Cross eye dominant.

[GBExpat]

You'd expect a "settle down shot" to be less frequent than all the time.

{shrug} You, perhaps. I figured that that was just a manifestation of nerves and/or shooting-type change.

I didn't consider it a real issue since with every single shot thereafter during the entire hunt I dropped a dove zooming/tricking past. I always filled my Limit and did likewise on the Limits of several of the others who were not very good at wing shooting.

Before I got into dove hunting I used to walk-up quail (sans dogs). That would get exciting as groups would exPLODE out of cover and race away. Never had any First Shot issues with the quail, but during that period I was doing mostly shotgun work.

EDIT:
I have never gone dove hunting two days in a row. Usually once a year we could put together a group that could organize their schedules. So each time I walked out into a dove field it had been quite awhile since the last time I had done that type of shooting.

 

[larryh1108]

I am also left eye dominant and right handed. I did not know this until a few years back with a test on here.

As a little kid, I aways "shot" my toy rifles left handed (left shoulder) and always "shot" my toy pistols right handed. I never gave it a second thought, it was just natural.

When I learned I was cross-dominant, I began to search for answers and hints. There are some great articles and hints, etc., but since this is the way it's been for over 40 years I ask myself "why change now?" I have always shot well when I shot my pistol with my left hand but being right-handed I shoot that way 99% of the time. I realized that I closed my left (dominant) eye when I pistol shot and that was how I managed all these years. I now try both eyes open but usually fall back to just closing my left eye.

I'd like to ask, I always shot semi-auto pistols with a 2 handed grip (Weaver or modified Weaver) but I prefer to shoot revolvers 1 handed (aka dueling stance). Is this the norm? I believe that the one-handed grip allows me to keep my dominant eye open and seems more comfortable. I also seem to be more accurate. Does anyone shoot one-handed only for all pistols or is there any "right way" for revolver vs semi stances and grips?

 

[Sam1911]

I'd like to ask, I always shot semi-auto pistols with a 2 handed grip (Weaver or modified Weaver) but I prefer to shoot revolvers 1 handed (aka dueling stance). Is this the norm? I believe that the one-handed grip allows me to keep my dominant eye open and seems more comfortable. Does anyone shoot one-handed only for all pistols or is there any "right way" for revolver vs semi stances and grips?

Most cross-dominant shooters will shoot handguns with their strong hand, but with the strong eye. So the right hand may be running the gun but they (often unconsciously) turn the gun just a half a degree (or whatever) so the sights align with the left eye. (Or vice versa in your case.) That works for all handguns.

(You can't turn the gun, or your head, enough to align like that when firing a long gun which is why the best practice is to teach cross dominant shooters to run a rifle or shotgun from their dominant EYE shoulder.)

I don't believe I've ever met anyone who was actually more accurate firing handguns one-hand instead of two (unless they were bullseye shooters who only practiced one-hand shooting exclusively). It certainly may be that you slow down and align your sights more carefully for a one-hand shot, but I can't imagine how you'd be more accurate, faster, shooting with one hand instead than with two.

Using the Weaver stance certainly can compound your problem as it will make it more difficult to cross-align. Try shifting to the modern isosceles stance and you'll probably find that it works, accurately and quickly, without you even noticing that you're cross-aligned.

 

[3212]

I am a right handed shooter,long guns only.I'm left eye dominant and never knew it.I've taken more than 60 deer by closing the left eye and using my right eye and a scope.At the range I usually shoot groups less than 2 inches at 100 yards.

 

[Sam1911]

Yup. Using a magnifying optic and slow, carefully staged shots at distance are the end of the shooting spectrum where cross-dominance matters least. If your shooting is mostly confined to deer hunting at medium or longer ranges, you really don't need to go to the effort of re-educating/optimizing your shooting skills.

Wing-shooting, dynamic/practical close and fast pistol and carbine work, and jump-shooting game are where the optimization of dominant hand/eye really benefit you.

 

[LubeckTech]

In shooting matches where weak hand shooting is required is it more efficient to use the dominant eye or weak eye? I am right handed and right dominant and have been trying to improve my weak hand skills. In the effort I have began closing my dominant eye and using left eye with left hand because it seems more comfortable plus simulates an eye injury. I can't decide which (left or right eye with left hand) would be best for on the clock shooting and an interested on some opinions.

 

[Sam1911]

Stick with the dominant eye, absolutely, when shooting handguns. You will naturally anyway.

When shooting long guns swap-shoulder, of course, you'll need to close your dominant eye.

 

[Reloadron]

I am one of those people who happens to be Left Eye dominant and a right handed person. I was about 8 years old the first time I was handed a .22 rifle to shoot and try as I did my shots were all off to one side. My uncle took the rifle and placed it in my left shoulder and told me to close my right eye and shoot. While not great, suddenly all those little bullets started going where they were supposed to go. I began shooting a rifle left handed, again I was 8 years old. That was in 1958.

The below image was taken around May 1969 at the 500 yard line. I am the shooter on the right shooting target #29.



So 11 years later I was still shooting left handed. I fired a strong Sharpshooter that day missing Expert by a few points but it beat the heck out of Marksman or not making Marksman.

Today here we are 45 more years later and I still shoot the same. When I pick up a rifle it just instinctively gets placed in my left shoulder. There is no thought involved or thinking about it. It just happens naturally. When shooting handgun I use my right hand. I always have and always will. Again, this is instinctively with no thought. At 63 my vision isn't what it once was but I was spared corrective vision till my early 50s and fortunately my left eye remains the better eye. Over 10 years in the Marine Corps with annual qualifications I survived just fine, though I sure as heck don't bend as well as I once did.

I just tend to believe people tend to adapt to their surroundings and physical limitations.

Just My Take....
Ron

 

[hardheart]

I am cross eye dominant, but my major issue is that I can't focus with either eye if both are open. when I focus on the front sight of a handgun, I see two front sights, two targets, and two rear sights. I can align on either eye, but the images fade in and out and neither set becomes more clear than the other. the only way to avoid it with both eyes open is to hold with one hand out to my side. from a center hold, I can shift out to about 40 degrees either way before all I see is one slide and target. so I close one eye, and do okay with either, it becomes more important to practice grip and wrist position, because that drives which eye I focus with. the problem is worse with rear apertures on long guns, and I haven't tried shooting left handed, I am very strongly right hand dominant.

 

[JSH1]

I am left eye dominant / right handed and normally shoot right handed. Yesterday I went to the range to try out the new barrel on my shotgun and decided to try to shoot left handed. It was very awkward at first, even handling and loading the gun. I hit 2 out of 15 when I was trying to aim the gun at the clay using the bead as a sight. I was also having trouble with the sight picture switching back and forth between my left and right eye. Then I decided to completely ignore the bead and focus only on the clay and hit 5 out of 5. Overall I am pretty happy with the results and will continue to shoot lefty the next time out.

 

[Reloadron]

I am left eye dominant / right handed and normally shoot right handed. Yesterday I went to the range to try out the new barrel on my shotgun and decided to try to shoot left handed. It was very awkward at first, even handling and loading the gun. I hit 2 out of 15 when I was trying to aim the gun at the clay using the bead as a sight. I was also having trouble with the sight picture switching back and forth between my left and right eye. Then I decided to completely ignore the bead and focus only on the clay and hit 5 out of 5. Overall I am pretty happy with the results and will continue to shoot lefty the next time out.

I'll venture a guess here that with practice or more like doing it for awhile it will just come naturally.

Ron

 

[baz]

(You can't turn the gun, or your head, enough to align like that when firing a long gun which is why the best practice is to teach cross dominant shooters to run a rifle or shotgun from their dominant EYE shoulder.)

Well, you can, in certain circumstances. The higher the optic, and with enough drop of the comb (or at heel), the head can be turned so that a right handed rifle shooter can sight with the left eye. I know this, because it is how I shoot. For years, I hunted with a lever gun (these have a greater drop than typical bolt actions) and a scope mounted with see through scope mounts (like these). With the advent of the "scout mount" I am able to do this with bolt action rifles. With my GSR, I use these rings; the height, combined with the forward position of the scope, allows me to tilt my head and sight with my left eye.

It is not ideal, and I would rather have learned to shoot rifles left handed when a youngster. But like many, I was much older when I realized I was cross dominant, and after nearly 40 years of shooting right handed, I am not about to change. At least it works, for me.

 

[JSH1]

I'll venture a guess here that with practice or more like doing it for awhile it will just come naturally.

Ron

I suspect it will. Just goes to show that you can teach middle-aged dogs new tricks.

 

[Sam1911]

Well, you can, in certain circumstances.

Of course, with enough effort and contortion, you CAN do almost anything, to some level of success. I should have been more specific.

It is not ideal, and I would rather have learned to shoot rifles left handed when a youngster.

Indeed!

 

[peacemaker45]

As he's young, you have the chance to teach him the methods that will be most likely to bring him success without having to "un-learn" a bunch of habits.

If he's left-eye dominant, have him shoot long guns from the left shoulder. He's got to learn all the skills from the ground up anyway, and while you can easily train his hands to use the gun "lefty" you'll never really re-train his eye.

Shooting handguns is simple, and probably what he'd do naturally: Shoot "righty" (if that's what he naturally wants to do) but aim with the dominant eye. There's no problem with that at all.

Letting his dominant eye drive his shooting style will make him a better and more natural shot in the end. He can much more easily learn to shoot with both eyes open while pistol shooting, dynamic rifle shooting, wingshooting, and such, and so will have better balance, depth perception, and range of vision.

Sam nailed it. Have him shoot long guns lefty. Let him pick which hand to use for pistols.

I'm cross dominant myself, and shot right handed with my left eye squinted or closed for the first 22 years of my shooting career. Then an injury forced me to switch shoulders with my long guns, (I'd already been shooting handguns with either for a few years) and it's been remarkable. It took some concentrated effort to relearn such ingrained skills, but it's so much easier not to have to fight it all the time.

 

[limpingbear]

I am also right handed but left eyed. Over the years I just learned to shoot a rifle left handed and have had no problems since. One thing to consider now while he is young is depth perception issues. My eye dominance problem was not figured out until later in life and corrective action would have been ineffective. I am so left eye dominant that I almost don't use my right eye. This has caused me to have poor depth perception. I was in the Navy for 14 years and never passed a flight deck physical because of it.
Something as simple as an eyepatch over my left eye for about an hour a day when I was young would have saved me a lot of aggravation later in life.

 

[Zach S]

I'm cross-dominate as well...

About 15 (or more) years ago, a friend and I were shooting his mini-14. I was shooting a lot, but not hitting much... His dad suggested I try to shoot left handed. When I asked if he really thought that would help, his reply was "It wont hurt..." I didn't find the humor in that until years later, but my shooting improved quite a bit that day.

Since then, even though I'm right handed, most things that require two hands are operated left handed. While I could think of more, the only two things that come to mind at the moment are long guns and sawzalls...

I have found cross-dominance to be a strength. I get more "weak-side" practice than a lot of folks I've noticed. Shooting pistols left handed isn't weird to me since my left hand is accustomed to shooting rifles, and shooting rifles right handed isnt weird since, well, I'm right handed.

 

[rduchateau2954]

x whatever on having his eyes checked. I am righty/left eye dominant. As I move closer to 30, I am noticing my left eye sees greater definition than my right.

 

[Arizona_Mike]

Went shooting a couple times with a female friend. First time was a disaster because my stocks were all too long (6'3" with only 29 inseam--probably 6'6" torso and arm proportions--I like a 14" LoP). She is short, has "T-Rex arms" and is very busty. The next time I brought my Colt AR with a M4 style stock and learned the utility of that kind of stock for beginners. More recently I picked up a factory Ruger 10/22 with a collapsible stock as well (I was looking for a threaded barrel 10/22 for my SS Sparrow).

She had fun the second outing but I noticed her trying to use her left eye. Next outing I'm going to take the AR and 10/22 and try her shooting left handed. I bought some fun reactive metal rimfire targets (resettable).

In will have her do the eye dominance test. Thanks.

Mike

 

[Stevie-Ray]

I just close my left eye for long arms and my right eye or pistols. I was doing this long before there was an Internet.

Cross-dominant here also and have done the same for over 40 years. Only problem is shotgunning, and since I have taken an interest in shotgunning games, I am now beginning to experiment with translucent stickers and such for better depth perception.

 

[bobland]

I'm right handed but blind in my right eye. I shoot handguns right handed, rifles left handed. I can shoot handguns with both hands but prefer the right. I lost my right eye when I was 6 so this is a no brainer for me.

 

[Sam1911]

and since I have taken an interest in shotgunning games, I am now beginning to experiment with translucent stickers and such for better depth perception.

If you're just starting out in shotgunning, the best bet would be to start out experimenting with shooting from the left shoulder. Then you won't need the stickers and you'll get the benefit of the best BOTH of your eyes can give you, rather than dumbing down the good eye below the acuity of the bad one.

 

[supergrub]

Muddy Dog, is he ambi-dexterous? I am.I shoot a rifle/shotgun with my left with left eye open. Shoot a pistol right handed but keep both eyes open.I can also shoot a rifle with right but it is harder to do.Teach him to lay his head along the stock & close the eye he doesn`t use. Just a thought.

 

[marv]

At 80 yo I am learning to shoot cross eye. A recent stroke left me with double vision. The right side of my glasses is taped over to prevent seeing double. I shoot right handed. I first tried dry firing pistols crosseyed and no problem was indicated. Then I successfully dropped the hammer on a couple belligerent coons in my backyard with my 22/45. Now I have to get in some serious trigger time.

 

[Stevie-Ray]

If you're just starting out in shotgunning, the best bet would be to start out experimenting with shooting from the left shoulder. Then you won't need the stickers and you'll get the benefit of the best BOTH of your eyes can give you, rather than dumbing down the good eye below the acuity of the bad one.

I intend to try that as well, Sam. Generally though, a problem arises whenever I find out that I'm not just right-handed, but really right-handed.