A recent addition to the family via marriage wants to take up shooting and some interesting dilemmas have emerged. He is right handed and left eye dominant and is asking for advice. This would be for rifle shooting only. I don't know a lot about this issue and will appreciate some help. I've seen competition shooters cover their left eye when shooting; is that related to this issue?
Shooting problems for a right-handed shooter who is left-eye dominant?
- Thread starter Sniper66
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Best would be for him to learn how to shoot left handed. It will become natural to him after he gets use to it. There are a lot of shooters that are right hand/left eye dominant, including myself. One usually will have better accuracy shooting with their dominant eye versus using the weak eye and covering the dominant eye.
I know others will be along to tell you just the opposite of what I said. I am speaking from personal experience for myself and my one son along with training soldiers to shoot/qualify in the Army.
I know others will be along to tell you just the opposite of what I said. I am speaking from personal experience for myself and my one son along with training soldiers to shoot/qualify in the Army.
troy fairweather
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A blinder works good, a peace of masking tape over glasses works. Have they try shooting left handed.
buck460XVR
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While it is always preferred to keep both eyes open when shooting, if someone has cross-eye dominance, it usually is impossible with iron sights. Scopes and red-dots, not so much. I shot for several decades before I even heard of cross-eye dominance and learned to shoot open sights by closing my left(dominate) eye. Seems this is a big no-no in the shooting world, You either have to switch which hand you shoot with or quit and go home. I just continue to close my left eye when shooting. I do use a dot on my glasses when using a shotgun for upland game.(basically, the same thing as closing your eye). A young or new to the game shooter, I would try to switch hands before they develop the bad habit of shooting cross-eyed. Old fart like me or someone who has been shooting for a while, I say let them close the off side eye or use a scope.
243winxb
Member
The patch over the eye is to reduce fatigue from holding the eye lid closed. This helps when shooting something like a 2700 pistol match.
Not an issue for rifle plinking. Just close the non-shooting eye.
I shoot handgun right, rifle & shotgun left. No issues.
For shotgun, i close non-shooting eye before calling for the bird. Open both eyes, call for bird.
Not an issue for rifle plinking. Just close the non-shooting eye.
I shoot handgun right, rifle & shotgun left. No issues.
For shotgun, i close non-shooting eye before calling for the bird. Open both eyes, call for bird.
my son who is 20 years old is that way. when he was 10 years old and 80 pounds i taught him tto shoot the savae 270 i gave him left handed. his was is full of record or near record head of deer. he made a 500 yard shot off handed with a savage 7mm. he adapted real easy. he never shoot a pistol so i would not know how that goes. hanicaps and this may not be one usually brings out the best of people if they want to. my 6 year old grand daughter is smart, does gymnastics and out runs all her class mates has no toes at all.it never held her back. her feet are pretty feet, just no toes. you will teach this person to shoot left handed and he will do it very well.
I have the same issue and have to make sure my left eye is closed or my mind reverts to it every time. I had to train myself to process what the right eye is telling me when I shoot. Now close in stuff when I'm point shooting, I do that both eyes open. 7y and out I'm right eye only and the same for rifles. He just has to work at it and train his brain to process the right eye. A blinder is not a bad idea.
Corpral_Agarn
Member
I am left eyed, right handed.
Just shoot the long guns left handed.
Hasn't been a hindrance for me.
I shoot 2/3 gun matches as much as I can and I haven't seen any people covering their left eye to shoot right handed (admittedly the condition is rare, but still).
On some stages, you have to shift the entire rifle to you other shoulder to make the shot. How are you going to do that with an eyeball covered up?
Just shoot the long guns left handed.
Hasn't been a hindrance for me.
I shoot 2/3 gun matches as much as I can and I haven't seen any people covering their left eye to shoot right handed (admittedly the condition is rare, but still).
On some stages, you have to shift the entire rifle to you other shoulder to make the shot. How are you going to do that with an eyeball covered up?
Zerodefect
member
Same here. I shoot rifles left handed because of my left eye. But pistols right handed, with my left eye. Both eyes open. It'll take some practice.
Trigger control isn't as key with rifles, so using the dominant eye is more important that the dominant hand.
Use a red dot on a carbine to build confidence. It's important to spend some time left eye left handed, and right eye right handed, if a carbine is going to be defensive work. Otherwise, don't sweat it.
Trigger control isn't as key with rifles, so using the dominant eye is more important that the dominant hand.
Use a red dot on a carbine to build confidence. It's important to spend some time left eye left handed, and right eye right handed, if a carbine is going to be defensive work. Otherwise, don't sweat it.
1KPerDay
Member
Same exact situation for me. I shoot long guns lefty and handguns righty. No issues.
Incidentally if you’re familiar with Hickok45 on YouTube he is also right handed and left eye dominant. He sights with his left eye when shooting handguns. And he’s a damn good shot.
he shoots long guns using his right eye and shoulder though. I can do it but my right eye is pretty weak so I generally don’t.
GBExpat
Member
I am RH/LED and have always shot everything (rather well), Right. I do use my left eye as Primary with handguns (both eyes open), however.
I can recall as a little kid (7?) when Dad was giving me my first shooting lessons that he caught me bending my head waaaaayyyy over the comb to get my left eye lined up on the sights. He corrected my hold and explained that I should be using my right eye.
Hey! Eisenhower was the president and most casual shooters knew nothing about eye-dominance.
I can recall as a little kid (7?) when Dad was giving me my first shooting lessons that he caught me bending my head waaaaayyyy over the comb to get my left eye lined up on the sights. He corrected my hold and explained that I should be using my right eye.
Hey! Eisenhower was the president and most casual shooters knew nothing about eye-dominance.
Zerodefect
member
FlSwampRat
Member
I knew about my RH LE dominant situation right after I got my first handgun in 1974. I'd bought it from a competition shooter and he said it was sighted in at 30 feet. I took it to the range and was way off. Range manager tried it and it was right on. Had me point at the target (with my .357 magnum index finger) both eyes open and switch between my eyes. Right eye way off, left eye dead on. A quick adjustment of the rear sight and I was shooting dead on, but no one much else was.
Fast forward a few years to the Army and for some reason the range officer couldn't/didn't want to understand and insisted I use my right eye since I was right handed without closing my left eye. Gave me some kind of drivel about needing to see peripheral vision as widely as possible as someone might be sneaking up on my left side.
"On the rifle range?" (Learned not to ask questions like that in basic training.)
Same sgt who insisted we had to fire for record during a snowstorm (February, Ft Jackson) as every day in combat might not be sunny and clear.
"But I'm firing for record today for the bolo badge I'm going to wear while I'm in and I can't see the 300 meter targets!"
(Learned not to make argue with sergeants when in basic training. Had to run back to the company area that day, too.)
Fast forward a few years to the Army and for some reason the range officer couldn't/didn't want to understand and insisted I use my right eye since I was right handed without closing my left eye. Gave me some kind of drivel about needing to see peripheral vision as widely as possible as someone might be sneaking up on my left side.
"On the rifle range?" (Learned not to ask questions like that in basic training.)
Same sgt who insisted we had to fire for record during a snowstorm (February, Ft Jackson) as every day in combat might not be sunny and clear.
"But I'm firing for record today for the bolo badge I'm going to wear while I'm in and I can't see the 300 meter targets!"
(Learned not to make argue with sergeants when in basic training. Had to run back to the company area that day, too.)
Fine Figure of a Man
Member
And with both eyes open. It is not difficult to learn for anyone willing.
rskent
Member
I’m left-handed, right eye dominant.
I shoot High Power right-handed. I shoot pistols right-handed too. Come to think of it I shoot pool right-handed. Pretty much everything accuracy based I do right-handed.
Wonder why I throw darts left-handed? Wonder why I suck at darts.
I shoot High Power right-handed. I shoot pistols right-handed too. Come to think of it I shoot pool right-handed. Pretty much everything accuracy based I do right-handed.
Wonder why I throw darts left-handed? Wonder why I suck at darts.
FlSwampRat
Member
Having had a father who was left handed, southpaws are much more adept at using their off hand than righties because it's a right handed world and they've had a lot more practice. My Mom even found Dad a pair of left handed scissors.
That's Dad in the foreground.
You haven't drunk enough aiming fluid before the match. I recommend a couple of black and tans first.
troy fairweather
Member
My dad is left haded, I'm right, but seemed I shot lefty just as much. Every time we would go shooting he would set the bench up for him self, then he would let me shoot. It was just easier to shoot lefty then move the bench aroud,
Doing this has helped out so much later on, it nice to hunt with someone that shoots different hands, makes it safe for both to walk next to each other and be in a natural shooting positions.
Doing this has helped out so much later on, it nice to hunt with someone that shoots different hands, makes it safe for both to walk next to each other and be in a natural shooting positions.
mokin
Member
Same here. Right handed, left eye dominant. That issue seemed to resolve itself once I got to boot camp. I've become pretty good at shooting with my right eye.
I shoot handguns right handed with my left eye. I usually shoot scoped rifles, especially MSR types, right handed. I have taught myself to shoot left handed though. I do this when shooting off a bench and operate the right handed bolt with my right hand. I don't have to change my shooting position to operate the bolt that way- I keep my trigger hand in the shooting position.
The hardest thing was learning to shoot trap. I found taking a split second to line the rib up with my right eye helped out a lot.
I shoot handguns right handed with my left eye. I usually shoot scoped rifles, especially MSR types, right handed. I have taught myself to shoot left handed though. I do this when shooting off a bench and operate the right handed bolt with my right hand. I don't have to change my shooting position to operate the bolt that way- I keep my trigger hand in the shooting position.
The hardest thing was learning to shoot trap. I found taking a split second to line the rib up with my right eye helped out a lot.
Jesse Heywood
Member
I'm left-eyed, right handed. After learning about eye dominance, I learned to shoot left handed. Worked great. Then I had to have a pacemaker. Doc asked if I was right handed, I said yes. Then I went to shoot a rifle. Oops, pacer on left shoulder. So I now shoot rifle right, handgun left.
The best thing to do is simply learn to shoot left handed. And catching it early makes it a lot easier. It is possible to get by with a rifle if you close one eye, but that is a bandaid. It actually matters less with a handgun since it is usually held in the middle of the body and the dominate eye takes over. Where it really becomes an issue with wing shooting. Either live game or clays. You'll never be any good trying to shoot moving targets with one eye closed. And once you master shooting a shotgun lefty with the dominate eye behind the sights the transition to a rifle is easy.
My younger brother discovered the same issue in his late teens and just learned to shoot lefty. He had really been struggling to learn to shoot from the right side. There was a learning curve, but within a few shooting sessions he became a much better shot than previously.
My younger brother discovered the same issue in his late teens and just learned to shoot lefty. He had really been struggling to learn to shoot from the right side. There was a learning curve, but within a few shooting sessions he became a much better shot than previously.
FL-NC
Member
You can't train your eyes to switch dominance. You can train your weak hand to shoot.
I was always taught as a kid and in the Army to use your dominant eye and keep both eyes open, So I shoot left hand. That has worked for me for hunting since I was a little kid and also worked very well when I was on a two way range a few times.
shoobe01
Member
Best answer is definitely to try several options under supervision. Depends HOW cross-eye dominant vs HOW hand dominant. May be easier to be left hand shooter, or train right eye dominance. Seen both. It is doable. Seen (and done myself) people overcome phorias (non-coincidental vision, can't do both eyes open) even more so.
Will require lots of work. Get a trainer pistol like a SIRT or at least a cheap laser cartridge and talk a LOT about how to dry fire safely and effectively, and how much training to do per session (not much, just sessions daily).
Will require lots of work. Get a trainer pistol like a SIRT or at least a cheap laser cartridge and talk a LOT about how to dry fire safely and effectively, and how much training to do per session (not much, just sessions daily).
And here is another advantage to being cross eye dominant and shooting long guns with your weak hand.
While transitioning from rifle to pistol, I can swing my AR out of the way without moving my left hand off the grip and grab my pistol with my right hand bringing it up to shoot.
Now if your eyes aren't that much different and/or all you are doing is bench shooting, then other methods such as covering your good eye will work for you. I hunt and also train for real life situations where I need/want both eyes open for situational awareness.
While transitioning from rifle to pistol, I can swing my AR out of the way without moving my left hand off the grip and grab my pistol with my right hand bringing it up to shoot.
Now if your eyes aren't that much different and/or all you are doing is bench shooting, then other methods such as covering your good eye will work for you. I hunt and also train for real life situations where I need/want both eyes open for situational awareness.
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