Right handed - Left eyed: Long guns

ckpj99 · March 1, 2012, 01:42 PM

So I have no trouble with handguns. I shoot with both eyes open. For some reason, the Weaver stance works best for getting my left eye behind the gun in my right hand.

With long guns however...

For small caliber rifles, like a .22, I lean over the gun. I shoot right-handed, and kind of tuck and tilt my head so my left eye is lined up. That basically means that I put my whole face on the stock.

For shotguns (I have not experience with large caliber rifles), I've tried two things. I can force my right eye to work, but it takes a lot of concentration. When shooting skeet, it's too slow and distracting. My second tactic has been to shoot left handed. Once the gun is up, I'm fine, but manipulating the weapon is a nightmare. When I pick up a gun, I automatically pick it up as if I'm shooting if righty. Reloading is horrible.

So has anyone overcome this problem? Does anyone with cross dominance lean over their shotgun? I've tried, but the recoil into my face is pretty terrible. Is there anything I can do other than 10,000 rounds of lefty shooting? Are there any stock modifications that are possible? If I could carve a huge notch in the stock for my face, I'd be perfect.

robmkivseries70 · March 1, 2012, 01:45 PM

Learn to shoot left handed, you'll "learn" trigger control in both index fingers.
Best,
Rob

PawPaw · March 1, 2012, 01:49 PM

Yep, switch shoulders. It feels weird when you first begin, but after a while, it becomes second-nature. I'm left-handed with a dominant right eye, so I shoot right handed, except when I don't, then I'm shooting left handed. It makes us ambidextrous in the shooting sports. Trust me, it's very cool to not have an off-side.

lawnboy · March 1, 2012, 01:55 PM

I'm also strongly right handed but strongly left eye dominant. Handguns I just shoot right handed with both eyes open (the way everyone should if you ask me).

I don't shoot skeet, trap or any shotgun sports. With rifles I simply learned to shoot left handed. I have no issue using AK, AR and bolt action or lever action rifles "backwards". You can work out your own manual of arms.

Why is reloading a shotgun when shooting left handed "horrible"? As I said, I'm not a shotgun sports person. But I do own a 12ga pump that I shoot from time to time. I shoot it the same way I do a rifle, left handed. When reloading I support the gun with my left hand and arm and put the shells in with my right. This is BETTER for me than if I shot it right handed. I don't own a OU but I think I could probably do the same thing. Please explain where your difficulty lies.

armoredman · March 1, 2012, 02:17 PM

I'm left eye dominant, but shoot long guns right handed, and use my right eye. So far, so good.

ckpj99 · March 1, 2012, 02:17 PM

Sounds like I just need to practice. Reloading is just clumsy. When I shoot skeet, I'm constantly bringing my gun up to the wrong shoulder. I want to be able to rely on a shotgun for defense, but I just suck so bad with manipulating them, that for now, it's out of the question.

Shooting them is fine left-handed, it's getting to that point that is bad. I just wasn't sure if there was another option. I've been running my shotgun for quite awhile now and I just can't get used to it.

I guess that it's back to the range for me.

m&p45acp10+1 · March 1, 2012, 06:24 PM

I am right handed, and left eye dominant. I have very bad astygmatism (sp.?) in my right eye. If I try to sight down a long gun right handed I can not see the bead my eye will not focus on it. My grampa saw this when I was a baby and he taught me to shoot lefty sometime shortly after the diapers came off from the way he put it.

Now I have helped a friend that was in his 50's with the same problem that had no experience with long guns. He used a jig saw, and a pice of cabinet wood to cut out a mock up of a stock then glued a wraping paper tube to it. on the underside where a trigger guard would be he put a drawer handle. He would practice mounting, and lead for 10 minutes every night. If you are careful and follow safty guidlines your regular shotgun would work for this. He felt safer using the mock up. Besides when painted at glance it looked like a real double barrelled shotgun. His grandkids still play with the mock up.

A month and half later he was shootig clays, and not missing very many of them.

You have to keep doing it until it feels natural. You become comfortable doing it. Imagine if you had to drive from the other side of the car. You do it enough and you will adapt.

JWT · March 1, 2012, 08:58 PM

Get a mount for your scope so it can be offset to the left so you can use your left eye. My brother is blind in the right eye and shoots quite well that way.

Ruger556 · March 1, 2012, 09:22 PM

I shoot right-handed left eyed with pistola and shoot left handed left eyed with long arms...so yourself a favor...teach yourself to shoot both left and right handed long arm and pistol. You will be glad you did!

jimbob86 · March 1, 2012, 09:26 PM

My dad is left handed and right eyed, and has always shot right handed.

ScottRiqui · March 1, 2012, 09:46 PM

I'm right-handed / left-eyed, but I'm 20/15 or better in both eyes, so although I shoot both rifles and pistols right-handed, I use my left eye for pistols and right eye for rifles.

Bubba in c.a. · March 1, 2012, 10:44 PM

In Army basic training I found I had this problem. Easy fix was to learn to shoot left-handed to accomodate my dominant left eye. It takes practice, but being able to see the target and get a good cheek weld is worth it. Only real adjustment is that I found when shooting left handed I vastly preferr my Mossberg to my Remington because of the location of the action release button.
Sold off the Remington and bought a second Mossberg.

Now, 40 years later of shooting all long guns left handed, I`m getting in some practice shooting my HD shotgun right handed just in case. Can`t see squat, but it works at HD ranges.

kilimanjaro · March 2, 2012, 12:59 AM

I use my left side to shoot, so I've gotten pretty good at working a right hand bolt action from the left shoulder, but semiautos are best. I don't like the powder and gases in front of my face, though.

PoorRichRichard · March 2, 2012, 02:02 AM

Learning to shoot lefty on the long guns would be ideal. But if you really wanna shoot righthanded, mabey try wearing an eye patch over your left eye. Worked well for my seven year old who cannot yet close one eye and keep the other open.

federali · March 2, 2012, 10:40 AM

I'm right handed and cross-eye dominant. As a child during the cowboys and indians, and the cops and robbers era, I shouldered all my toy rifles left handed and even learned to shoot left handed when I came of age. Then, the acquisition of a bolt action M-2 Springfield forced me to learn to shoot right handed. I can now shoot equally well off either shoulder which has served me well in the woods. I've taken maybe half me whitetails left handed when they approached from my right side.

With a dominant left eye, you really have no choice but to learn to shoot shotguns left handed. Awkward at first but you'll quickly get the hang of it as your strong eye is on that side. As for rifles, try using scopes as you may shoot strong side with both eyes open. The dominant eye seems less inclined to take over when a scope i used.

March 1, 2012, 01:42 PM	#1
ckpj99 Senior Member Join Date: January 24, 2011 Posts: 386	Right handed - Left eyed: Long guns So I have no trouble with handguns. I shoot with both eyes open. For some reason, the Weaver stance works best for getting my left eye behind the gun in my right hand. With long guns however... For small caliber rifles, like a .22, I lean over the gun. I shoot right-handed, and kind of tuck and tilt my head so my left eye is lined up. That basically means that I put my whole face on the stock. For shotguns (I have not experience with large caliber rifles), I've tried two things. I can force my right eye to work, but it takes a lot of concentration. When shooting skeet, it's too slow and distracting. My second tactic has been to shoot left handed. Once the gun is up, I'm fine, but manipulating the weapon is a nightmare. When I pick up a gun, I automatically pick it up as if I'm shooting if righty. Reloading is horrible. So has anyone overcome this problem? Does anyone with cross dominance lean over their shotgun? I've tried, but the recoil into my face is pretty terrible. Is there anything I can do other than 10,000 rounds of lefty shooting? Are there any stock modifications that are possible? If I could carve a huge notch in the stock for my face, I'd be perfect.

March 1, 2012, 01:49 PM	#3
PawPaw Senior Member Join Date: December 24, 2010 Location: Central Louisiana Posts: 3,137	Yep, switch shoulders. It feels weird when you first begin, but after a while, it becomes second-nature. I'm left-handed with a dominant right eye, so I shoot right handed, except when I don't, then I'm shooting left handed. It makes us ambidextrous in the shooting sports. Trust me, it's very cool to not have an off-side. __________________ Dennis Dezendorf http://pawpawshouse.blogspot.com

March 1, 2012, 01:55 PM	#4
lawnboy Senior Member Join Date: April 5, 2011 Location: here Posts: 551	I'm also strongly right handed but strongly left eye dominant. Handguns I just shoot right handed with both eyes open (the way everyone should if you ask me). I don't shoot skeet, trap or any shotgun sports. With rifles I simply learned to shoot left handed. I have no issue using AK, AR and bolt action or lever action rifles "backwards". You can work out your own manual of arms. Why is reloading a shotgun when shooting left handed "horrible"? As I said, I'm not a shotgun sports person. But I do own a 12ga pump that I shoot from time to time. I shoot it the same way I do a rifle, left handed. When reloading I support the gun with my left hand and arm and put the shells in with my right. This is BETTER for me than if I shot it right handed. I don't own a OU but I think I could probably do the same thing. Please explain where your difficulty lies. __________________ "Me fail English? That's un-possible!" --Ralph Wiggum "A woman drove me to drink and I didn't even have the decency to thank her"-- W.C Fields

March 1, 2012, 06:24 PM	#7
m&p45acp10+1 Senior Member Join Date: May 3, 2009 Location: Central Texas Posts: 3,930	I am right handed, and left eye dominant. I have very bad astygmatism (sp.?) in my right eye. If I try to sight down a long gun right handed I can not see the bead my eye will not focus on it. My grampa saw this when I was a baby and he taught me to shoot lefty sometime shortly after the diapers came off from the way he put it. Now I have helped a friend that was in his 50's with the same problem that had no experience with long guns. He used a jig saw, and a pice of cabinet wood to cut out a mock up of a stock then glued a wraping paper tube to it. on the underside where a trigger guard would be he put a drawer handle. He would practice mounting, and lead for 10 minutes every night. If you are careful and follow safty guidlines your regular shotgun would work for this. He felt safer using the mock up. Besides when painted at glance it looked like a real double barrelled shotgun. His grandkids still play with the mock up. A month and half later he was shootig clays, and not missing very many of them. You have to keep doing it until it feels natural. You become comfortable doing it. Imagine if you had to drive from the other side of the car. You do it enough and you will adapt. __________________ No matter how many times you do it and nothing happens it only takes something going wrong one time to kill you.

March 2, 2012, 10:40 AM	#15
federali Senior Member Join Date: August 1, 2011 Location: Nassau County NY Posts: 378	Yup, Agree with the above I'm right handed and cross-eye dominant. As a child during the cowboys and indians, and the cops and robbers era, I shouldered all my toy rifles left handed and even learned to shoot left handed when I came of age. Then, the acquisition of a bolt action M-2 Springfield forced me to learn to shoot right handed. I can now shoot equally well off either shoulder which has served me well in the woods. I've taken maybe half me whitetails left handed when they approached from my right side. With a dominant left eye, you really have no choice but to learn to shoot shotguns left handed. Awkward at first but you'll quickly get the hang of it as your strong eye is on that side. As for rifles, try using scopes as you may shoot strong side with both eyes open. The dominant eye seems less inclined to take over when a scope i used. __________________ Int'l Assoc. of Law Enforcement Firearms Instructors

March 1, 2012, 01:45 PM	#2
robmkivseries70 Senior Member Join Date: November 15, 2005 Location: free territory Posts: 203	Learn to shoot left handed, you'll "learn" trigger control in both index fingers. Best, Rob

March 1, 2012, 02:17 PM	#5
armoredman Senior Member Join Date: May 22, 2007 Location: Arizona Posts: 5,299	I'm left eye dominant, but shoot long guns right handed, and use my right eye. So far, so good.

March 1, 2012, 08:58 PM	#8
JWT Senior Member Join Date: March 16, 2007 Location: Southern Arizona Posts: 3,888	Get a mount for your scope so it can be offset to the left so you can use your left eye. My brother is blind in the right eye and shoots quite well that way.

March 1, 2012, 09:22 PM	#9
Ruger556 Junior Member Join Date: February 4, 2012 Posts: 5	I shoot right-handed left eyed with pistola and shoot left handed left eyed with long arms...so yourself a favor...teach yourself to shoot both left and right handed long arm and pistol. You will be glad you did!

March 1, 2012, 09:26 PM	#10
jimbob86 Junior member Join Date: October 4, 2007 Location: All the way to NEBRASKA Posts: 8,722	My dad is left handed and right eyed, and has always shot right handed.

March 1, 2012, 09:46 PM	#11
ScottRiqui Senior Member Join Date: January 27, 2010 Location: Norfolk, VA Posts: 2,905	I'm right-handed / left-eyed, but I'm 20/15 or better in both eyes, so although I shoot both rifles and pistols right-handed, I use my left eye for pistols and right eye for rifles.

March 1, 2012, 10:44 PM	#12
Bubba in c.a. Member Join Date: April 18, 2011 Posts: 49	In Army basic training I found I had this problem. Easy fix was to learn to shoot left-handed to accomodate my dominant left eye. It takes practice, but being able to see the target and get a good cheek weld is worth it. Only real adjustment is that I found when shooting left handed I vastly preferr my Mossberg to my Remington because of the location of the action release button. Sold off the Remington and bought a second Mossberg. Now, 40 years later of shooting all long guns left handed, I`m getting in some practice shooting my HD shotgun right handed just in case. Can`t see squat, but it works at HD ranges.

March 2, 2012, 12:59 AM	#13
kilimanjaro Senior Member Join Date: November 23, 2009 Posts: 3,963	I use my left side to shoot, so I've gotten pretty good at working a right hand bolt action from the left shoulder, but semiautos are best. I don't like the powder and gases in front of my face, though.

March 2, 2012, 02:02 AM	#14
PoorRichRichard Senior Member Join Date: April 13, 2011 Location: San Berdoo Posts: 269	Learning to shoot lefty on the long guns would be ideal. But if you really wanna shoot righthanded, mabey try wearing an eye patch over your left eye. Worked well for my seven year old who cannot yet close one eye and keep the other open.