Left Eye Dominant Right Hand Shooting

[Craig Fosse 286]

Hi guys,

 

Bit of a weird one really but it takes us back about 15 years ago, when I originally started shooting, at my college I used to shoot 22 target and it was only today when looking at shotgun shooting that I remember shooingt left handed but I preferred right, however I got pretty good at shooting left,

 

Now 6 years ago I joined the armed forces and was hammered to shoot right handed, obv because out weapons are all right handed, I never really looked back after that point.

 

A little over a year ago I started rough shooting for the very first time, I only went a few times but majority of the time I stuck with my air rifle. Te club was great but I moved over to jersey in the Channel Islands and the shooting scene is very anti social over here.

 

Recently a 12g has come into my possession and I'm looking at doing a bit of shooting with it, mainly bringing it along with me and while I walk around use the shotgun and keep the air rifle for when I'm sitting down. It's also a different type of shooting which I think I will enjoy.

 

The problem I have is I am left eye dominant after looking at some YouTube tips when I close my right eye after I point at something my finger is bang on however if I close my left my finger is off the object, this making me left eye dominant... I think

 

Now the question is do I start trying to learn to shoot left handed with the shotgun and use the right for air rifles or start over?

 

Also is there anything out there to help me? I'm not a club man and don't want to go to my local clay club, one because I don't have the money to shell out for lessons and two I have had bad experiences with clubs over here before and don't want to get involved.

 

Are there and tricks or tips, where should I start? Does anyone else have this problem?

[gurtwurz 792]

Probably best to ask in the shotgun section craig mate?

[fret78 87]

Interseting. I'm a right handed person but left eye dominant so I shoot and play pool left handed. Mentioned this to a guy at the air rifle range I use (he was a sniper in the army) and he said you can train up your right eye but it doesn't bother me so never asked. I'm there tomorrow so will ask and see what he says pal.

[Craig Fosse 286]

Yer, perhaps I should post in there, just thought there might be some shotgunners in here to who shoot both and someone might have the same problem ?

[Craig Fosse 286]

Cheers fret, been reading and apparently 40% of right hand shooters have the problem which seems alot, apparently it's easier to change hands than train the eye, be interesting to hear people's opinions

[fret78 87]

It just because were are multi talented, and I'm sure it's a sign of intellect!!

[Mrs Mole 74]

I have the same problem...

[fret78 87]

Finally caught up with my pal. Yeah, it's obviously not a problem using a scope as you can just swap hands, which I did the other day and it wasn't that bad. But training your eye takes about a month apparently and means covering your dominant eye to stop it send info to the brain so you rely on the other eye. So you'll have top walk around looking like a pirate for a while I'm afraid. Luckily I only use a scope so am only shooting right handed for a while so I can be ambidextrous in the field..

 

Good luck

[barrywhite 282]

A long time ago I made hand made shot gun and there was a shot gun in for repair made for some one with one eye .when we made the safety mechanism for the guns we first had to set the strap that the safety sits on .This would be about an 1/8 of an inch or so and was was made to measure for the person the gun was being made for .The strap on the gun in for repair had the cast I think it was called set inches so the gun would go into your right shoulder and line up with the shooters remaining left eye .The stock of the gun was a bit like a dogs leg when finished.

[Guest long-tail]

i did read about this problem in the sporting shooter years ago,not 100% sure was long time ago but think the guy cured his problem with a small patch on his shooting glasses over his left eye,when using a shotgun your supposed to keep both eyes open not like rifle shooting,you aim with a rifle you point with a shotgun,like i say not sure exactly you will need to read up on it cheers

[Guest long-tail]

i also think there is a bead you can fit to your shotgun which also helps to correct this,like i say do a bit research mate cheers

[pianoman 3,587]

If you are comfortable shooting off your left shoulder instinctively and accurately, that's where you should shoot from Craig.