Right Handed and Left Eyed?

[Jon Payne]

I have seen the problem before; they will try and twist themselves into a pretzel trying to shoot anything you put in their hands. What I am seeing is “Cross-Dominance”.

People are either right-handed or left-handed with the majority being right-handed. Those who are right-handed are usually right-eyed. Those who are left-handed are usually left-eyed. I left the idea of being normal behind years ago and the law of averages never seems to work in my favor.

read more here

 

[okie556]

Read your article with great interest as I am one of those persons who is totally right handed but left eye dominant. As soon as my dad figured it out he switched me over to shooting left handed.....no big deal. Except in Army when drill sgt made me wear an eye patch over left eye saying you can't shoot an M-16 left handed because brass will hit you in the face. Of course when I got to Nam I shot left handed and presently own 2-AR-15s that I shoot left handed as well. I generally shoot my hand guns right handed without much trouble but if I'm really trying to shoot my best....shooting for a score let's say.....I will switch pistol to left hand. One item in your article kind of IRKED me.......the part about if you close the left eye (dominant eye) you can learn to wink.....close left eye while keeping right eye open. I wish that were true but I'm 63 years old and still can't do it.

 

[MR Redneck]

I shoot anything left or right. Hanguns, im right eye dominate and prefer shooting left handed. I have forced myself to shoot handguns right handed for so long it doesnt really matter anymore.
Rifles, I shoot left or right handed. I favor shooting rifles left handed though. Again, I try to force myself to shoot em right handed just to gain muscle memory.

 

[matefrio]

Right handed, Left eye dominate here. I can do the squint trick and kick it over.

My kids, all are cross eye dom. even the two left handed ones are right eye dominate.

 

[Jon Payne]

Okie, ever tried closing both eyes and then opening only one of them? I had to work at it, but I did eventually do it. I bet you know another trick of putting scotch tape over you're left lens so your right eye takes over. The point of the article was we're not handicapped, and shooting really isn't any harder for us. I think of it as a bonus.

 

[RetArmySgt]

I am ambidextrous but left eye dominate but have never had any trouble shooting. At a young age i was taught to shoot with both eyes open which is fine with handguns and short range with a long gun, but when it comes to longer shots if i close the left and make myself focus with the right im good to go.

 

[zembonez]

I shoot anything left or right. Hanguns, im right eye dominate and prefer shooting left handed. I have forced myself to shoot handguns right handed for so long it doesnt really matter anymore.
Rifles, I shoot left or right handed. I favor shooting rifles left handed though. Again, I try to force myself to shoot em right handed just to gain muscle memory.

I'm the same way (scary I know). I can shoot, throw, eat, drink, etc left or right handed. I shoot pistols mostly right handed, but rifles are equally comfy in either hand using either eye.

Damn. I knew I was messed up.

 

[PopsXD9sc]

Sure is good to know I'm not the only one with this problem. Shoot pistols right handed but sighting with the left eye isn't that big of a problem. Tried to train myself to keep both eyes open and can do that well except in competions. Seems when the buzzer goes off and the gun comes out the right eye closes and the left eye does the work. May never be better than a C shooter in USPSA but at 62 I think I will just live with it.

 

[SIG_Fiend]

I'm cross dominant (right hand, left eye), and I've found a tricked that helped me out a lot. This can probably even help for those that aren't cross dominant, but that are trying to learn to shoot both eyes open. Basically, I'll establish my shooting stance/platform and aim at the target. Once I've done this, I will flutter my non-dominant eye open and closed so that I'm only momentarily seeing through both eyes. I only do this a little bit, like maybe 2 or 3 "blinks" and then leave them both open. Think of aiming and then for a split second blinking one eye very slowly. I don't know if that makes any sense. I don't really do this anymore as I'm comfortable shooting both eyes open now, but it sure helped me initially when I first started trying it. As far as dealing with cross dominance issues, possibly shooting with your non-dominant eye, etc this can also help you mentally switching your focus to the other eye. Try it out and see if it helps. Let me know if you have any questions. I'll probably make a quick vid clip on this so it makes more sense.

 

[Wolfwood]

I'm cross dominant (right hand, left eye), and I've found a tricked that helped me out a lot. This can probably even help for those that aren't cross dominant, but that are trying to learn to shoot both eyes open. Basically, I'll establish my shooting stance/platform and aim at the target. Once I've done this, I will flutter my non-dominant eye open and closed so that I'm only momentarily seeing through both eyes. I only do this a little bit, like maybe 2 or 3 "blinks" and then leave them both open. Think of aiming and then for a split second blinking one eye very slowly. I don't know if that makes any sense. I don't really do this anymore as I'm comfortable shooting both eyes open now, but it sure helped me initially when I first started trying it. As far as dealing with cross dominance issues, possibly shooting with your non-dominant eye, etc this can also help you mentally switching your focus to the other eye. Try it out and see if it helps. Let me know if you have any questions. I'll probably make a quick vid clip on this so it makes more sense.

i totally get it.

works liek a charm

 

[codeman]

I’m left-handed/right-eye dom. I taught myself to shoot pistols at short range with both eyes open as part of my self defense training. At longer distances with a pistol I can use either eye, but prefer my non-dom eye as I don’t have to tilt my head. With rifles I shoot left handed. I never got comfortable shooting a rifle right handed. Pistols yes, but rifles just feels too weird.

 

[Alamo Ann]

Good advice guys as i have the same problem; i just accepted the fact that i will not be able ( nor do i want to anyway) use a scope. Should things get ugly, my plan is to spray and pray, shooting from the hip as far as my rifles go.

 

[MR Redneck]

I'm the same way (scary I know). I can shoot, throw, eat, drink, etc left or right handed. I shoot pistols mostly right handed, but rifles are equally comfy in either hand using either eye.

Damn. I knew I was messed up.

I use to be able to write with my right had untill I almost cut my right index finger off. That sucked!

 

[texas skeeter]

Dang i just knew some of you here were wired wrong in the head...

 

[okie556]

Okie, ever tried closing both eyes and then opening only one of them? I had to work at it, but I did eventually do it. I bet you know another trick of putting scotch tape over you're left lens so your right eye takes over. The point of the article was we're not handicapped, and shooting really isn't any harder for us. I think of it as a bonus.

Sadly Jon I've tried it all many times but your article sparked new life into me trying again. And I didn't take offense to your article or think I was handicapped.....if I came off that way...sorry. Well written article and nice to know other have the same problems as I do.

 

[TheDan]

This can probably even help for those that aren't cross dominant, but that are trying to learn to shoot both eyes open. Basically, I'll establish my shooting stance/platform and aim at the target. Once I've done this, I will flutter my non-dominant eye open and closed so that I'm only momentarily seeing through both eyes. I only do this a little bit, like maybe 2 or 3 "blinks" and then leave them both open.

It does work. I'm right hand, right eye dominant, but I usually have to do what you describe above to shoot with both eyes open. I don't "flutter", but I'll close my left eye, focus on the front sight, then continue shooting with both eyes open. After I do that once I can usually keep shooting with both eyes open until I change my focus off the target. It depends on the sights, tho. If they are high contrast I generally can focus on the front post with both eyes open without doing the above trick. The longer the sight radius is, the easier it is for me too.