I shoot a 54cal Lancaster, and these flints make me flinch alot. the other day I started to practice shooting with both eyes open I seem to flinch less and after the shot I`m still on target. do many of you guys shoot both eyes open and if so do you shoot any better.
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both eyes open
- Thread starter Gemoke
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I've always shot with both eyes open. When you close your non-dominant eye, I feel it makes you tense up your face too much. And this can lead to unsteadiness, and possibly flinching. You also have better depth perception and a wider field of view with both eyes open.
Single eye with rifles at stationary targets (deer, squirrel, turkey) and both eyes open when wing shooting moving targets.
Usually the flash of a Flintlock is a mind over matter thing...you just have to tell yourself to stop looking for the flash and concentrate on the front sight...you can't see the flash if you're 100% bored in on the front sight
Usually the flash of a Flintlock is a mind over matter thing...you just have to tell yourself to stop looking for the flash and concentrate on the front sight...you can't see the flash if you're 100% bored in on the front sight
vern faulkner
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It's been many years ago that I started shooting trap, graduating into ATA. Got used to keeping both eyes open and it must have carried over into my rifle shooting. Been shooting this way for a long time now with no ill effects. Too old (or lazy) to start changing now.
Vern
Vern
You are flinching because you are concentrating on the lock & ignition, rather than the target & you know when the rifle will discharge.
You should concentrate on the target ONLY and squeeze til it goes off & not know when that will happen. If you can feel when the rifle will discharge, you need trigger work, lock work, or both.
Then you have Follow Thru, which is simply keeping your head down & hanging on til long after the rifle fires........ :wink:
It is simply Mind over Matter.......
Keith Lisle
You should concentrate on the target ONLY and squeeze til it goes off & not know when that will happen. If you can feel when the rifle will discharge, you need trigger work, lock work, or both.
Then you have Follow Thru, which is simply keeping your head down & hanging on til long after the rifle fires........ :wink:
It is simply Mind over Matter.......
Keith Lisle
what birddog said :thumbsup: think acquire target, breathin in ,front site ,rearsite,breath out slow,focus on target aim smaller and smaller still breathing out and squeezing trigger gun goes off hold on target ,game goes down last thought ,of target.
NO THOUGHT OF ANYTHING ELSE AT THIS TIME.
if you can see the shot happen before you make it you will overcome the flinch.
don't let your mind wonder to when will this thing go off.
the more you shoot the easier it gets ...lets make smoke!
NO THOUGHT OF ANYTHING ELSE AT THIS TIME.
if you can see the shot happen before you make it you will overcome the flinch.
don't let your mind wonder to when will this thing go off.
the more you shoot the easier it gets ...lets make smoke!
Firing with both eyes open is taught as a combat shooting skill. It helps with periphrial vision while in a life threatening situation avoiding target fixation so you can observe threats around you and help to keep you calmer. When you are in one of those situations your body begins to shut down non-vital functions to protect itself. One thing that happens due to that is tunnel vision. Part of what you may be experiencing is tunnel vision on the flash in the pan thus causing the flinching. The both eyes open method can help you to relax a bit and focus on your front sight (assuming you have one) and the target. There's tons more that goes into this type of shooting to where it becomes more reflexive and the front sight goes away from your vision. Some of the guys have pointed that out with skeet shooting. Same in combat shooting. If you have the time to use your sights do it. Much of the time you won't and will still be on target.
I often practice picking any target at varying distances and find the natural point of aim (front of barell on target) then to reaffirm I'm in there I close my non-dominant eye. You'll surprise yourself how accurate you will become with a little practice and your sights will be lined up with your target.
There's a lot of resources available on this method of shooting so take advantage of them. The skills were the same back then as they are now. Good luck and keep asking lot's of good questions.......... :thumbsup:
I often practice picking any target at varying distances and find the natural point of aim (front of barell on target) then to reaffirm I'm in there I close my non-dominant eye. You'll surprise yourself how accurate you will become with a little practice and your sights will be lined up with your target.
There's a lot of resources available on this method of shooting so take advantage of them. The skills were the same back then as they are now. Good luck and keep asking lot's of good questions.......... :thumbsup:
vern faulkner
54 Cal.
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I vividly remember the first firefight that I was engaged in after arriving in Vietnam. There was definitely two very noticeable bodily functions that did NOT shut down. As a matter of fact, they kept on functioning until all raw material was depleted.
:redface: :redface: Vern
:redface: :redface: Vern
Just glad you came through it and are still with us!!
vern faulkner
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I thank you Sir.
Vern
Vern
hanshi
Cannon
I learned to keep both eyes open though the off side eye does squint.
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I never shot a flintlock until last year. For some reason, the flash does not bother me, which for me, is really weird, as I developed a flinch with a scoped rifle where I start to shut my eye while looking through the scope. :idunno:
I just concentrate on the sights and target and the flash of the pan going off is secondary. It becomes non-relevant to what I am doing. I guess it really is mind over matter.
The Doc is out now. :thumbsup:
I just concentrate on the sights and target and the flash of the pan going off is secondary. It becomes non-relevant to what I am doing. I guess it really is mind over matter.
The Doc is out now. :thumbsup:
I personally shoot with one eye shut, and have shot a Lyman deerstalker for a few years before I got a reall nice custom gun. One thing that I learned with the custome gun is with a well tuned lock there is almost no delay and my thoughts are with the follow through and not with the flash so I don't flinch. Bottom line is the more you shoot the more you get comfortable with your weapon.
if you can shoot with both eyes open it is better the army mut unit teaches to shoot with both eyes open and in 3p target shooting it is the only way. most shotters were glasses and cover one eye with a neutral blue or other color blank
