Eye Dominance

[Hakaman]

Here's a unique question I just emailed the president of our service rifle league.
I feel a little silly, but I'm somewhat of a beginner.
This is the situation I emailed, what do you think:

Jim,
I am right handed, and have been all my life. I have just realized that I am left eye dominate.
I shoot pistol with my left eye open, but shoot rifle (service rifle) with my right eye open.
Being right handed, I assumed shooting with my right hand/eye was the thing to do ?
My scores haven't been so good in the league, and I am wondering if you think that switching
to "left handed positions" is the way to go. This will allow me to use my left eye.
I feel I am very competitive and capable of scoring better, but just can't seem to get it to work, coincidentally?, with my right eye.
Could this possibly be a reason why ?

Hakaman

[Medicine Hat]

Hi Hakaman,
I am left eye dominate. My right eye vision since birth is 2/200 even with corrective lenses. I was trained to use my right hand to write when in grade school (my first grade teacher - in a one room country school- happened to be an old Aunt who believed all kids should be right handed).It's been a long time ago. Any way, I instinctively shoot handguns right handed, long guns left handed, and have done so since I was 6 years old. I do many things left handed, some right handed, and I'm generally OK using either hand for many things. Pretty much, I'm ambi-clumsy.
If you learn to shoot long guns left handed, it may be awkward at first, but once the muscle memory gets established, it will be pretty natural, and I think your scores will be improved at the range. Just some thoughts.
Try it, if it doesn't work, you've lost nothing.
Also, it gives you a good excuse to buy lots of new guns like levers, left hand (the correct side anyway) bolts, slide actions, and things like the Ruger #1, and Winchester high walls. Just think of the benefits.

[Hakaman]

This is about the best I've done this year in "Service Rifle" on slow fire prone.
Only missed the black 3 out of 20 shots, and no misses. Not impressive for
experienced shooteers, but I'm trying to get 'em all in the black.
I'm gonna try left handed to see how it goes. Like you said, nothing to lose !

H
a
k
a

[Medicine Hat]

It will be awkward at first, but gets better. I've done it so long left hand that when I even try to put a rifle butt to my right shoulder, it really feels weird. I would suggest if you are going to try it, to not worry too much about accuracy until the new position feels pretty good, and natural.

[blue68f100]

I'm ambi for most every thing. My eyes be side be old and tired give me fits at time. I have learned to shoot with both eyes open for most every thing. What happens to me is sometime my eye will switch dominance. I have learned to blink the eye I do not want to take dominance then the other take over. Make it pretty easy when you want to shoot lefty.

One thing you may try is put some scotch tape over the eye/lens that you do not want dominance. The will make it out of focus and the other should take over.

[Tbag]

Had my first cataract surgery at 46 on my left eye, had to wait at least year before I was allowed to do my right eye. Boy did that screw up my head with which eye was dominate. At 49 I am still working to get my right eye to over take my left but it's finally starting to work.