Left eye dominant, right handed shooter long gun

One eye Sarge · May 30, 2025, 05:37 PM

New here. Hope this is the place.

In 2014 I had a pacemaker put in the left side. No impact on shooting, right handed and right eye dominant.

Then I had an eye stroke and the right eye sees very muted colors, movement, and semi identifiable object outlines.

Pistol shooting is no problem. It actually improved.

Light caliber rifles I can shoot lefty. However, the doc said no to .308 or 45.70. It figures. I have a lh .308 bolt and a lever 45.70.

So, now what?

jmr40 · May 30, 2025, 05:42 PM

I'd buy a 6.5CM. Recoil is closer to 243 than 308. It'll kill anything a 308 will kill. In fact, a 6.5 CM with 140 gr bullets will outperform 308 with 150's. You have to move to 180 gr bullets in 308 to slightly better 6.5CM.

One eye Sarge · May 30, 2025, 05:55 PM

I'm wanting to keep and use these two. The lever gun is family and the bolt is my first hunting rifle since childhood.

Lazer?

**JohnKSa** · May 30, 2025, 06:20 PM

Two "solutions" I can think of.

1. You may be able find offset mounts that will let you mount the rifle on the right side but shoot using your left eye. Offset mounts are not ideal, but within their limitations, they are reasonably functional.

2. You could experiment with something like an occluded eye scope. That would be a zero or very low magnification scope with some kind of a high-visibility reticle or dot. You would shoot with both eyes open and your brain imposes the reticle image from the right eye onto the image from the left eye. I don't know if it would work for you or not.

gwpercle · May 30, 2025, 07:20 PM

Don't push the issue with heavy recoiling rifles ...

If the doc says no ... then it's time to go Light Recoil .
Shooting left handed is the only practical way to shoot when you have lost your right dominante eye ... I've tried everything and nothing works ...
I would invest in a couple low recoiling rifles ... and / or handload some light ammo ...
I cast my own bullets and load light loads in 30-30 , 7.5 Swiss , 30-06 , 303 British and 7X57 mauser ... There is a lot you can do with a Lee Hand Press , Dies and cast lead bullets and even Jacketed bullets light loaded .
Look at this as an opprotunity to try other things ... and other calibers .
Gary

TunnelRat · May 30, 2025, 07:24 PM

Shoot rifles left handed.

One eye Sarge · May 30, 2025, 07:46 PM

If I go all left then it's smaller calibers. Pacemakers don't like recoil evidently. Hogs take bigger booms.

TunnelRat · May 30, 2025, 07:47 PM

Sounds like it’s smaller calibers anyway.

**JohnKSa** · May 30, 2025, 07:51 PM

Quote:

Shoot rifles left handed.

Right, he's doing that with the lighter recoiling rifles. But his doc won't let him shoot his .308 or .45-70 (that he wants to keep and use, per his second post) left handed because of the pacemaker, so he's trying to come up with a solution that will let him shoot those two rifles right-handed.

TunnelRat · May 30, 2025, 07:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnKSa

Right, he's doing that with the lighter recoiling rifles. But his doc won't let him shoot his .308 or .45-70 (that he wants to keep and use, per his second post) left handed because of the pacemaker, so he's trying to come up with a solution that will let him shoot those two rifles right-handed.

I didn’t read the OP as saying heavier recoiling rifles would be okay to shoot right handed. It read to me as they’re not recommended at all. So my suggestion is to shoot lighter recoiling cartridges left handed. If the point is the heavier recoiling rifles are okay as long as they don’t impact on or near the pacemaker, I feel like that’s not a line I would personally walk. I would just avoid them. That said I get the sentimentality. There are shooting “sleds” that essentially lock the rifle down and would potentially be okay. Basically change the shooting position. You already covered different mounts and occluded shooting.

bamaranger · May 30, 2025, 08:08 PM

You interested in hunting medium or big game with the .308 & 45-70, or simply shooting? If you are simply interested in range work, I would think that tolerable reduced loads could be worked up for both rifles and allow you to shoot and enjoy them without risking your health. Limit your shots and angles and one might load the .308 down to 7.62x39mm levels and still have a viable short range deer rifle.

If you want to keep hunting medium game like deer/hogs, I've become a very big fan of the .243. Extremely mild shooting, w/100 gr bullets it only looses out to the 6.5CM's trajectory past 300 yds, and I'd wager that most medium game is taken (well) under that distance.

The 6.5CM is more cartridge and its ability to launch bigger/heavier projectiles allows its consideration for maybe elk and big black bears. I've not shot one on game, but on steel at long range it is a wonder and easy to shoot but in sporters more of a kicker than a .243

One eye Sarge · May 30, 2025, 09:33 PM

Well, heavier rounds can be fired opposite the pacemaker. Provided those aren't electrically operated. This is already done by others. Some have even had the pm relocated to a central spot on the body so they can use either side. While mine is due for a new battery, I kind of doubt the VA is going to relocate it to make me happy.

Usage wise, both range and hunting is hoped. Could a laser sight be used with the offset of the eye versus the rifle?

**JohnKSa** · May 30, 2025, 09:38 PM

Sure, a properly set up laser sight will work independent of which eye is used.

You will likely need a green laser as red lasers can be problematic in outdoor lighting. The eye-safe red lasers can be hard to see in sunlight.

One eye Sarge · May 30, 2025, 09:59 PM

Thanks. Yes, I was digging for an answer I wanted but I was also willing to admit defeat if it came to that.

I have zero experience with the laser setup and ruggedness. Is one likely to stand up to the 45.70? Greens my favorite color anyway!

**JohnKSa** · May 30, 2025, 10:24 PM

I can't say that I've ever heard of someone putting a laser on a .45-70. They are more commonly used on handguns. You're kind of on your own here. Think of it as an experiment.

FITASC · May 31, 2025, 07:47 PM

Close your left eye and shoot off your right shoulder, OR put something on your left glass lens so your right eye becomes more dominant and shoot off your right shoulder. We see this with women shotgunners a LOT (cross dominance); best to shoot from your strong shoulder when possible, but with a pacemaker you need to adapt.

I am LH, and I was wondering that IF I ever needed a pacemaker, can they not place centrally or on the right side and just implant longer leads?

tangolima · May 31, 2025, 08:34 PM

There is a funny shooting technique that I don't remember the name of. Red dot covered on the front. Right eye looking into the covered sight seeing only the dot. Left eye open looking at the target. The brain combines the vision together. Sounds weird, but people practicing it swear to it, probably works for close quarter situations.

-TL

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

TunnelRat · May 31, 2025, 08:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tangolima

There is a funny shooting technique that I don't remember the name of. Red dot covered on the front. Right eye looking into the covered sight seeing only the dot. Left eye open looking at the target. The brain combines the vision together. Sounds weird, but people practicing it swear to it, probably works for close quarter situations.

-TL

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

Occluded optic shooting. Been mentioned above.

Shoots Left · June 1, 2025, 01:15 AM

I’ve had an occluded eye sight mounted on my old Universal M1 Carbine since the ‘80s. It works quite well once you’ve gotten the hang of how to use it (there’s not a big learning curve). However, that might not be a viable solution for Sarge considering his right eye situation. I don’t know.

Wikipedia has some information on these types of sights and Armson USA sells them. The one on my carbine is an Armson.

Good luck and I hope you find a suitable solution Sarge.

**4V50 Gary** · June 1, 2025, 08:15 AM

Offset stock.

m&p45acp10+1 · June 1, 2025, 09:02 AM

I have this issue. I am right handed. I write, throw, and eat right handed. My right hand is my stronger hand. Due to astigmatism I am left eye dominant. Right handed I can not focus on the front sight of a long gun at all. This was noticed quickly when I was little so I was taught to shoot left handed. At 48 I also right handed bolt action rifles left handed. I am so used to it. I would have to retrain myself to shoot with a lefty bolt action.

My bows are left handed though. With archery I do very well left handed. I had to build up the strength in my shoulder to get up to the heavier bows.

One eye Sarge · June 1, 2025, 01:43 PM

I wish retraining to change the dominant eye was possible. While I can see colors and movement as well as a generally body shaped object in the right eye (and I can't always see that) that's good for maybe 6 foot. Heck I can't see the front sight! Legally I am blind in that eye.

I visited a gunsmith yesterday. I had totally forgotten we had one close to me. He laughed and we tested lasers in the parking lot. So, lasers are out. People who can see those in the sunlight have some dang good peepers! I sure can't.

He suggested a good muzzle brake. I was surprised to discover there are brakes that reduce recoil by 60-70%. It turns out he has customers with pacemakers.

Not sure it'll work on the 45-70 as it has such a small amount of barrel past the tubular mag. About 1/2 inch or so. I'll take it to him and see.

But I also found several side scope mount makers for this exact type of problem. Neither way is super cheap but also not too bad.

tangolima · June 1, 2025, 02:14 PM

For mounting scope offset to the left, it is actually not hard to do, if there is a picatinny rail on the rifle. PM me if you want to go that route.

-TL

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

One eye Sarge · June 1, 2025, 03:35 PM

Shoots Left! You may have it.

Just back from gun shop. I had to try it with a pistol with a red dot. I held it closer like a rifle with a makeshift barrier so my left wasn't cheating over (which it sure tried) but I could see the dot in both eyes!

**JohnKSa** · June 1, 2025, 03:40 PM

Quote:

People who can see those in the sunlight have some dang good peepers! I sure can't.

Any of the red lasers are going to be invisible in sunlight. The green lasers might have a chance of being visible. The problem is that for them to be eye-safe, the power is limited.

Quote:

He suggested a good muzzle brake. I was surprised to discover there are brakes that reduce recoil by 60-70%. It turns out he has customers with pacemakers.

This might be a good option for the .308, but I doubt it's going to work well for the .45-70. The pressure is already low for this cartridge, and after it has filled up that big bore and pushed out the bullet, it's going to be much lower. I don't know if there will be enough to work a muzzle brake effectively. I certainly wouldn't count on 70% recoil reduction.

Can you see an illuminated dot/reticle with the right eye? If you can, you might want to try an occluded eye solution as a test.

May 30, 2025, 05:37 PM	#1
One eye Sarge Junior Member Join Date: May 30, 2025 Posts: 9	Left eye dominant, right handed shooter long gun New here. Hope this is the place. In 2014 I had a pacemaker put in the left side. No impact on shooting, right handed and right eye dominant. Then I had an eye stroke and the right eye sees very muted colors, movement, and semi identifiable object outlines. Pistol shooting is no problem. It actually improved. Light caliber rifles I can shoot lefty. However, the doc said no to .308 or 45.70. It figures. I have a lh .308 bolt and a lever 45.70. So, now what?

May 30, 2025, 05:42 PM	#2
jmr40 Senior Member Join Date: June 15, 2008 Location: Georgia Posts: 10,972	I'd buy a 6.5CM. Recoil is closer to 243 than 308. It'll kill anything a 308 will kill. In fact, a 6.5 CM with 140 gr bullets will outperform 308 with 150's. You have to move to 180 gr bullets in 308 to slightly better 6.5CM. __________________ "If you're still doing things the same way you were doing them 10 years ago, you're doing it wrong" Winston Churchill

May 30, 2025, 06:20 PM	#4
JohnKSa Staff Join Date: February 12, 2001 Location: DFW Area Posts: 25,560	Two "solutions" I can think of. 1. You may be able find offset mounts that will let you mount the rifle on the right side but shoot using your left eye. Offset mounts are not ideal, but within their limitations, they are reasonably functional. 2. You could experiment with something like an occluded eye scope. That would be a zero or very low magnification scope with some kind of a high-visibility reticle or dot. You would shoot with both eyes open and your brain imposes the reticle image from the right eye onto the image from the left eye. I don't know if it would work for you or not. __________________ Do you know about the TEXAS State Rifle Association?

May 30, 2025, 08:08 PM	#11
bamaranger Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 2009 Location: North Alabama Posts: 8,788	intent? You interested in hunting medium or big game with the .308 & 45-70, or simply shooting? If you are simply interested in range work, I would think that tolerable reduced loads could be worked up for both rifles and allow you to shoot and enjoy them without risking your health. Limit your shots and angles and one might load the .308 down to 7.62x39mm levels and still have a viable short range deer rifle. If you want to keep hunting medium game like deer/hogs, I've become a very big fan of the .243. Extremely mild shooting, w/100 gr bullets it only looses out to the 6.5CM's trajectory past 300 yds, and I'd wager that most medium game is taken (well) under that distance. The 6.5CM is more cartridge and its ability to launch bigger/heavier projectiles allows its consideration for maybe elk and big black bears. I've not shot one on game, but on steel at long range it is a wonder and easy to shoot but in sporters more of a kicker than a .243

May 30, 2025, 09:38 PM	#13
JohnKSa Staff Join Date: February 12, 2001 Location: DFW Area Posts: 25,560	Sure, a properly set up laser sight will work independent of which eye is used. You will likely need a green laser as red lasers can be problematic in outdoor lighting. The eye-safe red lasers can be hard to see in sunlight. __________________ Do you know about the TEXAS State Rifle Association?

May 30, 2025, 05:55 PM	#3
One eye Sarge Junior Member Join Date: May 30, 2025 Posts: 9	I'm wanting to keep and use these two. The lever gun is family and the bolt is my first hunting rifle since childhood. Lazer?

May 30, 2025, 07:20 PM	#5
gwpercle Senior Member Join Date: November 30, 2012 Location: Baton Rouge, Louisiana Posts: 1,910	Don't push the issue with heavy recoiling rifles ... If the doc says no ... then it's time to go Light Recoil . Shooting left handed is the only practical way to shoot when you have lost your right dominante eye ... I've tried everything and nothing works ... I would invest in a couple low recoiling rifles ... and / or handload some light ammo ... I cast my own bullets and load light loads in 30-30 , 7.5 Swiss , 30-06 , 303 British and 7X57 mauser ... There is a lot you can do with a Lee Hand Press , Dies and cast lead bullets and even Jacketed bullets light loaded . Look at this as an opprotunity to try other things ... and other calibers . Gary

May 30, 2025, 07:24 PM	#6
TunnelRat Senior Member Join Date: May 22, 2011 Posts: 12,413	Shoot rifles left handed.

May 30, 2025, 07:46 PM	#7
One eye Sarge Junior Member Join Date: May 30, 2025 Posts: 9	If I go all left then it's smaller calibers. Pacemakers don't like recoil evidently. Hogs take bigger booms.

May 30, 2025, 07:47 PM	#8
TunnelRat Senior Member Join Date: May 22, 2011 Posts: 12,413	Sounds like it’s smaller calibers anyway.

May 30, 2025, 09:33 PM	#12
One eye Sarge Junior Member Join Date: May 30, 2025 Posts: 9	Well, heavier rounds can be fired opposite the pacemaker. Provided those aren't electrically operated. This is already done by others. Some have even had the pm relocated to a central spot on the body so they can use either side. While mine is due for a new battery, I kind of doubt the VA is going to relocate it to make me happy. Usage wise, both range and hunting is hoped. Could a laser sight be used with the offset of the eye versus the rifle?

May 30, 2025, 09:59 PM	#14
One eye Sarge Junior Member Join Date: May 30, 2025 Posts: 9	Thanks. Yes, I was digging for an answer I wanted but I was also willing to admit defeat if it came to that. I have zero experience with the laser setup and ruggedness. Is one likely to stand up to the 45.70? Greens my favorite color anyway!

May 30, 2025, 10:24 PM	#15
JohnKSa Staff Join Date: February 12, 2001 Location: DFW Area Posts: 25,560	I can't say that I've ever heard of someone putting a laser on a .45-70. They are more commonly used on handguns. You're kind of on your own here. Think of it as an experiment. __________________ Do you know about the TEXAS State Rifle Association?

May 31, 2025, 07:47 PM	#16
FITASC Senior Member Join Date: December 6, 2014 Posts: 6,638	Close your left eye and shoot off your right shoulder, OR put something on your left glass lens so your right eye becomes more dominant and shoot off your right shoulder. We see this with women shotgunners a LOT (cross dominance); best to shoot from your strong shoulder when possible, but with a pacemaker you need to adapt. I am LH, and I was wondering that IF I ever needed a pacemaker, can they not place centrally or on the right side and just implant longer leads? __________________ "I believe that people have a right to decide their own destinies; people own themselves. I also believe that, in a democracy, government exists because (and only so long as) individual citizens give it a 'temporary license to exist'—in exchange for a promise that it will behave itself. In a democracy, you own the government—it doesn't own you."- Frank Zappa

May 31, 2025, 08:34 PM	#17
tangolima Senior Member Join Date: September 28, 2013 Posts: 5,122	There is a funny shooting technique that I don't remember the name of. Red dot covered on the front. Right eye looking into the covered sight seeing only the dot. Left eye open looking at the target. The brain combines the vision together. Sounds weird, but people practicing it swear to it, probably works for close quarter situations. -TL Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

June 1, 2025, 01:15 AM	#19
Shoots Left Senior Member Join Date: November 22, 2024 Location: Southeast Texas Posts: 120	I’ve had an occluded eye sight mounted on my old Universal M1 Carbine since the ‘80s. It works quite well once you’ve gotten the hang of how to use it (there’s not a big learning curve). However, that might not be a viable solution for Sarge considering his right eye situation. I don’t know. Wikipedia has some information on these types of sights and Armson USA sells them. The one on my carbine is an Armson. Good luck and I hope you find a suitable solution Sarge.

June 1, 2025, 08:15 AM	#20
4V50 Gary Staff Join Date: November 2, 1998 Location: Colorado Posts: 22,288	Offset stock. __________________ Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt. *Molon Labe!*

June 1, 2025, 09:02 AM	#21
m&p45acp10+1 Senior Member Join Date: May 3, 2009 Location: Central Texas Posts: 3,942	I have this issue. I am right handed. I write, throw, and eat right handed. My right hand is my stronger hand. Due to astigmatism I am left eye dominant. Right handed I can not focus on the front sight of a long gun at all. This was noticed quickly when I was little so I was taught to shoot left handed. At 48 I also right handed bolt action rifles left handed. I am so used to it. I would have to retrain myself to shoot with a lefty bolt action. My bows are left handed though. With archery I do very well left handed. I had to build up the strength in my shoulder to get up to the heavier bows. __________________ No matter how many times you do it and nothing happens it only takes something going wrong one time to kill you.

June 1, 2025, 01:43 PM	#22
One eye Sarge Junior Member Join Date: May 30, 2025 Posts: 9	I wish retraining to change the dominant eye was possible. While I can see colors and movement as well as a generally body shaped object in the right eye (and I can't always see that) that's good for maybe 6 foot. Heck I can't see the front sight! Legally I am blind in that eye. I visited a gunsmith yesterday. I had totally forgotten we had one close to me. He laughed and we tested lasers in the parking lot. So, lasers are out. People who can see those in the sunlight have some dang good peepers! I sure can't. He suggested a good muzzle brake. I was surprised to discover there are brakes that reduce recoil by 60-70%. It turns out he has customers with pacemakers. Not sure it'll work on the 45-70 as it has such a small amount of barrel past the tubular mag. About 1/2 inch or so. I'll take it to him and see. But I also found several side scope mount makers for this exact type of problem. Neither way is super cheap but also not too bad.

June 1, 2025, 02:14 PM	#23
tangolima Senior Member Join Date: September 28, 2013 Posts: 5,122	For mounting scope offset to the left, it is actually not hard to do, if there is a picatinny rail on the rifle. PM me if you want to go that route. -TL Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

June 1, 2025, 03:35 PM	#24
One eye Sarge Junior Member Join Date: May 30, 2025 Posts: 9	Shoots Left! You may have it. Just back from gun shop. I had to try it with a pistol with a red dot. I held it closer like a rifle with a makeshift barrier so my left wasn't cheating over (which it sure tried) but I could see the dot in both eyes!