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I am cross eye dominate. IF you are in the same boat, heres a tip. If you close your left eye...then youll be right eye dominate. if you close your right eye, youll be left eye dominate :lol:
cross dominate eye tip
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only one thing that i can think to say is :128:
:lol3:
:lol3:
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Im the same; cross dominant despite several know-it-all "instructors" telling me it was impossible. Including one bozo who nearly forced me to shoot left-handed until I proved him wrong.
Im left-eye, right hand. Iv found that squinting the left eye will force my right to take over.
Maybe Doug or another instructor here can correct me, but my method is the only one Iv found that works.
Im left-eye, right hand. Iv found that squinting the left eye will force my right to take over.
Maybe Doug or another instructor here can correct me, but my method is the only one Iv found that works.
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Use an opaque occluder or patch over the non-shooting eye. I use a piece of Scotch Magic Tape over the lens of the shooting glasses (over the non-shooting eye). I am not cross eyed dominant and I use this method to cover my non-shooting eye. Never shoot with one eye closed, it causes the shooting eye to have it's pupil dilate the same as the shooting eye. This takes away the sharp focus from your vision. Also, holding the eye shut can fatigue the muscles in the eyelid and detract from concentration in shooting.BigMikeFromOlemiss said:
The Olympic Committee uses this method and they say as long as the non-dominant eye is similar in strength to the dominant eye, the method is as accurate as using the dominant eye for shooting. It is VERY counterproductive to try to have a cross dominant shooter change shooting methods to the other hand (ie: Right handed, left dominant eye to shoot left handed). This method works for stationary targets not for moving targets.
Another method I have seen is using the dominant eye to shoot the pistol. Occlude the non-shooting eye and turn the head slightly and use the dominant eye to sight the pistol. There can be a great deal of difference in sight in zero between the two eyes. You should also use the occluder when using the dominant eye in this manner.
Doug Bowser
Level 2 International Pistol Coach with NRA and USA Shooting
Member of the National Coach Development Staff in Pistol
I've always been cross eye dominant as well. It may not be correct or whatever, but I've always closed my left eye when shooting anything, rifle, shotgun, handgun, bow. I would say that I can hold my own with most. (no experts). I can shoot a traditional bow with no sights pretty good although it looks like I'm aiming way low and right if I let myself think about it too long.
When I run an USPSA course or something similar I shoot w/ both eyes open , but when sighting in on a small or far away target I close my left eye . I have always shot w/ my right eye but I think I am left eye dominant . How do you test for this ? I was told to hold out your thumb and put it in front of something , then close one eye and see w/eye still has the thumb on target . For me it's my left but I shoot w/ my right .
Yeah, the two easiest tests I know of are the one you mentioned - i.e. thumb or finger pointing at something across the room with arm extended, close one eye and see if it is still lined up with the "target", with the non-dominant eye it should move while with the dominant it should not. The other test is to overlap both hands with arms extended, thumb over thumb, to form a small triangle. Put something across the room, like a light switch or door knob in the middle of this triangle and slowly start bringing your hands back toward your eyes, never losing sight of the object in the triangle. The hands/triangle will come back to the dominant eye.
I'm with Mr. Bowser on this one. Try a very small piece of Scotch Tape over the eye that you do not want to use. It really only needs to cover the sights when holding the gun in a firing position and can actually be quite small, assuming you are consistent with your head position when firing. I shoot both eyes open for most things without the tape, but if I am shooting groups or just slow firing, I will sometimes use the tape so I can just relax and shoot. He is exactly right about the down sides of squinting or closing one eye.
I also wouldn't recommend trying to swap shooting hands, as this is much harder to do and generally counterproductive. However, if the dominant eye is stronger, has better vision, or you just want to use it, with a handgun at least and most stances, you can just move the gun over and shoot right handed/left eyed (or vice versa). I know a few shooters that do this and do well. Some use the tape/occluder on the non-dominant eye and some do not.
I'm with Mr. Bowser on this one. Try a very small piece of Scotch Tape over the eye that you do not want to use. It really only needs to cover the sights when holding the gun in a firing position and can actually be quite small, assuming you are consistent with your head position when firing. I shoot both eyes open for most things without the tape, but if I am shooting groups or just slow firing, I will sometimes use the tape so I can just relax and shoot. He is exactly right about the down sides of squinting or closing one eye.
I also wouldn't recommend trying to swap shooting hands, as this is much harder to do and generally counterproductive. However, if the dominant eye is stronger, has better vision, or you just want to use it, with a handgun at least and most stances, you can just move the gun over and shoot right handed/left eyed (or vice versa). I know a few shooters that do this and do well. Some use the tape/occluder on the non-dominant eye and some do not.
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Cross dominance is a PIA until you shoot enough to learn how to shoot both eyes open...
Use the tape as Doug suggests until you can get straight.
For really young shooters...I'd recommend them at least trying to learn to shoot left handed...it is easier to learn to do then than it will be later...
Pretty much impossible as an adult unless you are blessed to be an ambi.
Use the tape as Doug suggests until you can get straight.
For really young shooters...I'd recommend them at least trying to learn to shoot left handed...it is easier to learn to do then than it will be later...
Pretty much impossible as an adult unless you are blessed to be an ambi.
For handguns, I don't think it is a big deal at all. Several top shooters are cross-dominant. Some just shoot with the dominant eye and some use the tape. Brian Enos, although he no longer competes, is cross-dominant, as is David Sevigny, Glock's top shooter. I have heard that David Koenig is, but I don't know that for sure.
I think the only time you might have a problem would be with a shotgun and targets coming from the left side. The left eye may pick it up first and not want to "release". With everything else, it is just something to work on and pay attention to. Besides, you are already doing pretty well so far.
I think the only time you might have a problem would be with a shotgun and targets coming from the left side. The left eye may pick it up first and not want to "release". With everything else, it is just something to work on and pay attention to. Besides, you are already doing pretty well so far.
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I have the cross dominant affliction. I can't shoot with both eyes open. I just have to close my right eye.
For shooting long guns I always recommend learning to shoot left handed. It might feel wierd at first but you'll get used to it.
I'll never forget one day on the zero range I saw a Soldier firing an M16 right handed but cocking her completely side ways so she could try and get her left eye on the sights. When she finally tried it left handed she was able to zero her rifle.
The only thing bad about shooting rifles and shotguns left handed is that most of the controls are not designed to be useful for lefties. Trying to change the magazine in an AR-15 while slinged in is just a PITA.
For shooting handguns I just shoot it with my right hand and sight with my left eye.
For shooting long guns I always recommend learning to shoot left handed. It might feel wierd at first but you'll get used to it.
I'll never forget one day on the zero range I saw a Soldier firing an M16 right handed but cocking her completely side ways so she could try and get her left eye on the sights. When she finally tried it left handed she was able to zero her rifle.
The only thing bad about shooting rifles and shotguns left handed is that most of the controls are not designed to be useful for lefties. Trying to change the magazine in an AR-15 while slinged in is just a PITA.
For shooting handguns I just shoot it with my right hand and sight with my left eye.
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