Left-Handed Cross-Dominant Rifle Shooting: Advice?

[chipbennett]

So, I am left-handed, but right-eye dominant. It causes minor issues when shooting handguns, but I've fairly well adapted.

I have two rifles, and have only tried shooting them using my left eye, from my left shoulder. While reading Shoot To Win, by Chris Cheng, I found that he recommends trying shooting rifles cross-dominant from your dominant-eye side. Given that I have no deeply ingrained rifle-shooting habits, I'm willing to give it a try.

Any advice? Is this common? Does anyone else do it?

(From a practical perspective, it sure would make rifle shooting easier in general, since I won't have hot brass coming out toward my wrist/forearm.)

I'm also open to any other advice on shooting as a left-handed cross-eye dominant.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

Tagging. I'm right handed/left-eye dominant.

 

[halfmileharry]

Tagging. I'm right handed/left-eye dominant.

Right handed and left eye dominant as well.
I shoot BOTH eyes open and pretty much hit what I'm aiming at.

 

[Kutnupe14]

Shoot rifle with dominant eye/shoulder, handgun with whatever is most comfortable.

 

[gregkl]

I too am right handed, left eye dominant. I can shoot pistol just by "cheating" my stance a little to line up my left eye. It is pretty obvious to experienced shooters that I am cross dominant when they watch me.

For rifle, I just close one eye. I really don't care what people say about how it's wrong. If I want to hit the broad side of a barn, let alone a pie plate at 100 yards, I have to do this.

For shotgun, I wear glasses with a piece of opaque cellophane tape over the left lens. I keep both eyes open but this forces my right eye to take over. I am thinking of trying this with a rifle.

A lot of people want to tell you how to fix this, but I look at this as I would any other handicap. One has to make adjustments if they want to play. I am only cross dominant. There are people who only have one eye, or one arm and they figure a go-around.

Interested in what other older cross dominant posters have to say. I am willing to try some things if it's advice from a fellow cross dominate person. Especially if they are very cross dominant and very one sided as far as their "handedness".

I have tried switching shoulders. It won't work for me. That ship has sailed decades ago, lol.

 

[Contender]

I am left handed right eye dominate also. I shoot right handed, always have even before I knew what eye dominance was, just the way I did it because all the guns I had access to were right handed. I also am old enough that I am ambidexterous because you could not find things such as left handed baseball mits, scissors, etc. when I was young.

My wife is right handed left eye dominate. She insists on shooting right handed and struggles, especially with moving targets and a shotgun.

My daughter is left handed and I bought her a left handed bow when she was young. She shot terrible. Finally did the eye dominance test, yep she was right eye dominate. Had her wear safety glasees with a piece of tape on her right eye to compensate, she did better. Finally bought her a right handed bow, she was a pretty good shot then.

So from my experience, I would learn to shoot with the dominate eye, I really think you will do better. More enjoyable to without the brass zinging by your face also.

 

[chipbennett]

Shoot rifle with dominant eye/shoulder, handgun with whatever is most comfortable.

I am left handed right eye dominate also. I shoot right handed...

So from my experience, I would learn to shoot with the dominate eye, I really think you will do better. More enjoyable to without the brass zinging by your face also.

Given that I am extremely new to long-gun shooting, I am certainly game to try this approach. I have very little to "unlearn", and I don't see why hand dominance really has much to to with squeezing a trigger. (Controlling recoil and staying on-target with the sight picture are much different with a hand gun - both issues that aren't really the same with a rifle.)

Interestingly, when I'm shooting my EDC pistol, I spend usually about 80% of my time shooting two-handed, and then 10% strong-hand, and 10% weak hand. I've always been pretty much equally accurate with my weak hand (right hand) as I am with my strong hand (left hand). I suspect that it has more than a little to do with being cross-eye dominant. (Note: I do find that I have to turn my head to the left a bit when shooting one-handed, strong hand.)

 

[AllenM]

I am right hand left eye dominate. I shoot pistol right handed but I shoot rifle left handed and have for years with no issues doing it that way. It is less awkward then shooting them right handed.

 

[1775usmarine]

I'm right handed left eye. I learned to shoot left which feels more comfortable. I shot right handed rifle when in boot camp cause everyone else did. When I got to the fleet I saw my Sgt shooting left and was like we can do that and he said yeah. Did better on rifle quals the next year making the switch, though I still got screwed on my points.

 

[KLB]

I'm RH, LED. I shoot a rifle RH. Always have. Of course, I didn't actually know I was cross eye dominant until I was 46.

Unless I am using a red dot I close my left eye. Shooting a rifle left handed is awkward for me.

 

[Mr. Habib]

Right hand/left eye here. Started that way as a kid. Never thought about it. Just seem easier, more natural, that way.

 

[Cameramonkey]

same here. I'm severely left handed, and after trying right handed shooting, I did miserably. I just close my right eye and I do fine. when shooting trap I start with both open acquire the target track and then close my right eye. I do OK.

 

[Kutnupe14]

I'm RH, LED. I shoot a rifle RH. Always have. Of course, I didn't actually know I was cross eye dominant until I was 46.

Unless I am using a red dot I close my left eye. Shooting a rifle left handed is awkward for me.

Practice. I promise you can get rid of that awkwardness.

 

[actaeon277]

I'm not cross eye dominant, so my advice means nothing.

But I've researched it for teaching others.

Most advice seems to be
Shoot normally, but train your non-dominant eye. Some use paper over glasses or an eye patch. After a while, the non-dominant eye is trained.

Shoot with the dominant eye, and switch shooting stance to the other side. Many left handers to this, because they don't have to deal with the brass ejection like many left handed shooters do.

Basically, whichever you pick, practice practice practice. After a while, it should become second nature.

For the record, I am right handed, right eye dominant.
But I shoot left or right handed, rifle.
Pistol or rifle, I have both eyes open, unless using a scope. And there's a possibility both eyes are open then, not sure.

 

[boogieman]

I am right hand/left eye also. I have found personally that I shoot open sight rifles better left hand but scoped rifles better right hand. Ill be at the range and switch sides of the shooting bench to shoot from the other hand depending on what I am shooting. By doing this I can now shoot rifles left or right handed.

 

[Expat]

I am right handed, left eyed. For whatever reason I just naturally shot left handed from an early age shotgun and rifle. Dad never tried to change me. The only issue I have had a few times I have gotten some powder in my eye as the gases are discharge across my face (not into it, by any means) with some of my long guns (I know, I know... eye protection... when I am out hunting I don't. Range, yes). I shoot pistols right handed. I have been wanting to take up bolt actions recently and got a right handed bolt and found it was too awkward for me to shoot that way. So I bought a left handed bolt, but haven't been out with it yet. We shall see.

 

[rhino]

So, I am left-handed, but right-eye dominant. It causes minor issues when shooting handguns, but I've fairly well adapted.

I have two rifles, and have only tried shooting them using my left eye, from my left shoulder. While reading Shoot To Win, by Chris Cheng, I found that he recommends trying shooting rifles cross-dominant from your dominant-eye side. Given that I have no deeply ingrained rifle-shooting habits, I'm willing to give it a try.

Any advice? Is this common? Does anyone else do it?

(From a practical perspective, it sure would make rifle shooting easier in general, since I won't have hot brass coming out toward my wrist/forearm.)

I'm also open to any other advice on shooting as a left-handed cross-eye dominant.

If this is for recreation exclusively, go with what gets the best results on the paper and stick with it. Try righty and lefty and compare the results over time.

If there is any defense-oriented intent, you need to be able to shoot from either shoulder. As above, I would default to whichever gets you the best results overall, not just in terms of accuracy, but also in terms of speed and dexterity in terms of manipulating the rifle and controls. But you still need to be able to shoot from either shoulder, just as you need to be able to shoot your pistol either righty or lefty.

 

[phylodog]

A friend and someone I have endless respect for had his dominant eye taken from him in an attack several years ago. He was right handed/right eye dominant but now only has his left eye. He worked to overcome it and runs a long gun from his left shoulder now, someone standing behind him would never know.

I never spent much time working from my left shoulder until I trained with a couple of guys with pretty extensive experience. They changed my mind and I now spend a good bit of time shooting from both shoulders and utilizing the appropriate eye when doing so. It does require work but it can be done and I believe it is well worth the effort.

 

[KJQ6945]

Right handed/ left eye dominant. Never shot much more than .22's and BB guns until the army. I was spotted very quickly and made to shoot left handed in the army. They didn't offer tape on glasses, eye patches etc. They asked me one question, "can you close your left eye?" Seeing as how I couldn't, I was told I was to shoot left handed from there on out.

Fast forward 30 years. I shoot pistols right handed, kind of a Weaver stance. Rifles with iron sights or scopes, left handed (I can force myself right handed). With a red dot, there is no weak hand. Shotguns, I'm ambidextrous.

Cross dominance is a blessing in disguise. A long day of bird hunting carrying a heavy over/under, no big deal, I can shoot from either shoulder, so I can carry it with either hand.

 

[KLB]

Practice. I promise you can get rid of that awkwardness.

I plan to, just because I want to be able to shoot with both hands. I managed to get my Rifleman patch with a bolt this way though. Maybe someday I will go back and get another one left handed.