Thread: shooting with the non dominant eye.

Hello lads
so tonight , looking to improve my shooting , I came across the dominant eye test.
Low and behold I found myself to be left eye dominant , after all these years using my non dominant eye and right hand for the trigger , left to the front of the barrel.Where I should be the other way around.


is anyone else wired this way , how hard is it too change and should I bother. I get pretty good results the way I am so do I change it up or do I stay the same.

Kinda confused to be honest

Its an interesting situation to be in.

My brother and i were both in this position around 25 years ago - both right handers but left eye dominant.

He stayed shooting right handed, while i shot left handed. The end result was pretty similar, with both grabbibg national clay target titles.

We can both shoot of either shoulder, but i find shooting off my weaker shoulder becomes an issue after a couple of hundred targets.

My suggestion is to go with what works. Try both, but it sounds like what you are doing is working

i'm right eye dominant for rifles but can shoot archery either way.

Originally Posted by gonetropo

i'm right eye dominant for rifles but can shoot archery either way.

If you are left eye dominant and shoot archery right handed you will be sighting across the arrow unless you shut your left eye?! This is why I swapped to left hand with a bow and started shooting well. Unfortunately this led to left handed rifles.

Bring back semis...

Originally Posted by 300CALMAN

If you are left eye dominant and shoot archery right handed you will be sighting across the arrow unless you shut your left eye?! This is why I swapped to left hand with a bow and started shooting well. Unfortunately this led to left handed rifles.

Bring back semis...

not necessarily....Im right eye dominant but can easily use left hand bow righthanded.....its how hollywood shows old school bows used eg arrow on right side of bow for right hander...gave me quite a shock to see I was supposed to have arrow on left of bow...
and I simply wink my left eye in most shooting situations...

I shoot right handed, but am left eye dominant. I have this weird ability to shut just my left eye.

Pistol shooting is more interesting, if I shoot one-handed with outstretched arm then I use my left eye, which is an advantage as it moves my eyes further from the sights. If I shoot two-handed, I just keep both eyes open, the sights just align with left eye just like when you did your eye dominance test.

Like said above, play. Why not teach yourself to shoot left and right handed? But it always feels daft to shoot a right hand bolt action left handed, I cringe every time I see Ian Gun Jesus do it on Forgotten Weapons.

I'm left eye dominant but shoot right handed thanks to an informative childhood and a grandfather who was opinionated in that regard. Nowadays I can shoot either side equally poorly but still have to close my left eye off the right shoulder or I get the wrong sight picture.

I'm right handed, left eye dominant, and shoot left handed on a right hand rifles.

Confused? I'm not.

@Cyclops Is that left hand/finger pulling the trigger ?
The reason I am confused is I have using my right eye for sighting for along time , it feels unco sighting around the other way with the gun .

Originally Posted by Jusepy

@Cyclops Is that left hand/finger pulling the trigger ?
The reason I am confused is I have using my right eye for sighting for along time , it feels unco sighting around the other way with the gun .

Left hand for trigger, right hand for bolt. Left eye for scope.

Do what works for you.

Originally Posted by Cyclops

Left hand for trigger, right hand for bolt. Left eye for scope.

Do what works for you.

Thank God for semis. Eh...

I'm the same as Cyclops, I use a right handed rifle on my left side. My right eye doesn't see much so what else is a right handed lad to do... It works.

Well I’m right I dominant, right handed but left footed? I was taught to shoot with both eyes open? Is both eyes open not common?

@Maca49

Before i got into a bit of competition shooting it was one eye closed all the time...spent some time watching and listening to various “top” shooters who were ranked way above me,....the conclusion,use whatever suits you best,...our eyesights,between others can be measured,other things cant....I spent a lot of time practicing with both eyes open and now it just seems like muscle memory ......some swear by it ,but ive seen one-eyed shooters ,shoot the pants off those that keep both open......

One way ive practiced is with the use of a spotting scope,whilst checking targets at a distance,any really.....check with the left eye,keep the right eye open but cover it with your right hand(blocking the vision)....then vice versa...its help me “train” my eyes ....best way i can put it.......given to me by a shooting instructor to try ..it works for me.....same with skeet shooting,I switch from left handed to right handed,as I keep both eyes open ,it trains both eyes

Originally Posted by Maca49

Well I’m right I dominant, right handed but left footed? I was taught to shoot with both eyes open? Is both eyes open not common?

Left handed...left eye dominant.....practice often right handed using right eye......results are varied but have surprised myself several times,on long range shoots doing just as good right handed as opposed to being naturally left handed.As stated above,I keep both eyes open,very seldom close one

I’m required to have vision tests every 6 months,there is a difference between the left and right eye(normal),not a lot,and for that very reason I practice with both left and right shooting positions...