OK so I understand its a good idea to have both eyes open while shooting {in this case thru a scope} and I'm right handed and I never thought to check to see which eye is dominant. I have always shot right handed right eye dominant. {keep in mind I have only been shooting consistently since I was like 16, I'm 20 now} But the other day I was trying to keep both eyes open while dry firing with little luck, I kept focusing on what my left eye was seeing not what my right eye was. So I switched the eye I was looking thru the scope with{from right to left} and voilà I can see clearly thru the scope with my left eye and I get good peripheral vision with my right eye..... So I'm guessing this means I'm left eye dominant, But this raises a couple issues, for one do I switch which shoulder I have the rifle mounted? or??? In essence do I shoot left handed? And how do I shoot my right handed semi-auto? In other words how do I shoot right handed, left eye thru a scope? I hope all that wasn't too difficult to understand. Thanks Pat
Rifle Scopes Um what do I do?
- Thread starter 396chevy
- Start date
Re: Um what do I do?
I am right handed <span style="font-style: italic">(actually closer to ambi)</span> but left eye dominant as are many good shooters -- Larry Vickers comes to mind. So, it's not the end of the world but will take some practice and training.
I have found for me personally, training the left eye took time and practice, but it can be trained to work correctly.
if you feel you have the dexterity I would try moving to the left more so than the right, but it is not necessary. A good tactical shooter should be able to, without hesitation be able to switch sides without an issue. So, working both sides is a plus.
I find, I am a better shot from the left, but out of habit I shoot from the right 75% of the time. In some cases its a good way to win a bet.
But you can train yourself, sometimes it takes a second to close the left, let the right adjust then open the left, and it will begin to understand it needs to be that way. As well, I would recommend getting your eyes check, as when I wear my glasses I have no issue, the dominance becomes less pronounced.
The choice is yours, but you have more than one direction to explore.
I am right handed <span style="font-style: italic">(actually closer to ambi)</span> but left eye dominant as are many good shooters -- Larry Vickers comes to mind. So, it's not the end of the world but will take some practice and training.
I have found for me personally, training the left eye took time and practice, but it can be trained to work correctly.
if you feel you have the dexterity I would try moving to the left more so than the right, but it is not necessary. A good tactical shooter should be able to, without hesitation be able to switch sides without an issue. So, working both sides is a plus.
I find, I am a better shot from the left, but out of habit I shoot from the right 75% of the time. In some cases its a good way to win a bet.
But you can train yourself, sometimes it takes a second to close the left, let the right adjust then open the left, and it will begin to understand it needs to be that way. As well, I would recommend getting your eyes check, as when I wear my glasses I have no issue, the dominance becomes less pronounced.
The choice is yours, but you have more than one direction to explore.
Re: Um what do I do?
Here is an idea, try dry-fire practice left handed practice, see how that feels, and then give it a go live fire, see how you do.
I am left eye dominant as well, and shoot right handed, the only time I notice a "issue" is when I practice dry-fire excersises indoors. In this scenario, your left eye will focus on the walls, or a close object, the right eye will have a difficult time focusing thru the optic because there is noting to focus on.
Kirk R
Here is an idea, try dry-fire practice left handed practice, see how that feels, and then give it a go live fire, see how you do.
I am left eye dominant as well, and shoot right handed, the only time I notice a "issue" is when I practice dry-fire excersises indoors. In this scenario, your left eye will focus on the walls, or a close object, the right eye will have a difficult time focusing thru the optic because there is noting to focus on.
Kirk R
Re: Um what do I do?
396chevy,
When I started to participate in shotgun competitions back about 20 years ago, I had serious problems with eye dominance.
In my case I had center dominance, or no master eye. If I placed my gun on right shoulder, I was looking down the side of barrel with my left eye. If I placed my gun, on my left shoulder, I was looking down the side of the barrel with my right eye.
It was frustrating. My solution, which also works with cross dominance was a little small piece of sticky plastic called a Magic Dot.
Magic Dot
It fits on the inside of your shooting glasses. It allows you shoot with both eyes open, until you put your head down on stock. Then it clouds, the vision in that offside eye, making your other eye takeover, without losing your peripheral vision in that offside eye.
It does help train the eye you want to dominate your shooting.
Like Frank said, lots of ways to approach this problem.
Bob
396chevy,
When I started to participate in shotgun competitions back about 20 years ago, I had serious problems with eye dominance.
In my case I had center dominance, or no master eye. If I placed my gun on right shoulder, I was looking down the side of barrel with my left eye. If I placed my gun, on my left shoulder, I was looking down the side of the barrel with my right eye.
It was frustrating. My solution, which also works with cross dominance was a little small piece of sticky plastic called a Magic Dot.
Magic Dot
It fits on the inside of your shooting glasses. It allows you shoot with both eyes open, until you put your head down on stock. Then it clouds, the vision in that offside eye, making your other eye takeover, without losing your peripheral vision in that offside eye.
It does help train the eye you want to dominate your shooting.
Like Frank said, lots of ways to approach this problem.
Bob
Re: Um what do I do?
Do the finger test to confirm eye dominance - with both eyes open, hold one finger up on a spot on the wall. Then close one eye at a time. When you close your dominant eye your finger will jump.
Is the quality of your vision the same in each eye? If there is a major discrepancy probably ought to use the better of the two. If there is parity, I would encourage that you shoot from the side that you have the greatest dexterity. Receiving and processing independent inputs while having both eyes open is a brain training thing. Two things that will greatly improve this - action shooting with a pistol and a carbine; esp with a low powered optic like an ACOG. It will force you to receive and process scan inputs from the non optic eye and as you swing to the target, (eventually) make a seamless transition to receiving and processing inputs from the optic eye such that you can execute the shot at speed. Weak side - eye / hand is one of those things that few truly practice. (We like to train on things that we are already good at - however we are all better and faster if we are capable of independent reception and processing of the visual inputs).
Good luck
Do the finger test to confirm eye dominance - with both eyes open, hold one finger up on a spot on the wall. Then close one eye at a time. When you close your dominant eye your finger will jump.
Is the quality of your vision the same in each eye? If there is a major discrepancy probably ought to use the better of the two. If there is parity, I would encourage that you shoot from the side that you have the greatest dexterity. Receiving and processing independent inputs while having both eyes open is a brain training thing. Two things that will greatly improve this - action shooting with a pistol and a carbine; esp with a low powered optic like an ACOG. It will force you to receive and process scan inputs from the non optic eye and as you swing to the target, (eventually) make a seamless transition to receiving and processing inputs from the optic eye such that you can execute the shot at speed. Weak side - eye / hand is one of those things that few truly practice. (We like to train on things that we are already good at - however we are all better and faster if we are capable of independent reception and processing of the visual inputs).
Good luck
Re: Um what do I do?
Um ok I tried the finger test, I held my finger out at arms length and slowly closed each eye, My finger didn't move either way? Am I doing it wrong, and as far as I know my eyesight is fine, haven't had it checked in a couple years if but I remember correctly both were around 20/15-20/16. Thanks Pat
Um ok I tried the finger test, I held my finger out at arms length and slowly closed each eye, My finger didn't move either way? Am I doing it wrong, and as far as I know my eyesight is fine, haven't had it checked in a couple years if but I remember correctly both were around 20/15-20/16. Thanks Pat
Re: Um what do I do?
Try the finger thing again in reverse. Close one eye, pick a point on the wall with your finger, without moving your finger, close the eye that is open and open your other eye - did it jump? If yes, repeat this test starting with both eyes open to determine which one is dominant.
It would be highly unusual for a person not to experience 'jump' if the test were done correctly.
Good luck
Try the finger thing again in reverse. Close one eye, pick a point on the wall with your finger, without moving your finger, close the eye that is open and open your other eye - did it jump? If yes, repeat this test starting with both eyes open to determine which one is dominant.
It would be highly unusual for a person not to experience 'jump' if the test were done correctly.
Good luck
Re: Um what do I do?
Ok I tried that and yes it jumps a tiny bit when I do it that way, So I repeated the test and when I close my left eye my finger moves a tiny tiny bit, and when I close my right my finger does not appear to move. So I guess I'm left eye dominant. I will work on shooting with a few different of the above mentioned methods and see what works for me. Thanks again for all your help, Pat
Ok I tried that and yes it jumps a tiny bit when I do it that way, So I repeated the test and when I close my left eye my finger moves a tiny tiny bit, and when I close my right my finger does not appear to move. So I guess I'm left eye dominant. I will work on shooting with a few different of the above mentioned methods and see what works for me. Thanks again for all your help, Pat
