[Otis]

I have been shooting handguns for a few years. Just recently have been getting more and more interested in competition. I have always been a decent shot. I can score an average of 97% in the police qualification but lately I have been concentrating on form and function of my shooting skills. As I have stated in the title I am one of the cursed right handed people that have left eye dominance.
My problem is this, the last few times at the range I have been noticing I have been consistently shooting left. I figured it was my new XDm but I had my buddy try it and he was balls on. (Isn't it frustrating when your friends can shoot your new gun better than you)? Any way I came home and after cleaning I was doing a bit of dry firing and was paying particular attention to my form and what happens when I pull the trigger. In order to utilize my left eye when I shoot right handed I am noticing that the pistol is not in line with my forearm and when I pull the trigger my hand naturally tries to line up the gun, therefore, shooting a bit left.

I know there are others out there that have this same curse and am hoping that someone has worked through this problem. Looking for a few tips to correct.

Thanks
Otis

[YammyMonkey]

Your best bet is going to be to switch to shooting left handed. I know it sucks to undergo the process but as someone who is also cross dominant (my left hand is good for shooting & nose picking ONLY) doing the switch will make your shooting much more simple. I read a class review from Claude- one of the instructors at the Rogers School & he opined after watching cross dominant students that shooting cross slowed the students down & once they had everything running on the same side they improved markedly. These were very experienced shooter as well.

I found the same thing when I switched. After a very short break-in period I started shooting better. I also found that I now had my right hand potentially free to access things like car keys, knives, OC spray, etc... & the natural dexterity of my right hand means I'm much less likely to fumble those items.

If you also keep up on your right handed shooting/manipulating skills you'll be miles ahead of the crowd who only work their strong side.

Making the effort to change over can be intimidating & it can suck trying to find left handed gear, but in the end you'll be better for it.

[capbuster]

since you probably shoot long guns off your left shoulder, like I do ,you will find that you are pretty handy shooting left handed with a handgun. you might try shooting one handed with either the right or left hand which will improve the shooting of both. I do it mainly with a .22 rimfire at 25 yds. Even though I remain a right handed shooter,I have noticed that my sight picture and sight alignment favor my left hand.

[dbski]

I'm right handed and left eye dominant (lazy right eye) I just try to lean my head a little to the right and it seems to work okay for me.

[S&Wfan]

I strongly recommend that all handgun enthusiasts learn to shoot proficiently with BOTH hands and with EITHER eye with either hand. This is especially true for LEOs because you have a much greater chance of needing this extra edge.

During a gunfight bullet fragments and/or other matter may get blown into your eye at the crucial moment . . . and you'd better be able to instantly switch eyes without missing a beat.

This is also true with your hands. You may have your dominant hand get injured in a fight, accident or by a knife or bullet . . . and this isn't the time to learn how to use the other hand fast . . . proficiently . . . and under stress!

Master what I'm talking about here and you'll improve your chances of always going home at the end of the shift! My apologies if these are things you already do!;)

T.

[GooseGestapo]

Being ipsilateral myself,(technical term for cross eye-dominant), I don't think that its the eye issue.
More likely, its your grip and trigger squeeze.

I've shot NRA PPC quite successfully for many years. I also know of more than a few other very successful competitors who are likewise.(more than one National Champion) Enough to know thats it not a "curse", but more likely an "advantage". I used to in early qualifications "kick ass" when we went to the left-side of the barricade at 25 and 50yds. It is a little more of a "strain" to use the left eye from the right side of the barricade. After I started shooting competitively, the Department essentially discontinued the interdepartmental competition because there was nothing to decide.........

I've noticed through the years that after a period of inactivity, that when I start back to practicing for the coming season, I "cross shoot", meaning that from the right side of the barricade, I shoot "left", and from the left side, I shoot "right". It's due to shifting the grip and not pulling the trigger "balanced" between the gripping forces of the trigger squeezing hand. (neither "pushing" or "hooking" the trigger).

Again, it's most likely thats it's the grip and trigger squeeze. If you are "shading" the sights, it can also be stance- meaning foot position. Also, DON'T be tempted to use the foward serations on the trigger guards for normal gripping of the firearm. Those are there (they were a "fad" for a while, some/many later firearms don't wear them) for extreamly fast shooting of heavier recoiling firearms by individuals wanting to allievate the gun "walking" out of their hands. Namely, some early IPSC shooters.

Cure?

PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE;
go home, reload a lot more ammo....... then
PRACTICE, PRACTICE,PRACTICE.
(also, a good coach helps too, if you can find one specific for your discipline)

[WNC Seabee]

Since the OP mentioned interest in competition, I'd suggest mounting a good red dot and going with both eyes open. Faster target acquisition and no concern over eye dominance.

I'm a lefty that is right eye dominant. For bullseye shooting, switching to an Ultradot boosted my score 50+ points.

And before a bunch of you fuddy-duddy's decry a dot vs. iron sights; I've shot irons my entire life, flintlocks to AR's, so this is not a matter of learning proper marksmanship. It's making the best use of available tools. If Davy Crockett had access to an Ultradot, I'm sure he would have accepted.

[skinewmexico]

That could be a trigger control issue just as easily as it is an eye issue. Close your left eye and see what happens. For you trivia buffs - 90% of all major league baseball players are cross-dominant.

[CWL]

I am left-eye, rt-hand dominant, I force myself to shoot with both eyes open for most shots, but for precision shots, I close my left eye to allow for rt-eye focus.

I was taught a technique by Jeff Gonzalez, who's wife has this problem. She shoots by turning her head to the right so that her jaw rests on her rt. shoulder. This allows her left eye to align with the sights. I have yet to try this technique seriously but it may help others out there.

[Sniper X]

I have instructed and taught many left eye right handed shooters to change to holding left and all loved it and shot way better after the change. Some had to get used to it but after doing so loved the change till they had to try to find lefty holsters.

[gallo]

I have a very lazy right eye. I have found out that if I shoot with both eyes open, I'm better than if I close my right eye.

[crebralfix]

There's no curse. Just point shoot...or tilt the gun until it's in line with your eye.

A friend of mine has some weird eye condition that makes it difficult for him to focus on the front sight and keep the target and rear sight aligned. As soon as he started point shooting (with laser beam like focus on at point on the target), he began shooting one hole groups.

[Mat, not doormat]

Wherein lies the curse? I'm cross-wired myself. No handicap with a handgun. Right handed left eyed. I shoot handguns with either hand. My groups are maybe a touch tighter when shooting left handed, but I'm faster and surer with the right.

It's no big deal with a pistol. Either hand can hold the gun in front of either eye. No handicap. Long guns, it's a little stranger, but still not a major issue. But this ain't a long gun thread.

~~~Mat

[armoredman]

Right handed, left eye dominant, and I qualify expert or distinguished expert every year. Practice helps.

[Sunray]

"...Isn't it frustrating when your friends can..." I've seen guys get absolutely livid when their wife or girlfriend can shoot better than they can.
Anyway, change your stance. Move your hind leg to bring your sights into line and shoot with both eyes open.
"...or tilt the gun until it's in line with your eye..." Don't even think about that.

[tipoc]

I am right handed and left eye dominant. It's not a problem.

Tilt your head a bit is all.

As others have said it's more likely a problem of grip, trigger control and possibly stance than of eye dominance.

The advice that you should learn to shoot weak handed because you are cross dominant is off course. Folks should learn to shoot weak handed whether cross dominant or not. But there is no reason to give up shooting with the strong hand due to cross dominance. Tilt the head a bit is all.

If it ain't a problem when you thread a needle than it won't be a problem when you shoot, unless you make it one.

tipoc

[djamel]

I am a righty but when shooting the target I use my left eye. I am used to this type of stance and move and I feel comfortable this way.