I know this has been talked about but I’m gonna get more specific to my issue.
I’m left handed, left eye dominant however I’ve been shooting right handed since the first time I shot a gun. I’ve passed all qual shoots and training.
After reading the threads here and some reputable youtube videos I grabbed a rifle and pistol went outside and ran some dry drills. Just sight picture and target acquisition, different angles and distances. All with both eyes open.
I did not see a noticable difference with a pistol, however there was a huge difference between left and right handed. Left handed felt weird but was easier and faster minus using the controls on the firearm. So I’m thinking resetting and switching to running a rifle left handed.
As far as pistol goes I’m going to go to range and do some qual shoots. Doing one all left handed and the other right handed and let the results dictate how to proceed with pistol skills. It only feels weird left handed because I’ve always shot right handed. It doesn’t feel unmanageable or overwhelming just different.
I am open to opinions or criticism of this plan. Anything I’m missing or should be on the look out for. Your time is appreciated
I’m not gonna talk about rifle, I don’t shoot it.
With the pistol, in my opinion it would be perfect to shoot left and right hand equally.
I’m lefty, so my stance, grip mostly is adjusted for left hand, however I’m trying to copy everything to my right side, just in case I won’t be able to operate left hand during the fight.
Even I’m using both hands equally, I know my left side is better. I’m not forcing myself to right hand… I learn enough to be able to operate the other hand.
Are we talking about cross eye dominance? I didn’t know there was a term for it. I’m kinda weird. So… I shoot pistols & write left-handed. But, I shoot rifles, basketball, bowl, & bat right-handed. At some point, I realized I was right-eye dominant. Turns out there are others who have this or similar issues. Luckily, there are little tricks you can learn to help compensate for your particular issue.
Cross-dominance is when your hand and eye dominance are different… so right hand / left eye, for example. I have some right handed students I’ve taught to shoot long guns or pistols left handed because their left eye dominance was really significant. Shotgun I think is really hard to do well cross-dominant.
You sound kind of ambidextrous… you do some things left and some right… I think that’s an advantage. I’d learn to do both that way you have more options, and you are comfortable picking up any firearm, right or left design.
I train both left and right… partly because I teach and I have lefty students, but also because what if you are in a fight and your dominant hand or arm is injured?
One change I’d suggest to your plan is train a few sessions on your left before you shoot your qualification to decide. You may find your knowledge transfers quickly to your dominant hand and I’d want it to feel at least comfortable shooting left before you decide which is your best advantage.
When I said do a qual shoot. I meant just courses of fire at the range. Each is 50 rounds. This isn’t an actual qual shoot. But 50 rounds will give me a much better idea than 5 or 10. The only part of the course of fire is I’ll be doing everything from the low ready instead of drawing from a holster because I don’t own a left handed holster. I’m trying to remove as many variables as possible.
I’m certainly ambidextrous with a pistol. However I’ve never felt nearly as comfortable with my rifle skills as I have pistol. If what I’ve seen and felt translates into live fire results. I will be much better left handed on the rifle.
[Forgive typos and errors due to time for work cant edit HAPPY FRIDAY]
The instructor at my range called my significant left eye dominance out as well. I’ve for the first time here recently started shooting a rifle left handed and it felt soooo weird. I’ve noticed that I’ve been making even more accurate shots.
However, I was more accurate as well as quicker staying right hand with my Glock.
What do you think @Zee, should I keep on and on training left hand with my pistols due to my significant right-hand /left eye dominance?
I trust your opinion!
I get it, I find shooting left shoulder long guns VERY weird feeling Left hand pistol stopped feeling weird very quickly.
I think the best answer is always what works best for the individual
You might find that you do best left for long guns and right for handguns… and that’s fine… give yourself enough time right and left handed for both to get comfortable and then see how your results are.
Things to consider:
With a long gun, getting a good cheek weld sets the limit of eye usage, so eye dominance is huge. My hubby lost most of the sight in his dominant right eye after a lifetime of shooting, but finds shooting left to be so unnatural that he’s chosen to shoot right and mount his scope significantly offset to the left so he can use his left eye. He had to be very aware of distances and range offset, though, as the scope is not physically lined up with the barrel as it normally would be. That would drive me nuts but it works very well for him for him.
If you are shooting both eyes open and single eye with your pistol, and you have comparable accuracy, you may have already worked out what you need to with your pistol. My hubby had to adjust his position by turning his head to make his right handed shooting work with his left eye, but for him that was a far better adjustment than going to left hand… he’s got more than a million rounds of muscle memory he doesn’t want to lose so it makes sense.
Consider having a coach or experienced shooter watch you shoot and look at which eye you are lining up on, how you position your head, see if you make changes when you go from close in to far away shots… that may tell you what you are doing now to compensate (if anything).
Thank’s @Zee! I’ve been aware that dominate left could affect the shooter hitting the primary spot of aim, but my grandfather just taught me only to adjust and fire again (I’m not sure where he got that from, maybe the military in Vietnam…they just needed to hit the intended target ) However he was right hand right eye so he never studied up I’m sure.
I love trying new things and was shocked when then instructor noticed me (He is a good teacher like you @Zee). Even though he claimed to be surprised on how effective I got from memory alone but told me to give it a go and I’m going to keep working on it. So far so good…
Good thing because let’s be honest…in a real event you won’t have time to get your stance right and remember distance.
I am left-handed and I struggle with right-handed tools. The only things I do right-handed are play the guitar (as a kid, I played a number of brass instruments, and it never occurred to me that I should play guitar left-handed) and deal cards. Everything else is left-handed.
I’d love to be more ambidextrous, but my control with my right hand is terrible.
That is a fear (For all of us surely) is lining up my sights and the first round goes off target. & I mean every person regardless of practice could live this nightmare so, @Zee this conversation was needed for two reasons…
The first being to apply some of those good steps you provided.
The second being the best, I’m going tonight and will spoil me with additional range time. I THINK ITS DATE NIGHT TOO! (Wow, I’m going to be able to get out of feeling guilty now! )
@Zee Have you seen the video of the cop who shot innocent bystander being the perpetrators mother. Although this is a totally different scenario than most of us who are not law enforcement will ever be in but there are still lessons that can be learned here.
that way you have more options, and you are comfortable picking up any firearm, right or left design.
Left hand pistol stopped feeling weird very quickly.
& I mean every person regardless of practice could live this nightmare so, 