. PELTMAN I think if I have read your thread correctly, and what you are seeing when mounting your gun, then your gun is too low in the comb, in fact if you are having more misses on right hand crossers than left hand crossers then I would bet money on it, Get your gun fit checked bud, Cheers. I was just thinking something similar there. I don't think your right eye view should be obstructed by the barrel/bead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cartridge Posted September 29, 2007 Report Share Posted September 29, 2007 I cant beleave that the front sight is for decoration only!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chard Posted September 29, 2007 Report Share Posted September 29, 2007 I cant beleave that the front sight is for decoration only!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :good: That's about all the use it is. You certainly shouldn't be looking at it, like you would in rifle shooting. You should just be "aware" of it, out of focus. It's amazing how distracting it can be though, if you get a bit of fluff from inside your gunslip caught on it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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