Left Eye Dominant

[The Ruckus]

So, my brother in-law who is new to handgun shooting has just found out he is right handed and left eye dominant. We've been discussing what exactly he can do. I've told him he has two options (correct me if I'm wrong) to force right eye focus with an eye closed, until he can force right eye focus with the left eye open, and eventually lead to becoming right eye dominant naturally. However, I know that in the military if you're cross eye dominant they make you begin shooting the opposite way. His left eye is also a lot stronger than his right. So what should he do? Change up to shooting lefty (his M&P is ambi) or try to learn how to focus with his right eye?

 

[Pat-inCO]

If this is a pistol, how is it a problem? Move both hands to the left about three inches.

 

[highorder]

I an right handed and left eye dominant. I shoot handguns with both eyes open, aligning the sights with my left eye.

with long guns, I either close my dominant (left) eye, or shoot with both open (usually with optics)

 

[Matt-J2]

I'm RH/LE as well, and with handguns it's no biggie, I either hsoot both eyes open, or use my left eye. I find my hands move the gun to the left a bit naturally so I don't have to think about it. With long guns I just shoot right eyed or both eyes open.

 

[nwilliams]

I'm left eye dominant and right handed and I usually squint or close my right eye to focus on the front sight. I can do it both eyes open fairly well but I'm not as consistent unless that way. With long guns I shoot with my right eye and close my left.

 

[M1 Shooter]

I'm the same way, and it's just not an issue when shooting pistols.
I just tilt my head slightly to bring my left eye in line with the pistol's sights. I shoot both eyes open without trouble.

However, with rifles it is getting worse. I used to be able to shoot just fine by keeping both eyes open and aiming with my right eye when shooting rifles, but my right eye keeps getting weaker and weaker every year. It is getting to the point that I may have to start shooting long guns almost exclusivly left handed. This is why I find myself shooting my handguns far more often than my rifles lately.

 

[Diamondback6]

Or tilt the pistol slightly, as long as it's less than a 45-degree angle--this also has the benefit of lining the bones in your arm up better. Google "McMillan tilt" or "McMillan rotation"...

 

[DerbyDale]

I'm in the same boat as your brother-in-law as I am/was cross-dominate as well. The best thing for him to do is to unlearn what he has learned, and then learn how to shoot left handed. It will feel awkward at first, but with practice it will become natural to him.

This is what I had to do, and my groups have improved greatly. Most importantly I can finally do it consistently. Consistently is the key word here. Canting the pistol or your head, will never be as consistent as shooting with the hand Mother Nature intended. He may get to be "OK" shooting right handed; but he will NEVER reach his potential until he shoots left handed.

Shot gunners will tell you the same thing. If you’re left eyed-dominant, shoot left handed and eventually your shooting will be far better than you could ever have done shooting the other way.

 

[10-Ring]

I'm left eye dominant and a natural righty too. I was taught to shoot w/ both eyes open so I really haven't noticed a problem. I think the big deal comes from people transitioning from long guns. I find myself shooting my long guns lefty and handguns righty.

 

[rbernie]

I am left eye dominant (I learned very recently) and right handed. I can shoot both eyes open, and hold the pistol normally in front of the right eye. It doesn't take much for the brain to switch to the non-dominant eye view; I can only presume that decades of shooting a pistol by closing the left eye (I now shoot both-eyes-open) has enabled my brain to make the switch without pause.

One thing I have done to help is have my vision correction set up such that my right eye is more distance-corrected than the left. This allows my brain to naturally switch to the right eye for anything other than closeup work (e.g. reading).

 

[Dick1911]

I, too, am left-eyed and right handed. Ultimately your brother-in-law will have to work out whatever technique works for him. I turn my head slightly to the right and have moved my hands to the left a slightly so the gun is pretty much in the center of my body. May not work for some, but the more I practice the better my goupings are and this has worked out to be the best for me so far.

 

[misterwhipple]

Looks like there's a lot of us.

I can't train-up my right eye; it's just weaker than the left, tough noogies. I was taught to shoot left handed, and for target-related shooting it definitely works better for me.

I've only just started preparing for handgun defense. An instructor at the local range suggested I shoot right handed and just tilt my head so I can use my right eye. One the other hand, reading some Jeff Cooper makes me suspect he might have disagreed.

By the way, everyone and his grandmother tells me never close one eye to shoot. It makes things worse.

[Correction]

I meant to say, he said shoot right handed and use my left eye.

 

[DerbyDale]

An instructor at the local range suggested I shoot right handed and just tilt my head so I can use my right eye.

I would get another instructor...

 

[wally]

Cross dominant eyesight is not that uncommon, but unless you are mixed dominant you are unlikely to change eye dominance with training.

Same as most folks can't become ambidextrous. My dad was truly ambi but tended to do things lefty. I've inherited some of the tendency but I'm clearly a righty but have only a minor decrement doing things lefty and try to do 10-25 of my shooting with the left hand.

Good advice has already been given as to how to deal with it, try the various options and go with what works best and feels most "natural".

--wally.

 

[RNB65]

I'm cross dominant. I hold a handgun in my right hand and just align it with my left eye. Not a problem with handguns.

Shotguns are another matter altogether...
-

 

[wickedsprint]

I'm also cross dominant, but I shoot with my weak eye, have since I was a kid because I didn't know any better. I simply close the dominant eye. Wonder if I should try and get better with my dominant eye, my weak eye actually has better vision though.

 

[The Ruckus]

Thanks a lot for the responses guys and gals. I've told him what you've all said and he really doesn't like the idea of the gun or head tilt. We've both agreed that that would handicap him in tournament 3 gun shooting, or self defense. He's pretty set on the idea of going left handed for shooting.

 

[GVMan]

Me too

I do not like the gun tilt method. The sight picture is just to wacky. I had been using the head turned slightly to the right method and this works OK for target practice when there is plenty of time to line everything up. But when shooting multiple targets for IDPA it is more difficult for me to keep changing my position and stance and then keep my head aimed to the right for the next shot. I eventually end up with my head pointing straight ahead like it has 99.99999% of the last 40 years.

Also, when I practice drawing from a holster right handed I almost always find that the gun is pointing slightly to the left of the intended target When I practice left handed and bring the gun up quickly, my left dominant eye is looking right down the sights every time.

For these reasons I just ordered my first left handed holster. I have tried just walking around the house with the gun held in my left hand and I am getting more and more comfortable with the feel of it.

I have a Glock and I must admit the that magazine changes are a bit tricky for me. I now understand why folks like pistols that come with ambi controls. I love the G26 though and I am going to work at it for awhile!

 

[Wildfire]

Shouldn't be an Issue.

Hey there:
Any one who has engaged in any competetive shooting other then bulls eye.
Knows the problems with closing one eye. Finding your next target gets very hard to do. BOTH eyes open......
If you ever had to use that gun in a defensive mode you would have both eyes open. WIDE open. Learn to shoot that way. No tilting , no moving the gun , just pull up and shoot.
This eye dominacy thing gets way too much attention.
Your dominant eye when shooting a scoped rifle is the one looking thru the scope.................
The eye dominace test has some flaws in it. Many that are left eye dom. shoot right handed and shoot extremely well. Even Bench shooters.

 

[Texas Bob]

He is at an "advantage" in a three gun match. I'm RH but LED, so I tilt my head by 1" to the right and shoot with both eyes open, sighting with my left eye during IDPA. In "threesome" I shoot my long gun left handed the with a single point sling transition to my sidearm worn on my right side. How does he shoot pool, right or left ? Close quarters, which hand does he wipe his ass with? Only he can try several different suggestions and see what seems to make sence for his body type in a short amount of time. Hope this helps, BOb.

 

[Cuzzin]

As stated - both eyes really WIDE open works best for me when handgunning. When shotgunning - I have to put one of those Browning 'stickies' over my left lens (eyeglasses). As said also - my right eye leads when using rifle scope so no problem there. Just gotta adjust - however, the eyes wide open is always best if you are practicing self defense. Who has the time to figure out which eye to close, how far to displace the handgun, or run and get some tape to cover the dominant eye...

 

[22h2]

I have the same problem, I switched from right handed to left and glad I did. I found that my practice was more productive and that I could consistantly improve with practice. I could not do this right handed. I shoot self defense two eyes open and when I target shoot for group size I can close my right eye for aiming. you may want to try left hand just to see if you are more consistant. I was

 

[Pimpstar00]

How do you tell which eye is dominant?

 

[Wildfire]

Don't try.

Hey there:
If you have not noticed a problem, don't even try and it will never be an issue. Once you find out you will think about it toooooooo much.
I know that is not what you wanted to hear , but trust me it is the best thing you will hear. I'll let some one else ruin it for you.

 

[robmkivseries70]

Hi All,
I am really stuck because my right eye is too bad to see the sights. I shoot pistols and revolvers right handed. Rifles and shot guns left handed. I have no problems pistol shooting. I have trigger coordination in both hands.
Best,
Rob