Switching hands

[ericp1]

I am right hand dominant and STRONGLY left eye dominant.
On advice of instructor at Sporting Clays, I started shooting 12ga leftie.
Scores went WAY up.

Apparently this is not uncommon with shotgun.
Also, I had little long gun time, so little to unlearn.

Might this work for handgun?
Primary weapon is Ruger SP101 3 inch .357.
Backup is Glock 19 15 shot 9mm.

I have not fired either left-handed but have dry-fired about 500 lefty with the Ruger. Does not seem particularly awkward.

For handgun, is it worth the effort to make trigger hand (if non-dominant) the same as dominant eye?

Thank you in advance for your sage advice.

 

[PabloJ]

Learn to shoot with gun in left hand or close the right eye when you shoot. I shoot using one hand/arm hold for close defensive work I see no use for two-handed hold.

 

[Steve C]

For a defensive handgun it is a useful skill to shoot well with either hand. Try using your left hand and if you can shoot as well as with the right more power to you. You can then pick the hand you want to use and if the need arises can select the hand that gives you the best in cover or support depending upon circumstance.

 

[TUBBY1]

I have the same problem and shoot the sp101 as well.only after my strong hand started shaking,did I switch to my left. Wish I had done it sooner. I found it to be easier than expected and my accuracy has never been better. I find one handed to be easier as well. Give it a little time and I hope you enjoy it too.good shooting.

 

[USAF_Vet]

With the Glock, shooting lefty shouldn't be a problem. With the revolver, reloading can be an issue. Most revolvers swing out to the left, making a reload easy for a right handed shooter. It can be done left handed, but it doesn't feel natural and it takes some getting used to.

Unless you happen to be shooting single action revolvers, in which case, they seem set up perfectly for lefties.

 

[dvnv]

I am right handed, left eyed...have shot rifles and shotguns left handed all my life. When I started shooting revolvers in my 20's, I started left handed. After a year or so I tried my right hand and found I shot better...still shoot them right handed to this day. Try it with both hands and pick the one that works best for you. Unlike a shotgun, it is easy to use your left eye and right hand with a handgun. dvnv

 

[Jaymo]

I'm left handed and all Glocks, except for Gen 4 have a mag release button that rubs my trigger finger raw.
I shoot pistol left and right handed.
Us lefties learn to do that a lot more than righties.
Too bad for righties. It's a very good skill to learn.

 

[Sam1911]

With handguns there is no real benefit in shooting with your non-dominant hand, no matter what your dominant eye is. It is such a simple matter to turn the head slightly to turn the head very slightly to align dominant eye and dominant hand that most people do it without ever realizing it.

With long guns it is very important to shoot from the dominant shoulder because you CAN'T twist yourself around to jam your dominant eye down behind a rear sight (or align properly with a shotgun barrel) if you're shooting from the opposite shoulder.

 

[mnrivrat]

I've always shot with both eyes open and shoot pretty much the same with either hand.

I am right handed and right eye dominant so have no problem shooting that way, other than I trained myself a long time ago not to shoot when I'm half blind by closing one eye.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I agree there is really no good reason to change hands just because your cross dominant. I slightly close my off eye when shooting handguns and i have found when i shoot weak hand only I actually switch to my left eye when shooting. Your body will adapt more than you realize.

Like said above, shoot with both hands and use the one that you shoot best with. You should be practicing one handed both left and right hands anyway.

 

[CraigC]

Us lefties learn to do that a lot more than righties.
Too bad for righties. It's a very good skill to learn.

Yep! Dad's left-handed but grew up in a time when they forced kids to use their right hand. He can do anything with either hand but wipe his butt. They didn't make him right-handed, they made him ambidextrous. I'm still working on Clint Smith's trick of unloading a sixgun with the left hand while shooting another with the right.

 

[1KPerDay]

I am right hand dominant and STRONGLY left eye dominant.

I'm the same way, and luckily my dad started me out on rifles lefty. I have always shot long guns lefty and handguns righty, using my left eye for both.

Works fine.

 

[beag_nut]

With handguns there is no real benefit in shooting with your non-dominant hand, no matter what your dominant eye is. It is such a simple matter to turn the head slightly to turn the head very slightly to align dominant eye and dominant hand that most people do it without ever realizing it.

With long guns it is very important to shoot from the dominant shoulder because you CAN'T twist yourself around to jam your dominant eye down behind a rear sight (or align properly with a shotgun barrel) if you're shooting from the opposite shoulder.

Absolutely correct. And, I am an NRA-rated Distinguished Expert with my Ruger Mark I, with a strong left eye and strong right-hand hold.

 

[chuckpro]

I am the same way but i developed significant muscle memory before i realized i was left eye dominant . I shoot everything right hand. i have tried to shoot clays left handed and i do ok but i am still better right handed because of my muscle memory. i have learned to shoot pistols rite handed using my left eye and have to have a scope on my long rifles .

 

[Sam1911]

That does indeed happen. Brian Enos, who literally wrote "the book" on practical shooting says he developed so much habit and skill working right handed and right-eyed that he didn't find he was able to change productively once he realized he was cross-dominant. His solution has been to use a piece of scotch tape on his left glasses lens to occlude his dominant eye so his weaker eye will take over.

He admits it isn't the best solution, but he's done very well through dedicated practice anyway.

 

[Fiv3r]

I'm a weirdo who shoots some guns better righty and some better lefty. I just adjust to what hand I holding the gun with. If it's a quasi ambidextrous pistol like my fns, I'm perfectly happy shooting with my left. However, I shoot my 1911 and single action revolvers right handed since the safety is on the left/my right thumb is faster and stronger than my left.

But I agree, learning to shoot with either hand is never a bad thing.

 

[MrBorland]

Ordinarily, I'd recommend shooting on your dominant eye side, but admit to being one of the lucky ones - a wheelgunner, a lefty, but right eye dominant who naturally shoots righty, both rifle and handguns.

As others mentioned, shooting with your weak hand is a handy skill to develop, and since my "weak hand" is my dominant hand, my WHO shooting is relatively good (though it still requires practice).