Cross-Dominant Shooting

[SparklelyGirl]

Sorry I had that backwards. training your hands is relatively easy compared to training your eyes. Hand movement is voluntary, eye dominance is not.

Ahahaha! Awesome! Anything with time and patience!

I disagree regarding training your eye. Both are voluntary and have become habits in our daily lives. I know this, because of what I do, I have trained myself to become left-eye dominate. It took a long time although now it's a natural occurrence for me. With being a beginner at target shooting, it's become an issue as both eyes want dominance so to say.

I'm trying to figure out which is the lesser of two evils. Both will be awkward and require patience and a lot of practice. I have no access to a left-handed rifle so I thought what can I do to correct what my vision does when looking through a scope, hence my ask for what worked for you as a cross-dominate shooter.

I am not opposed to trying left handed shooting and if the opportunity arises that I run into someone with a left-handed rifle I will be more than happy to give it a shot! (pun intended - lol)

 

[Suther]

Ahahaha! Awesome! Anything with time and patience!

I disagree regarding training your eye. Both are voluntary and have become habits in our daily lives. I know this, because of what I do, I have trained myself to become left-eye dominate. It took a long time although now it's a natural occurrence for me. With being a beginner at target shooting, it's become an issue as both eyes want dominance so to say.

I'm trying to figure out which is the lesser of two evils. Both will be awkward and require patience and a lot of practice. I have no access to a left-handed rifle so I thought what can I do to correct what my vision does when looking through a scope, hence my ask for what worked for you as a cross-dominate shooter.

I am not opposed to trying left handed shooting and if the opportunity arises that I run into someone with a left-handed rifle I will be more than happy to give it a shot! (pun intended - lol)

You can always shoot a right handed rifle left handed. The bolt is on the wrong side, but thats not really a big deal, especially if you're shooting from a bench off a rest or bipod. Even offhand shooting, the aiming and pulling the trigger part don't really change if the gun is left or right handed and thats when the eye dominance comes into play.

The only left handed rifle I have so far is my left handed Rem 700. All my 22s and shotguns are right handed. Some are better than others for lefties (Mossberg 500 has a tang safety so it works just fine, my Marlin 795 has a crossbolt safety which is more annoying) but they're all useable.

Pretty much the only guns you can't really use left handed are right handed bullpups, because they will spit brass right into your face. Everything else is workable.

 

[SparklelyGirl]

You can always shoot a right handed rifle left handed. The bolt is on the wrong side, but thats not really a big deal, especially if you're shooting from a bench off a rest or bipod. Even offhand shooting, the aiming and pulling the trigger part don't really change if the gun is left or right handed and thats when the eye dominance comes into play.

The only left handed rifle I have so far is my left handed Rem 700. All my 22s and shotguns are right handed. Some are better than others for lefties (Mossberg 500 has a tang safety so it works just fine, my Marlin 795 has a crossbolt safety which is more annoying) but they're all useable.

Pretty much the only guns you can't really use left handed are right handed bullpups, because they will spit brass right into your face. Everything else is workable.

Suther!! Thank you! I am a newbie and really didn't think of that! I am willing to try it out! Thanks for your insight!!

 

[skwerl]

How long have you been shooting?

I see a lot of people who completely disregard the idea of switching to left handed, but its not as hard as you might think. The same day I switched to shooting shotgun left I was busting more clays. I am right handed, grew up shooting paintball guns, bb guns, etc right handed. Didn't get into real guns until I was in my 20s, and spent the first 5+ years shooting rifle right handed. I resisted switching to left handed for rifles until last year, and honestly I kick myself for not doing it sooner - I can actually SEE iron sights and I don't get nearly as fatigued from a long day at the range (I used to find that over time my ability to focus through a scope with my right eye would diminish, not an issue with my left though).

Not having to fight with my left eye has made shooting even more enjoyable!

The part that I find awkward now is carrying a gun - I still find myself carrying it like I would a right handed gun sometimes.




I spent years trying all the tricks in the book to overcome my eye dominance issue. At the end of it all, the only thing that truly solved the problem for me was switching to left handed.

I had an occurrence back a few years that made me change from right eye to a left eye right hand shooter , it
only took one season and now I feel naturally comfortable.

 

[SparklelyGirl]

I had an occurrence back a few years that made me change from right eye to a left eye right hand shooter , it
only took one season and now I feel naturally comfortable.

Thank you skwerl! You give me hope! Thanks for your insight!

Love this too! - "If I Have to Explain , You Wouldn't Understand"

 

[Brutus]

You can always shoot a right handed rifle left handed. The bolt is on the wrong side, but thats not really a big deal, especially if you're shooting from a bench off a rest or bipod. Even offhand shooting, the aiming and pulling the trigger part don't really change if the gun is left or right handed and thats when the eye dominance comes into play.

The only left handed rifle I have so far is my left handed Rem 700. All my 22s and shotguns are right handed. Some are better than others for lefties (Mossberg 500 has a tang safety so it works just fine, my Marlin 795 has a crossbolt safety which is more annoying) but they're all useable.

Pretty much the only guns you can't really use left handed are right handed bullpups, because they will spit brass right into your face. Everything else is workable.

What you say is only partially true sir.
Examples: I have a LH Palma target rifle on a Wichita action and LH Hammerli dedicated 22 target pistols. It's quite impossible to shoot them with any expectation of accuracy from the opposite shoulder/hand.
Then there is less obvious differences in some more costly O/U or SxS shotguns. Cast on or cast off. Other custom target shotguns should be considered for specific shooter needs.

 

[Buck1950]

Do what feels best !

Just me, but I'm 70 and been shooting since 10-11? - Left dom and I've always used that eye to sight. Both irons and scope, I'm not great but within 2moa with all my rifles and knocking around 1moa with my 22s. I can use the right eye ( just tried one of my rifles ) but left 'feels' more natural. I also was switch-hitter at baseball and ambi playing pool - a bit better right handed for both of these.
I would suggest new shooters do what feels best; Like skwerl said 'it feels natural'. I knew people that were left handed and forced to 'go right' - they were really f-d up. I've been told 'both eyes open' but focus was confusing and I'm not changing now. I was about 40 when I 'became aware' my style was unusual, no one had noticed how I was shooting. My Dad taught me and he was WWII Inf m-gunner and Silver Star recipient, "walked from Italy to Nuremburg" he always said. Never criticized my shooting, tho he was a lot better. Depression country boy shot dinner a lot.

 

[J.Hancock]

Just me, but I'm 70 and been shooting since 10-11? - Left dom and I've always used that eye to sight. both irons and scope, I'm not great but within 2moa with all my rifles and knocking around 1moa with my 22s. I can use the right eye ( just tried one of my rifles ) but left 'feels' more natural. I also was switch-hitter at baseball and ambi playing pool - a bit better right handed for both of these.
I would suggest new shooters do what feels best; I've been told 'both eyes open' but focus was confusing and I'm not changing now. I was about 40 when I 'became aware' my style was unusual, no one had noticed how I was shooting. My Dad taught me and he was WWII Inf m-gunner and Silver Star, "walked from Italy to Nuremburg" he always said. Never criticized my shooting, tho he was a lot better. Depression country boy shot dinner a lot.

First few times I shouldered a rifle I noticed I was using my left eye to aim, I'm right handed and was shooting right handed lol. My eldest daughter (7) has the same disposition. I continue to practice and have for the most part corrected my form, however after your story, maybe I ought to encourage my daughter to do what feels natural.

 

[Brutus]

I purposefully had custom built a select walnut stock of McMillan M87 target rifle inspiration for a German ES350b Mauser in 22 LR.
Wundhammer swell for the pistol grip was one of the very first things I requested. Besides the RH bolt and port this rifle is ambidextrous. Zero regrets.

 

[Suther]

What you say is only partially true sir.
Examples: I have a LH Palma target rifle on a Wichita action and LH Hammerli dedicated 22 target pistols. It's quite impossible to shoot them with any expectation of accuracy from the opposite shoulder/hand.
Then there is less obvious differences in some more costly O/U or SxS shotguns. Cast on or cast off. Other custom target shotguns should be considered for specific shooter needs.

What stops you from shooting the target rifle lefty? The stock design? I was looking at the Savage A22 target, one of the dealers had a wicked deal on them a few months back, but it came with a boyds thumbhole stock which I can only assume would not be left-friendly.

You are correct, there are plenty of examples of guns that can't be fired left handed if you are trying to find them, however the majority of off-the-shelf firearms can be shot from either shoulder without much trouble. Chances are high that if the OP has guns they have guns that can work left handed.

First few times I shouldered a rifle I noticed I was using my left eye to aim, I'm right handed and was shooting right handed lol. My eldest daughter (7) has the same disposition. I continue to practice and have for the most part corrected my form, however after your story, maybe I ought to encourage my daughter to do what feels natural.

Are you suggesting letting your daughter shoot right handed but with their left eye by leaning their head over the stock more if thats what feels natural to her?

 

[SparklelyGirl]

Just me, but I'm 70 and been shooting since 10-11? - Left dom and I've always used that eye to sight. Both irons and scope, I'm not great but within 2moa with all my rifles and knocking around 1moa with my 22s. I can use the right eye ( just tried one of my rifles ) but left 'feels' more natural. I also was switch-hitter at baseball and ambi playing pool - a bit better right handed for both of these.
I would suggest new shooters do what feels best; Like skwerl said 'it feels natural'. I knew people that were left handed and forced to 'go right' - they were really f-d up. I've been told 'both eyes open' but focus was confusing and I'm not changing now. I was about 40 when I 'became aware' my style was unusual, no one had noticed how I was shooting. My Dad taught me and he was WWII Inf m-gunner and Silver Star recipient, "walked from Italy to Nuremburg" he always said. Never criticized my shooting, tho he was a lot better. Depression country boy shot dinner a lot.

Thank you for sharing Buck1950. I appreciate your insight!

 

[J.Hancock]

Are you suggesting letting your daughter shoot right handed but with their left eye by leaning their head over the stock more if thats what feels natural to her?

Are you suggesting that, though it way work with .22, should correct it or she will be stuck shooting .22 forever? I only noticed she was doing it last time I had her dry firing.

Shooting pistol has nothing to do with "what feels natural" in my experience, but rifles are by nature ergonomic.

 

[Suther]

Are you suggesting that, though it way work with .22, should correct it or she will be stuck shooting .22 forever? I only noticed she was doing it last time I had her dry firing.

Shooting pistol has nothing to do with "what feels natural" in my experience, but rifles are by nature ergonomic.

That technique would concern me once she gets into rifles that recoil. Better to train her properly now while shes young than try to fix it later. Check her eye dominance, and if shes left eye dominant (which that shooting position would suggest) then get her shooting left handed.

For bench shooting, a right hand bolt being shot left handed has some advantages because you don't have to break your grip with your trigger hand to manipulate the bolt. If training a young shooter it is important to pay special attention to trigger discipline in this scenario though because their hand is always right by the trigger whereas a right handed shooter would normally break their grip to cycle the bolt.

 

[J.Hancock]

That technique would concern me once she gets into rifles that recoil. Better to train her properly now while shes young than try to fix it later. Check her eye dominance, and if shes left eye dominant (which that shooting position would suggest) then get her shooting left handed.

For bench shooting, a right hand bolt being shot left handed has some advantages because you don't have to break your grip with your trigger hand to manipulate the bolt. If training a young shooter it is important to pay special attention to trigger discipline in this scenario though because their hand is always right by the trigger whereas a right handed shooter would normally break their grip to cycle the bolt.

My thinking also.
Cheers

 

[rpbgta]

Another cross-dominant (left eye, right hand) newbie here. I've some experience shooting recreationally and have had reasonable accuracy in target shooting right handed with a closed left eye on scoped rifles and strangely pistols also. Actually only discovered cross-dominance issue when trying to shoot clays and found my shot to be completely off throughout.

Now looking to get into hunting this year. It seems clear that I should immediately switch shoulders for shotguns so as to be able to shoot with both eyes open accurately, does the same apply for scoped rifles? Only thing that will take a hit will be reloading speed on a bolt action off the bad hand, or are there other considerations?