Left eye dominant shooting

Victory

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I have a kid who is getting into his shooting guns age. He is right handed. Does everything right handed, but is left eye dominant. Wondering if I should start him shooting with a left handed gun or try to make it work right handed so we can share guns.
 


KDM

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I'm the same and I shoot guns left handed. Instinctively I focus with my dominant eye on objects when speed and surprise is a factor such as upland game hunting or those quick rifle shots on deer. I shoot right handed with a bow, but speed isn't a factor there so I can concentrate on using my right eye to shoot. Let him choose what feels right to him. I would have him shoot both right and left handed while in his formative years and see what happens. Switch shooting isn't a bad skill to have in the field. Good Luck!!

Oh and I shoot right handed guns left handed and have done so all my life. My Dad couldn't afford lefty guns so I just shot what he had. No problems hitting where I aim even though the bolt is in front of my face. I just learned how to compensate and it works just fine. Now when I pick up a left handed gun it is all wrong for me and I can't hit the broadside of a barn if'n I was locked inside.
 

SDMF

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Kids are easily trained regarding muscle-memory. What seems wonky at first will be 2nd nature in a few weeks. Use the dominant eye to choose which "handed" he'll shoot, and learn to shoot w/both eyes open. Both eyes open significantly improves your depth of field and distance perception allowing greater ability to discern necessary lead on moving/flying targets.

The few I know shooting cross-dominant have had to work REALLY hard to become proficient.

Shooting cross dominant is the equivalent of delivering mail from a left-drive car and having to lean across the passenger's seat to stuff mail in the box without being able to get out of the car nor drive the wrong way to have the mailbox on the close side.
 

1bigfokker

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Me too. Let him shoot the way that's comfortable for him.
 

SDMF

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Don't remove 50% of someone's vision in a hand/eye coordination dominated activity.
 


Allen

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I am strongly left eye dominant and shoot everything right handed, including pistol although I can use my dominant eye while shooting pistol. It's not really an issue to shoot scoped rifles with my non-dominant eye, but shooting shotgun is a whole different ball of wax. I need to "squint" with my left eye to aim a shotgun. It took longer than it should have for me to become proficient with a shotgun because of that. Then I finally stopped aiming and started shooting instinctively, still shooting righthanded, but it's better than aiming. I'd say give your kid the advantage now by teaching him to shoot shotguns instinctively. My 16 yr old son had Mark out at Capitol City Sporting Clays as a shooting coach one year and he already is at least as "good" of a shotgunner as I am, and Mark teaches instinctive shooting using your dominant eye.
 

Srputz

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I am right handed and left eye dominant. I shoot right handed guns. Shotguns are interesting. The pumps don’t bother me but semi autos I don’t like the shell flying across my face. Now I shoot over and understand. Problem solved. Bows I shoot left handed bows. Good luck
 

ORCUS DEMENS

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I second Srputz's comment, hot casings hitting the face is a no go. I was forced to shoot right handed in boot camp, could not find where the shot went. Finally got to shoot left handed and the difference was amazing. Let him try both ways and let him choose what works best.
 

svnmag

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A SXS does wonders. I do the eye squint. Conversely I may have some sort of brame dainage as I used to do some trick shit with the 880 with both eyes open. Never had a problem until I got my first shotgun and read about eye dominance after missing a shitton of clays. In retrospect I tend to believe it was more a fit problem. Honestly when I do the "triangle" it's a 60/40 ratio for the left eye. I do what I can with a squint for fleeing upland (shotgun) and shoot rifles both open.

I don't/won't shoot at running deer etc with a scope even if I can "find" it. I've killed a lot of stuff walking with a "2in" lead after losing a big doe through the brisket with an "8in" lead at 250. She lived.

This started with a 300yd "walk" through stubble toward a "brushy" rock pile in 2K2: A long assed slog following diminishing blood in ass deep snow confirms my assertion. The blood stopped and the tracks kept going. And going. I remember thanking God we didn't have to figure out how to get it in the bed of the truck after dark without a plastic sled. Drove back to Minot at 25mph. Twice. Truck reported -20. Killed a doe in Montana that year with with a 25 dollar management tag.

A SXS helps with the dominance dilemma as long as it's not missing a trigger. :)
 
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SDMF

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The triangle thing is a stupid way to test eye dominance.

Stand back ~10' and tell kiddo to point @ your nose, then have kiddo use the other hand to do the same. The pointing finger will line up between you and the dominant eye.
 

Retired Educator

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In the long run shooting with the dominant eye will be the best choice. Have heard that advice from more than one shooting coach/instructor. The good news is that today left-handed guns are readily available. Have a grandson who is right-handed and left eye dominant. In the beginning he wanted to shoot right-handed but was convinced to try shooting left. Didn't take long for him to see the advantage and today is a very good shooter.
 

SDMF

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Funny part of this to me is that likely if it were the other way around, kid was left handed and right-eye dominant this wouldn’t even be a question, the kid would be shooting right handed in a heartbeat.
 

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