In my 40's now, I've been shooting long guns since I was 12 and started handgun shooting just a few years ago. In all that time I did not realize that hand/eye cross-dominance was even a thing!
Well, as I've been really trying to improve my handgun technique, only now do I understand that I am right-handed and strongly left-eye dominant. I had always just viewed it as the vision in my left eye was a little better than the vision in my right eye (I don't require glasses for everyday life).
In researching how to adapt to this, I am reading stuff that seems crazy to me. For example, I just read an article online that said for long guns, the only "satisfactory" way to shoot as a right-handed, left-eye dominant shooter is to learn to shoot from your left shoulder. Ummm...WHAT??? All my life I've shot from my right shoulder, closed my dominant left eye and sighted with my right. Yes, I always knew that my left eyesight was a little "better", but so what? I can still see my target and have I have confidence and some pride in my accuracy. Everyone I shoot with considers me to be a pretty darned good shot with a rifle, and I've never felt like I had a problem.
So on to handguns. I cannot shoot with both eyes open in any case, one of them has to be closed. So again, in working out of Weaver stance, I've been closing my left eye. However, this is not working as well for me as my rifle approach. In attempting to improve my skills, I took the advice to heart that I need to really focus more on my front sight. Well, this is a big struggle for me with my non-dominant right eye. When I focus on the front sight with my right eye, my "depth of field" (I think is the right term) is poor. In other words, if I'm really focusing down hard on the front sight, my acquisition of the downrange target is...not at all good. It is indeed much better when experimenting with closing my right.
So, I feel like I need to shoot with my left eye, unlike with my rifles. This is in itself awkward, as closing my right eye is not natural to me since I'm so used to closing my left. However, I believe I can get used to it. But now what??? Weaver stance leaves my head cocked quite a bit which seems like poor form, but maybe not that big a deal? I just don't want to reinforce bad habits or poor form. The logical thing seems like maybe I should begin training isosceles stance, which would require me to crank my head less in order to look down the sights with my dominant eye while shooting right handed.
Any advice from experienced shooters who have overcome this issue? I am feeling bummed out.
Well, as I've been really trying to improve my handgun technique, only now do I understand that I am right-handed and strongly left-eye dominant. I had always just viewed it as the vision in my left eye was a little better than the vision in my right eye (I don't require glasses for everyday life).
In researching how to adapt to this, I am reading stuff that seems crazy to me. For example, I just read an article online that said for long guns, the only "satisfactory" way to shoot as a right-handed, left-eye dominant shooter is to learn to shoot from your left shoulder. Ummm...WHAT??? All my life I've shot from my right shoulder, closed my dominant left eye and sighted with my right. Yes, I always knew that my left eyesight was a little "better", but so what? I can still see my target and have I have confidence and some pride in my accuracy. Everyone I shoot with considers me to be a pretty darned good shot with a rifle, and I've never felt like I had a problem.
So on to handguns. I cannot shoot with both eyes open in any case, one of them has to be closed. So again, in working out of Weaver stance, I've been closing my left eye. However, this is not working as well for me as my rifle approach. In attempting to improve my skills, I took the advice to heart that I need to really focus more on my front sight. Well, this is a big struggle for me with my non-dominant right eye. When I focus on the front sight with my right eye, my "depth of field" (I think is the right term) is poor. In other words, if I'm really focusing down hard on the front sight, my acquisition of the downrange target is...not at all good. It is indeed much better when experimenting with closing my right.
So, I feel like I need to shoot with my left eye, unlike with my rifles. This is in itself awkward, as closing my right eye is not natural to me since I'm so used to closing my left. However, I believe I can get used to it. But now what??? Weaver stance leaves my head cocked quite a bit which seems like poor form, but maybe not that big a deal? I just don't want to reinforce bad habits or poor form. The logical thing seems like maybe I should begin training isosceles stance, which would require me to crank my head less in order to look down the sights with my dominant eye while shooting right handed.
Any advice from experienced shooters who have overcome this issue? I am feeling bummed out.
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