Advice For Cross Dominant Shooter

[g.willikers]

Why is it necessary to shoot with both eyes open or with the dominant eye?
For centuries the accepted way to shoot everything was with only one open eye, the one right behind the sights.
It still works, so why not use it?
Trying to shoot with both eyes open often results in double vision, especially at sight distances.
So, just squint the off hand eye until it no longer interferes, and use the strong hand eye for sighting.
It works well for shooting with either hand, two handed, as well as long guns.
In between shots, both eyes are wide open again in order to see normally.

 

[Sam1911]

Why is it necessary? It isn't. People can shoot lots of different ways and make it work. Heck, you can shoot only upside down between your legs backwards if you want.

But it is better for a very great number of shooters. In any human endeavor there are several ways something can be done. Often, though, we eventually experiment enough to determine which of those ways works best for a lot of people.

Did folks for centuries all close one eye when shooting? I don't think you could say that definitively. But even if you could, you certainly would have to admit that we are developing as a group and learning and sharing knowledge to a greater and greater degree the longer we go.

Once upon a time, every pistol shooter felt that the old "duelist" stance was "the way" to shoot a handgun. We now know that's not true, and in fact, the uses of that are so limited as to be almost inconsequential these days. Same with closing one eye.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

For centuries the accepted way to shoot everything was with only one open eye, the one right behind the sights.
It still works, so why not use it?

Actually, if you see photographs of famous shooters from the 19th Century (like Annie Oakley) you see they shot with both eyes open.

In England, upper class people with land shot huge numbers of grouse and other game birds -- it was almost like the national sport and was reported in the news. The top shots -- men who killed literally hundreds of thousands of birds -- always advised shooters to use both eyes.

 

[g.willikers]

That was with shotguns, more of an instinct method, both eyes open but not actually sighting.
For clarification, when I said "just squint the off hand eye until it no longer interferes", that's not the same as closing the eye, entirely.
The eye in line with the gun hand is doing the actual sighting, but the off hand eye is still open enough to see with.
Don't take my word about it, (or anyone else's), try it and see if it's useful.
Works for me, hope it helps.

 

[Stevie-Ray]

Why is it necessary to shoot with both eyes open or with the dominant eye?

I find it isn't necessary for anything but shotgunning games, for the depth perception, hence my answer. I had been shooting only with my left eye for years with pistol, right with rifles, with no problem I might add, but learned very quickly that one eye doesn't work in the least for me and shotguns, except for sighting at stationary targets. I've since learned to tilt my head to utilize my dominant eye for sighting in pistols, while keeping both open. Difficult at first, but gets easier with practice. And with my eyes getting older, using both is certainly a plus.

 

[Sheepdog1968]

I'm cross dominate as well. Not a huge issue as I just squint, momentarily close one eye when I shoot. That works for me. May not work for all.

I do have a funny story around the one eye closed thing. This summer I was take inc a shotgun class and we were shooting various positions behind a barrier on both sides of the barrier. The second time through I just couldn't see the target or shotgun sights (almost like the dream I'm sure we all have from time to time). It took me a few seconds to sort it out. Given the side of barrier I was on, I needed to use my other eye but I was so used to closing it that I did this automatically even when I needed it. It was sort of funny but there is definitely a serious point i learned.

 

[Fred Fuller]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLhhC3_oDWU#t=147

Addressing Cross Dominance by Gomez-Training.com
.
GTI-Gun Training for Thinkers

 

[Vern Humphrey]

The technique he uses is the one I used to re-train myself as my right (dominant) eye became more far-sighted and my left eye became near-sighted.

By tilting the head, I force the left eye to pick up the sights and put the right eye below the level of the sights. Over time, the tilt becomes less and less, and by keeping both eyes open, I can see both target and sights in focus, with the brain merging the two images.

If you use this technique (both eyes open) don't force it. The brain will merge the images without you thinking about it. If you think about it too hard, you'll just confuse yourself.

 

[pitime]

I hold the pistol with my dominant right hand and shoot with a Chapman ( Modified Weaver ) Stance with my head TURNED ( not tilted ) toward the right so that my left eye lines up with the sights.

It works for me. I tried shooting left handed and I actually "shoot" very well that way but I can't clear a malfunction or change a mag without feeling like all thumbs.

 

[g.willikers]

Of course, there's the easy way to avoid the entire issue.
Learn to point shoot.
Don't need no steekin' sights.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

Pretty hard to hit a squirrel at 20 yards with point shooting.

 

[Zach S]

As someone stated, just do it, without thinking too much about it.

Sometimes I tilt the gun a little left. Most of the time I tilt my head a little right. Sometimes its a little of both. If the target is around two o'clock, my right eye takes over. The isosceles stance works best for me, however I have been caught in a weaver. I think when my right eye takes over the sights, im not sure.

The harder one may be to learn to shoot guns optimally. You need to use your strong EYE and that will mean shooting off your weak shoulder.

The transition was easy for me, however, when I switched shoulders (*snicker*), I was pretty new to shooting so i didn't have to unlearn much.

Anyway, the support hand has more to do with were the muzzle is pointed than the firing hand does... For those of us who are cross dominate, that puts our most coordinated hand up front, controling the muzzle. With the rifle wedged between my right hand and left shoulder, my left hand is pretty much just along for the ride. Most folks that I have talked to about it, and have done it as well, said the transition was a lot easier than they expected. There are a lot of downsides, but the pros outweigh the cons.

Years ago, a friend, his dad, and myself, were shooting cans and bottles on their farm. I wasn't doing very well... His dad suggested trying left handed. When I asked if he thought it would help, he said "Well, it it ain't gonna hurt..." I didnt see the humor at the time, but now I snicker every time I think ablout it.