Shooting question

[Guest JimMc]

Okay here is the question. I am left eye dominant yet right handed. I can manage a revolver left handed but not my G20 due to an injury to my left hand. Is it possible for me to get proficient on the strong side? I am guessing practice, practice, and practice. Any first hand experience?

Thanks in advance……

[Steelharp]

I am the same way. I slightly tilt my handgun toward the left; very easy.

[Guest JimMc]

Will give it a try. Thanks for the advice.

[AMSting]

I am right eye dominant and left handed. I never really noticed it being a problem, probably becasue I never knew any better.

[Guest JimMc]

I am with you guys. I would have never noticed the difference but the military had to get envolved back in the 60's. They got me messed up but good. Why does a really good right handed shooter now have to shoot left handed? Truth is that they were correct.

[lowery100]

I too am cross eye dominant. Right handed shooter, left eye dominant. When shooting a handgun I simply lay my right cheek on my right shoulder. It has worked well for me for a couple of decades of shooting, including my time in the Marine Corps where no one seemed to notice. I never knew there was anything different in the way I shot until it was pointed out to me in an instructors course I took this past summer.

[LagerHead]

Have you tried shooting with both eyes open? Learning this might be the answer plus it keeps your peripheral vision available to recognize other threats.

[timcalhoun]

I've seen a lot of folks with this issue put a piece of scotch tape on the dominant side of you're shooting glasses. It only blurs your dominant eye just enough to force the other eye to be dominant.

[Guest friesepferd]

doesnt work with long guns, but you should be able to shoot a handgun no problem with right hand and left eye.

as said, there will be a very slight tilt to the gun, but that doesnt matter. I have never seen somsone that actually had a problem with that with a handgun, only those who used it as an excuse.

[timcalhoun]

doesnt work with long guns, but you should be able to shoot a handgun no problem with right hand and left eye.

as said, there will be a very slight tilt to the gun, but that doesnt matter. I have never seen somsone that actually had a problem with that with a handgun, only those who used it as an excuse.

Well, that would depend what long gun you are talking about. Shotguns you need both eyes open for wing shooting and clays etc........ Same thing with a M4 with an Eotech or something. Basically any shooting activity that requires depth perception you need to have both eyes open.

[peejman]

I'm left handed and right eye dominant. I grew up shooting rifles left handed. As I've gotten older I've developed an astigmatism in my left eye so I learned to shoot right handed. If you're closing one eye, it doesn't matter at all. If you're trying to shoot with both eyes open, it just takes practice. The tape over glasses on non-shooting eye can help. Shoot however you're most comfortable.

[Murgatroy]

Leftie that is right eyed dominant here.

I was raised to shoot right handed.

My daughter is the opposite. Right handed and left eye dominant. I haven't figured out what to do yet. Probably teach her to shoot left handed.

[Guest Jon]

Well, that would depend what long gun you are talking about. Shotguns you need both eyes open for wing shooting and clays etc........ Same thing with a M4 with an Eotech or something. Basically any shooting activity that requires depth perception you need to have both eyes open.

never had that problem with the m4 but I do find my targets both eyes open and then zero in with one even with a m203 just habit i guess.

as far as the cross eye dominate I have saw people tilt their head more and tilt the gun. I'd suggest tilting you head. You may not want to get in the habit of tilting all firearms.

[Randy L]

Long story short in May of 2006 I went blind in my left eye due to Multiple Sclerosis. I had been a left handed shooter both rifle and handgun all of my shooting life. Hand gun wasnt as big a deal to relearn but rifle was a whole other matter I am a deer hunter and love shooting so I knew I had to relearn so I went and got a crossman pump pellet rifle with a scope about this same time we became over run with chipmunks cute when you have one 30 not so much so I practiced on them solved two problems I am just as good a shot now as I was before chipmunks gone

[Steelharp]

You may not want to get in the habit of tilting all firearms.

This is what I learned from one instructor. Whichever hand is your main one; just use it, and point at something, with no gun. See what YOUR natural point is. Then, while you're pointing, stick a gun in that hand. THAT will be the most natural position for YOU. For me, it just so happened that my right hand natural point was actually tilted a bit to the left, so it was natural for me.

(FWIW, the Marine SRT units shoot what we think of as "thug style;" full 90 degree tilt. My son is currently in SRT school.)

[Guest motonut]

I've seen a lot of folks with this issue put a piece of scotch tape on the dominant side of you're shooting glasses. It only blurs your dominant eye just enough to force the other eye to be dominant.

Unfortunately this doesn't help a lot of us that have vision issues glasses can't fully correct. I'd rather shoot using the best vision I have available. Unfortunately it's just something I have to live with. I know I'll never be a marksman but that doesn't stop me from enjoying the sport.

[Guest Cato]

Have you tried shooting with both eyes open? Learning this might be the answer plus it keeps your peripheral vision available to recognize other threats.

This

I too am cross eye dominate. This does take some getting use to.

[bubbadavis]

I'm right handed and left eye dominant. Like Steelharp, I tilt my handgun about 20* counter clockwise when shooting. This lets me shoot with my right hand and let my left eye dominate the aiming. I'm convinced my left arm is for balance, so learning to shoot left handed is a non-starter for me.

[Guest JimMc]

Thanks for all the advice. The "both eyes open" seems to be a great improvement. I have not tried the "cant" to the left. Great to have some options and I will try both. Much thanks to all.

[Guest Grout]

Why tilt the handgun? just move your head a fraction and use your dominant eye.I do however have to shoot long guns left hand because I am all but blind in my right eye.

[bubbadavis]

Why tilt the handgun? just move your head a fraction and use your dominant eye.I do however have to shoot long guns left hand because I am all but blind in my right eye.

Try it sometime. I tried moving my head over to use my left eye but it never felt natural. Tilting the handgun made a huge difference in my accuracy. It is very natural for me.

[McAllyn]

I would think it depends on which stance you use. If you use a thumbs forward centered stance, just move the weapon 2 inches to the left. If you're holding across your body, or strong arm straight, etc. then you have a lot more work to do.

Brian Enos and several other world class shooters are cross-dominant, and they seem to have figured out several solutions. I think there's several different threads on Enos's forum about cross-dominance.

Mac

[Guest Grout]

I would think it depends on which stance you use. If you use a thumbs forward centered stance, just move the weapon 2 inches to the left. If you're holding across your body, or strong arm straight, etc. then you have a lot more work to do.

Brian Enos and several other world class shooters are cross-dominant, and they seem to have figured out several solutions. I think there's several different threads on Enos's forum about cross-dominance.

Mac

If you are using a centered isosceles stance the sights are directly in front of your face so whichever eye you use you are only moving your head a fraction of an inch instead of moving or twisting the gun.Years ago I shot using the Weaver stance because that was all the rage in IPSC and I did have to move my head quite a bit,didn't take long to see the advantage of the isosceles stance.

[Guest 10mm4me]

The solution is easy, sell me your G20 for cheap and you won't have to worry about