Left Eye Dominant, Right-Handed Shooter

[Riss]

Best way to deal with the problem is get away from the Weaver stance, which it sounds as though you may be using. Go for a more solid lockup with both arms out straight and the head hunched down into the gun a little. Look up any of the big name shooters on YouTube while they shoot a match to see what I am talking about.

 

[U.S.SFC_RET]

Try this one. (Using safety glasses while shooting is always mandatory of course)
Bring that pistol very close to your face approximately 12 to 15 inches and cantilever the pistol at a 45 degree angle. Your elbows are going to stick out. This method is good for weapon retention. You will see the sights as clear as a bell with either eye. Don't be surprized if you shoot pretty accurate into a target. You should learn to shoot this way. Believe it or not there is a method to this madness. In close quarter firing, home protection or simply shooting at closer targets this is an accurate way to fire. You will probably forget anything about eye dominance using this method of firing a pistol.

Not meant for IDPA or Match pistol shooting but more than good enough for defence shooting in my book.

 

[jon_in_wv]

I don't believe your stance really effects your shooting as far as cross eye dominance is concerned. Rather than change my stance or my whole method of shooting I can turn my head about 10 degrees the right which lines my left eye up with the sights and solves the problem. Most of the suggestions made here are simply a variation of the idea that you need to move the weapon over a little bit to line it up with you left eye rather than your right. Changing your whole shooting method is kind of like taking your car to the junk yard because it needs new tires. Just turn your head a little, with a little practice you will automatically line up the sights with your left eye and the problem will disappear.

I don't know if anyone mentioned this but if you aren't sure which eye is dominant it is very easy to tell. Simply point at something about 10 feet or more away from you. Close one eye and see if you are still pointing at it. If you are the open eye is your dominant eye. If you are not, then the closed eye is the dominant one. When you point your weapon similarly the weapon will be pointed naturally lined up with your dominant eye. Its not that big of a deal because you are still pointing at it, its just you that thinks your not because your telling yourself that you should line up with you other eye. Find out which is your dominant eye and make the small adjustment mentally and to your sight alignment and you'll improve your shooting.

 

[younggun85]

Just learn to shoot wronghanded for pistols you should be fine. I changed over, it took me about 3 weeks and after that it was like i'd been lefthanded all along. That being said i still shoot long guns on my right side. The benefits i find with this style is accuracy improved on pistols, faster reloads on pistol (cz sp01 which is set up for a righty but with ambi safeties), and a really quick transition from long gun to pistol at closer ranges because you are safety-ing your long gun as you are drawing your pistol. Thats my amateur opinion.

 

[DMF]

I too am left eye dominant, and shoot pistols right handed.

Most people make a big deal of out this, but it's not an issue at all. With handguns just put the gun up in front of your left eye and go. Assuming you're using an Isoceles or modified Isoceles stance.

The "drama" over cross dominance is generally from instructors who are not cross dominant making a mountain out of mole hill dealing with students who are cross dominant.

When I first learned to shoot I struggled, as I naturally wanted to shoot long guns lefty, but the people teaching me insisted I shoot righty, because I did most other things right handed. When they learned I was left eye dominant, they suggested all kinds of strange things to compensate for it, but insisted that I not shoot lefty. Lo and behold once I started shooting long guns lefty I had no problems.

Then I first started shooting handguns in the military, and they insisted that I use the Weaver stance. Never mind that it's a bad way to shoot, it does make it a little difficult on people who are cross dominant. Again, compensating for the eye issue rather than modifying the stance were the order of the day. Later, in my LE training not only was I encouraged to use a modified Isoceles, but I was also told to quit doing things like closing or squinting my left eye, but to simply line the gun up in front of my left eye and go. Almost, immediately I went from being a mediocre shot with a pistol, to being quite good.

BTW, you never hear a person talk about dealing with issues of eye dominance when a right eye/right hand shooter practices shooting with their weak hand. Why? Because it's not a big deal, they just shift their arm and head slightly and line the gun up in front of their left eye. People talk about lots of issues when practicing weak hand, such as grip, trigger control, etc, but never do I hear talk of eye dominance when practicing weak hand shooting.

With pistols just line the gun up in front of your dominant eye, regardless of which hand you a gripping the gun, and regardless of which eye is dominant. With long guns just learn to shoot left handed. It's not hard to do at all.

 

[7Star]

Yeah...pistol is not as much of an issue. I have the most experience there and it is almost all right handed with a little off hand training. I was adimant not too long ago about switching for long guns...and I tried it for a couple weeks and decided to drop the idea. the short rifle wasn't much of a problem to shoot....even though I did slice my right hand real nice while attempting lefty at first. Now...I'm sticking with the right. However, the longer shotgun has always been the issue. I'm going to keep working the off hand and see how it goes... You guys have been alot of help

 

[LIQUID SNAKE]

I'm the same way, right handed but, left eye dominant. I cheat!! I just ignore the fact that my left eye is the dominant one and focus with the right one anyway. Hasn't bothered me.