Found something out at the range

[Amegatek]

I discovered something I didn't know before. I have been shooting since I was a teenager. As I am right-handed, I always aimed with my right eye. The other day at the range, my groups were looking like shotgun patterns! Little exaggeration there, on my part Anyway, I decided to start aiming with my left eye. Lo and behold, all my shots started gathering in or very close to the X-ring! This was no fluke as I tried this same technique from all the distances I shoot from. It also should be noted, the only thing changed was the eye I was aiming with. Same trigger technique, stance, etc. The only stance modifaction was tucking my right cheek against my right shoulder. I couldn't believe how much my accuracy improved, especially at longer ranges. Also, my sight picture is much clearer now. I guess I am left-eye dominant and never knew it!

 

[Double Maduro]

Amegatek,

There is a simple test to see which is your dominant eye.

1 point at an object with your finger keeping both eyes open

2 close one eye and then the other

3 if your finger doesn't appear to move with your left eye closed - you are right eye doninant and visa versa.

 

[Delmar]

Try both eyes open!

 

[Amegatek]

Try both eyes open!

I've tried that before. But the sight picture is blurry. If I focus on target there are two front sights, if I focus on front sights there is a double target image.

 

[Jim March]

I'm the same way, and discovered the very same thing: from a Weaver hold, we can get a "cheek rest" going around the upper bicep/shoulder area.

Not that you need to be able to shift for that for distance, but do something different for most close-range combat shooting: twist the gun leftwards and keep your head closer to vertical, to save your peripheral vision. The shift to longer range is basically a twist of the gun to vertical, and a twist of the head way rightwards to the "cheek weld".

The matter is discussed in detail here:

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=31739

From the Iscoceles, you can keep the gun vertical and use one hold for both long and short range shooting. But your ability to handle really serious recoil (44Mag or beyond) may suffer, as most of the "big boomer shooters" use Weaver for a reason. And when we switch to the "cheek weld" Weaver long-range variant, stability and accuracy are just excellent.

 

[TheOtherOne]

Hmmm....

I'm right handed and left eye dominant also. I've always been aiming with my right eye though because when I first started shooting some guy told me that even if it's not your dominant eye and you are right handed then you should always force yourself to aim with your right eye (and vice versa for left-handed people).

Next time I'm at the range I'll have to try it the other way.

 

[ysr_racer]

Also, my sight picture is much clearer now...

Maybe the vision in your left eye is better than your right? That's what happened to me.

I've tried that before. But the sight picture is blurry. If I focus on target there are two front sights, if I focus on front sights there is a double target image.

Everybody does. If you're right eye dominant, just use the left image. If you're left dominate use the right image.

When I shoot IPSC, if the target is 15 yards or closer, I just focus on the target. Good hand eye skills will make sure your rounds hit where you want them.

It's like shooting a shotgun.

 

[Standing Wolf]

Keeping both eyes open worked for me for quite a few years; as my eyes aged, however, I found it easier to half-close my weak eye, then close it a little more, then... I still don't close it completely, but at this point, shooting with both eyes open costs me accuracy.

 

[Lennyjoe]

Im right handed and left eyed dominant too. Found out at an early age and learned how to shoot left handed.

Think the hardest thing to learn to shoot left handed was a bow. But I have overcome.

Everyone should do the simple check to see which eye is the dominant one.

 

[C.R.Sam]

I have long advocated using the eye that works best regardles of which hand is holding the gun.

If you have a good sight picture and consistant pull off...it doesn't matter.

Sam....either handed and neither eyed.

 

[Telperion]

Amegatek: I think the reason this works is that by leaning your head over, you've made one eye's vision heavily obscured. Since you're focused on your sights, your brain largely discards the vision of the other eye, as if you had closed it.

I tried this with my rifle, and what happens when I lean my head over the stock is that my right eye's vision is heavily blocked out by the stock, almost if I had half-closed the eye. I then tried the same thing in reverse with the rifle shouldered on my left. I don't think it has to do with eye dominance. I used to think I was left-eye dominant when I was a kid, yet now whenever I do any of those tests, I'm right-eye dominant. Works out better for me I guess since I'm right-handed.

 

[veloce851]

Interesting.. I'm a lefty (just when writing and with forks, can't use those lefty scissors)
But shoot with my right.. and have been using my right eye just because if felt the most natural.
I have not been happy with my groups since I started shooting (about a year ago.. but realistically less than a dozen range visits)

I tried the finger pointing test.. and what do you know.. my left eye keeps on the target while my right eye kicks off about a 1/2 inch.
Guess I know what I need to work on now