dominant eye

[SSN Vet]

In a side note on a thread I read recently (believe it was on the rifle forum), the poster stated that there was a simple test to determine which eye is dominant.

It wasn't described thoroughly, but seemed to have something to do with watching someone draw circles in the air with both fingers.

Anyone know how to determine dominant eye?

And just exactly is one supposed to do with this knowledge?

Related topic....

I have somehow always had the impression that shooting with one eye shut was a bad practice. But last week on the range, a fellow club member was giving me some pointers and suggested that closing my left eye (I shoot right handed) would solve my "shooting to the left" problem". It seemed to help, but I was at the end of my box of 100 and didn't get to really test it out.

Should I avoid shooting with my off hand eye shut?

If it ever stops raining, I hope to get back out there and try it some more.

 

[Puppy]

First make a circle with your index finger and thumb.

Then pick a target out in the room and with both eyes open and center that target within the sight picture inside of that circle - at arms length.

Without moving your hand close your left eye if the target is still within the circle then your right eye is your dominate eye.

If the target is no longer centered in the circle then your left eye is your dominate eye.

Just for the record I am right handed, right eye dominate, and I shoot with both eyes open (unless I am using a scope).

 

[SSN Vet]

O.K. I should have searched first

I've now concluded that I'm HYPER right eye dominant. Figures...I'm also HYPER right handed....my left hand might as well be a stump.

When I was 13, someone must have told me to keep both eyes open, so that's what I've always done...with pistols, rifles and shotguns.

I've never had an issue shooting my .357 revolver to the left. In fact, I just can't seem to miss with this gun....it's dead on.

But my new PT-111 is the first three dot sight gun I've ever owned.

I'm consistanly shooting left ... getting descent groups .... but centered at the 9 o'clock point of the black.

Closing my left eye did seem to help considerably....but I need to prove this out with a couple more boxes.

Any one else have this kind of issue with three dot sights.

Then again, maybe it's the sight radius. The .357 has a 6" barrel.

The PT-111, 3-1/4 inches.

 

[Puppy]

If your groups are grouping off at 9'oclock from center, you might want to try a different trigger finger position.

 

[Broadbill]

There are many different ways to check eye dominance but this is the easiest I know.
Have someone stand 10-15ft away facing you.
Without alot of thought just extend your arm and point right between his eyes.
He will be able to tell you if your fingertip lines up with either eye.

That would be your dominant eye.

As far as shooting, I've always been told that you should keep both eyes open.
I find that hard and have been shooting with one eye closed for 35 yrs.

My 11yr old son is right handed and left eyed. When he started shooting he would crane over the stock to aim with his left eye. He was/is unable to squint so I got him a eye patch at the drug store and used it over his left eye in order to teach him to shoot righteyed.

Now last week we had his first shotgun outing. I explained that he couldn't wear the patch for safety reasons and that he would definitely not be able to hunt that way.

We needed a new strategy.

I took his shooting glasses and smeared a small circle on the lens with a chapstick.
He could still see and had both depth perception and peripheral vision but his right eye took over when looking down the barrel.

So far success.

Good luck to you hope this story helps.

Broadbill

 

[Ifishsum]

+1 on the grip and trigger position. When I first got my PT140 I had similar results - low and left. With an automatic and a DAO trigger your grip and finger position really affects your POI.

After a fair amount of dry fire practice with snap caps, I now shoot it right to POA.