Left eye dominant, right handed?

[Sandstrom]

In getting my 6 year old started with BB guns and bows, I found out that he is left eye dominate and right handed. He bats, golf’s, and throws right handed. He skates goofy footed and plays hokey left handed. I am looking for suggestions on how to proceed. After I had him switch to left handed for bow and BB gun, he seams to do alright at it and aiming for both looks more natural. Should I look into “retraining” his eye or just get him a chopped left handed 223 Tikka?
Thanks,
Ryan

 

[03mossy]

Just go left handed. 3 of my kids are right handed for everything but left eye dominant. They all shoot guns and bows lefty and kill stuff just fine.

 

[wind gypsy]

I'd probably have them go left handed. Build in that muscle memory and coordination now. I'm right handed and left eye dominant. Since I was 5 it's always been "just close your left eye". It works but would be a lot cooler if I could just do everything with both eyes open like a person ought to. Would be hard to train in decades of right handed coordination to my left side now. Even though my left eye is clearly dominant, my right eye wants to take over when doing stuff left handed because it's been the one aiming for so long.

 

[TSAMP]

Same as others above. I'm a real shark at the pool table switching between RH and LH. Really swoons the ladies.

Your boy will be fine.

 

[Wrench]

I'm left eye and foot dominant but right handed. Once I learned to shoot both eyes open it helped....a lot.

 

[Dos Perros]

I'd go left handed. I'm fighting it with my son now, he's adamant he wants to shoot a rifle right handed. I catch him trying to look through the scope with his left eye.

 

[bowhiker88]

I am cross dominant and I shoot my bow right handed with my non dominant eye. I shoot a right handed bolt action rifle left handed with my dominant eye. The issues or complications typically arise with rifles and pistol shooting not with archery. I am right handled in almost everything else but can shoot a pool cue both left and right handed although left is my dominant side. Stems from my inability to close or squint my left eye without obstructing my right eye when I was a child.

 

[bowhiker88]

People have told me to switch to lefty for archery but I started shooting when I was in my early 20s and at that time I had developed greater motor function on my right side. Can’t imagine drawing a bow and executing a shot with my left arm and hand. When I began shooting a bow I could squint my eye better than when I was a kid shooting pellet guns so righty for archery was natural and not a question. I’ll likely never be able to cycle a rifle as fast as others given my stability arm and shoulder is used to hit the bolt on a right handed gun. However my trigger hand remains on the rifle at all times and if I have a stable shooting platform I can make up for speed there. I always said I’d get a left handed rifle once I figured out what I liked to shoot. Having the shell fall into your arms or down your jacket isn’t great also

 

[Nickziegler]

Go lefty. I'm right handed but left eye dominant and my dad started me off right handed. I struggled shooting clays when I was young. We found out I was left eye dominant and switched and greatly improved.

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[Dos Perros]

Can’t imagine drawing a bow and executing a shot with my left arm and hand.

I bet in one weekend you could make the switch and have it feel natural. That's how it was for me, at least, age 35.

 

[bowhiker88]

I bet in one weekend you could make the switch and have it feel natural. That's how it was for me, at least, age 35.

It feels natural right handed. Over time I was able to squint my left eye and I wear contacts now so vision isn’t an issue. I still can’t look through a scope right eyed though. Can’t get in the eye box

 

[Fisherhahn]

I’m going to say the opposite of most everyone else and say just have him close the left eye. I’m the exact same way, most everything right handed except hockey and skated goofy( a long time ago) More right hand options for guns and bows without the need to special order anything. At 50, I’ve killed a few animals over the years with gun and bows and never felt I’d be able to shoot any better with both eyes open. If there were any vision problems involved I might think different, but I just close the left eye and shoot away.

 

[TxxAgg]

Tagged. My kid is the same

 

[Balderdash]

I, too, am right handed with left eye dominant. I shoot left handed. Has always felt natural. Tried RH several times years back but it didn't work out at all.

My brother is left handed, but right eye dominant. He shoots RH, and is an exceptional wingshot.

IMO, you gotta follow the master eye, especially if shotgunning is ever going to be on the table.

 

[bojangles808]

I’m going to say the opposite of most everyone else and say just have him close the left eye. I’m the exact same way, most everything right handed except hockey and skated goofy( a long time ago) More right hand options for guns and bows without the need to special order anything. At 50, I’ve killed a few animals over the years with gun and bows and never felt I’d be able to shoot any better with both eyes open. If there were any vision problems involved I might think different, but I just close the left eye and shoot away.

Same with you Im left dominent and do everything rh. shoot rifle right and bow right and surf goofyfoot shoot skeet rh and just close my left eye. Especially with archery the muscle memory would be a tough switch being rh side dominant. If it's a kid though you might as well try and get them to switch but don't think it's a huge deal.

 

[Marshfly]

Go lefty from the start. I thought my kid was right eye'd at first then when he was 10 figured out he was left eye'd while right handed. Swapped him to lefty bow and rifle and the difference was pretty large in the comfort for him.

 

[willtim]

For rifles it doesn't matter. For shotgunning it is critical to shoot off your dominate eye. It is very easy to train a child.

 

[Marshfly]

For rifles it doesn't matter. For shotgunning it is critical to shoot off your dominate eye. It is very easy to train a child.

I think it matters more than people assume. Comfort is a large part of precision shooting and shooting well. Also it is a large factor in getting in position for a quick shot when needed. Being able to simply calm the non-dominant eye rather than actively think to close the dominant eye is a significant difference.

 

[bigeyedfish]

I shoot right handed even though my left eye is dominant. Not sure how much potential I'm leaving on the table, but I do alright. At least two of my kids are the same, but I'm going to get them shooting left handed from the start. There's no sense making it more difficult for them.

 

[EastHumboldt]

I’m right handed, left eye dominant. Learned to shoot right handed 55 years ago and I don’t have to consciously think to close the left eye, but it would be handy to leave both eyes open.

As a guitar player I’m very dexterous with my left hand. I think a person should learn to shoot a rifle with either hand. I’ve never had to do it but I’ve seen situations where a sitting shot with the knees as a tripod would have been a lot easier left handed. I’m going to work on it this year.