Front Sight Focus

[JAG2955]

So we've all heard focus on the front sight, and you should shoot with both eyes open. I'm pretty certain that I've got a bad habit, but I do shoot better (and faster) while doing it. Instead of focusing both eyes on the front sight, I "look through" everything, so I see two rear sights, two front sights, and two targets. The front sight through my right eye is clear, and I ignore everything that my left eye sees, which is on the right half of the image.

If I focus both eyes on the front sight, I do get a very clear front sight, but I do get a double rear sight, and a double target. The double targets are farther away from each other than in my original derpy method. They're also far less distinct, and it makes it harder for me to get accurately onto the target.

So how wrong am I? I believe that I heard at least one person refer to this as a "soft focus" vs a "hard focus", but google doesn't seem to agree, at least in a cursory search. Rack your brains, experiment with your sights, tire your eyes, and let me know.

[rjohnson4405]

Sounds like a lot of your questions are probably answered in this thread: https://pistol-forum.com/showthread....-w-Iron-Sights

[voodoo_man]

When drawing or transitioning on a target your should see the target clearly and pick a specific spot on that target which to focus on your vision on - call this the preferred point of impact. When your pistol comes up and the front sight begins to cross your vision your focus should transition to the front sight only when it is in front your target. You track your front sight up on presentation peripherally but only focus on it once it covers or begins to cross the plane of your preferred point of impact.

Once you discharge a round, you should continue to track the front sight back onto the general area of your target, repeat as needed.

Humans can only focus sharply/crisply/vividly on one point at one time. That is not to say we cannot see what is around that point or in our periphery, but we cannot focus on those things without taking our focus off the point which we are currently focusing on.

For shooting, you should not be tiring your eyes or seeing double. Shooting with both eyes open implies the ability to have peripheral vision along with the vision of your target/gun. If you are seeing double, then you are letting your eyes relax and trying to infinite focus, this is not good for pistol shooting. You could probably do this with an RDS, but with iron sights I would recommend figuring out which eye is your dominant eye (sounds like your right eye) and pushing focus to that eye as you draw.

[walker2713]

Interesting that you should post re "focus"......

https://youtu.be/XPtTs42sVAM

I watched this twice yesterday, and found it very helpful, especially the exercises using the patterns and dots, and the need to include some of this into dry fire sessions.

Comments?


George

[Wayne Dobbs]

When drawing or transitioning on a target your should see the target clearly and pick a specific spot on that target which to focus on your vision on - call this the preferred point of impact. When your pistol comes up and the front sight begins to cross your vision your focus should transition to the front sight only when it is in front your target. You track your front sight up on presentation peripherally but only focus on it once it covers or begins to cross the plane of your preferred point of impact.

Once you discharge a round, you should continue to track the front sight back onto the general area of your target, repeat as needed.

Humans can only focus sharply/crisply/vividly on one point at one time. That is not to say we cannot see what is around that point or in our periphery, but we cannot focus on those things without taking our focus off the point which we are currently focusing on.

For shooting, you should not be tiring your eyes or seeing double. Shooting with both eyes open implies the ability to have peripheral vision along with the vision of your target/gun. If you are seeing double, then you are letting your eyes relax and trying to infinite focus, this is not good for pistol shooting. You could probably do this with an RDS, but with iron sights I would recommend figuring out which eye is your dominant eye (sounds like your right eye) and pushing focus to that eye as you draw.

And that post should be a sticky all by itself. Excellent summary, brother.

[JAG2955]

I did read that other post, and I thought that I'd start a new one, that this topic was different enough.

I understand the fundamental concept, but it took me years to figure out that what I was doing was "wrong", and that I wasn't focusing on the front sight with both eyes. When it's described that the rear sight and target are "blurry", I don't see it, but it is more obvious to me that there are two separate rear sights and two separate targets. I understand the concepts and I know that I am very right-eye dominant.

My eyes actually get more of a workout if I am focusing both of them on the front sight. With the "infinite focus", let's call it that, I actually feel more relaxed. It feels more natural to me to have the whole double-vision thing. I'm not saying it's right or better, I'm just wondering if anyone else is having the same experience.

[ASH556]

I'll just throw it out there that I think the "both eyes open" thing is waaaaay overplayed. It also depends on the shots you're trying to make (distance, size of target, etc). When making a precision shot, I tend to squint my left eye some. This reduces the double-image and forces my right eye (dominant) to focus harder on the front sight. When shooting closer targets at speed, it's less of an issue and the line between front sight focus and target focus gets blurred.

[Luke]

I shoot target focused with dots AND irons.

[voodoo_man]

I did read that other post, and I thought that I'd start a new one, that this topic was different enough.

I understand the fundamental concept, but it took me years to figure out that what I was doing was "wrong", and that I wasn't focusing on the front sight with both eyes. When it's described that the rear sight and target are "blurry", I don't see it, but it is more obvious to me that there are two separate rear sights and two separate targets. I understand the concepts and I know that I am very right-eye dominant.

My eyes actually get more of a workout if I am focusing both of them on the front sight. With the "infinite focus", let's call it that, I actually feel more relaxed. It feels more natural to me to have the whole double-vision thing. I'm not saying it's right or better, I'm just wondering if anyone else is having the same experience.

Have you tried to close your left eye, since you are right eye dominant, and focus on your front sight?

Sometimes you have to trick yourself into focusing properly and then slowly apply the second eye opening. Do not let both eyes focus on the front sight, just your dominant eye.

[JAG2955]

Have you tried to close your left eye, since you are right eye dominant, and focus on your front sight?

Sometimes you have to trick yourself into focusing properly and then slowly apply the second eye opening. Do not let both eyes focus on the front sight, just your dominant eye.

That is what I tell my students, almost verbatim. While I can do it myself, it's fine standing at a range and shooting a target, but to speed up or for better precision, I let my eyes relax.