Dominant Eye Shooting Question...

[MnPNewbie]

I'm pretty new to long gun shooting. I'm right handed. I do everything right handed and am generally pretty consider myself pretty spastic with my left hand. However, ever since I've been a kid playing with toy rifles, and even trying archery, left handed has felt like a more natural position for me. Plus, I'm left eye dominant and my left eye is my far better far sighted eye. So, with all that in mind, I assumed I'm a left handed rifle shooter. However, after a lot of trying to shoot left handed, I didn't feel like I could hold steady and get a good trigger squeeze and my results were terrible. I changed to right handed, and although initially awkward, my shooting results were much better and I feel my hands are steadier.

I've always that I should shoot long guns based on my dominant eye. I'm also concerned that at distance, my right eye isn't as strong. What do the experienced shooters out here say? Should I stay left handed and work on it until I'm steady, or do I stay with my natural side and shoot righty?

[bluetrane2028]

I'm very right handed and very left eyed.

Pistols, I shoot right handed but line the gun up with the left eye.

Rifles, I shoot left handed, although I originally learned and am proficient also at shooting right handed, I just have to close an eye, where left handed I do not.

[JAKIII]

I've always that I should shoot long guns based on my dominant eye. I'm also concerned that at distance, my right eye isn't as strong. What do the experienced shooters out here say? Should I stay left handed and work on it until I'm steady, or do I stay with my natural side and shoot righty?

No, your dominant eye is not necessarily your strongest eye... it's just the eye the pair favors/gravitates to. This is only an issue when shooting with both eyes open (shotguns and some with pistols). Continue to shoot the rifle right handed, close your left eye and you should be fine.

[MnPNewbie]

My dominant eye is my stronger eye, in that it is my far sighted eye....

[JAKIII]

My dominant eye is my stronger eye, in that it is my far sighted eye....

Then I suggest you wear your prescription glasses when shooting right handed, or switch to your left shoulder as a last resort (certainly not the best option for some).

[Yellowfin]

A fair question to ask is what kinds of rifles are you shooting that you have trouble handling? Some are decidedly easier to switch up with than others.

[Hawk]

Just like pistols, with rifles you need to focus sharply on the front site not on the target. The target should always be somewhat out of focus. Shoot the side that feels right. I'm left handed and right eye dominant. I shoot left handed. My prescription for my aiming eye is so I can focus on the front sight. I just close or squint my non-aiming eye to let the aiming eye take over.

[bogey1]

I keep both eyes open.

[gracenrich]

Same thing left eye dominant and right handed.
For a pistol i slightly cant the gun to my left eye.
That's what works for me.
Might be worth a try?

[twency]

Not really an answer, just a comment:

I'm right-handed and right-eye-dominant, but my left eye is noticeably stronger (clearer) even with best correction. I usually shoot pistols right-handed but left-eyed, with my right eye closed. I know you're supposed to keep both open but I have a lot of trouble fighting the eye dominance.

I rarely shoot rifles, but when I do I shoot right-eyed because holding them lefty is too awkward.