right hand, left eye dominant, anybody else with this issue?
- Thread starter minh
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I am in that category, and I just shoot left handed. I used to be into archery, and tried to do it right handed, and it caused problems, so when I started shooting firearms I knew beforehand that I was best off just going left handed from the get go.
RNB65
Member
Depends on what type of gun your shooting. It's a major problem with shotguns but less so with rifles and handguns.
With rifles, I close my left eye and aim with my right eye.
With handguns, I hold with my right hand and aim with my left eye. No problem there.
With shotguns, I put tape on my left lens to block it when the gun is mounted. It works.
With rifles, I close my left eye and aim with my right eye.
With handguns, I hold with my right hand and aim with my left eye. No problem there.
With shotguns, I put tape on my left lens to block it when the gun is mounted. It works.
Yuppp right handed left eye dominant but i can shoot very well almost identical now with either hand wether it be pistol,shotgun,or handgun i am what my range master now calls a freak of nature haha. I too thought this problem was odd but i just i learned to deal with my GIFT i have an advantage that most people don't i can shoot very well with my "weak" arm,side,hand whatever you call it.
Thernlund
Member
I'm right-handed. I just went to the safe and checked. As others, I shoot long guns right-eye dominant. Handguns left-eye dominant.
Pfff. What's up with that. In 20 years I never noticed. Heh.
-T.
Pfff. What's up with that. In 20 years I never noticed. Heh.
-T.
mainebear
Member
My wife is right handed and left eye dominant. Discovered this when I started teaching her to shoot. One she adapted a bit she became one heck of a shot. (She says she better than me, she's right)
jbird714
Member
Just the opposite for me, left handed and right eye dominant. My older brother, who is left handed, tried to teach me to shoot and I couldn't hit the barn from inside the barn. Very strong dominance in my case, left eye was practically useless for shooting. Once a neighbor,a Marine Gunny, figured out the eye dominance I just learned to shoot right handed.
Jay
Jay
streakr
Member
Same problem! I put a small 1" x 1/4" strip of black tape on the left lense of my shooting glasses. This is slightly offset to the left of directly ahead so that when both eyes are open there is no occlusion of my direct and peripheral vision. However if I try to sight with left eye (closing the right) I see the tape which reminds me to switch eyes.
s
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eflatminor
Member
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- Dec 22, 2006
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- 421
I had the same "problem"
If you shoot pistols (IDPA, IPSC, etc), it's not a problem, it's a great advantage. That is, once you learn to shoot with both eyes open. It will feel strange at first but after a few thousand rounds, it will become automatic. What this means is that you not only aquire straight on targets faster, but you can shoot to either the left or right by moving just your eyes to the side without having to center your head on the flanking target. This is a good thing for speed. Heck, I even began shooting Bullseye with both eyes open and my scores improved, though I can say for sure that's the reason why.
With rifles, it kinda sucks because it will lead to 'scope eye' quicker, but that's really only a problem if you're varmint hunter or shoot a lot through a scope. You can always use a left hand stock; you'll get used to a left hand trigger pull. I'm thinking about having a custom rifle built, a 6mm prairie dog gun. I may have it done with a left hand stock (cheek piece, palm swell) but with a right-handed bolt. Cool, huh?
With shotguns, a lot of guys like us learn to shoot left handed. Others will learn to shoot with both eyes open, just like with pistols. What has worked for me is to keep both eyes open as I'm watching the bird and as I approach with my point, I close my left eye, swing through and smack the trigger. It's what works for me. I'm not a world class shooter here though I did recently get my first 25 in a row shooting skeet!
If you shoot pistols (IDPA, IPSC, etc), it's not a problem, it's a great advantage. That is, once you learn to shoot with both eyes open. It will feel strange at first but after a few thousand rounds, it will become automatic. What this means is that you not only aquire straight on targets faster, but you can shoot to either the left or right by moving just your eyes to the side without having to center your head on the flanking target. This is a good thing for speed. Heck, I even began shooting Bullseye with both eyes open and my scores improved, though I can say for sure that's the reason why.
With rifles, it kinda sucks because it will lead to 'scope eye' quicker, but that's really only a problem if you're varmint hunter or shoot a lot through a scope. You can always use a left hand stock; you'll get used to a left hand trigger pull. I'm thinking about having a custom rifle built, a 6mm prairie dog gun. I may have it done with a left hand stock (cheek piece, palm swell) but with a right-handed bolt. Cool, huh?
With shotguns, a lot of guys like us learn to shoot left handed. Others will learn to shoot with both eyes open, just like with pistols. What has worked for me is to keep both eyes open as I'm watching the bird and as I approach with my point, I close my left eye, swing through and smack the trigger. It's what works for me. I'm not a world class shooter here though I did recently get my first 25 in a row shooting skeet!
Daryl Licht
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- Dec 25, 2002
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- 89
My son is right handed and left eyed. He shoots his handguns righty but uses his left eye. He shoots long guns left handed.
We figured this out when he was pretty young, well before he reallly developed any shooting habits. It was his own decision to deal with the issue the way he has, and since he made the shift to shooting long guns as a lefty, it isn't awkward at all.
We figured this out when he was pretty young, well before he reallly developed any shooting habits. It was his own decision to deal with the issue the way he has, and since he made the shift to shooting long guns as a lefty, it isn't awkward at all.
Win75
Member
My wife is this way. Shooting revolvers right handed and aiming with right eye, she shoots about an inch high and five inches left at 30 feet. Using her left eye shooting right handed, she hits dead on center.
rodregier
Member
+1 on cross-dominance.
I use my left eye and close my right for pistols. Use my right eye and close my left for long guns.
I have a shotgun with a really big fluor green front sight to test drive for aerial targetry, we'll see how that goes.
I've read that around 7% of the population is cross-dominant.
I use my left eye and close my right for pistols. Use my right eye and close my left for long guns.
I have a shotgun with a really big fluor green front sight to test drive for aerial targetry, we'll see how that goes.
I've read that around 7% of the population is cross-dominant.
Based on my experience, 'cross dominance' is pretty common. Like 20% of people.
My daughter is cross dominant.
I read here on THR that the best cure is to learn to shoot with the same hand as the dominant eye. Not the other way around.
So far, it has worked fine for her. She's a deadeye with the pellet gun.
My daughter is cross dominant.
I read here on THR that the best cure is to learn to shoot with the same hand as the dominant eye. Not the other way around.
So far, it has worked fine for her. She's a deadeye with the pellet gun.
Deer Hunter
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- Dec 26, 2005
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- 4,097
I'm the same way.
Didn't know it until this year, however.
I learned to shoot with my right eye for so long I am used to it.
Didn't know it until this year, however.
I learned to shoot with my right eye for so long I am used to it.
earlthegoat2
Member
i forced myself to shoot to shoot lefty in archery and it felt great, am trasitioning into doing the same thing for long guns but shoot handguns righthanded with left eye
Gator
Member
Same here, its no problem with handguns and just close my left eye for rifles. Fortunately I'm not a shotgunner.
Stevie-Ray
Member
Same here, works for me. But I suck at shotguns. I've heard of a translucent sticker that can be applied to your shooting glasses to block your dominant eye, yet leave your eye open so as to not lose depth perception. I'm going to try it. If it works, it's Red Label time.
wyosasquatch
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- Jul 18, 2008
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- 49
I am cross dominant. I am left eye dominant but extremely right handed. I have tried shooting lefty and have met with limited success when shooting long guns off a bench but not much success when hunting and having to make quick shots. I also have a problem with shooting pistols left handed, I can't seem to get the hang of it.
I have found that I have a bit of a different problem that goes beyond cross dominance though. When I shoot right handed, my left eye is dominant and when I shoot left handed, my right eye becomes dominant. I know it sounds weird but if I shoot a shotgun with both eyes open, I will see two images, one down the barrel with whichever eye is over the barrel and a separate image of the side of the gun that gives me a completely different sight picture. Quite often, the side image is the stronger image and makes me miss to the left or right depending on which hand I am shooting with. This is most noticeable with a shotgun but still happens with a handgun and with rifles. If I have the time to concentrate, I can focus out of either eye with both open. I have noticed that I can focus through the scope with my right eye then focus on the side of the scope with my left eye without moving. I can also slow down and focus on the sights with either eye when shooting handguns.
I have trained myself to very quickly shut my left eye when I shoot with a shotgun or when making a quick rifle shot when hunting and I can shoot with either eye closed when I am shooting handguns but prefer the right eye.
I have come to the point that I shoot with my right eye because it feels more comfortable to me so I have learned to get that quick left eye shut when I am shooting and don't even think about it or notice that I do it.
I have found that I have a bit of a different problem that goes beyond cross dominance though. When I shoot right handed, my left eye is dominant and when I shoot left handed, my right eye becomes dominant. I know it sounds weird but if I shoot a shotgun with both eyes open, I will see two images, one down the barrel with whichever eye is over the barrel and a separate image of the side of the gun that gives me a completely different sight picture. Quite often, the side image is the stronger image and makes me miss to the left or right depending on which hand I am shooting with. This is most noticeable with a shotgun but still happens with a handgun and with rifles. If I have the time to concentrate, I can focus out of either eye with both open. I have noticed that I can focus through the scope with my right eye then focus on the side of the scope with my left eye without moving. I can also slow down and focus on the sights with either eye when shooting handguns.
I have trained myself to very quickly shut my left eye when I shoot with a shotgun or when making a quick rifle shot when hunting and I can shoot with either eye closed when I am shooting handguns but prefer the right eye.
I have come to the point that I shoot with my right eye because it feels more comfortable to me so I have learned to get that quick left eye shut when I am shooting and don't even think about it or notice that I do it.
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