My daughter is right handed but left eye dominant. What's the consensus on learning to shoot a rifle? Teach her the proper method? (Ie. right handed shooting). Or teach her how to worship the devil? (ie. doing anything left handed)
New shooter; right handed, left eye dominant . . .
- Thread starter Spitz
- Start date
genesis273
Well-known member
It's easier to switch your shooting eye than hand. Tape her left eye shut with duct tape. That'll work. Well, maybe a cool pirate eye patch would be better suited.
noharleyyet
Well-known member
Same here spitz...used to shoot wrong handed but made my self come to the light, Takes some time but worth it IMO for the advantages dominant muscle control aids dexterity.
Topgun 30-06
Active member
Experts would say to turn her around and have her shooting from the left side using her dominant eye, especially if she plans on using a shotgun in the future for wing shooting!
putm2sleep
New member
Great question - my daughter has this syndrome too I think?
She is 6 and getting into softball this summer, and using both sides of the plate to hit. Throws right. She tends to want to hold and shoot lefty?
My son let her use a sling shot out back here, and she is a natural, I guess rocks are cheap and she can train her dominance with the old school method.
She is 6 and getting into softball this summer, and using both sides of the plate to hit. Throws right. She tends to want to hold and shoot lefty?
My son let her use a sling shot out back here, and she is a natural, I guess rocks are cheap and she can train her dominance with the old school method.
Steelsearchin
Well-known member
I was cursed with the same genetics...
Dad forced me through archery, .22s, and eventually shotgunning from my left side. Thirty years later I couldn't be more thankful. I think controlling the point of aim with my dominant hand helps out big time regardless of the weapon.
Best of luck!
Dad forced me through archery, .22s, and eventually shotgunning from my left side. Thirty years later I couldn't be more thankful. I think controlling the point of aim with my dominant hand helps out big time regardless of the weapon.
Best of luck!
That's how I am too. Right handed but left eye dominant. Anytime Im shooting shotguns or free-handed I shoot right but if I need to make a really long or very precise shot with a good rest, Im better going left. For youngsters I think learning proper form and technique are more important than pinpoint accuracy so I would teach based on hand. When it comes to baseball, I throw right and hit much better from the right side of the plate but I bunt a lot better left handed, kind of weird I guess.
dcopas78
Well-known member
My dad is right-handed, left eye dominant. He shoots everything left-handed. He tried to train himself to shoot right-handed but couldn't hit the broad side of a barn.
spook12
New member
Muscle memory is learned. Eye dominance can't be unlearned. Always,always,always train to the dominate eye.
idahofishnhunt
Well-known member
I have two kids like that..so they've both learned to shoot left handed. A lot easier then trying to change your eye dominance.
Same situation with my older son. I didn't really catch it until I bought him a BB/pellet gun. He held it fine, but couldn't hit squat. It wasn't until I had him aim it at me did I realize he was tilting his head over the stock to use his left eye. Switched to lefty and he starting hitting what he aimed at and was MUCH more excited about shooting. He'll still occasionally pick up a gun (NERF, BB, etc) and start to mount it right handed, but switches as soon as he starts to aim! One thing I found that helps my son is, if possible, to start them with a red dot sight. They can keep both eyes open and it's paralax free which helps with not having a super consistent mount until they get more comfortable using their non-dominant hand. He's got one on his bb/pellet gun and I'll be putting on on a .357 Mag single shot rifle for him to try deer hunting this fall.
There are fewer options in lefthanded guns/bows, but still plenty to be able to adequately outfit a person for anything they'd hunt. IMO/E where it stings is on the cheaper end of stuff and catching bargains on used stuff. That said, I'll gladly pay the difference to outfit him with something that works better for him.
There are fewer options in lefthanded guns/bows, but still plenty to be able to adequately outfit a person for anything they'd hunt. IMO/E where it stings is on the cheaper end of stuff and catching bargains on used stuff. That said, I'll gladly pay the difference to outfit him with something that works better for him.
putm2sleep
New member
Good thread and info boys!
CILhunter
New member
My older daughter and my wife are both right handed and left eye dominant -my daughter to the point that she can't really close her left eye while keeping the right open. My daughter actually shoots better from the left (both rifle and bow) than from the right. My wife doesn't have much interest in shooting, so has not done it enough to determine which she shoots better.
My younger daughter is "normal" (which we did not think would be the case), and is a good rifle and slug gun shot.
My younger daughter is "normal" (which we did not think would be the case), and is a good rifle and slug gun shot.
Wonder what the stats are for left eye dominant people vs right eye dominant? Another factor to remember is shooting lefty with some right handed guns opens you up for issues in the case of a gas leak. For safety purposes I have converted to all lefthanded rifles for the most part. Good to see so many people catching the kids eye dominance early.
Agreed on the safety issue. Mine will have a lefty bolt action when it's his time. A 6.5-06, well broken in, would be perfect in a few years...
