Cross eye dominance

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bill2

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I wanted to get some advice or documentation on the following problem:
I took some friends to the range last night - they are buying a shotgun and wanted some help on using it. We rented a Benelli Nova 12 ga. and I showed them how to to load, hold it, and fire it. The problem is that the wife shoots right handed and does not want to/cannot change, but her left eye is the dominant one.

What is the best way to over come this? Does this change if you're talking about a handgun versus a long gun?

Thanks
 
I have the same problem. Right handed with left dominant eye.

While it is not an issue for handguns, for long guns I first learned to shoot left handed. Now im kinda ambidextrous with a rifle.

But some months ago, i started to train everdy day to make my right eye able to stay open while closing my left.. now I can shoot right handed as well
 
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I am also a right handed shooter, but I am left eye dominant. It doesn't present a problem to me. When I am shooting a long gun, I have no issue closing my left eye. And with handguns it doesnt matter, and any type of combat shooting, both eyes are open, so whatever, I stopped worrying about it.
 
I would use a patch on the range but they don't allow it. I get a headache closing one eye for so long.
 
I'm right-eye dominant and shoot right handed, but on the trap range I sometimes have trouble with cross-sighting. I found an easy fix, thanks to Bob Brister's shotgun book.

I put on my shooting glasses and mounted my shotgun. I then closed my right eye and found the exact spot on the left lens of my glasses to blot out the front sight. I then placed a tiny piece (maybe 1/8" square) of tape on that spot.

Now when I mount the gun, I can keep both eyes open but my left eye cannot see the gun's front sight, so the right eye always controls my aim.

It might be worth a try.

Ed
 
A technique taught to me for cross-eye dominance is to turn your cheek towards your shoulder and let your dominant eye focus on the sight. This is only a 1" movement but will allow you to set-up a precision shot.
 
I have the same issue: I am right handed but left eye dominant.
Just got back from the range where I spent the morning experimenting with my T/C R55. It has a right-hander stock.
Even so, I managed to get a .5" group (10 shots, measured edge to edge) just resting on elbows, 25 yards. It wasn't comfortable, but it seems to me that with a little more effort than I have previously been willing to put in, I can do okay shooting a rifle left handed.

Of course the problem I have now, is my T/C has a right hand stock. I might look to change it for an ambidextrous one (would like to be able to use my rifle from either side).
 
I am right handed and left eye dominant. However, I can also close my left eye. I did that all my life and didn't know better until fairly recently.

I also wear prescription glasses. I have them corrected for mono-vision, i.e. my right eye is the distance eye and my left eye is the close up eye. That makes shooting an open-sighted long gun very easy and natural.
 
"I am also a right handed shooter, but I am left eye dominant."

Me, too. I've shot righthanded all my life and never thought about it at all until a year ago when the CCW instructor said, "You're cross-dominant!"

I said, "I am not! Just ask my wife!"

He explained what he meant, and I thought, "That's interesting..." as I continued to shoot righthanded.
 
I am also right handed left eye dominant. I didn't realize this for the longest time because I used to close my left eye (dominant eye) when I aimed. It wasn't until I started to shoot with both eyes open that I realized I was cross dominant.

The old school of thought is teach the person to shoot left handed. Although this is an option and has worked for many people I didn't like this thought.

You can teach yourself to shoot with your weak eye. It just takes a little practice. Eventually it becomes dominant (or at least when aiming). Here is what I did. I did this this dry firing.

At first I continued to close my left eye to initially aim, then I opened both eyes and just stared at the front sight. This gets you used to looking at the sight picture with both eyes open while aiming with your right eye. Do this over and over again.

Then I would aim with both eyes open, line up the sights, then close my left eye. If I had aimed with my left eye the sight alignment would be off when I closed my left eye. I would correct the sight alignment and stare at the sight picture. Do this over and over.

Eventually I found myself aligning the sights with my right eye while having both eyes open. It didn't take long, just a few sessions.
 
rt hand/lft eye here

Shoot a pistol right handed using left eye

Shoot a long gun left handed using left eye.

Being doing it so long it's natural now.

(Of course, I play bass guitar professionally so I'm used to using my left hand for something remotely coordinated.);)
 
I also wear prescription glasses. I have them corrected for mono-vision, i.e. my right eye is the distance eye and my left eye is the close up eye. That makes shooting an open-sighted long gun very easy and natural.
Click to expand...

How do you handle scopes?
 
I'm right-handed but have to use my left eye due to a vision problem. So I learned at an early age to shoot lefty. About two years ago, I found I actually shoot handgun better using my right hand with left eye. Rifles and shotguns leave me little choice- I still shoot lefty.
 
I switched to lefty. Had to do it during rifle qual in the Corps. Now, plinking I just use the bad eye, since I did learn you focus on the front sight, NOT the target. I got LASIK, that helped a tad, but astigmatism is not the easiest to correct.

So the options, IMHO are switch, or deal with it.......
 
Ever see the movie Fire Birds? Nicholas Cage had a eye dominance problem, and had a unique solution to fix the problem.

She might want to try and switch hands after you offer the solution.
 
"...Why is it best to shoot with both eyes open?..." It's how your eyes work. As daft as that sounds. Gives depth perception.
 
Been there, done that.

My wife was like that, but lasik corrected it. Had a tough time with rifles and shotguns with her till now. I have found dot sites to help before the lasik.
 
ReadyRob said:
Why is it best to shoot with both eyes open?
Click to expand...
As Sunray pointed out it is how your eyes are designed to work...

  • It provides depth perception, with one eye closed you are looking at a flat picture.
  • You have a larger field of view
  • Better peripheral vision
  • More easily track a moving target
 
Thanks for the both eyes open replies. I just returned from trying to shoot w/both eyes open. At the current price of 38 ammo, I'll be broke before I master this. Guess I better get the 22 pistol out.
 
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