New to the forum here, lots of great info and discussion. Here's my question for all y'all. I'm left-handed but I'm right eye dominant. Being new to firearms I'm wondering if eye dominance should dictate the hand I shoot with. I found this to be true in archery, thus now I shoot bow righty. I'm sure I can train myself to shoot righty but currently I'm more comfortable shooting lefty. Any thoughts? Thank you.
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Lefty or righty???
- Thread starter johnd900
- Start date
warwickben
bubba Kalashnikov
This has been asked a few times.
My buddy is the same way. He shoots pistoles left handed and switches around with rifles.
My buddy is the same way. He shoots pistoles left handed and switches around with rifles.
Infinite Jester
Navy Veteran
This can present a problem for some. I shoot pistols right handed and rifles left. I'm left eye dominant. I've just learned how to compensate.
Gidge
NES Member
From one southpaw to another -- I am left-handed and left-eye dominant but still shoot right handed-- I guess it comes from growing up in a right-handed world (Maybe that's why I can't hit the broad side of a barn)
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It really depends on the shooter. Some do better shooting the rifle with their dominant eye, others prefer shooting from the strong side. Best thing to do is try both and see which works better for you.
Some find that if they shoot with the non-dominate eye, a blinder over the dominate eye helps. Something else to try.
Some find that if they shoot with the non-dominate eye, a blinder over the dominate eye helps. Something else to try.
I'm the oposite of you i am left eyed right handed. I use my right hand for pistols but shoulder a rifle in the left shoulder. The only problem i have run into is with bolt action rifles. I have to drop it out of my shoulder to cycle another round
Stryker
NES Member
I'm also left eyed/right handed but shoot both pistols and rifles right-handed - mostly because I am so right handed that everything is completely uncoordinated/unnatural using my left (I think I can throw a baseball maybe 5 feet with my left arm 
Im right handed but left eye dominant, i shoot right handed but with pistols i keep both eyes open where as with rifles ill close my left eye. Im not that bad of a shot either
Thank you gents! I'll head to the range and try out shooting pistol with my right hand. I suspect after a short while it'll feel natural. That'll end my hunt for a ambidextrous compact and open up my options! MA limits my options enough as it is!
Fixxah
NES Member
Thee sooner you get left, the better off you will be. Same with archery. Do you or don't you shoot a bow lefty? OP is a little confusing.
Reverse that, I'm confused. Lol
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Reverse that, I'm confused. Lol
-tapatalk and Devin McCourty blow chunks-
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Fixxah-
I shoot bow right handed. I went into the archery shop with my kids, the guy at the shop checked the kids eye dominance. Since I was standing there listening to him as well, I checked mine at the same time. I was surprised to learn that I was right-eye dominant, I just assumed I was left-eye. So when he got me a bow to shoot, he handed me a right-handed bow, I never looked back.
I shoot bow right handed. I went into the archery shop with my kids, the guy at the shop checked the kids eye dominance. Since I was standing there listening to him as well, I checked mine at the same time. I was surprised to learn that I was right-eye dominant, I just assumed I was left-eye. So when he got me a bow to shoot, he handed me a right-handed bow, I never looked back.
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In the exact same boat--right hand and left eye. I just never knew it until long after I had learned to shoot.
I shoot right handed on everything. Rifle aiming has never been an issue for me; aiming with my right eye always seemed natural when shooting rifle right handed. When you're shooting pistol, you just have to get used to aiming with your non-dominant eye. Taken slowly, it's usually not a problem.
Where cross dominance becomes the biggest issue is speed in target acquisition when both eyes are needed, like IDPA, military rifle qual, and skeet shooting. You can learn to compensate, but it will take time and a bit of work. I'm at the point where I can consciously shift between eyes, but it did take some work.
That Guy
Banned
Personally I think it is easier to train yourself to shoot with your non-dominant eye than it is to shoot with your non-dominant hand. I'm a righty and when I trained to shoot my rifle lefty (just to know how to do it) I had more problems with the mechanics of the left handed shooting than with the non-dominant eye.
Does that make sense? It makes sense in my head but it's not sounding right here.
Does that make sense? It makes sense in my head but it's not sounding right here.
rep308
NES Member
If you have never shot anything before, shoot with your eye. Put a small tape dot over your left eye to start just to make sure. Trust me on this and PM me if you want more details.
TWtommers
Instructor
With pistols, worry not. Just shoot with the hand that feels comfortable. The worst you'll have to do is slightly adjust your arms in your stance for eye alignment.
As a lefty, I can tell you that I avoid an uncomfortable shooting hold and worry about dominant eye second. Even though I'm lefty handed and left eye dominant, holding a rifle or shotgun in my hand just feels plain wrong. I shoot righty and do fine. Any errors made in grouping are not coming from my non dominant eye.
As a lefty, I can tell you that I avoid an uncomfortable shooting hold and worry about dominant eye second. Even though I'm lefty handed and left eye dominant, holding a rifle or shotgun in my hand just feels plain wrong. I shoot righty and do fine. Any errors made in grouping are not coming from my non dominant eye.
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