Engaging a lateral array with a rifle/dot - left to right or right to left?

Should a righty rifle shooter engage targets left to right or right to left?

  • Left to right

    Votes: 7 46.7%

  • Right to left

    Votes: 8 53.3%
  • Total voters
    15
TRaTSeRiF

TRaTSeRiF

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The imaginary stage: 5 targets arrayed at the same elevation, 25yds A-B-C-D-E
The shooter: Right-handed, right eye dominant
The gear: AR with a RDS

How would you engage those targets? A--->E or E--->A ?

The background:

-While shooting pistol, an experienced shooter advised me to shoot the way I write - left to right (rhyme unintentional). While working on my target acquisition, I found myself more likely to naturally engage such an array (well, 5 light switches lol) from right to left. Maybe because my left eye was automatically picking out the next target?

In any case, I'd love to hear your thoughts and how you'd go about it. Thanks in advance, guys!

P.S. Note to Team Hoser - I've also been working on my transitions to left shoulder so no more laughs for you guys! ;)
 
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I also prefer to shoot right to left, my left eye grabs targets as I'm engaging with the gun and the right eye. I also feel I am stronger moving the gun right to left as we are stronger moving to our center than we are moving away from it, and moving with my strong hand I am that much more capable than I am with my left. Torso movement also plays into it, more so with rifles, and I still feel better going left to right, especially as the optic can often be in the way of my left eye trying to scan to the right.
 
I too shoot it right to left despite being right handed and right eye dominant. My theory that i am picking up the next target in my peripheral vision, but I can't do it going left to right as the buttstock and my hand fill a large part of my FOV.

I notice considerably more over travel when I am forced to shoot left to right.
 
Depends how I get to the place to shoot and where I have to go from there.

If it was a stationary, pick up a rifle and ring 5 gongs, say 5 feet apart........either way, but I'd say I prefer left to right.


Only one way for YOU to know what's best for YOU, pick up a timer and try both ways.

And then practice both ways.
 
Most rifles will naturally bounce in recoil one way or the other, depending how the Comp is timed. Why fight it.
Figure that out and go with how the rifle wants to go. (It always best to get the comp in a neutrally timed position, this usually means having the comp turned to the 1 o'clock or 11 o'clock position) Your normal grip and stance will influence the way the rifle wants to push as well.

That being said, If I have a choice, I will shoot plate racks, target arrays, from right to left, I am right handed, and this allows my left eye to pick up the next target.
 
Thanks for your input, guys. Good point on the comp timing. Will have to try it with a yellow brick via livefire as well, but when I put it on I worked on timing it so it's as neutral as possible. We'll see. Looking forward to reading more.
 
It is very easy to check which way is better for you. Get a timer and shoot your plate rack or target array both ways a few times and then compare results. Oh, and with a handgun, it may actually be different if you are shooting strong hand or weak hand...

Though I wonder why would you need your left eye to see next target if you are aiming at it with your right eye, which is supposed to be focused at front sight (with the iron sights anyways, a dot is a different story)...

Slavex, it is an odd idea that you are stronger moving left, unless you have weaker muscles on one side of your body... Usually, in a neutral position your left foot is forward, so you already off the center.
 
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If in a static position i will usually go from right to left and down to up (this way you're never hiding your next target / fighting recoil) but if your moving into a position i will shoot it in order that will give me the best position for exit.
 
pauls said:
C-E-A-D-B
That's the order I would shoot this array.
Just because
Click to expand...

Actually this is usually faster in practice. Simply because you'll be deliberately aiming at the targets, unlike shooting them in sequence where you unconsciously want to go faster then you actually can... :D
 
If we're talking 3 gun, I usually let the course of fire dictate which way I go....but if no different, I have a tendency to go left to right.
 
Thanks for the input, guys.. From this, I got the following takeaways...

1) Let the CoF dictate the order
2) Practice what you're comfortable with but don't neglect going the other way
3) Verify #2 with a yellow brick

I've come across some really good long gun shooters, so I wanna put in the hours to get out of their dust cloud :cool:
 
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