Dominant Eye...

[jcountry]

I have a buddy who is left-eye dominant, but right handed.

He wants me to help he become as awesome a rifle shot as I am (l.o.l!)

I have an extensive background in rifle and some competition shooting, so I am not a newbie..... BUT, I have always heard you cannot change eye-dominance, and always told people the same. I understand it is always better to shoot with your dominant eye rather than dominant hand. In fact, I usually discover that friends who can't shoot a rifle with a crap are usually trying to use their non-dominant eye and have no idea how important it is.

My buddy's eye dr. tells him you can train your non-dominant eye to take over and become dominant. I have never heard of this-I fact it is exactly the opposite of what I have always understood.

-Who's right?

 

[streetglide08]

I have heard this also. But I have been told that a person can wear a patch over the dominant for like 30 days (if I remember correctly) and that will strenghthen the weaker less dominant eye. I just never had the enough pirate in me to try it. I shoot handguns right hand with left eye dominant. Long guns left handed and I have done fine all of my life.

 

[jdh4376]

I just recently swithched ,and everytime I shoot I get better shooting lefty ,and I am a righty.practice practice practice.

 

[BHJ]

I don't know who's right, but if the guy is a Dr. of optometry I would certainly think he knows what he's talking about.
I often wonder why right handed people don't shoot with the long gun on their left shoulder??? I do. It just makes more sense to me to steady/swing the heavy fore end of a long gun with the strong hand and pull the trigger with the off hand. No problem here hitting what I'm shooting at. I actually think it gives me an advantage over those who are doing it all wrong.

 

[d2076]

I am left eye dominant but right handed . I learned to shoot left handed with rifles and both eyes open with handguns .

 

[thegiantmidget]

I'm ambidextrous. Eye dominance is not a huge deal for me either... My right eye is my dominant eye, but when I switch over to southpaw my left eye still manages decent groups. I'd suggest, if the dominance discrepancy effects your buddy's accuracy dramatically, that he simply learn to shoot with his weak hand. There's nothing to it! : )

 

[willr1]

Jeff,
As we saw with Brian on Sat, you have two options if your cross dominate. Train with the other side or find a way to compensate with that. If he's using a rifle, It should be easy for him to shoot left handed with a rifle as he would probably only get one shot while hunting. Cross dominence is not as big of deal on a rifle as it is with pistol.

Now, if he wants to try, there are a few way's to "train" the non-dominate eye, as these are geared more towards pistol.
1. Put a piece of Scotch tape on his shooting glasses, over his dominate eye. This makes the non-dominate eye work harder to focus and after period of time his "non-dominate" eye will get stronger and compensate
2. On the front sight, use a colored marker, tape or something to fill in around the front sight. Then, adjust your stance to a forward standing position (Weaver or Modified Weaver), but use your "non-dominate eye" leg forward instead of the "seconday". This will place the gun under the non-dominate side of your face/eye and your non dominate eye will be forced to look straight ahead, while using your dominate hand while shooting

If it were me, I would tell him to shoot left handed and enjoy

 

[spectre044]

Jeff,
As we saw with Brian on Sat, you have two options if your cross dominate. Train with the other side or find a way to compensate with that. If he's using a rifle, It should be easy for him to shoot left handed with a rifle as he would probably only get one shot while hunting. Cross dominence is not as big of deal on a rifle as it is with pistol.

Now, if he wants to try, there are a few way's to "train" the non-dominate eye, as these are geared more towards pistol.
1. Put a piece of Scotch tape on his shooting glasses, over his dominate eye. This makes the non-dominate eye work harder to focus and after period of time his "non-dominate" eye will get stronger and compensate
2. On the front sight, use a colored marker, tape or something to fill in around the front sight. Then, adjust your stance to a forward standing position (Weaver or Modified Weaver), but use your "non-dominate eye" leg forward instead of the "seconday". This will place the gun under the non-dominate side of your face/eye and your non dominate eye will be forced to look straight ahead, while using your dominate hand while shooting

If it were me, I would tell him to shoot left handed and enjoy

I was all ready to give a few suggestions, but this pretty much sums up your options right here. My work here is done

 

[sovietak474u]

I'm left eye dominant . I shoot right handed. I can shoot with both left or right but I like to shoot right handed in case I need to punch while shooting. I hit like a girl with my right hand . What I do is bend my elbow and line up the sights with my left eye. Works for me.

 

[willr1]

I'm left eye dominant . I shoot right handed. I can shoot with both left or right but I like to shoot right handed in case I need to punch while shooting. I hit like a girl with my right hand . What I do is bend my elbow and line up the sights with my left eye. Works for me.

Thats doing a Weaver or Mod. Weaver stance, do a "push and pull" with your right/left hand when you dip your elbow, adds alot of stability