Posted: 2/18/2009 5:55:21 PM EDT
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When you shoot weak hand, which eye do you use? I have been trying to use my weak (left) eye but I have to shut my right eye and it is distracting.
Also, a friend is left eye dom and right handed and new to shooting. Which way should he go? He could prob shoot left handed but needs to start the correct way. any help is appreciated. |
| FWIW, I'm left handed, shoot right handed, and right eye dominant. And to top it off my vision is not so good in my right eye due to a shotgun pellet lodged in the upper part of my eye socket. I can shoot pretty good left handed but am more comfortable shooting right handed. |
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If you're talking pistols I would just rotate your head a little & line up the dominant eye with the sights. If you're using a rifle you pretty much have to use the non-dominant eye.
Even just getting started I would highly recommend your friend practice from both sides as much as possible. If he starts off doing everything from both sides he'll be in a much better position if he ever has to use a gun to defend himself. |
| My dominate eye is just that, dominate. I can't choose which eye to use depending on which side I am shooting from. Transfer between shooting sides can be tricky enough, in theory it would be best to keep everything as consistent as possible, stance, grip and dominate eye. I feel like you would be fighting allot of natural instinct by switching eyes. |
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I trained myself to shoot support side eye with support side hand. If I go support side with a rifle, I have to use the support side eye. I don't want to have to use different techniques for rifle and pistol.
Unless it's a wounded shooter issue, my reason for shooting support side has to do with shooting at a corner and reducing my exposure. It's not much use to shoot support side, then hang my big head out to use my dominant eye. Practice it at every range outing and it will be second nature. Gringop |
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Right handed, left eye dominant, shoot left handed. Everything.
I started out shooting shotguns (what else is a bot in Kansas gunna shoot?  ) so it wasn't much of a choice.
I can shoot right handed, but I'm much more accurate and everything sets up better left handed. |
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You guys are missing the point, Defenderhome just as an example your shooting weak (left) handed you would bring the gun up under your right eye. Think of it as tricking your eye. I dissagree. If I shoot with my right hand I usually cant a pistol to the left so that I don't have to squint or close my left eye. I shoot, almost everything, both eyes open. I'll keep my depth perception and peripheral vision, thank you. 
Also, I think most people were responding to what his "friend" should do when he starts. IMO you start shooting with your dominant eye. You don't rely on gadgets, eye patches, squinting or closing one eye. You keep depth perception and peripheral vision. Shooting a moving a target is very difficult with one eye closed. |
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I'm cross dominant. Right handed with a master left eye. I move the handgun in front of my left eye. When shooting around cover, I use the right hand when shooting around the right side and left hand when shooting around the left side. I still use my left eye though. I don't leave myself hanging out, I slice the pie, engage the target if necessary then duck back behind cover. When peeking out again, I use a different height. I could be standing one time, kneeeling the next or somewhere in between.
As far as your friend, start him shooting using his dominant eye. It will be easier for him. A couple of years ago, I was out on the range with an officer another instructor had taught to shoot several years ago. This officer always barely qualified after several attempts. I was watching his face and noticed he was half squinting with his right eye. I stopped the qualification and conducted an eye dominance test. I discovered he was left eye dominant. Did a little training with him to get him used to it and had him shoot the course. He qualified 1st time with a score halfway between passing and perfect. Highest he ever qualified. |
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When you shoot weak hand, which eye do you use? I have been trying to use my weak (left) eye but I have to shut my right eye and it is distracting. Also, a friend is left eye dom and right handed and new to shooting. Which way should he go? He could prob shoot left handed but needs to start the correct way. any help is appreciated. Shoot with your dominant eye, regardless of which hand (strong or support hand). We do not have a "weak" hand only a strong and a support hand
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You can use cover much better using gun hand-right eye and support hand-left eye. More of your head sticks out if you always use your dominate eye. Please explain. In my mind, you're assuming a lot, I can think of any number of situations where left side is better for finding cover. |
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When you shoot weak hand, which eye do you use? I have been trying to use my weak (left) eye but I have to shut my right eye and it is distracting. Also, a friend is left eye dom and right handed and new to shooting. Which way should he go? He could prob shoot left handed but needs to start the correct way. any help is appreciated. Shoot with your dominant eye, regardless of which hand (strong or support hand). We do not have a "weak" hand only a strong and a support hand
+1 and practice, practice ,practice |
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You can use cover much better using gun hand-right eye and support hand-left eye. More of your head sticks out if you always use your dominate eye. Please explain. In my mind, you're assuming a lot, I can think of any number of situations where left side is better for finding cover. If you are at a left hand corner of a building and you transistion to a support side hold to pie the corner. If you use your dominate eye with a support side hold would your head be outside of your cover more. Even and inch or two would be alot. Isn't more of your head outside of a left side corner if you use your dominate eye on a support side hold. |
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You can use cover much better using gun hand-right eye and support hand-left eye. More of your head sticks out if you always use your dominate eye. Please explain. In my mind, you're assuming a lot, I can think of any number of situations where left side is better for finding cover. If you are at a left hand corner of a building and you transistion to a support side hold to pir the corner. If you use your dominate eye with a support side hold would your head be outside of yoour cover more. Even and inch or two would be alot. Isn't more of your head outside of a left side corner if you use your dominate eye on a support side hold. Oh, I see. I agree, there are times when its a good idea to shoot support side and squint or close the dominant eye. Probably not an issue for a beginning shooter though. |
| The farther back from cover you are the less of you will be seen by your adversary. You don't keep your head or anything else hanging out. Lean out, look, duck back, move your feet and lean out again. Take your time. It's not a speed race. Better yet, if you don't have to, don't. Hunker down in a secure position and call the cops. |