I am right handed and shoot right handed, but am left eye dominant. Any of you folks the same and shoot left handed because you see/shoot better? I've wanted to try shooting a south paw gun, but have not had the opportunity yet. Just wondering if others have the same curiosity.
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Left eye dominant
- Thread starter sneakon
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i'm a switch hitter so to say....if i have a deer coming in on my right being a right hander i'll switch to lefty to take the shot....i practice this way too....so i don't have to move to much....just can't do it with a bow "yet"...........bob
"Theory" is that the eye is more important than the hand, so right-handed/left-eyed folks should shoot left handed. Like all theory's it works, sometimes. I have taught dozens of kids and run into "cross-dominant" folk regularly. Some do better if they use the strong eye and the weak hand, others cannot tolerate it. The easiest people to switch are those without much experience, or those with a really bad eye. Some people do better staying with the strong hand, usually those who have shot for years.
A buddy of mine (actually was a young kid when I first taught him to shot rifle) is right handed but switched to left because of eye dominance. He now shoots rifle left-handed except during sustained fire (where you have to reload). He shoots that right handed because he uses a Garand and reloading a Garand left-handed is dangerous for a right-hander.
You will run into Nazi-types who demand that you shoot strong-eyed. Ignore them.
One of my daughters tests right-eye dominant most of the time but left-eye dominant in a new environment! So if she goes to a new range sdhe will test left-eye dominant. This has happened repeatedly. She has to hope the instructor is flexible enough to beleive her when she says she should stay with her right hand.
A buddy of mine (actually was a young kid when I first taught him to shot rifle) is right handed but switched to left because of eye dominance. He now shoots rifle left-handed except during sustained fire (where you have to reload). He shoots that right handed because he uses a Garand and reloading a Garand left-handed is dangerous for a right-hander.
You will run into Nazi-types who demand that you shoot strong-eyed. Ignore them.
One of my daughters tests right-eye dominant most of the time but left-eye dominant in a new environment! So if she goes to a new range sdhe will test left-eye dominant. This has happened repeatedly. She has to hope the instructor is flexible enough to beleive her when she says she should stay with her right hand.
Maestro
Moderator
... that's me. Even though I'm left-eye dominant, I just can't do ANYTHING left handed - it feels way too awkward! Doesn't seem to really be a handicap for me, though. :m2c: :results:
Maynerd62411
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I had to shoot left-handed at a deer last season and hit exactly where I shot. That's the first time I've shot L-H. My son is left-handed and hasn't let me live it down. Now, I practice shooting left-handed ...just in case..
My bro-in-law is right handed , but has to shoot lefty because of an injury and he can't focus with his right eye like he should.
My bro-in-law is right handed , but has to shoot lefty because of an injury and he can't focus with his right eye like he should.
I am also left-eye dominant and right handed. I do all shooting right handed. For rifle shooting I sight in by tapping the front sight off center--works great for me but someone else would have a hard time hitting with one of my rifles. Since I shoot pistol with one hand, I can easily close my right eye and aim with my left--it's been no problem with me, once you recognize it and learn to deal with it.
Out of curiosity, how is the testing done for dominance? The only test I've seen is to line up a finger between your eye and a target using both eyes, then close one eye and see if the picture changes. I find that I can choose - sometimes I have to blink to pick up the "other" finger image, but then I can hang onto it and make my subordinate eye do the alignment.
Maestro
Moderator
It would be whichever one you'd instinctively "pick".
arcticap
54 Cal.
You can form a circle with a thumb and index finger, or a bigger circle overlapping 2 thumbs & 2 index fingers. Then you line up any object or target in that circle and move the circle to the "dominant" eye without losing/changing the perspective of the target/object. If you lose the view of the object you've circled as you bring it toward your chosen eye, it's supposedly not your dominant eye.
I'm in agreement with you pondoro, most coaches try to force kids to switch to their weak hand side. But not "I". Unless a kid has a really weak eye, I always try to get them to develop their non-dominant eye first (patching, etc...). If they resist that advice, they win! ::
I'm in agreement with you pondoro, most coaches try to force kids to switch to their weak hand side. But not "I". Unless a kid has a really weak eye, I always try to get them to develop their non-dominant eye first (patching, etc...). If they resist that advice, they win! ::
Gordon Horn
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I'm left eye dominant too, and shoot right handed. Just close that left eye, it can't be dominant if'n it can't see. I know this goes against the grain of keepin' both eyes open, but ya do what ya gota do.
Sorry - I didn't phrase my question very well. I was thinking about someone being tested by a range officer who would then force you to shoot right or left handed, when you already know which works best for you. Seems to me you can cheat on the test pretty easily.
How does the tester know, anyway? Do they look over your shoulder or over your head or something?
if you ask someone to look at your face through a circle, made with their first finger and thumb you catch them straight away.
in archery there is a strengthening trend with olympic coaches to go with handedness as there will always be better dexterity on the release with the dominant hand - unfortunately high level coaches don't introduce basic habits to many kids.
how this translates to rifle shooting i cant say.
:yakyak:
in archery there is a strengthening trend with olympic coaches to go with handedness as there will always be better dexterity on the release with the dominant hand - unfortunately high level coaches don't introduce basic habits to many kids.
how this translates to rifle shooting i cant say.
:yakyak:
The World Free Pistol Champion (an Italian named DiAdona) shoots with the pistol in his right hand but aims with his left eye. I guess if you hold enough World and Olympic Gold Medals and World records in the most demanding of all the shooting diciplines the coaches leave you alone.
You need to do what works for you.
You need to do what works for you.
Hmm. That's what I do with pistol, but shoulder arm goes on the left shoulder (right handed, left eye dominant).
Anyone use a stock that shifts the barrel over to line up with the other eye? Crossover stock? Odd looking and hard to find a tree with grain running that way.
Anyone use a stock that shifts the barrel over to line up with the other eye? Crossover stock? Odd looking and hard to find a tree with grain running that way.
As a youth I didn't have a dominent eye, made shooting a basket ball a real pain, through the cords or over the backstop, hardly ever anything in between. Shooting a rifle, I could use either hand and just squint a little. Not actually closing it but blurin' the vision a tiny amount so the other would take over. At age 31 I lost the use of my right eye and have been a genuwine southpaw ever since. I think right handed people have more trouble with this, but lefties have to be somewhat ambidextrous cause a lot of things just ain't made for them. 
I'm left eye dominent but have always shot right handed.
With my rifles, I tend to close my left eye, and when shooting pistols, I just aim with my left eye.
The only place shooting this way has caused me any problem is with shotguns and bird hunting.
Because IMO, shotguns are pointed rather than aimed, and I use both eyes and my upper body to point the gun. Therein lies the problem.
You need both eyes open to judge distance but the left eye wants to "grab" the front sight. This results in the gun being pointed to the left of the bird.
Shots with the bird passing from right to left seem to be easy to hit (kind of a automatic "lead"), but if the bird is passing from left to right, I might as well save the ammunition. :cry:
With my rifles, I tend to close my left eye, and when shooting pistols, I just aim with my left eye.
The only place shooting this way has caused me any problem is with shotguns and bird hunting.
Because IMO, shotguns are pointed rather than aimed, and I use both eyes and my upper body to point the gun. Therein lies the problem.
You need both eyes open to judge distance but the left eye wants to "grab" the front sight. This results in the gun being pointed to the left of the bird.
Shots with the bird passing from right to left seem to be easy to hit (kind of a automatic "lead"), but if the bird is passing from left to right, I might as well save the ammunition. :cry:
Good thread!
I am a Lefty, but shoot Righty and am Right eye dominant ::
My dad was a Lefty, until Catholic school beatings with a ruler! Now his handwriting is very poor.
Progress :hmm:
I am a Lefty, but shoot Righty and am Right eye dominant ::
My dad was a Lefty, until Catholic school beatings with a ruler! Now his handwriting is very poor.
Progress :hmm:
kodiakemt414
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I was left handed, changed to right in grade school. Long story there. Shoot pistol right and rifle left. Bag thing is finding enough choices in left. It can be done but at a price.
kodiakemt414
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That is what I do when shooting pistol.
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I have always been extremely right-side dominant - eye, hand, leg, etc., but used to have decent hand/eye coordination on both sides. I always shot right handed but cataract surgery left me with near vision in the right eye and outstanding distance in the left. This really messed up my coordination for a while but I had to get used to it. Unfortunately, I couldn't see the target or game with my right eye without a scope so I was considering switching sides. However, two years after surgery and my right eye is trying to take over again. If it continues to improve, I may be able to stay right handed with open sights.
My wife is right handed and left eye dominant. She shoots a pistol well but cannot handle any type of long arm. It's scary to watch her even pick up a rifle because she is so uncoordinated with it. However, she will grasp a pistol naturally and just move it over to the left side. I taught her to shoot decent groups on a standard 25 yd target in one afternoon and over the years we've lived in the country, she has killed a few varmints with a handgun on those occasions when I wasn't around to do it. I pity the fool who breaks into the house at night if I'm gone - she will shoot and ask questions later - unlike some parents, we always told our sons to make lots of noise when they came home late... :winking:
My wife is right handed and left eye dominant. She shoots a pistol well but cannot handle any type of long arm. It's scary to watch her even pick up a rifle because she is so uncoordinated with it. However, she will grasp a pistol naturally and just move it over to the left side. I taught her to shoot decent groups on a standard 25 yd target in one afternoon and over the years we've lived in the country, she has killed a few varmints with a handgun on those occasions when I wasn't around to do it. I pity the fool who breaks into the house at night if I'm gone - she will shoot and ask questions later - unlike some parents, we always told our sons to make lots of noise when they came home late... :winking:
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