I recently found out that I'm left eye dominant. All this time I've been aiming with my right eye. If I'm going to start using my left eye does that mean I should hold my pistol with my left hand, and place my rifle against my left shoulder? Or can I still hold them on my right side and just use my left eye instead?
Eye dominance question
- Thread starter Machete
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Although it's easier if you use the same side eye as your dominant hand in all shooting sports, those who don't surely wouldn't know it and they get used to making it work. It's a little harder with a scoped rifle than with a handgun, of course.
However, I strongly recommend that everyone incorporate non-dominant eye practice into their practice sessions!
You never know if you'll be blinded by splinters or other flying debris should the day come when you are locked into moral combat with a perp . . . and get blinded in your shooting eye!!!
Also, whitetail deer hunters need to practice shooting from both sides through the scope . . . for you never know when Bubba's gonna walk out in all his 10-point splendor . . . but be on your "weak" side that forces your to shoot with your non-dominant side and/or eye.
For the same reason that shooters should practice shooting with their non-dominante arm and hand, we should also practice shooting some with our non-dominant eye!
Mastering these things may just save your life one day! However, it surely feels weird when your start!!!
T.
However, I strongly recommend that everyone incorporate non-dominant eye practice into their practice sessions!
You never know if you'll be blinded by splinters or other flying debris should the day come when you are locked into moral combat with a perp . . . and get blinded in your shooting eye!!!
Also, whitetail deer hunters need to practice shooting from both sides through the scope . . . for you never know when Bubba's gonna walk out in all his 10-point splendor . . . but be on your "weak" side that forces your to shoot with your non-dominant side and/or eye.
For the same reason that shooters should practice shooting with their non-dominante arm and hand, we should also practice shooting some with our non-dominant eye!
Mastering these things may just save your life one day! However, it surely feels weird when your start!!!
T.
Regolith
Member
I kind of messed up early on when I first started too, and now I've finally decided I need to try to correct it somewhat.
Basically, I'm right eye dominant, but I've been shooting lefty since I was very young because that's what felt natural (I also write left handed, BTW). It also helped that my right arm is my strong arm and it is much easier and far less awkward to use it to support a long gun while I use my left hand to manipulate the trigger.
However, shooting this way usually means I have to close my right eye to obtain a good sight picture, or I have to mentally force my left eye to become dominant for those few seconds. Not too big of a problem for most cases, but it slows down target acquisition by a hair.
The upshot of this is....with pistols, I'm completely ambidextrous. I suffer no accuracy loss when switching from one hand to the other. With long guns, its not a matter of accuracy but a matter of comfort. Using my left hand/arm for support instead of my right just feels awkward. I'm trying to train this out, but it might take a while.
Basically, I'm right eye dominant, but I've been shooting lefty since I was very young because that's what felt natural (I also write left handed, BTW). It also helped that my right arm is my strong arm and it is much easier and far less awkward to use it to support a long gun while I use my left hand to manipulate the trigger.
However, shooting this way usually means I have to close my right eye to obtain a good sight picture, or I have to mentally force my left eye to become dominant for those few seconds. Not too big of a problem for most cases, but it slows down target acquisition by a hair.
The upshot of this is....with pistols, I'm completely ambidextrous. I suffer no accuracy loss when switching from one hand to the other. With long guns, its not a matter of accuracy but a matter of comfort. Using my left hand/arm for support instead of my right just feels awkward. I'm trying to train this out, but it might take a while.
Lennyjoe
Member
At a young age I found out that I'm left eye dominant. Right handed by birth, I started out shooting right handed and couldn't hit a duck at 10 yards.
Since then I've been shooting left handed. Pistols, rifles, bows ect are all left handed. The hardest to learn was the bow cause of the strength difference between right/left hand.
Depending on your type of stance you can use right eye to shoot pistols. Anything else, I'd learn to shoot left handed.
Since then I've been shooting left handed. Pistols, rifles, bows ect are all left handed. The hardest to learn was the bow cause of the strength difference between right/left hand.
Depending on your type of stance you can use right eye to shoot pistols. Anything else, I'd learn to shoot left handed.
flashman70
Member
I am RH & left eye dominant. I can shoot handguns pretty well by cocking or turning my head to the right to get the sights behind my left eye. I find that I can shoot my M4 with both eyes open if I use an EOTech holosight - it overcomes eye dominance. With irons, or other scoped rifles, I squint my left eye and sight with my right. It's imperfect, but works.
Where I really have problems is with shotguns. I know that I'm supposed to mount the gun and "point", but I miss a lot that way. So I find myself aiming with one eye closed. I may try shouldering the gun left-handed.
Where I really have problems is with shotguns. I know that I'm supposed to mount the gun and "point", but I miss a lot that way. So I find myself aiming with one eye closed. I may try shouldering the gun left-handed.
pdowg881
Member
I was in the same situation as the OP when I was learning to shoot. I learned to shoot long guns lefty, and pistols right handed but still looking down the sights with the left eye. Using the right eye when shooting lefty can be awkward and maybe even hurt you on guns with more recoil due to the strain on your neck, I suggest you learn to shoot long guns lefty, and stick with shooting pistols righty. I also find I have better fine motor skills with my right hand, which makes it much quicker to manipulate evrything in a pistol where the controls are closer together than a rifle. I also haven't found recoil to be an issue when sighting pistols left eyed right handed because it is onlly held slightly more to the keft than if I was using my right eye.
RNB65
Member
I'm left eye dominant but shoot right handed. With rifles, I shoot with my right eye and close my left eye (exception, with red dot scopes I shoot with both eyes open and put the dot on the target).
With handguns, I hold in my right hand and reach across my body and aim with my left eye. Doesn't work well with a Weaver stance but it works OK with Isosceles. I tend to shoot a bit to the left and have to adjust rear sights accordingly.
With shotguns, I shoot with my right eye and use a bit of tape on my left lens to block my left eye. It allows me to shoot with both eyes open but forces the right eye to be dominant when I've got the gun mounted and head down on the stock.
Shooting left handed to match your eye dominance is probably the best route if you can do it. I can't.
With handguns, I hold in my right hand and reach across my body and aim with my left eye. Doesn't work well with a Weaver stance but it works OK with Isosceles. I tend to shoot a bit to the left and have to adjust rear sights accordingly.
With shotguns, I shoot with my right eye and use a bit of tape on my left lens to block my left eye. It allows me to shoot with both eyes open but forces the right eye to be dominant when I've got the gun mounted and head down on the stock.
Shooting left handed to match your eye dominance is probably the best route if you can do it. I can't.
For some reason I cannot close my left eye lid while keeping my right eye open. I can close my right while keeping the left open though. I think I am left eye/eye lid dominant. I tried for a long time to correct this blinking issue but had no success. Currently, I shoot pistols right handed by rotating the pistol to about 11:00 (I keep both eyes open and sight with my left eye). For rifles, I just shoot left handed with my left eye (right eye open or closed). I have been wearing an eye patch around the house to try and get my right eye to take over even though my left eye lid is still open. It seems to be working but I really have to concentrate.
HammerBite
Member
When I got interested in shotguns I decided it was easier to learn to shoot on the same side as my dominant eye. It still feels weird, but the clays break now.
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