new shooter question

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AndytheAxe
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Joined: Mon Aug 18, 2008 10:29 pm

new shooter question

Post by AndytheAxe »

I've started teaching a friend how to shoot, She's a lefty but right eyed. I am too but I learned to shoot right-handed because my dad's right handed. She was wondering if there's a way to shoot a pistol left handed with her right eye. She's not accustomed to .38 or .45 yet though the Remington 1911 was her second favorite gun to shoot. So assuming guns that don't kick so much like .22 revolver or '03 pocket hammerless, is there a way she could do it? And when she does get comfortable, is there a way she could do it with the more middle power rounds?

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That's her with her fave gun to shoot, my savage .22 and before anyone asks, she has a boyfriend.
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Erik
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Re: new shooter question

Post by Erik »

I'm right handed and left eye dominant. I just shoot that way, and so far it works well for me.

When I took my first shooting lesson, I was taught to shoot two handed, and just tilt the gun left, so the sights would be in line with the left eye.
When I started target shooting here, with one hand, I started trying to close my left eye, and use my right eye, and that worked ok until we started doing duel shooting where I only had 3 seconds to aim and fire. After a while, I just decided to aim with the left eye, and tilt my head a little to help with alignment, and I have been doing it that way since.

I've done it this way with .22, .45ACP and .44Mag, and allthough I'm no expert, I dont feel there's much problem doing it that way. Once I decided to do it that way, and adjusted for it, it worked a lot better than trying to work around it by keeping one eye closed.

Maybe someone with more expertise than me can offer better suggestions, but it works for me. And I've read online that there are more than one top shots that do it that way too.
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kparker

Re: new shooter question

Post by kparker »

I'm right handed and left eye dominant. I just shoot that way, and so far it works well for me.
Same here; no problems. With handguns, that is--rifles, of course, are a problem, but I just use my right eye for rifle-shooting. Apparently I'm not that strongly left-eyed as it seems to work.
SleepTech7777

Re: new shooter question

Post by SleepTech7777 »

I guess I'm weird.

I shoot long arms Left handed exclusively, left eyed.

I greatly preffer shooting hand guns right handed, right eyed.

I can shoot hand guns left handed and left eyed, but preffer the right.

I once tried to shoot a long gun right handed and my dad said I looked like a crippled cattawampus trying to screw a rabid pitbull upside down. I don't know what a cattawampus is, but I never tried it again.

For now I'll stick to Long Arms Left, Hand Guns Right.
BadgerVet
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Joined: Tue Aug 19, 2008 1:32 pm

Re: new shooter question

Post by BadgerVet »

I'm right handed, left eye also.

I tilt my head slightly for the handguns, rifle I squint my left eye, shotgun I swing, follow through, and hope I get a piece of it.
Rich Jordan
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Re: new shooter question

Post by Rich Jordan »

Strongly right handed, left eye by necessity; right eye no worky so good since birth. Shooting a bow is difficult, but so far the only problems with long guns are those that like to kick hot brass back in my face, or are more difficult to operate lefty. Pistols, I cant my head over a bit and bring the right arm over to the left a bit.

I should really just train to use my left hand for pistols. I do a bit of practice when I can make it to a range (got timed out today; 2+ hour wait for lanes...) but not consistently.
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First Shirt
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Re: new shooter question

Post by First Shirt »

My son is right-handed, but left-eye dominant. He shoots a rifle left-handed (well enough to graduate from the Army sniper course at Ft Benning) but shoots a pistol right-handed while aligning the sights with his left eye. It looks a little odd, but seems to work OK.

When shooting a pistol weak hand, I tilt my head a little to the right, and use my left eye to sight. Shooting a rifle right handed, I miss a lot.
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Aglifter
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Re: new shooter question

Post by Aglifter »

I'm also left-eye, right handed... Er, well I'm mostly ambidexterous, but I shoot right handed. I'll try to figure out a head tilt for pistols -- for shot-guns, I've learned to just blink my left eye shut -- FYI, DO NOT teach yourself to shoot a bow left handed in this situation -- I can still revert to shutting my right eye at times.
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Combat Controller
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Re: new shooter question

Post by Combat Controller »

It seems Right Hand/Left Eye predominates... I wonder if it has to do with physiology... I instructed a few new shooters over Christmas and they were all Right/Lefts... Like me....
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Aglifter
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Re: new shooter question

Post by Aglifter »

According to a complete rumor, it's due to batting right handed at a young age.
And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm Reliance on the Protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our Fortunes, & our sacred Honor

A gentleman unarmed is undressed.

Collects of 1903/08 Colt Pocket Auto
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