Right handed but left eye dominant

fratri

CGN frequent flyer
Rating - 100%
17   0   1
Location
SW Ontario
Didn't want to hijack the other scope thread so started this new one with the question..... What happens when you are a right handed shooter but are left eye dominant.... That seems to be my way of life... Right handed but left eye dominance... I wonder if this is why sometimes I have a hard time lining up the crosshair on them. Any tips to make me a better shooter, just putting it out there.
 
The three guys I know like this all shoot left with RH rifles… They have learned to shoot RH but all struggle finding the target in the cross hair like you. Two of them for sure keep both eyes open when shooting RH. Another funny thing is that all three (along with a LH buddy of mine) refuse to shoot LH guns.

I’ll add that I struggle to shoot gophers LH (when the occasion rises) though I keep both eyes open.
 
I am right handed and left eye dominant as well. When I shoot rifle or shotgun I switch to a left handed grip. While initially it felt a little weird, it did not take long to adjust. Now I am equally proficient shooting either right of left handed.

When I shoot handguns, I shoot with both eyes open although looking at my target sometimes it looks like I have been shooting with both eyes closed.
 
Last edited:
I suffer the same thing, grab a BB gun and a pair of glasses cover the left lense and train. I shot mine in the basement. It won’t change your dominance but it will train your brain it’s ok to trust your right eye.
 
Practice shooting with both eyes open, once you master this method your shooting can improve significantly. Cheers.

Both eyes open or learn to shoot left handed.

I would think this is actually the wrong approach. With both eyes open the dominant eye, in this case left, wants to take charge. You need to learn to squint or close your left eye so the right eye is forced to take over.

If you're at the range, I've seen partly opaque stick-ons for your glasses to acheive the same effect. Not practical for hunting though.
 
I would think this is actually the wrong approach. With both eyes open the dominant eye, in this case left, wants to take charge. You need to learn to squint or close your left eye so the right eye is forced to take over.

If you're at the range, I've seen partly opaque stick-ons for your glasses to acheive the same effect. Not practical for hunting though.

Interesting, I guess next time at the range I will have to pay a little more attention to see what will work best.
 
I may have to learn to shoot with both eyes open if it helps my accuracy because I am not going to shoot left handed, just too much work, :(

It's not actually that difficult. It can be very awkward at first, but as with anything, a little practice goes a long way.

I'm in the same boat as you being right-handed but left eye dominant. I still shoot mostly right-handed and use RH firearms, but that's because most the time I'm just plinking and can make do with the blurry reticle. But if I'm serious about precision I will switch to left.
 
You need to learn to squint or close your left eye so the right eye is forced to take over. .

Thais how I was taught to shoot in military training ... sometimes I'm shooting handguns with both eyes open, but results are not better ...
 
I am right handed and left eye dominant, I can say that keeping my left eye open while shooting does not help at all. I close my left eye especially when bird hunting with a shotgun. I was probably one of the worst shotgun shots in the world until i figured out what was wrong. Left eye closed and solved all the problems. Its taken a lot of time to train to remember to close my eye while taking a shot but as soon as I forget the ducks fly away laughing.

As far as rifle shooting its never made my scope blurry or caused any accuracy issue, I only get weird scope issues with cheap scopes with bad eye relief or one that not positioned well on the rifle. Closing the left eye you do lose some peripheral vision but its only for a min while you are shooting, its never proven to be an issue at the range or hunting for me personally.
 
I'm the same!
Learn to shoot left handed. It is not difficult; you can start by handling and mounting the gun [unloaded of course] in your house or garage. After the 3rd or forth session it will start to feel normal. Never look back. Lots of benefits to doing this and you will likely end up being a better shooter because now your stronger right arn becomes your support arm.
 
I would think this is actually the wrong approach. With both eyes open the dominant eye, in this case left, wants to take charge. You need to learn to squint or close your left eye so the right eye is forced to take over.
If you're at the range, I've seen partly opaque stick-ons for your glasses to acheive the same effect. Not practical for hunting though.

It's not really that hard to do. I used to stare through a transit for hours a day when i was surveying and only using one eye and squinting the other gets old fast, it's a lot of strain on you. Didn't take long to start looking through with whichever eye was most convenient and keeping both open, it's just a matter of doing it enough that it comes naturally and do it consistently.


I'm the same!
Learn to shoot left handed. It is not difficult; you can start by handling and mounting the gun [unloaded of course] in your house or garage. After the 3rd or forth session it will start to feel normal. Never look back. Lots of benefits to doing this and you will likely end up being a better shooter because now your stronger right arn becomes your support arm.

I don't have enough time to really practice it, but i keep telling myself i need to start shooting from both sides just to get used to it. There's been enough times that deer have come in on the wrong side and quickly switching from right to left would be much easier than completely moving my whole body around to face the right way.


To the OP, honestly i would just practice shooting left handed to get the muscle memory for it, but also keep shooting right handed to keep the skill up and you'll be set no matter the situation. You'll eventually find one will feel better and be easier and just go with what works for you, but always good to be flexible.
 
Switched over 30 years ago.
Only because I was a skeet shooter was it difficult . Took years and 100,000 rounds at least to get my scores back
Rifle was very easy and yes I shoot all right hand guns left handed
Cheers
 
I would think this is actually the wrong approach. With both eyes open the dominant eye, in this case left, wants to take charge. You need to learn to squint or close your left eye so the right eye is forced to take over.

If you're at the range, I've seen partly opaque stick-ons for your glasses to acheive the same effect. Not practical for hunting though.

Agree 100%
I am also RH and LED.
I was a very good trapshooter in my day, closed my left eye, no problem
FWIW Nora Martin, one of the best women trapshooters did exactly that as she is the same as you and me.

For rifle shooting I do the same, it’s automatic, left eye closed
No problem

Pistol shooting I use the opaque left lens cover or just scotch tape on lens.
So I’m forced to use right eye
Although I can switch the tape and shoot with my left eye just as well but still holding the pistol with my right hand.

You could try that hunting if you wear glasses
Just put some scotch tape on the left side
 
At Rob Furlong's Marksmanship Academy the emphasis was to shoot with your dominant eye. Lots of folks had to start over at the school.
 
Back
Top Bottom