Dominant Eye

[JackRabbit]

My dominant eye or [master eye] is my right eye.But from an early age when I first picked up a gun I held it left handed.Wierd or what?
I've always had to close my right eye to shoot.I could never get myself to switch to my right hand no matter how hard I tried.I could always hold my own at the range or in the field.My dad would always try to get me to switch to right hand as well but I had no confidence in myself to make the switch. Now in my 40's my vision in my left eye is getting quite blurred and I've been making the transaction quite gracefuly.For the last month or so every time I shoot a blackbird or a target with the pellet gun or my 17HMR I've been shooting them right handed.Been making some shots with 17HMR at 80 to 100 yds.on blackbirds.
In less then a month and I automaticly raise the gun to my right shoulder.I wish I'd a done it years ago but was always afraid to let the trophy get away.[LOL]Now I've met many hunters over the years that shoot oposite thier dominent eye.Does anyone know why some of us do this.My dad is a big trap and sporting clay shooter and he could never make me switch.I'ts like throwing a ball your oposite hand.By the way I do everything else right handed baseball,hockey and writting. Ken

[foto]

Got the same cross dominance but it isn't really a problem except under very quick shooting scenarios. Always squint with my left eye to force my right eye to take over in controlled situations like trap shooting and I use red dots sights when still hunting for deer which seems to compensate for the problem. Scopes are a real problem under snap shooting conditions for me so I really only use them when stand hunting or types of hunting where I have ample time to make the shot. The only time it really affects my accuracy significantly is when I hunt pheasant and get surprised by the animal without time to compensate. Was never a problem when I was younger(37 now) but I'd say in the last 5-6 years I really started noticing it. Think my eyes were equally dominant and they switched to left eye dominance at that time because thats when I noticed that when I would shoot a handgun I started wondering which eye I had used to aim and started having problems with scoped rifles and first purchased a red dot. Vision is excellent otherwise. take care.

[M.T. Pockets]

I'm a volunteer Firearms Safety Instructor and we just wrapped up our spring class. One of the first things we have the students check is their dominant eye. It's not uncommon for some one to have a dominant eye that is different from their dominant hand, I'd guess about 10% of the kids. The head instructor is also a State Patrol Officer, he recommends the students learn (at their young age) to learn to shoot with their dominant eye. From his police training he's learned that when your heart rate or blood pressure reaches a certain level your dominant eye takes over no matter how hard you try to use the other eye. In the Police Academy he said it is required that officers learn to shoot their hand guns with their dominant eye.

I'm feel fortunate that I'm right eye dominant and right handed. I can't even eat left handed let alone learn to shoot left handed.

[JackRabbit]

Well I started shooting at about age 6 and was shown how to tell which eye was my master eye,at that time .I am right handed in everything else even shooting a hand gun.But when I would pick up a rifle or a shot gun ,I would pick it up left handed.I couldn't do anything else left handed.
I just could'nt switch because I always shot well as a lefty but not as well in the last year or so.Probly welding for 25yrs. was no help. ,Ken;)

[Classicvette63]

I'm left eye dominante, shoot a rifle left handed, shoot a pistol and bow right handed and write right handed. No problem.

Actually a right handed person shooting left handed isn't a bad thing. Figure that a right handed person's right arm is stronger than the left arm. When holding a rifle as a lefty, your right arm is supporting the weight of the rifle.

[Steverino]

I discovered about five years ago that my vision had switched to make my left-eye now the dominant eye (I'm right -handed) and after trying the tape and dots on the shooting glasses, just decided to bite the bullet and re-learn to shoot left-handed.

Probably the best advice that I had ever been given (and I actually listened to it !:D )

It did take some getting used to but now I am completely comfortable shooting lefty. (Bow as well)

I also agree with Classic's post that this situation (cross eye-dominance with respect to hand preference) has traditionally been thought of as a bad situation to have. It took a Master class shooting instructor to point out that your strong lead hand is what's steadying your gun mount. It was one of those "lightbulb" (read, Duh?!!) moments for me.
:rolleyes:

[JackRabbit]

Nice to hear from all.I have always had to close my right eye to shoot.But now when I shoot I can keep both eyes open,and I can see so much more.I think thats probobly the biggest impact on me.Never knowing any different,I would'nt think you could look through a scope with both eyes open.Every day I shoot I feel more and more confident and in the last month,been shooting every day.Them poor crackles are sure taking a beating.I had surgery on my left eye 15 yrs. ago and vision is getting bad in left eye again.Thats why the want to switch to right handed shooter.Realy apritiate all the imput. Ken;)