I totally agree. I can flat out shuck a RH bolt action shooting left. I can lay down multiple shot at distance with accuracy quick no problems
Starting out a young shooter, who's left eye dominant. Got questions..
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My oldest is 5 and I think he is going to be left eye dominant and right handed. He used to do some things left handed, still bats with both when hitting a baseball. He has a 22 crickett with scope and a BB gun and wants to get on them right handed but aim with his left eye.
I can see it being a challenge to teach him to shoot left handed if it feels natural right.
I can see it being a challenge to teach him to shoot left handed if it feels natural right.
UplandFreak
Well-Known Member
ntsqd
Well-Known Member
We Lefty's have to become more ambidextrous than most Righty's do due it being a right-handed world. Some things you just have to do off-handed because there is no other option. Repitition will work out most of the wonkiness and smooth out the motion. I don't know how many bolt actions I have owned over the years, but I have never owned a LH'd anything.
The worst thing that you could do would be to force him to shoot right-handed. My grandfather was forced to be right handed as a child in Canada. He lived to be 97 years old and it still gave him trouble on his last day here.
Improvise, find what technique works the best for him and adapt 'best practice' marksmanship techniques around that.
The worst thing that you could do would be to force him to shoot right-handed. My grandfather was forced to be right handed as a child in Canada. He lived to be 97 years old and it still gave him trouble on his last day here.
Improvise, find what technique works the best for him and adapt 'best practice' marksmanship techniques around that.
I am left eye dominant and a natural lefty but growing up with four rh siblings I was forced to do things rh, bat, throw, write and so on. So I am rh but shoot lh, both bow and rifle. IMHO don't try to force your son to shoot rh. I've shot rh guns all of my life but do now own one lh 22 and two lh 870's.
The basics of good marksmanship are the same no matter what side the bolt handle is on. Savage makes several lh model rifles. If he were mine I'd buy him a Savage MKII GL and let him learn with the 22 rimfire then start him on a axis centerfire.
The basics of good marksmanship are the same no matter what side the bolt handle is on. Savage makes several lh model rifles. If he were mine I'd buy him a Savage MKII GL and let him learn with the 22 rimfire then start him on a axis centerfire.
codyadams
Well-Known Member
I don't think you quite interpereted me correctly, I did not have a one size fits all view by any means, my son is right handed but must shoot left handed in order to see, because of eye issues.
Myself, I have actually never been able to consistently pick a dominant eye, even when I went to the eye doctor to get lasik eye surgery, the doctor was almost frustrated with me, because when we did a standard dominance test, I kept coming up with different eyes, and did not have a consistent winner. However, if I do 10 tests, I am usually evenly torn, but if anything MIGHT favor my right eye, but am left handed with handguns and rifles, I throw a baseball right handed, write with a pencil left handed, and shoot a bow right handed. That last one is funny, because I was 4 years old and wanted to learn to shoot a bow, but my father was away on work, and my mother taught me, and couldn't figure out how to teach me left handed, so she taught me right handed, so therfore I am right handed now ha ha. That certainly isn't one size fits all though, ha ha!!
In a young shooter, they are generally very moldable, if they are not too dominantly right or left handed, I would generally let their eyes pick. If they don't really have a dominant eye, let their handidness pick. If they are like me, and aren't solidly left or right handed, as well as not left or right eye dominant, just let them pick, I suppose. However, if someone is extremely right handed, but can't get their right eye to work, then must be left handed, as eyesight is needed to shoot. If they simply can't seem to function with the side they are dominant with their eyes after a distinct effort, but can still shoot well with cross dominance, let them be. My father is cross dominant, and a very good shot.
My approach is anything but one size fits all, it is likely more fluid than most, I outlined that in less detail in my initial post. He said his son is left handed, and left eye dominant. Why would you even consider switching him? Let him be left handed, and just have the kid learn to use a right handed rifle, if procuring a left handed youth gun is challenging. Then when he gets to an age where he can shoot a full size rifle, switch him to a left handed gun.
I started with a right handed guns, as guns are expensive, and we didn't have the money to buy ones specifically for me to learn. When I was about 8, I got a left handed savage youth .22, then a youth .410 sxs, then a left handed ruger 30-06 full size rifle when I was 11, and used that to kill my first deer. However, I almost purchased a right handed rifle in favor of a .308, we couldn't find any left handed .308's at the time other than a remington sendero, but my dad urged me to go left handed. My next rifle purchase was a right handed 22-250 varmint rifle, then a right handed .17 HMR, then a right handed .308 win (which I still have, but instead chambered in .260AI), then a right handed semi auto shotgun....as a matter of fact the first left handed gun I purchases after I was 11 was 18 years later, when I built myself a custom, and I have never had a hitch.
This is why I urged to have his son learn right handed rifles as well, if you practice with both, in this generally right handed world, being left handed, you will be more adaptive to whatever platform you are using vs. being hindered by only knowing one. From personal observation, when many right handed shooters try to shoot a left handed bolt gun fast, they look clumsy and awkward, and can'tdecide the best way to do it. Hand a well adapted left handed kid a right handed bolt gun, and they will be nearly as fast or faster than a right handed shooter, especially prone from a bipod or other front rest.
milo-2
Well-Known Member
This wont help much for target acquisition pistol shooting, but an eye patch or paper taped over the lense of safety glass of the eye not used works.
One more thought, in the sniper world there are lots of very accomplished shooters who are left handed / left eye dominant that shoot right handed rifles. One of my good friends is a very experienced LE sniper (now retired) who teaches snipers schools and builds custom rifles for LE. He has always used a right hand rifle but shot it left handed and told me that he can manipulate the bolt faster and stay on target better keeping his cheek weld and trigger hand in place and everything stayed connected. I know a few right handed guys that shoot left hand rifles for the same reason, every movement costs time so fewer movements / adjustments mean less time. Having to acquire and adjust the trigger hand to the same position and pressure every shot is time consuming. All of that to say that your son learning on a right hand rifle ain't necessarily a bad thing, plus it make a whole world of rifles available to him often for less money
ntsqd
Well-Known Member
The way that my teacher attempted to teach me to write was an abomination! It was not her fault, it was what she was taught as the way to teach LH'ers. My hand would cramp up after 1/2 a sentence curled around like that. Once I made my hand a mirror image of how she was teaching the RHers to hold their pencils it all worked out.
Except that I can only use a fine point pen because the heel of my hand smears anything else.
KS Shooter2021
Well-Known Member
Sheepdog, I didn't see where you mentioned wether your son was left or right handed. My son is right handed bcouldn't hit the side of a barn when he first started shooting the pellet gun. Like others mentioned with their experiences, he was trying to look with his left eye while holding right handed.
Figured out he was left eye dominate and switched to the left side where he shot well but it still didn't "feel right " as he put it. He used a patch over his shooting glasses and learned to shoot right handed. He is 30 now and shoots everything right handed, even does PRS.
I believe shooting rifles should be based on holding the rifle in a way that feels natural to them first, (either left or right) and train that way with a patch. Eye dominance is not as important when shooting through a scope as it is with pistols or shotguns.
Figured out he was left eye dominate and switched to the left side where he shot well but it still didn't "feel right " as he put it. He used a patch over his shooting glasses and learned to shoot right handed. He is 30 now and shoots everything right handed, even does PRS.
I believe shooting rifles should be based on holding the rifle in a way that feels natural to them first, (either left or right) and train that way with a patch. Eye dominance is not as important when shooting through a scope as it is with pistols or shotguns.
Speaking as one who is right eye dominant but trained to shoot left handed, I have some thoughts based on my experiences.
I did go through a switch from left to right handed shooting in my mid-forties. The improvement in comfort with the rifle and ability to hit with the shotgun was amazing!
While the transition was easy, I do not recommend starting a young shooter the side with the dominant eye. One has to exercise too many compromises when using the wrong side. For example, we are taught to shhot with both eyes open. That's really hard to do when one is obliged to close the dominant eye to see the sights.
Consider a short action Savage or other rifle with left-hand bolt and install an adjustable stock.
Then, if needed, ask yourself and your youngsters "How important is the bolt at this stage?"
One possiblility is to start with a rifle that can readily operate either left or right handed. Then, the younger can start using it as the older one outgrows the first rifle and is ready for the next level.
Under this strategy one can start the 11 yr old with an Encore. Swapping calibers and stocks (e. g. L R cheek rests) is dead easy. Alernatively, a lever or pump gun could work too.
The risk taken is that the older guy may be truly reluctant gve up hs first real rfle and the the younger one may be les than thrilled with a hand-me-down.
The Savage could be a lifetime rifle because swapping calibers an stocks is so easy!
I did go through a switch from left to right handed shooting in my mid-forties. The improvement in comfort with the rifle and ability to hit with the shotgun was amazing!
While the transition was easy, I do not recommend starting a young shooter the side with the dominant eye. One has to exercise too many compromises when using the wrong side. For example, we are taught to shhot with both eyes open. That's really hard to do when one is obliged to close the dominant eye to see the sights.
Consider a short action Savage or other rifle with left-hand bolt and install an adjustable stock.
Then, if needed, ask yourself and your youngsters "How important is the bolt at this stage?"
One possiblility is to start with a rifle that can readily operate either left or right handed. Then, the younger can start using it as the older one outgrows the first rifle and is ready for the next level.
Under this strategy one can start the 11 yr old with an Encore. Swapping calibers and stocks (e. g. L R cheek rests) is dead easy. Alernatively, a lever or pump gun could work too.
The risk taken is that the older guy may be truly reluctant gve up hs first real rfle and the the younger one may be les than thrilled with a hand-me-down.
The Savage could be a lifetime rifle because swapping calibers an stocks is so easy!
About forty ears ago I stumbled on Fred Eager's workbook. The title was something like "Italic Writing for left handed people". It took ahwile, but the heel of my hand is now below the writing. The clarity is a tad better too, but italic cursive can surprise a few folks.
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Yea, archery is much more difficult to master if your dominant body parts dont all gibe . I instructed archery beginners for 14 yrs, as well as alot of seasoned shooters. Its a nightmare to shoot a bow with your less dominant hand in order to use your dominant eye. At the same time, its very critical to keep your dominant eye shut if your shooting with your less dominant eye to appease your dominant hand. If you open your dominant eye while shooting with your less dominant eye, your point of impact can easily shift FEET at 20 yds ! To complicate things further, you loose half of your depth perception and most of your light gathering ability when you shut one eye . It can be pretty frustrating for people not committed to learning and shooting stick and string.
