Eye dominance vs shooting hand

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mooger31

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I've known about eye dominance for a long time and also have known that I'm left eye dominant. The problem is that I feel most comfortable shooting right handed. So I have a couple questions. Since I've started long distance shooting, when looking through the scope I have to close my left eye to get clarity through the scope. After shooting off approx 10 rounds my eye starts to get tired.
So can a person train their eyes to change their dominance? Or should I start to learn to shoot left handed, or just keep shooting the same way I am?
 
its all practice, do what feels best. im right eye right hand, so ovvious thats how i shoot, i can shoot w/ one or both eyes open weather im after quick just needs to hit shots or full on precission, but shooting left i can only shoot both eyes open or my left eye fatigues within minutes
 
I know that trap shooters that have this problem will put either a patch or tape on the shooting glasses of the non aiming eye.
That way you can keep that eye open but not see anything & thus avoid the fatigue of keeping the eye closed.
 
I assume most rounds you are shooting are on the bench, not out in the field after ground squirrels or something: try getting a pair of shooting glasses (should be wearing them anyways) and black out the left side. Then you only have to close an eye in the field.

My step-dad is left handed and left-eye dominate, but due to years of using riught hand-only firearms he's learned to shoot right hand & eye too. Your eyes may adapt too. I used to shoot left eye closed, but currently if the firearm fits me perfect (length of pull, eye relief, etc.) I don't close the left eye anymore, as soon as I start to "sight in" the left eye vision seems to disappear.
 
I'm sure I'll be corrected if I'm wrong but the problem only becomes a real problem when doing instinctive shooting. Otherwise, eye fatigue is the only major issue and I'm quite sure you can simply train your eyes to focus the way you want them too.

I am left handed and left eye dominant but all my shooting is done right handed. I think it goes back to playin with toy guns as a kid after watching movies or whatever, it just seems more natural to shoot right handed now.

With time I've figured out how to simply decide which eye I want to look through my sights with. Muscle memory perhaps? With scopes you really only can line up the one eye so it's a non issue.
 
The shooting world is geared to same eye/hand dominance BUT that is not how you are set up.

So change the rifle

The easiest solution is simply to offset the scope to the left so your left eye can see. A base can be made to hang off your present scope base and put a new rail to the left equal to your left eye center. Of course, you will need to be able to tell the machinist what fits.

Or you can learn to shoot left handed.

Jerry
 
I'm right handed but left eye dominant. I get by fine with RH rifles for the most part for hunting & plinking, and two handed pistol also no problem.
The problem is with one handed bullseye shooting, left eye sighting with the pistol in the right hand is very tiring after a long match. One is never really taking up a natural body position point of aim using this crossfire condition. Solution, a dedicated LH grip for this discilpline. I also have a dedicated LH bolt action TR.
The answer lies within each of us. Just do what suites yourself the best and go from there.
 
Many shooting coaches would probably differ with some of the comments posted.
Yes, use the position that affords the most comfort but in the long term train using the dominant eye. It is easier to train the mechanics of the body than to force the non-dominant eye to work as you want it to.
You're not alone with the issue but true full cross-dominance is unusual. About 20% of the population have some form of cross-dominance so it stands to reason that approximately the same percentage of shooters would exhibit similar traits.
 
One summer at Connaught, I noticed (hard not to notice her actually) a German shooter with a very nice European 300m rifle that had offset sights. The foresight was on a bar out to the left, and the backsight on a plate that slid into the receiver dovetails. I don't know how she did at the long ranges, but she seemed to place reasonably well in the shorts.
 
Same here, acquire the target with both eyes open and then when your ready to shoot, close your left eye. It saves on the eye fatigue. Most of your eye fatigue comes from acquiring your target. Try it. Soon you'll be able to use both eyes open.
 
Speaking for myself, I grew up shooting left handed. I am left eye dominant.

Over time I realized left handed rifles are harder t ocome by so I trained myself to shoot right handed. I am more comfortable today right handed over left.

The advantage that gives me today is I can shoot with both eyes open when required. Especially during matches while I am watching my wind flags. Just a slight message to the brain and I can switch from eye to eye.
 
dryfire said:
Many shooting coaches would probably differ with some of the comments posted.
Yes, use the position that affords the most comfort but in the long term train using the dominant eye. It is easier to train the mechanics of the body than to force the non-dominant eye to work as you want it to.
You're not alone with the issue but true full cross-dominance is unusual. About 20% of the population have some form of cross-dominance so it stands to reason that approximately the same percentage of shooters would exhibit similar traits.
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I think that's a personal decision. You need to remember that eye dominance is body mechanics. It all comes down to muscle memory.

Try reading a book with your non-dominant eye. Now try writing a book with your non-dominant hand. One will be easier to do than the other. ;)

It's also a new generation of coaches, whether it's shooting, golf, or any sport. They're getting away from "this is how we've done it for years", to coaching the individual and what's best suited to them.

just my .02
 
I know one shooter that is right handed but left eye dominate, shoots left. I know another shooter (just passed away) that was left handed and right eye dominate, shot right. Both have been on more Palma and Bisley teams that I care to count.
 
mooger31 said:
That was kind of what I was asking. Is it that important to long range shooting in competitions wether or not your dominate eye was the same as your shooting hand.
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The short answer is no.Shoot the way you feel most comfortable.Im left eye dominant and shoot right handed.Never hindered me any.
 
While not a shooter in the same league as Longshot, I nevertheless agree with the assessment that it really doesn't matter. I'm left eye dominant and shoot right and there is lots I need to work on before worrying about that issue.
 
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