Cross dominance. Learning to deal with it?

Right handed, left eyed here.

Pistols are shot right handed, I tilt my head a little to the right or the pistol a little left. I couldn't tell you which one I do more, its second nature.

Years ago, shooting bottle and cans with a Mini14, I couldn't hit anything. I was so bad that when my buddy's dad suggested I try left handed and I asked if it would help, his reply was "it aint gonna hurt..." I popped that bottle on the first shot, and did pretty well for the rest of the day.

Ever since, if it took two hands, I was left handed. Rifles, shotguns, trimmers, chainsaws, sawzalls, etc.

Even though I'm left handed for things requiring both hands, have found that being naturally right handed, I am more likely to use my right hand than someone who is truly left handed. So, while shooting my AR left handed is natural to me, shooting it right handed isn't unnatural, if that makes any sense.

Even though I'm left handed for things requiring both hands, have found that being naturally right handed, I am more likely to use my right hand than someone who is truly left handed.

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That sounds like some of the things my brother might have went through as an ambidextrous person. It was never equal what he could do with both hands. He could do some things better with his right hand and some better with his left. For example he writes left handed and throws right handed. He shoots right handed but it was always pretty clear he had and advantage because of his left arm being stronger and more coordinated. Shooting off hand he could make me look bad all day as kids until we got older and I had just worked on it a long time. He could hit a squirrel running long before I could for example. I may never have learned to do that if I hadn't seen him do it so easy (seemed that way anyway). But of course I never heard the end of it until I could do it too.

I think I'm going to just force myself to go left hand. The next rifle that I buy will be a left hand model. If I put down that much change I'll be forced to deal with it. I'm thinking Ruger scout rifle in 308. I did want a battle rifle but I don't own a bolt gun. I suggest that the OP change to the left for long guns too.

Cross dominant and retired Army.

Other than academic schools, my entire time was spent in Special Forces which is to say - I shot a lot, a hell of a lot.

I never let the cross-dom overpower my desire to shoot with my right eye... ever. Hell, for that matter, until someone in a totally unsolicited manner broached the subject of cross dominance, I didn't even know it was "a thing".

Now I find as I get older that my vision is not only becoming less corrected-dependent but any perceived "cross dominance" is diminishing as well.

Todd.

ApacheCoTodd said:

Other than academic schools, my entire time was spent in Special Forces which is to say - I shot a lot, a hell of a lot.



I never let the cross-dom overpower my desire to shoot with my right eye... ever. Hell, for that matter, until someone in a totally unsolicited manner broached the subject of cross dominance, I didn't even know it was "a thing".



Now I find as I get older that my vision is not only becoming less corrected-dependent but any perceived "cross dominance" is diminishing as well.



Todd.

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Now as I get older I'm finding the opposite to be true for me. It is getting harder to shoot with my right eye.

The best solution is to learn to shoot from your dominant eye. What shotgunners do if that is not possible is to use a fuzzy dot on the wrong sided dominant eyeglass lens. This forces the weaker eye to focus more while keeping peripheral vision.

http://www.morganoptical.net/magic_dot

Or if you just use regular eyeglasses, a dab of vaseline or similar that will do thew same thing can work as can a piece of the opaque Scotch tape. Getting in the right spot on the lens might take a few tries.

Maybe Apache County Todd could comment on this but I have two nephews who are or were SF as a career. I think you (the OP) have a lot more to worry about in getting into either the Seals or the Green Berets (yeah I know they don't like that name but the civilians still understand it!) than your long range shooting ability. The nephew that was an operator rarely shot anyone beyond 50 yards as his task was to bring them in for questioning or ensure that they couldn't talk to anyone ever again. If the movie "American Sniper" is impacting your current judgment seek out some retired or active duty SF guys and talk to them. It is a long hard road to join that group and I don't believe shooting ability is ranked above mental or physical toughness. I didn't say strength, I said toughness.

I am 61, an old vet...if closing one eye and shooting like I was taught....Daniel Boone, Alvin York and a few other "riflemen" did alright with it...I will stick with it.

The best solution is to learn to shoot from your dominant eye. What shotgunners do if that is not possible is to use a fuzzy dot on the wrong sided dominant eyeglass lens. This forces the weaker eye to focus more while keeping peripheral vision.

http://www.morganoptical.net/magic_dot

Or if you just use regular eyeglasses, a dab of vaseline or similar that will do thew same thing can work as can a piece of the opaque Scotch tape. Getting in the right spot on the lens might take a few tries.

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I've never liked this idea. It's fine if you are shooting in competition. If you ever mean to use a gun defensively, on the other hand, I would not advise relying on such things. When the balloon goes up you will not have time to retrieve your special glasses, or get your hands on something to dab over the lens of your regular ones.

I started shooting when I was five with a Browning T bolt .22 my dad bought for me. Being right handed, I shot right handed. I started shooting pistols in junior high, and again, shot right handed, and I used my right eye, same as I'd been doing with rifles for years. Some time in my late twenties I discovered I was actually left eye dominant. I had no intention of unlearning a lifetime of habits by that point and relearning new ones, particular when using my non-dominant eye seemed to trouble me not at all. I see even less reason to now. I am a pretty good shot. I'm not the best shot on my department, but I usually shoot a score of 100 every year when we have to requalify. A few years I haven't shot at all between one qualification and the next year's (which is bad, I know), I still routinely shoot in the low 90s or high 80s, and using my non-dominant eye doesn't bother me. You can learn to shoot that way, and I think it's better than relying on gear you may not have when you need it.

I noticed the issue was getting worse when taking pictures of my daughter playing basketball. I bought a nice new Nikon SLR camera to catch those action shots. I was not able to get good pics using my right eye. I could not keep both eyes open. When I started looking through the viewfinder with my left eye I could keep both eyes open and follow the action. I don't do three gun or anything where I am shooting on the move so never realized this at the range. Let's just say it was an eye opening experience.

Sam1911 said:

This works well. Red dot optics take a lot of the stress out of this because you shoot with both eyes looking at the target, and which one puts the dot on it doesn't matter.

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Not for me. Very left eye domonant here. Red dots will blur out and disappear trying to use them with my right eye. Magnified scopes are OK but not great as I have to concentrate a bit to keep the image of the side of the scope from my left eye from blocking the target.


Not surprisingly, I'm always reminding myself to shoot my long guns left handed. I do much better that way.

Well, that's a very good point. I should say IF they work that way for you, that's how they work. If your vision is too lopsided or poor on one side for that to function, they don't.

Yes LR, I have that problem too when I am very tired now that I am older, I see double at times and have to concentrate harder. And like you eye dominance can switch if I am tired.

My son is left eye dominant but does most thing right handed, He is good with both hands and shoots shotgun equally well with any hand, With his bow he always shot right handed but never did get small groups, I told him buy a left handed bow, He did and now shoots the veins off his arrows they are so tight. If you really want to get good I think you would be better shooting with your dominant eye, He shoots rifle left handed and pistol left handed. His shooting improved immediately.

I have know forever that I'm cross-dominant, but learned to shoot righthanded.

A couple years back, I learned how to shoot on the left side. Wasn't hard, but a little awkward at first; the trick was to stop shooting right handed. It took about 2 weeks to get to where things felt comfortable on the left side.

I was a Range Coach in the Marines for many years, as well as being a combat marksmanship instructor. The best solution to someone who was cross eye dominant was to teach them to shoot with whatever shoulder matched up to their dominant eye. As many other have already written, it is awkward at first, but quickly become second nature.

I'm right handed, left eye dominant, and I am here to tell you that handedness does not matter. Shoot everything with your eye dominance.