left eye dominance, right handed shooter

andhen2003 · December 26, 2011, 09:56 AM

Hello gents. I've been enjoying my Baretta 391 at the sporting clays range. I'm not very good yet but improving each time I go. I have a question about eye dominance. I am left eye dominant even though I shoot right handed. I imagine that this causes me to shoot slightly right of target (though I don't know for sure). I'm not sure how to compensate for being left eye dominant. Any ideas? I just tried shooting on the left side of the target but haven't really noticed any difference (I'm not good enough to notice yet anyway). I've also read something about blurring the left eye of my shooting glasses with vaseline?

Thanks.

Slugo · December 26, 2011, 10:08 AM

these are hard questions to answer and should be left up to the true experts. I would suggest posting the question at Gil and Vicky Ash's forum over at SGW. There you can get factual information...

http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/view...a9505e93ec5380

rtpzwms · December 26, 2011, 10:14 AM

Take a look at these sights for shotguns. They will shield your left eye from the front sight.

TheKlawMan · December 26, 2011, 12:11 PM

I am a right handed shooter with a dominant right eye, but the left eye often takes over during shots. I just discovered the problem after shooting for nearly a year. I don't know if it is a recent development or it was there undiscovered all along.

Ayway, I have tried putting Scotch magic tape over part of the left lens of my glasses. Some use vaseline. The idea is to interfere with the left eyes vision just enough so that your brain bucket doesn't suddenly decide to favor the images seen by your left over your right eye.

There is also a DVD on cross firing by Phil Kiner. I have his "Tapshooting Clinic" DVD and it deals quite a bit with it and I am getting the eye improvement DVD he puts out. http://www.philkiner.com/order.asp

Slugo's sugestion to check this out on SGW is good advice. There is a lot of info there re cross dominance on the trap shooting forum. http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/view...98f62c9afbb7ca

I wan't even aware of the OSP forum and have to check it out.

joyflnzz · December 26, 2011, 12:22 PM

my son is left eye dominant. his shooting mentor is very experienced and they tried everything to make it work shooting right handed. thay finally gave up and he shoots left handed with good success.

oregunner · December 26, 2011, 12:34 PM

I am nondominanat, neither eye lines up. I put a piece of transluscent scotch tape over my left eye glasses lense. I sight with my right eye and still get peripheral vision from my left. Mark

zippy13 · December 26, 2011, 01:03 PM

I used to shoot with an elite level shooter who experienced an intermittent dominance problem. His solution was discipline, he trained himself to close his left eye immediately upon acquiring the target.

TheKlawMan · December 26, 2011, 01:17 PM

What the shooter Zippy mentions did is what many go with. Another is to leave the left eye open but to squint enough so as to prevent the computer on your neck from selecting it as the dominant eye. Some just close the dominant eye. Per Phil Kiner cross dominance is an issue that 30% of men and 98% of females deal with. For men, it often appears between ages 50 and 65.

5RWill · December 26, 2011, 02:18 PM

I can run 23 out of 25 on sporting clays quite a bit. I'm left eye dominant right handed. That being said it's much harder for me to hit birds than sporting clays. It's something i have to get warmed up so to speak to do. I don't like closing my left eye, and the sight isn't dominant enough for my right eye to take over.

motorhead0922 · December 26, 2011, 03:40 PM

30-some years ago when I started shooting, it was strictly with long guns. I had never heard of checking eye dominance, so I shot right handed, and always have. Since I used a scope early on, I closed my left eye. When I shoulder a long gun now, my left eye automatically closes, just like always.

It looks like now that I am slightly left-eye-dominant. Recently, I decided to try shooting my 22 with scope with both eyes open. Like I say, my eyes are fairly "equal". This causes what I describe as lack of contrast when looking through the scope, as the brain tries to use the info from both eyes. I seemed to shoot the same accuracy with both eyes or just the right eye.

I personally think the eye question is overdone. Unless you are way dominant with one eye, you're better off just closing the left one if you are right handed.

It might be interesting for me to try shooting a rifle left handed. I've never tried it. I do regularly shoot my handguns left handed, just-in-case. My left eye still closes automatically.

oregunner · December 26, 2011, 03:51 PM

It is different shooting at moving targets at different distances. Using one eye, you lose your depth perception. Try driving with one eye closed, or maybe not. Mark

.300 Weatherby Mag · December 26, 2011, 04:29 PM

My younger brother is right handed but left eye dominant... My father and I tried to get him to shoot right handed, but we then allowed him to shoot left handed and he no longer has any issues... My father is left handed and left eye dominant, but he wanted try to teach my brother to shoot right handed first..

TheKlawMan · December 26, 2011, 04:55 PM

I have heard what Weatherby's younger brother is doing is what is best for a younger person; to learn to shoot left handed when you are left hand dominant.

andhen2003 · December 26, 2011, 06:44 PM

sadly, i'm not "younger"...at least age wise!

mo84 · December 26, 2011, 07:12 PM

I am left eye dominant but shoot right handed. I have always closed my left eye to shoot so it has never been a problem. I did have to shoot my last deer left handed because of the way it come up on me and it felt really strange.

badge851 · December 26, 2011, 09:28 PM

I am right handed but left eye dominant. I shoot a handgun right handed with both eyes open. I shoot a rifle or a shotgun left handed; it's the only way that works for me. Started shooting in 1956 & I see no reason to change at this late date.

andhen2003 · December 26, 2011, 09:43 PM

that's pretty wild badge. i can't imagine shooting right handed with one type of gun and left handed with another. i may try shooting left handed just to see what it feels like, but i think it's going to feel pretty awkward, so i'll probably try the vasalene over the left lens technique. I'm probably going on my first pheasant hunt in a few weeks so not sure what i'll do for that!

andhen2003 · December 26, 2011, 10:03 PM

i actually just read the orvis article that the link you posted led to. i experimented and found that squinting my left eye would force my right eye to take over as dominant eye. seems like doing that or shutting my left right as i'm about to shoot should do the trick. the brain works in mysterious ways.

thanks for the links!

OEF-Vet · December 26, 2011, 10:29 PM

Try shooting with both eyes. it works well for close quarters and shotgun/skeet shooting.
view over the sights at the target with your shooting eye and the target only with the other. It's not for everyone and takes some practice but give it a shot.
Either way it's a day at the range and that's always a good one.

Dave McC · December 27, 2011, 06:43 AM

There's several ways to fix this, but there's no guarantees on any one approach working...

First, shoot lefthanded. That's the best way, IMO. It's easier to train the hands than the eyes.Even if you're a seasoned shooter.

Second,block the dominant eye with vaseline or tape. Cheap, undone easily, but some folks get headaches.

Third, close the off eye. Downside,loss of steroscopic vision means we do not judge range or angle as well. Still I shot this way for decades and did OK.

I do better now with both eyes open. Basically, I just cowboyed up and did it.

Fourth, close the off eye just as you shoot. This is called "Blinking".I do this now some times, mostly on left to right shots where the left eye sees the target first. Moving the focal point back towards the trap helps.

shortwave · December 27, 2011, 08:05 AM

Quote:

i experimented and found that squinting my left eye would force my right eye to take over...

My brother and I go to the same optometrist. This is the way our optometrist suggested to my brother to try shooting long guns as he is left eye dominant but has shot right handed for years. Don't recall exact conversation but the doc told brother not to close left eye completely, but to squint as that will still let some light into his left eye and he will be able to see moving targets in a better overall manner.

We listen to 'doc' cause he's an excellent shot and I don't think brother or I have yet to outshoot him.

oneounceload · December 27, 2011, 10:14 AM

If you are truly left eye dominant, then you need to shoot from the left side. If your dominance switches back and forth, then some fuzzy tape over a spot on the left eye lens will force the right eye to do the work

5RWill · December 27, 2011, 10:29 AM

Quote:

I personally think the eye question is overdone. Unless you are way dominant with one eye, you're better off just closing the left one if you are right handed.

Only to an extent shotgun shooting as well as comp or defense AR shooting Both eyes need to be open. Your field of view needs to be enough to see whats going on around and behind the target.

As Dave said you can train yourself and your right eye will begin to take over. But you've got to do it, and do it constantly. I have my flip up scope covers flip off to the left to block my left eye. So when i used a rifle with no scope cover my right eye takes over. Same goes for my AR with the aimpoint. But its much harder for pistol/shotgun. Squinting works as well.

CaptainChaos · December 28, 2011, 02:43 AM

I agree with OneOnceLoad - shoot from the left shoulder. You should really be shootin' with both eyes open.

Regards,

Mark.

P.S. My late father was right-handed but blind in the right eye. He shot from the left shoulder with no problems.

Bel5191 · December 28, 2011, 11:44 PM

A buddy of mine is right handed but left eye dominant. He learned to shoot left handed and now he has no problems at all.

December 26, 2011, 09:56 AM	#1
andhen2003 Member Join Date: October 25, 2011 Posts: 61	left eye dominance, right handed shooter Hello gents. I've been enjoying my Baretta 391 at the sporting clays range. I'm not very good yet but improving each time I go. I have a question about eye dominance. I am left eye dominant even though I shoot right handed. I imagine that this causes me to shoot slightly right of target (though I don't know for sure). I'm not sure how to compensate for being left eye dominant. Any ideas? I just tried shooting on the left side of the target but haven't really noticed any difference (I'm not good enough to notice yet anyway). I've also read something about blurring the left eye of my shooting glasses with vaseline? Thanks.

December 26, 2011, 12:22 PM	#5
joyflnzz Member Join Date: December 21, 2011 Location: Jacksonville, Florida Posts: 34	left eye my son is left eye dominant. his shooting mentor is very experienced and they tried everything to make it work shooting right handed. thay finally gave up and he shoots left handed with good success. __________________ Joe Locklear [email protected] "just because you are paranoid does not mean that they are not out to get you"

December 26, 2011, 02:18 PM	#9
5RWill Senior Member Join Date: July 20, 2008 Location: Mississippi Posts: 2,654	I can run 23 out of 25 on sporting clays quite a bit. I'm left eye dominant right handed. That being said it's much harder for me to hit birds than sporting clays. It's something i have to get warmed up so to speak to do. I don't like closing my left eye, and the sight isn't dominant enough for my right eye to take over. __________________ Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I. Send me."

December 26, 2011, 09:28 PM	#16
badge851 Senior Member Join Date: April 25, 2005 Location: Olympia, WA Posts: 326	I am right handed but left eye dominant. I shoot a handgun right handed with both eyes open. I shoot a rifle or a shotgun left handed; it's the only way that works for me. Started shooting in 1956 & I see no reason to change at this late date. __________________ Only two defining forces have ever died for you: 1. Jesus Christ. 2. The American Soldier, Sailor, Airman, & Marine. One died for your soul, the other for your freedom.

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December 26, 2011, 10:08 AM	#2
Slugo Junior member Join Date: September 15, 2001 Location: Central PA Posts: 1,007	these are hard questions to answer and should be left up to the true experts. I would suggest posting the question at Gil and Vicky Ash's forum over at SGW. There you can get factual information... http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/view...a9505e93ec5380

December 26, 2011, 10:14 AM	#3
rtpzwms Senior Member Join Date: July 6, 2010 Location: OTS Posts: 1,035	Take a look at these sights for shotguns. They will shield your left eye from the front sight.

December 26, 2011, 12:11 PM	#4
TheKlawMan Junior member Join Date: June 23, 2009 Location: Orange County, CA Posts: 2,149	I am a right handed shooter with a dominant right eye, but the left eye often takes over during shots. I just discovered the problem after shooting for nearly a year. I don't know if it is a recent development or it was there undiscovered all along. Ayway, I have tried putting Scotch magic tape over part of the left lens of my glasses. Some use vaseline. The idea is to interfere with the left eyes vision just enough so that your brain bucket doesn't suddenly decide to favor the images seen by your left over your right eye. There is also a DVD on cross firing by Phil Kiner. I have his "Tapshooting Clinic" DVD and it deals quite a bit with it and I am getting the eye improvement DVD he puts out. http://www.philkiner.com/order.asp Slugo's sugestion to check this out on SGW is good advice. There is a lot of info there re cross dominance on the trap shooting forum. http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/view...98f62c9afbb7ca I wan't even aware of the OSP forum and have to check it out.

December 26, 2011, 12:34 PM	#6
oregunner Senior Member Join Date: May 12, 2011 Location: Oregon, of course Posts: 136	I am nondominanat, neither eye lines up. I put a piece of transluscent scotch tape over my left eye glasses lense. I sight with my right eye and still get peripheral vision from my left. Mark

December 26, 2011, 01:03 PM	#7
zippy13 Senior Member Join Date: August 23, 2008 Location: SoCal Posts: 6,442	I used to shoot with an elite level shooter who experienced an intermittent dominance problem. His solution was discipline, he trained himself to close his left eye immediately upon acquiring the target.

December 26, 2011, 01:17 PM	#8
TheKlawMan Junior member Join Date: June 23, 2009 Location: Orange County, CA Posts: 2,149	What the shooter Zippy mentions did is what many go with. Another is to leave the left eye open but to squint enough so as to prevent the computer on your neck from selecting it as the dominant eye. Some just close the dominant eye. Per Phil Kiner cross dominance is an issue that 30% of men and 98% of females deal with. For men, it often appears between ages 50 and 65.

December 26, 2011, 03:40 PM	#10
motorhead0922 Senior Member Join Date: October 30, 2010 Location: Missouri Posts: 635	30-some years ago when I started shooting, it was strictly with long guns. I had never heard of checking eye dominance, so I shot right handed, and always have. Since I used a scope early on, I closed my left eye. When I shoulder a long gun now, my left eye automatically closes, just like always. It looks like now that I am slightly left-eye-dominant. Recently, I decided to try shooting my 22 with scope with both eyes open. Like I say, my eyes are fairly "equal". This causes what I describe as lack of contrast when looking through the scope, as the brain tries to use the info from both eyes. I seemed to shoot the same accuracy with both eyes or just the right eye. I personally think the eye question is overdone. Unless you are way dominant with one eye, you're better off just closing the left one if you are right handed. It might be interesting for me to try shooting a rifle left handed. I've never tried it. I do regularly shoot my handguns left handed, just-in-case. My left eye still closes automatically.

December 26, 2011, 03:51 PM	#11
oregunner Senior Member Join Date: May 12, 2011 Location: Oregon, of course Posts: 136	It is different shooting at moving targets at different distances. Using one eye, you lose your depth perception. Try driving with one eye closed, or maybe not. Mark

December 26, 2011, 04:29 PM	#12
.300 Weatherby Mag Senior Member Join Date: September 6, 2008 Posts: 1,777	My younger brother is right handed but left eye dominant... My father and I tried to get him to shoot right handed, but we then allowed him to shoot left handed and he no longer has any issues... My father is left handed and left eye dominant, but he wanted try to teach my brother to shoot right handed first..

December 26, 2011, 04:55 PM	#13
TheKlawMan Junior member Join Date: June 23, 2009 Location: Orange County, CA Posts: 2,149	I have heard what Weatherby's younger brother is doing is what is best for a younger person; to learn to shoot left handed when you are left hand dominant.

December 26, 2011, 06:44 PM	#14
andhen2003 Member Join Date: October 25, 2011 Posts: 61	sadly, i'm not "younger"...at least age wise!

December 26, 2011, 07:12 PM	#15
mo84 Senior Member Join Date: February 27, 2011 Location: Michigan Posts: 257	I am left eye dominant but shoot right handed. I have always closed my left eye to shoot so it has never been a problem. I did have to shoot my last deer left handed because of the way it come up on me and it felt really strange.

December 26, 2011, 09:43 PM	#17
andhen2003 Member Join Date: October 25, 2011 Posts: 61	that's pretty wild badge. i can't imagine shooting right handed with one type of gun and left handed with another. i may try shooting left handed just to see what it feels like, but i think it's going to feel pretty awkward, so i'll probably try the vasalene over the left lens technique. I'm probably going on my first pheasant hunt in a few weeks so not sure what i'll do for that!

December 26, 2011, 10:03 PM	#18
andhen2003 Member Join Date: October 25, 2011 Posts: 61	i actually just read the orvis article that the link you posted led to. i experimented and found that squinting my left eye would force my right eye to take over as dominant eye. seems like doing that or shutting my left right as i'm about to shoot should do the trick. the brain works in mysterious ways. thanks for the links!

December 26, 2011, 10:29 PM	#19
OEF-Vet Senior Member Join Date: October 23, 2011 Location: Backwoods, PA Posts: 284	Try shooting with both eyes. it works well for close quarters and shotgun/skeet shooting. view over the sights at the target with your shooting eye and the target only with the other. It's not for everyone and takes some practice but give it a shot. Either way it's a day at the range and that's always a good one.

December 27, 2011, 06:43 AM	#20
Dave McC Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 13, 1999 Location: Columbia, Md, USA Posts: 8,811	There's several ways to fix this, but there's no guarantees on any one approach working... First, shoot lefthanded. That's the best way, IMO. It's easier to train the hands than the eyes.Even if you're a seasoned shooter. Second,block the dominant eye with vaseline or tape. Cheap, undone easily, but some folks get headaches. Third, close the off eye. Downside,loss of steroscopic vision means we do not judge range or angle as well. Still I shot this way for decades and did OK. I do better now with both eyes open. Basically, I just cowboyed up and did it. Fourth, close the off eye just as you shoot. This is called "Blinking".I do this now some times, mostly on left to right shots where the left eye sees the target first. Moving the focal point back towards the trap helps.

December 27, 2011, 10:14 AM	#22
oneounceload Junior member Join Date: April 18, 2008 Location: N. Central Florida Posts: 8,518	If you are truly left eye dominant, then you need to shoot from the left side. If your dominance switches back and forth, then some fuzzy tape over a spot on the left eye lens will force the right eye to do the work

December 28, 2011, 02:43 AM	#24
CaptainChaos Member Join Date: November 8, 2011 Location: Hampshire, UK Posts: 49	I agree with OneOnceLoad - shoot from the left shoulder. You should really be shootin' with both eyes open. Regards, Mark. P.S. My late father was right-handed but blind in the right eye. He shot from the left shoulder with no problems.

December 28, 2011, 11:44 PM	#25
Bel5191 Junior Member Join Date: December 28, 2011 Posts: 13	A buddy of mine is right handed but left eye dominant. He learned to shoot left handed and now he has no problems at all.