Wanting to get a Remington 870 and rather not get a left handed version unless absolutely necessary. I shoot left handed; however I am right eyed. Could I get by with a right hand version ? Any opinions or suggestions would greatly be appreciated. Thanks.
Left Handed Right Eyed opinions
- Thread starter y2k600f4
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I'm the opposite, and I tried shooting left-handed. No go. Could not do it (with a shotgun at moving targets).
So I retrained my eyes instead. A few bricks of cheap .22LR and a target pistol with good sights, and I could use my right eye like it was my dominant. Now I can use either eye, and shoot like my body wants to.
What do you want the 870 for?
So I retrained my eyes instead. A few bricks of cheap .22LR and a target pistol with good sights, and I could use my right eye like it was my dominant. Now I can use either eye, and shoot like my body wants to.
What do you want the 870 for?
El General
Member
Can you explain how this helped? I have the same problem and I have been trying to solve it in regard to shooting a shotgun for years.
45crittergitter
Member
Read Gil and Vicky Ash's book, "If it ain't broke, fix it!" You probably can shoot from your preferred side even if you're cross dominant. Further, they say most people who think they are, aren't.
Regolith
Member
I have the same problem as you do. I bought the right handed version of the 870 Express, because its what I was familiar with. My father didn't have any left handed guns, and he never bought a gun just for me, so I learned on right handed firearms.
If you're used to left handed firearms, it may benefit you to get the left handed version, but only because the safety would be oriented right for you. Otherwise, don't waste the money and get the right handed version.
As for the problem with eye dominance...if I'm shooting a lot, I can generally train myself to use my left eye more than my right. However, its a skill that lapses fairly quickly. It may benefit you to try that out. Switching the side you mount the gun on can be very awkward and may take longer to get used to than training your eyes to switch dominance.
If you're used to left handed firearms, it may benefit you to get the left handed version, but only because the safety would be oriented right for you. Otherwise, don't waste the money and get the right handed version.
As for the problem with eye dominance...if I'm shooting a lot, I can generally train myself to use my left eye more than my right. However, its a skill that lapses fairly quickly. It may benefit you to try that out. Switching the side you mount the gun on can be very awkward and may take longer to get used to than training your eyes to switch dominance.
MCgunner
Member
It feels awkward at first, but good things don't come that easy most times. I'm right handed, left eyed and shoot lefty and been doing it so long I cannot feel too comfy trying to shoot strong side anymore. Left is totally natural to me even though I'm a natural right hander. Of course, I taught myself early on, about age 8, will my Benjamin. There's the old dogs and new tricks thing, but hey, I never really gave much credence to that saying.
I do shoot right handed pumps and autos left handed, even right handed bolt guns, know nothing else. It's like Jimi Hendrix playing his right handed, right hand strung guitar left handed, might not be right, but he was awesome with his guitar when he didn't beat it up or burn it. LOL One thing, though, I really appreciate the tang safety on the Mossberg shooting left handed. I HATE that right hand crossbolt safety, it sux.
RNB65
Member
I'm cross dominant - left eyed and shoot right handed. For years I've shot with a piece of tape on my left lens to force my right eye to be dominant when I mount the gun.
Lately I've been trying to shoot using both eyes. I'm using a pair of shooting glasses with no tape on the lens. Unfortunately, it's not going well. The last two rounds of sporting clays I've shot were the two lowest scores I've shot in 15 years. I'm going to give it another couple of rounds of clays, but if things don't improve soon I'm going back to using the tape. I'll take a score of 70 with one eye over a score of thirty something with two eyes any day.
Lately I've been trying to shoot using both eyes. I'm using a pair of shooting glasses with no tape on the lens. Unfortunately, it's not going well. The last two rounds of sporting clays I've shot were the two lowest scores I've shot in 15 years. I'm going to give it another couple of rounds of clays, but if things don't improve soon I'm going back to using the tape. I'll take a score of 70 with one eye over a score of thirty something with two eyes any day.
I am a left handed person, who is right eye dominant. When I began shooting skeet 4 yrs. ago (first time I picked up a shotgun), I switched from shooting left hand to right hand after a few months. It was strange feeling at first, but am glad I did it. I've even gotten a few 25's. Good luck!
Here's what I did.
I took a Ruger 22/45 with a long heavy barrel and target sights and I went to the local indoor pistol range that's open in the evening after work. I went through a few bricks, consciously shooting with my right eye instead of my left (my dominant eye and the one I had been using just instinctively).
I KEPT BOTH EYES OPEN. I made sure to do so. I just forced myself to use my non-dominant eye, but without closing my eye or using something like tape or an eyepatch. After about 2000 rounds, it was no problem. I still consciously do it with a pistol, just to keep it up.
Now I can shoot with either eye if I want, and I can shoot both-eyes-open with shotguns, rifles and pistols, and hit the bull without any issues from the two eyes. This is what you want to be able to do for shooting clays and for hunting, if you can. Peripheral vision, 3D vision and depth perception are all wonderful tools, not things to be indiscriminately thrown out in favor of a shortsighted "solution" to eye issues.
What never did work for me: tape on my glasses. Man, in the time it takes to get used to that, I can learn to shoot without it and have better vision. I tried it, and I really don't get it. My guess is, it's what instructors tell their students to do because they don't want to take the time to do anything better. It might be good for an improvement, but I really can't see how you won't hit a plateau that isn't an issue for people who don't need tape.
And what should I do when I'm hunting? Wear tape on my glasses? Not around here. I'm not fond of falling off boulders from screwed-up vision.
Am I a great shotgun shooter? No. You won't see my picture in magazines. Or anywhere else.
But can I shoot as well as anyone I know with the same level of experience, practice, etc., but without a history of cross-dominance issues? AFAIK I can. I can say with confidence that, when I miss a target or bird, it's not because of cross-dominance.
Now YMMV. Maybe you can't learn to use your other eye.
But I, personally, think it's worth a try, vs. spending a bunch of time and effort on other inferior "solutions" first.
I took a Ruger 22/45 with a long heavy barrel and target sights and I went to the local indoor pistol range that's open in the evening after work. I went through a few bricks, consciously shooting with my right eye instead of my left (my dominant eye and the one I had been using just instinctively).
I KEPT BOTH EYES OPEN. I made sure to do so. I just forced myself to use my non-dominant eye, but without closing my eye or using something like tape or an eyepatch. After about 2000 rounds, it was no problem. I still consciously do it with a pistol, just to keep it up.
Now I can shoot with either eye if I want, and I can shoot both-eyes-open with shotguns, rifles and pistols, and hit the bull without any issues from the two eyes. This is what you want to be able to do for shooting clays and for hunting, if you can. Peripheral vision, 3D vision and depth perception are all wonderful tools, not things to be indiscriminately thrown out in favor of a shortsighted "solution" to eye issues.
What never did work for me: tape on my glasses. Man, in the time it takes to get used to that, I can learn to shoot without it and have better vision. I tried it, and I really don't get it. My guess is, it's what instructors tell their students to do because they don't want to take the time to do anything better. It might be good for an improvement, but I really can't see how you won't hit a plateau that isn't an issue for people who don't need tape.
And what should I do when I'm hunting? Wear tape on my glasses? Not around here. I'm not fond of falling off boulders from screwed-up vision.
Am I a great shotgun shooter? No. You won't see my picture in magazines. Or anywhere else.
But can I shoot as well as anyone I know with the same level of experience, practice, etc., but without a history of cross-dominance issues? AFAIK I can. I can say with confidence that, when I miss a target or bird, it's not because of cross-dominance.
Now YMMV. Maybe you can't learn to use your other eye.
But I, personally, think it's worth a try, vs. spending a bunch of time and effort on other inferior "solutions" first.
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