Rifle shooting with left eye dominate

[gilfo]

I have mostly shot handguns so I know how to over come shooting right handed being left eye dominate, but I wonder if there is a way to shoot a rifle this way. Problem I have is I cannot close my left eye without squinting my right and due to old age my right eye is not a sharp as my left. I guess optics would be a choice but would like to hear any other advice.
Thanks

 

[snorko]

I too am cross dominant with right hand-left eye. I simply shoot long guns left handed. While I am comfortable shooting handguns either left or right handed, I can not get comfortable at all with a rifle on my right shoulder. AAnd yes, optics do help, especially red dot scopes.

 

[JonB]

Same here - mostly right handed, but left eye dominant. So I shoot rifles left handed, shoot pool left handed, shoot my bow right handed and pistols either.

Optics should help if you are having problems. I've been shooting rifles left handed my whole life so iron sights work just a well. I have a scope on my .243 and on my .22. But shoot my AR and my mil-surps with iron sights.

I am guessing with some practice with a rifle, you'll be just fine.

 

[JWJacobVT]

Shoot which every way you are comfortable and accurate. Case in point, I have shot left eye dom and right handed for years. handguns right, rifles right,bows right then left when I found I shot better. Now I have had laser on eyes(monovision), I have started shooting open sight rifles left and scoped either. There is NO right or left way, but whatever works for you. IMO

 

[SDC]

Other than simply shooting from the other shoulder, about the only other semi-realistic option is a cross-dominant stock, which would likely cost more than the rifle you'd put it on, and which has its own problems (see below). Mounting a scope for the other eye would cause parallax problems, meaning the scope would only be accurate at one range and one range only. A better option might just be to put on a pair of shooting glasses with the off eye lens spray-painted out.

 

[Andrew Wyatt]

the only feasable solution is to shoot left handed. handedness can be switched easily and with practice. your dominant eye cannot.


Handedness is essentially meaningless, barring something drastic like a missing hand.

 

[mattw]

I'm left eye dominate and right handed. I shoot pistols and shotguns right handed, and I shoot rifles left handed. Thats the easiest way to do it.

 

[30Cal]

I taught myself to shoot lefty at age 35 for just that reason. It was a little awkward at first, but I worked through it and quickly found myself much better off.

 

[AbitNutz]

I am so glad to hear other people are in this situation. I shoot right handed with pistols and left handed for rifles. I've done it so long that it feels unnatural to shoot a rifle right handed. I have noticed one benefit...I'm now a bit ambidextrous and have much finer motor control with my left hand that I believe I normally would have had.

All in all though...it's a PAIN in the A** to be left handed with a rifle. There are no left handed rifles!!!

 

[pdowg881]

^I do the same thing. I actually find it to be quicker with bolt actions, especially from the bench.

 

[d2wing]

It is natural to shoot on the side of your dominate eye because the opposite hand will point at whatever you are looking at. Try it. I used to be a certified instructor.

 

[Zach S]

Same problem here. Made the switch to my left shoulder long before I really got into guns. Went from missing the barn from the inside to blowing bottlecops off of fenceposts. Yeah, its a slight exaggeration, but you get the idea.

All in all though...it's a PAIN in the A** to be left handed with a rifle. There are no left handed rifles!!!

Yes there are, they just feel weird after getting accustomed to rifles built for right handed folks.

Most are easy to operate from the wrong shoulder, as long as its not a bullpup...

 

[Jerry D]

I am left eye dominant but right handed.

I shoot long guns left handed and my pellet pistol right hand as I can easily shift it in line with my left eye.

To train yourself aiming will feel natural as your using your stronger eye, however holding the gun will feel awkward at first

I switched when I was about 12 years old on my own from right to left. Now holding a gun with the right hand feels awkward but its been many years.

You learned somepoint in your life to shoot right, and in some practice you'll shoot even better left as you have a better eye on that side. Take a .22 or a nice pellet gun out for practice. After an hour or 2 of solid shooting it will start to come but will probably take a month or so until you actually develop some speed in raising the gun/getting the sight picture.

Once you switch you'll fully realize it was worth every bit of time learning, while your doing it, it may seem pointless...

 

[atvalaska]

more drop at the comb

is what i grew up on ! i have no pics but still shoot a 1943 auto-5 with about 2+ inchs of drop! pm me if u want more info as i cant type w/dam ...tls

 

[cjbecker]

I am also a left eye dominant but i right hand, I am only 18 so I a trying to switch to shooting left handed, the only thing is i am a little more shaky shooting left hand.

 

[Big Bill]

I am left eye dominant and shoot right handed and have never had a problem.

 

[WardenWolf]

handedness can be switched easily and with practice. your dominant eye cannot.

Not true. You can overcome natural eye dominance and learn to switch the active eye at will. It just takes practice, as well, and it's arguably a lot easier than completely retraining your muscles and natural movements.

 

[ByAnyMeans]

I am left handed yet right hand dominant. I shoot handguns and shotguns lefty with both eyes open. Rifles are shot right handed. It took some getting used to but personally it made me slow down and helped force the methodical practice of the basics.

 

[JonB]

You can overcome natural eye dominance and learn to switch the active eye at will

I can do this, but my vision in my left eye is better so I tend to favor it. I think is comes down to a)what feels right b)practice

 

[12Bravo20]

I'm the same way left eye dominate/right handed. I learned to shoot rifles left handed as a kid. I can shoot right hand if needed but it feels awkward. My 12 year old is the same way. Once I got him to shoot left hand, he started hitting the bullseye which built his confidence up.

 

[30Cal]

The key to switching to shooting lefty is to stop shooting righty.

I did it after I got Lasik. I'd shot Highpower competition for 4-5 years and had occasionally shot a Master score. After Lasik, I spent maybe a half hour a couple times a week dryfiring and figuring out how to get into left-handed positions.

A month later, I shot my first match lefty and matched my personal best. That's when I sold my right handed coat and glove.

The one drawback is that now I have to think about which arm to put the sling onto and which way to angle my shooting mat.

 

[logjam]

It's not hard to shoot lefty if you are a righty. It might feel funny for a while, but it doesn't take long to make the switch. Lots of people do it. I always take a few shoots lefty unless I'm shooting an auto, I don't like that round passing so close to my nose and you can get a little stuff in your eye.

 

[rondog]

My grandson is 12, with the same "problem". I've convinced him to take up shooting left-handed, and the last time out he tried it, and surprised himself with how well he did. He was even hitting a 4.5" bullseye at 100 yards with my M1, which he'd never fired before. Blew me away, I couldn't believe he was hitting it.

 

[doc540]

Had amblyopia all my life with my left eye dominate.

And I wear corrective lens tri-focals to really make things challenging.

I also play bass guitar so my left hand, wrist, and forearm are conditioned.

So, I shoot the Colt DS right handed, and long guns left handed.

I never knew any better, so what problems was this supposed to present for me, especially with an AR?

 

[Jerry D]

You should shoot with your better eye down the barrel or both open.
It will provide a better sight picture, especially with iron sights when shooting smaller targets at extended ranges and even with scopes, just not to the same degree

Just as you learned to shoot right or throw a football right handed you can teach yourself to shoot left the same way. It just takes time - for some it comes faster then others - but if you want to switch you have to make the switch and never go back. A whole day of .22 shooting with the other hand will make you become a lot more comfortable. It just takes time and simple "WILLPOWER" hopefully you have what it takes as once you switch to proper form you will never regret it and wish you did it years earlier.

Being right or left handed makes no difference on shooting accuracy while eyesight does... and therefore it is only natural to want to aim with your better eye if you have one... especially as you get older and vision becomes worse/glasses are needed