[Otis]

I have been shooting handguns for a few years. Just recently have been getting more and more interested in competition. I have always been a decent shot. I can score an average of 97% in the police qualification but lately I have been concentrating on form and function of my shooting skills. As I have stated in the title I am one of the cursed right handed people that have left eye dominance.
My problem is this, the last few times at the range I have been noticing I have been consistently shooting left. I figured it was my new XDm but I had my buddy try it and he was balls on. (Isn't it frustrating when your friends can shoot your new gun better than you)? Any way I came home and after cleaning I was doing a bit of dry firing and was paying particular attention to my form and what happens when I pull the trigger. In order to utilize my left eye when I shoot right handed I am noticing that the pistol is not in line with my forearm and when I pull the trigger my hand naturally tries to line up the gun, therefore, shooting a bit left.

I know there are others out there that have this same curse and am hoping that someone has worked through this problem. Looking for a few tips to correct.

Thanks
Otis

 

[Red82]

I'm the same way but what I think you need to do... if you aren't... is turn your head to the right so your left eye looking straight down your arm and the sights. Just a thought.

 

[Polymerhead]

Eye dominance shouldn't matter when shooting handguns. I'm a righty with left-eye dominance, no biggy. The gun will naturally align with your left eye, don't fight it.

On the sporting clays course, it's a curse because I'm so left-dominant I have to close that eye and then I lose depth perception as well as being hampered at left-right crossers since I can't pick them up early.

If you're shooting left, you're probably "pushing" the trigger. Clear the gun, then concentrate on solidly gripping the pistol and pull the trigger slowly. Repeat until the muzzle doesn't move at all when you break the trigger. Then load up and shoot a slow string just like that, focusing on squeezing every shot and not moving the gun. You'll probably be back on target.

 

[Loves2Shoot]

It is very common, many great shooters have been (and are) cross dominant. Brian Enos' book, "Beyond the Fundamentals" covers it well.

 

[tialloydragon]

I'm backwards from you (left handed, right eye dominant.) I also have the same problem in terms of my performance, except reversed (if I shoot with both eyes open, I shoot consistently to the right.)

I compensate, at least while I'm target shooting, be closing my right eye and lining up the sights with my right eye.

One other option utilized by many cross dominant shotgun shooters is to put a piece of tape on the shooting glass's lens covering your dominant eye. This will blur your dominant eye and force you to focus with your weaker eye while still keeping both eyes open. They also make reusable stick-ons that do the same thing.

 

[mrhonky]

I'm left handed/left dominant but I shoot right handed. I also shoot slightly left when I forget (for lack of a better term) that fact. :lol:

 

[FunkyD]

I'm a southpaw but seem to be right-eye dominant. This sucks trying to fire a rifle.

 

[Bowser4x4]

Same as you: Right Handed but left eye dominant.... I have not noticed a problem with shooting left with my handguns, but I may be auto correcting without noticing it. As far as long guns are concerned, I shoot left handed and think that by using my strong arm to support the weapon, I shoot better. Of course there are drawbacks....trying to find weapons in LH is difficult, my shotguns eject across my face, and I have had to have all the safetys changed to LH.

Next time I hit the range, I'll see if I am correcting from a left push, but dry firing just now, I don't seem to be.

Woof
Bowser

 

[tigertonytigger]

I shoot with a guy who is the same as you, right handed but left eye dominant. He shoots rifles left handed but shoots hand guns right handed. He is great with hand guns, I am going to watch him next time we shoot and ask what he does. I am like a girl throwing a ball when i shoot with my other hand. I couldn't hit a barn if I was inside the barn. Something I need to practice on. Also want to learn how to shoot with both eyes open, I just can not figure that one out, even with my AR with a red dot scope, I can't focus when both eyes are open.

 

[RogueXD]

I shoot the same way... But I have not tried to correct it, better to increase training than try to start over... IMO

 

[cypress]

I'm left handed but right eye dominant. I just learned to shoot right handed, since thats how I learned to shoot rifles. I have tried shooting lefthanded sighting with my dominant eye but didn't see much improvement.

However I might try the trick of covering my dominant eye and shooting left handed since I actually get a sharper front sight picture with my left eye. Ofcourse in SHTF situation, I would probably naturally resort to using my dominant eye.

 

[jar0023]

I'm right handed, left eye dominant...sort of. Sometimes my right eye will take over. One solution is to close the right eye, but i prefer to shoot and shoot better with both eyes open. When shooting with both eyes open many times I will see two front sights. Turning my head to the right does not work consistantly.

What does work is to tilt my head to the right. My theory is this drops my right eye below the "line-of-sight" to the front sight. Bingo! One front sight and improved groups.

I've read internet posts about a former champion pistol competitor who always competed with his pistol canted over to 45*. Same affect to get the weak-side eye off the same plane as the sights.

Try tilting not turning. I'll think you'll like the results.

J