Author Topic: Right Hand/Left Eye  (Read 3689 times)

Offline Storz

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Right Hand/Left Eye
« on: October 28, 2009, 12:47:36 PM »
I know this is probably not the best technique, however my left eye is definitly my dominant eye, and holding/shooting a pistol is MUCH more comfortable and natural for me with my right hand. Anyone else shoot cross like this? Should I train myself to shoot with my right eye? I shoot  rifles right eyed just fine.

Odd I know...thoughts...?
TF79 .177
Gamo Compact .177

Offline ac12basis

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Re: Right Hand/Left Eye
« Reply #1 on: October 28, 2009, 03:17:41 PM »
That is called cross dominant eye.  Nothing wrong with shooting right handed but with the pistol over a bit to the left so you can sight with the left eye.  The good thing about air pistol is you do not have the recoil of a 9mm or 45ACP to deal with, so the right hand / left eye is easier to manage.  Because the other option is to shoot left handed.

If you really want to shoot aiming w the right eye, the simplest way is to get a pair of sunglasses, then put frosted celophane tape over the left lens.  This lets light come in to your left eye, but you can't aim with the left eye, so you are forced to aim with the right eye.

Offline TCups

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RE: Right Hand/Left Eye
« Reply #2 on: October 28, 2009, 11:33:20 PM »
I am right hand / left eye dominant.  Easy enough to cross over on pistols, but shooting open sights or scopes on a rifle was always a problem -- more so than shotguns.  Last year, I made the commitment to make the switch to shooting left handed.  In a surprisingly short time, my rifle shooting skills have improved dramatically.  The easiest way to start is to put a pistol in your left hand.  Get used to the ambi feel of shooting either right or left handed.  Then get yourself a LH rifle stock and make the switch.

I found that re-learning grip and trigger pull with my left hand let me learn better technique, bypassing the long-ingrained bad habits I had developed over the years shooting right handed.

Offline Magnum

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RE: Right Hand/Left Eye
« Reply #3 on: October 29, 2009, 02:16:10 AM »
Welcome to GTA Ryan:)  I am left eye dominent and I shoot right or left hand with a scope mostly right hand due to stocks being right handed:).  If I am shooting with open sights rifle I shoot left hand only, with pistol open sights I shoot right hand left eye!  I have done this for years and may have just got used to a bad habit... I dont notice one way being better than the other:) Tony

Offline Storz

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Re: Right Hand/Left Eye
« Reply #4 on: October 29, 2009, 02:57:44 AM »
Thanks for the info, good to know I am not alone in shooting cross dominant! I should be recieving a Gamo Compact sometime next week and am looking forward and getting in on the 10-meter matches :)
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Gamo Compact .177

Offline JQR

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RE: Right Hand/Left Eye
« Reply #5 on: October 29, 2009, 04:24:04 AM »
I'm in the same boat. Maybe's it's because I just naturally want to look at the scope/sights with my left eye but never had a problem with my hold. It just feels natural. When I try holding it to look through the scope or line up sights with my right eye it feels wrong. I tried to train myself to shoot rifles left handed so I could look through the scope with my left eye. That didn't work out as well :-)

Offline TCups

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RE: Right Hand/Left Eye
« Reply #6 on: October 29, 2009, 04:49:15 AM »
I shot rifles for years with a RH hold and left eye by putting on high mounts and using an odd cheek weld with my neck bent way over to the right, my cheek almost horizontal over the stock and my nose on the far side of the stock.  I could get my left eye lined up in the scope, but it wasn't in the center of the field of vision.  And worse, it was NOT the way you want to hold any rifle with any substantial recoil, unless you want a bloodied nose.  When I learned to shoot a bow, it was impossible to cross over, so I learned to shoot a bow and arrow lefty.  And several years back, I had a broken hand and wore a cast for several weeks.  Spent that time learning to shoot pistols left handed.

No, the only proper way to shoot is with both eyes open and the sights in line with the center of the field of vision in your dominant eye.  Your neck should be relaxed and you shouldn't close or need to squint one eye.  Otherwise, you get muscular tension, an odd position that makes it much harder to be steady, and a loss of visual acuity.  No matter how odd it feels, the only good solution, ultimately, is to put the rifle on the side of your dominant eye.

Offline Storz

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Re: Right Hand/Left Eye
« Reply #7 on: October 29, 2009, 06:47:43 AM »
For rifle shooting I seem to do alright shooting right handed, right eyed. Its just with a pistol that I do the cross dominant thing. Going to work on shooting with both eyes open as mentioned above.
TF79 .177
Gamo Compact .177