Which hand should I shoot handguns with?

[Harriw]

Sounds like a bizarre question, I know. But please hear me out. I've always called myself left handed because I write and throw with my left hand, but I'm actually fairly ambidextrous. I do some activities left-handed, others right-handed, and some a mish-mash of both (I know its bizarre, but I cast a spinning rod with my left, then pass the rod to my right hand to handle the rod twitching).

Anyway, I'm left-eye dominant, so I've been shooting long-guns (and bows) left-handed for years. That's how I shouldered a toy gun while playing as a kid, so it just felt right anyway. Other than bolt guns, I've never really seen right-handed long-guns as a disadvantage to a left-handed shooter (I actually prefer it in some cases). Controls tend to be fairly ambidextrous for the most part (though there are some designs I avoid because of being a lefty). Was never really that big a deal.

But I'm now researching my first hand-gun purchase, and find myself crossing models off the list because safeties/decockers, slide locks, and mag releases are right-hand-only. I've certainly found full-ambi designs that I think I can live with, but I stumbled across another potential solution the other day. I was watching Hickock45 on youtube, and heard him mention that he's actually cross-dominant. He explained that he shoots right-handed, but has a dominant left eye so he shifts his head and/or hold to align his left eye with the sights of a handgun held in his right hand. This option had never occurred to me before. And now the more I think about it, the more I think it makes a lot of sense for me. I'm quite new to this whole handgun thing, so the only muscle-memory I'd have to fight/re-train would be from arcade games in my youth and a CO2 pistol I had years ago. Would I be better off starting from day 1 as a right-handed hand-gun shooter using my left eye? I've experimented with holds a little bit, and it doesn't feel odd to me to hold right-handed... I really think I simply haven't developed a "muscle-memory" preference yet. In fact, I even realized that when playing with nerf guns with my kids, I tend to pass the pistols back and forth between hands, or just keep a small "back-up" in my right hand. I don't expect to ever need to be able to do this - being the Joe-civilian I am - but I can see advantages to shooting a primary weapon left-handed, and a side-arm right-handed.

So the only downside would be that I'd be forcing myself into a cross-dominant situation. So what do you think? Should I side with eye-dominance and shoot with the left hand, or side with the standardized world we live in and shoot with the right hand?

Thanks very much in advance for any suggestions/comments/help!

 

[GBExpat]

Welcome to THR, Harriw!

My not-too-terribly-helpful answer is: Whatever feels best for you.

I am a left-eye-dominant right hander. Like many, I am sure, my Dad taught me to shoot everything "correctly" (since I was obviously right handed) long before we ever heard about eye-dominance.

By the time I learned about the eye-dominance issue, I had been accurately & comfortably shooting righty for ~50 years, so ... <shrug>

I do recall in our first outing, however, with the new single-shot .22 rifle that Dad had to correct my technique ... I was leaning my head waaaayyyy over the comb in order to use my left eye. A half century later, I found out why.

Enjoy!

 

[Fiv3r]

Hello, fellow weirdo

I'm right handed for the most part. Write, throw, golf, etc. I shoot semiautos with my right.
I'm left handed when I bowl, shoot a bow, and I cant even shoulder a long arm with my right. I prefer to shoot most revolvers left handed, certainly single actions.

I dont worry a great deal about eye dominance. I would say I am slightly right eyed, but I generally try to side eye my sights when combat shooting a handgun using more of an instinctive shooting style. I dont shoot rifles or firearms in general at rangers where I drill down accuracy.

 

[paulsj]

Sounds like a bizarre question, I know. But please hear me out. I've always called myself left handed because I write and throw with my left hand, but I'm actually fairly ambidextrous. I do some activities left-handed, others right-handed, and some a mish-mash of both (I know its bizarre, but I cast a spinning rod with my left, then pass the rod to my right hand to handle the rod twitching).

Anyway, I'm left-eye dominant, so I've been shooting long-guns (and bows) left-handed for years. That's how I shouldered a toy gun while playing as a kid, so it just felt right anyway. Other than bolt guns, I've never really seen right-handed long-guns as a disadvantage to a left-handed shooter (I actually prefer it in some cases). Controls tend to be fairly ambidextrous for the most part (though there are some designs I avoid because of being a lefty). Was never really that big a deal.

But I'm now researching my first hand-gun purchase, and find myself crossing models off the list because safeties/decockers, slide locks, and mag releases are right-hand-only. I've certainly found full-ambi designs that I think I can live with, but I stumbled across another potential solution the other day. I was watching Hickock45 on youtube, and heard him mention that he's actually cross-dominant. He explained that he shoots right-handed, but has a dominant left eye so he shifts his head and/or hold to align his left eye with the sights of a handgun held in his right hand. This option had never occurred to me before. And now the more I think about it, the more I think it makes a lot of sense for me. I'm quite new to this whole handgun thing, so the only muscle-memory I'd have to fight/re-train would be from arcade games in my youth and a CO2 pistol I had years ago. Would I be better off starting from day 1 as a right-handed hand-gun shooter using my left eye? I've experimented with holds a little bit, and it doesn't feel odd to me to hold right-handed... I really think I simply haven't developed a "muscle-memory" preference yet. In fact, I even realized that when playing with nerf guns with my kids, I tend to pass the pistols back and forth between hands, or just keep a small "back-up" in my right hand. I don't expect to ever need to be able to do this - being the Joe-civilian I am - but I can see advantages to shooting a primary weapon left-handed, and a side-arm right-handed.

So the only downside would be that I'd be forcing myself into a cross-dominant situation. So what do you think? Should I side with eye-dominance and shoot with the left hand, or side with the standardized world we live in and shoot with the right hand?

Thanks very much in advance for any suggestions/comments/help!

You can shoot from either hand but when you hold it in right hand you have to close your left eye.

 

[Labguy47]

Being ambi is a pain, I shoot pistols left handed and rifles right. If you’re asking why it’s because I don’t like brass hitting me in the face. I have even bought a couple of left handed rifles that where good deals over the years but they don’t make me a better shot like right hand rifles can. Shoot whichever way you shoot best.

 

[drband]

Shoot whichever way you shoot best.

This is the key.

 

[JTQ]

I do it the Hickok45 way, I'm a righty, left eye dominant and shoot pistols righty. I seldom shoot rifles, but shooting them lefty has always felt more natural to me.

On the other hand, one of the world's top shooting instructors, Bill Rogers, tells folks to shoot with that hand that matches their dominant eye.



By the way, my younger daughter and wife are both similarly ambidextrous. The both throw and write right handed, but using kitchen tools or scissors is fascinating since they use them as a lefty would.

 

[Fine Figure of a Man]

Everyone should shoot handguns both left and right handed.

 

[bersaguy]

Yup...I'm a mess. Right handed, left eye dominant. I shoot shotguns left handed. Have all but given up bolt actions in favor of pump rifles(shoot those lefty too) Handguns I shoot right handed. Semiauto rifles...depends. At static targets, I'll shoot them right handed...if I have to pick up multiple targets or track a moving target, I usually switch to left hand

 

[WheelGunMan]

Whatever hand feels the most comfortable to you is your dominate hand. If you're right handed but left eye dominate..a slight change in your stance may adjust it to a comfort zone.

 

[Texas10mm]

Both.

My club's monthly defensive pistol matches require both strong and weak hand shooting. It's an important skill to learn.

 

[Varminterror]

Both hands. I’m non-dominant for for vision, and largely ambidextrous, but a consequence of my vision is USUALLY the wrong eye is my instantaneously dominant eye, and my hobbies and profession have caused a LOT of injuries which have forced temporary favor for handedness over the years. Master one side, but be sure to sustain greater than a passing proficiency with the other as well.

It doesn’t take much more time nor effort to sustain both than it does one.

 

[1KPerDay]

I'm cross-dominant. IMO you should shoot long guns from your dominant side. Handguns are a little more flexible but if I had a choice I'd start with them in my dominant side hand. Stance, grip, etc will be more natural and physiologically aligned in front of your dominant eye.

 

[FL-NC]

A couple a schools of thought. The easy answer, is which works better. As a sniper instructor, I ran into this a few times with students- for precision long range fire, milling targets with a reticle, etc. we trained them to shoot with the dominant eye. I had a friend who was cross-eye-dominant, he fired long guns with the right hand, but wore his pistol (and fired it) with his left side- I would describe him as both fast and deadly, as this obviously worked for him. As far as firearm design, for the most part, the military doesn't issue "ambi guns"- the exceptions being the controls on the M110 SWS, the mag release and safety/decock on the M9, and in my unit, lefties often installed ambi selectors on their M4's (an "unauthorized" mod that we did anyway). I'm not sure what the new military Sig does. In any event, our lefties did fine with what they were issued- even though it looks weird when they operate a bolt gun, and sometimes downright scary when they chuck a grenade.

 

[SteadyD]

I agree with those that say whichever works for you. I shoot long guns lefty and handguns righty. It’s just how I’ve always done it.

 

[GEM]

I'm left handed and left eyed. I still shoot decently right handed. I still use my left eye and just shift the pistol a tad. However, I've found that in a very tight pie around the corner, barricade situation, if my right eye is the one that is better for a peak, I use that. I really don't find it a handicap. The issue is practice.

As far as controls, the standard Glock is fine, I put an ambi safety on the 1911. Left handed slide and mag release with my forefinger. My stubby thumbs are pretty useless anyway. Rifles - I've toyed with going with a left handed version or installing ambi controls but never get around to it. I just deal with it.

 

[wickedsprint]

I shoot cross dominant.

Once I figured it out, my shooting got a lot more consistent.

Use the hand you prefer with your dominant eye and you’ll be fine.

 

[bassjam]

I’m a lefty, starting shooting my bb gun at 11 left handed, started shooting a bow left handed too and by the time I was 18 and learned I was right eye dominant I had pretty strong muscle memory to change. Upon switching my accuracy was better immediately with both firearms and my bow, but for about a year it did take longer to get “on-target” until I was comfortably handling firearms with my right hand. I have no regrets switching to shooting right handed, but of course that way is easier since virtually every gun out there is made for righties. There's also some other benefits, when I pocket carry my handgun goes into my right pocket, and I can then leave my pocket knife in my "strong side" left pocket.

 

[entropy]

Both!

Seriously, it's a good idea to at least become familiar with shooting from both hands (maybe not at the same time, just a little fun at the range there), it is a handy skill to have. Eye dominance isn't as important with pistols as it is with rifles or shotguns, you can shoot right eye/left hand or left eye right hand just fine.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I'm right handed and right eye dominant so I have no conflict. I am also ambidextrous to the point when shooting a stage that calls for weak hand only I use my left eye to aim. (Yes I know both eyes should be open and they are.) If it were me I would shoot handguns both sides and find which side is most comfortable and which allowed you to be more accurate.

 

[doubleh]

I'm another that going with whatever works for YOU. There isn't a pattern or routine that is universal for everyone.

I have a seven year old example in the family of this. The little kid writes, draws,and feeds herself with her left hand. She is right eye dominant and uses her right hand for shooting
It appears to be quite natural and is no problem for her.

 

[earlthegoat2]

I am left eye dominant and right handed.

I shoot long guns lefty and handguns righty using my left eye.

 

[Telekinesis]

Primarily I'd start off with whichever hand felt most natural, but I would quickly move to shooting with both hands as much as possible. Weak hand pistol shooting is one of the more difficult things to master and I end up spending a lot of time working on that when I go to the range. Being essentially ambidextrous, you can get to the point where you don't really have a "weak" hand, you just have an "other" hand.

Also note that holsters and other support gear is predominantly designed for right handed shooters. There's stuff out there for lefties, but it's usually much easier to find stuff for right handed shooters.

As far as eye dominance, I think it matters more for long guns than it does for pistols. With a pistol you can just move the gun to the left or right a few inches and use the other eye, regardless of which hand is doing the trigger pulling.

 

[340PD]

Both hands every range trip.

 

[Zerodefect]

I'm left eye dominant, but throw right handed, and kick left handed (I always had a lock on the left wing forward position in soccer). So I'm also ambidextrous.

I shoot pistols right handed. My right hand seems to draw faster. Many of the best shooters out there are cross eye dominant with pistols.

Oddly when I shoot pistols one hand only, USPSA classifiers, my left hand seems to do better.

I shoot long arms primarily left handed. Carbines need to be shot left or right handed, for obvious reasons. I'm still working on shooting a shot gun right handed. I prefer lefty there as well. Precision rifles are lefty only.