First time red dot user...

[Gutsdozer]

Hello,

I just installed a red dot sight on my 870. I have read that the "best" way to aim a red dot is to keep both eyes open. However, most of the articles I have read are coming from people using AR type weapons or pistols where fast acquisition is needed/wanted. Does this hold true for red dots on a shot gun in the turkey woods?

Seems like it might be more of a preference than a need to turkey hunters. Of course I am new to red dots and don't really know. I need some enlightening please.

[alloutdoors]

I'm a firm believer in shooting with both eyes open no matter what the sight. Bead, reflex, scope, bow sight, whatever it is, keep your eyes open unless you are cross dominant.

[Gutsdozer]

I'm a firm believer in shooting with both eyes open no matter what the sight. Bead, reflex, scope, bow sight, whatever it is, keep your eyes open unless you are cross dominant.

Is there an advantage to keeping both open?

[alloutdoors]

You don't sacrifice your peripheral vision for one thing, this can be really valuable if you are dealing with multiple birds and need to keep tabs on them. With a reflex sight you maintain your normal binocular vision, full field of view, and just get a dot superimposed in front of your eyes.

Closing one eye also tends to interfere slightly with the vision of the open eye, when you wink one eye shut the eyelids on the open eye want to close down a little bit. This is why a lot of professional shooters who are cross dominant use an eye patch, they have both eyes open but block their dominant eye with a patch. The real question is what benefit is there to closing an eye?

[Gutsdozer]

You don't sacrifice your peripheral vision for one thing, this can be really valuable if you are dealing with multiple birds and need to keep tabs on them. With a reflex sight you maintain your normal binocular vision, full field of view, and just get a dot superimposed in front of your eyes.

Closing one eye also tends to interfere slightly with the vision of the open eye, when you wink one eye shut the eyelids on the open eye want to close down a little bit. This is why a lot of professional shooters who are cross dominant use an eye patch, they have both eyes open but block their dominant eye with a patch. The real question is what benefit is there to closing an eye?

That makes sense. Funny that you talked about one eye interfering with the other. I put my red dot on last night and noticed that when both eyes were open the dot was more clear. When I aimed with one eye closed the dot was a bit more blurry.

[WNCTracker]

I have a red dot. After a year's use I've gone from using one eye to leaving both open. I think in time your eyes will adjust to what works best for you.  You don't have to aim after a while when you raise the gun the dot is just there with your normal vision. Red dots are really fun.