The Eye Thing Again......

[A_Med]

Yes I did a search and read all there was to read on here and other forums and I still could use some advice. I'm 43 years old and just getting into this game and though I know I'll never be great I think I could get pretty good if I can overcome my eyesight. I am a Right handed shooter who is left eye dominant and I also have been wearing glasses my whole life. I can see my front sights pretty sharp so that isn't the problem. What I can't do well yet is keep both eyes open. If I do I see two rear sights and its confusing. Target is always blurry when focusing on front sight but I can handle that. I've tried three different methods to overcome this and would like opinions or experience on the best approach.

Method 1: I lean my head to the right until my cheek almost touches my right arm so that my dominant left eye can sight. If I do that I can keep both eyes open.

Method 2: I've put a small circle of tape on my Left lense so that my Right eye can sight. Again I can keep both eyes open.

Method 3: I've put a small circle of tape on my Right or weak eye so that my Left can sight without having to lean my head right. Both eyes open.

Method 4: I say screw it and close my dominant Left eye and sight with the Right.

As I say I'm still new at this so my results are about the same in all methods so I want to know which is the best approach based on others experience before I commit to one for the long haul.

Thanks for reading through this dissertation.

[Delija]

Originally Posted by A_Med

Method 4: I say screw it and close my dominant Left eye and sight with the Right.

I'm the same as you...right handed, left eye dominant. Although I've been shooting a long time (even shot a little bit in the army over 30 years ago). But I just recently got more serious about target shooting.

I figured since I was spending so much on guns, ammo and range time that it would make sense to take an actual lesson from a qualified instructor (retired British Army small arms instructor). He told me to go with your method #4. We did spend a good bit of time talking about this issue before we even went onto the range.

And really while others will certainly have differing opinions, the main thing is seeing the front sight. Which you don't seem to have a problem with if I read your post correctly.

The lesson really did help my shooting. Dramatically. I would recommend qualified instruction to anyone. It's always better (more efficient) than trial and error.

Peace,
D.

[ScottQ]

I would say you definately don't want to cock your head off to the side. That sounds to me like it would risk really screwing up your entire shooting stance.

Many competitive shooters close one eye and move on, as your method 4, so if that works for you, I certainly don't see anything wrong with it. That's what i do as well, and I'm also right handed/left eye dominant.

Some folks find that they reach a point where keeping an eye closed is hurting their transition times on competitive target arrays. With practice, they learn to shoot with both eyes open, and ignore the weak/right eye sight picture. I haven't tried this yet, but I'm told that the tape is a good way to start, and as you get better and more comfortable, you can make the tape smaller and smaller until it finally goes away.

At the end of the day, whatever works best for you is the way to go!

Scott

[mullanman]

Don't CLOSE YOUR EYES!!!!!!!!!

Worst thing to do, everytime you shoot anything, yopu'll instinctively close your right eye.

If you were ever in a gun battle, guess what you'd do,,,,,, close your right eye. Talk about not seeing everything you should see......

My friend has the same condition as you, left eye dominant and right handed. His point of aim is different than mine, but he shoots well. There are a few of the top shooters that are left eye dominant.

Just dry fire practice, even use your thumbs and work indexing your left eye. do a little every day and you will soon adapt.

[A_Med]

Originally Posted by mullanman

Don't CLOSE YOUR EYES!!!!!!!!!

Just dry fire practice, even use your thumbs and work indexing your left eye. do a little every day and you will soon adapt.

I'm not sure I know waht you mean by work Indexing the left eye. Can you elaborate???

Thanks.

[therooster]

how are you holding your gun? what kind of stance are you using?

i can easily switch from my left to my right eye without cocking my head, or any of the other things you mentioned.

right eyed, right handed = your gun is in your right hand inline/infront of your right eye.

left eyed, right handed = your gun is in your right hand BUT inline/infront of your left eye.... its only a few inches to the left. why should you cock your head?

if you need a visual i will try to take a pic to demonstrate.

[mullanman]

OK,

Put your hands together as if holding a gun. Point your thumbs up a bit, 1911 style.

Bring your hands about 3" from your eyes. Focus on something about 5-6 feet away. You should see two sets of thumbs, one from your left eye and one from your right. The image to your left is from your right eye and to the right is from your left eye.

In your case focus on the image of your right eye and move your hands out to your normal shootin distance. This will index your left eye.

Next try this with your gun, holding it close to get the image you need and then move the gun out.

You will eventually train yourself to automatically index after a few attempts. You will need to practice this every so often, once ingrained it will be a reflex.

[A_Med]

I guess I didn't describe well enough. I don't actually cock my head to the right I just sort of slide my head to the right until my left eye lines up with the sights. I suppose I could just as easily move the gun right or left but the end result would be the same my head would be closer to one side or the other rather than centered inbetween both arms when they are extended.

[therooster]

Originally Posted by A_Med

I guess I didn't describe well enough. I don't actually cock my head to the right I just sort of slide my head to the right until my left eye lines up with the sights. I suppose I could just as easily move the gun right or left but the end result would be the same my head would be closer to one side or the other rather than centered inbetween both arms when they are extended.

by the way you explain this i assume you use an isosceles stance.

try droping your right leg back, keep your elbows low and bent, shift the gun to the left and turn your head right just a hair. try that and see if its more comfortable.

i think you might just have to change your stance(and maybe your grip) ever so slightly to adjust for being left eye dominant.

Originally Posted by A_Med

I can see my front sights pretty sharp so that isn't the problem. What I can't do well yet is keep both eyes open. If I do I see two rear sights and its confusing. Target is always blurry when focusing on front sight but I can handle that.

focusing on your front site is key. the target will be blurry, thats the way its supposed to be.

you should keep both eyes open. if you are having trouble, then close one eye and shoot a few rounds in a timed sequence, then open your other eye and continue the fireing.

ex.

line up sights close your right eye.
shoot one shot(take your time)
line sights back up
shoot one shot
line sights back up
shoot one shot
line sights back up
open other eye
shoot one shot
line sights back up
shoot one shot
line sights back up

you get the pattern... try to keep the shots constant. 1 shot every 2 seconds or one shot every 3 seconds.

that should help train your eye.

[aiformula]

I've now had 3 different combat shooting instructors tell me to either use method one or go to an eye doctor and have him give me some physical therapy exercises to get my right eye to act as the dominant one.