I am left eye dominant and have shot as a righty my whole life. I do struggle sometimes because I have to close my dominant left eye and focus with my right eye which really fatigues my eye after a while of shooting. I thought about learning to shoot lefty but it just feels odd to me.
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Cross eye dominance? Some questions.
- Thread starter Kimio
- Start date
Here is a little device that I use on my bow since I shoot that righty as well. This let's you keep both eyes open and has really improved my archery. I may buy one for my rifle scopes and see if it helps.
http://www.topbowarchery.com
http://www.topbowarchery.com
I am left eye dominant and primarily right handed. 33 years in Law Enforcement and 25 plus as a firearms instructor. I shoot handgun right handed and long gun from the left side. People can adapt and be successful!
Back when I first started, my instructor (A multi-time Champion shooter in Wisconsin) told me to continue to shoot right handed as I was predominantly a righty. Too many years of muscle memory with the right side to switch hands, unless I was willing (and able) to have / take the time to completely retrain to be a lefty. Unless a person has the time and means to do so this is extremely time consuming and possibly costly. Most L.E. agencies will not devote the time and money to do so and as a new cop starting out, it was not financially or training-wise feasible.
His concern with switching to "weak" hand is that it could create a multitude safety issues. Something as simple as inadvertently placing your gun side forward while conducting a contact, because you write with your right hand or when implementing defensive / arrest tactics, short of deadly force, again placing your gun side toward the contact.
What works for me may or may not work for others. Just remember, whatever you decide to do....make sure you train repeatedly using proper techniques!
Good Luck!
Back when I first started, my instructor (A multi-time Champion shooter in Wisconsin) told me to continue to shoot right handed as I was predominantly a righty. Too many years of muscle memory with the right side to switch hands, unless I was willing (and able) to have / take the time to completely retrain to be a lefty. Unless a person has the time and means to do so this is extremely time consuming and possibly costly. Most L.E. agencies will not devote the time and money to do so and as a new cop starting out, it was not financially or training-wise feasible.
His concern with switching to "weak" hand is that it could create a multitude safety issues. Something as simple as inadvertently placing your gun side forward while conducting a contact, because you write with your right hand or when implementing defensive / arrest tactics, short of deadly force, again placing your gun side toward the contact.
What works for me may or may not work for others. Just remember, whatever you decide to do....make sure you train repeatedly using proper techniques!
Good Luck!
redhologram
New member
I write left handed. I shoot pistol mostly right handed, left eye dominant 99.9% of the time. I also shoot (for example, when shooting around cover) right hand, right eye, then easily switch off when changing sides to my support hand and shoot left hand, left eye dominant. It took some training to get on sight and accurate with my right eye but now it's an either/or for me as the situation dictates. (Also if I don't put my hair up or wear a hat and my hair blows in my face, I can easier adapt what eye has a clear shot rather than wasting time trying to battle with all of my hair. I know in a SD situation, chances are, my hair will be down and the BG won't wait for me to get my hair out of my face to clear my dominant eye).
For rifle, I shoot right side, right eye. (I have a Tavor and would rather not eat my brass trying to shoot it without the lefty conversion kit).
For rifle, I shoot right side, right eye. (I have a Tavor and would rather not eat my brass trying to shoot it without the lefty conversion kit).
Take a look at Hickok45 on YouTube. I used to communicate with him in 2008, when he had maybe 80,000 subscribers. He shoots right handed and is left eye dominant and closes his right eye when shooting. I know this because I asked him in an email and he verified that he does close his right eye when shooting. If you've ever watched his videos, you know he is an exceptional shooter. He cocks his head to the right, as Frank Ettin referred to in an earlier post, to align his dominant left eye with the sights.
He also shoots long guns quite well right handed. It can be done. It's a matter of adapting to your circumstances.
He also shoots long guns quite well right handed. It can be done. It's a matter of adapting to your circumstances.
I'm not cross eye dominant but at this stage of my life, my left eye works better to focus on the handgun sights. If I want to make a precise shot, I often use my left eye. Cross eye dominance is not really a problem when shooting handguns/rifles but a BIG problem for shotgunning.
FWIW I'm old school and learned to shoot with one eye closed and I'm sticking to that program.
FWIW I'm old school and learned to shoot with one eye closed and I'm sticking to that program.
stagpanther
New member
My problem is that my focused vision is fading altogether in my left eye--I'm happy I can still see clearly with my right.
I was at the range earlier this spring and watched some homeland security police training and it was obvious one of the senior guys was testing the junior. The drill involved drawing and firing as quickly as possible but also as accurately as possible. Then--the shooter was required to cross-draw from his weak side and shoot with the other arm as primary hold/support--I assume this was in the event of getting wounded in the dominant side. The shooter did very well at close range--impressive.
I was at the range earlier this spring and watched some homeland security police training and it was obvious one of the senior guys was testing the junior. The drill involved drawing and firing as quickly as possible but also as accurately as possible. Then--the shooter was required to cross-draw from his weak side and shoot with the other arm as primary hold/support--I assume this was in the event of getting wounded in the dominant side. The shooter did very well at close range--impressive.