Cross Dominance and sights

[ScoutMan]

I am one of those unfortunate individuals who has a strong left eye but is right handed.

It seems that I have to "squint" the dominant eye no matter which type of sight I am using (ghost ring, conventional placement scope or scout scope)

Does this condition mitigate the advantanges of the scout scope.

I guess I can never be a skeet champion, because I cannot shoot with both eyes open.

Observations and experiences are invited.

SM

[dukkillr]

I'm the same as you, right handed, left eye dominate... it's surprisingly common.  You can train your dominate eye to be stronger with glasses.  A slight film on your weak eye will teach your strong eye to always dominate the sight line.  

Of course unless you quail hunt or skeet shoot it'll never make a bit of difference if you just close your right eye.  It'll never have any effect on shooting with a scope.

Someone once told me that there were several great golfers with this situation.  They believed it was an advantage because it allowed them to line up their strong eye over the ball while hiting with their strong (right) hand.  I don't play golf, so take it for what it's worth.

[longwalker]

I know this will sound crazy, but have you ever tried to shoot left handed? It may surprise you. First try shooting a rifle or pistol at targets using your left eye and with both eyes open. 22LR is great for this. When you are more comfortable try clay targets.  

I play this game several times a year, shooting from the "weak side".

longwalker

[dukkillr]

I may have misread.  I assumed that you were shooting left handed but that your right eye was strong enough (although dominate) to cause you to see down the side of the sight line.  If you are left eye dominate and still shooting right handed, absolutely switch.  You'll be amazed how much more natural it feels.

[grousehunter]

I have been shooting since I was 8, in 1961 and found out I was L eye dominate about 67! tried diff. guns and diff. things, only to finally make the switch to shoot Lefty about 1970! accuracy improved drastically and in 73, the USMC tried to switch me back with no luck! eye patches and everything were tried, but nothing worked! hey gave yp and accepted that I was a sharpsooter L Handed and was not no where near R handed!! bite the bullet and switch, YOU WILL NEVER REGET IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Graybeard]

First up there are NO advantages to a scout scope arrangement. You're using a pistol scope on a rifle. DUMB. Use a low power rifle scope and have three times the FOV.

I guess I can never be a skeet champion, because I cannot shoot with both eyes open.

Observations and experiences are invited.

So why can't you be a skeet champion? I was and I have a left master eye, shoot off my right shoulder AND with both eyes open. Oh yeah it's tough to learn but learn I did. I've run my share of 100s and won a lot of skeet championships. On my best week end I took three gun championships, one class championship and high over all. I've never quite matched that performance again but I have a ton of trophies from shotgunning and also shot games for money and took plenty of that home also. All shooting off the right shoulder in spite of having a left master eye.

It can be done.

[Val]

I have the same problem. With scoped rifles I close the left eye which I don't believe is a problem. With my shotgun, about a year ago I put some scotch tape on the left lens of my shooting glasses which causes the right eye to become dominate since you can't see the gun barrel with the left eye. It took me about three outings to get used to shooting with both eyes open. My trap and skeet scores improved quite a bit (particularly skeet). I think it's because my target acquisition improved. I haven't tried the scotch tape on iron sighted rifles yet.

[ScoutMan]

Val,

You're probably right. The answer might be right under my nose.

The question is, can you use the taped left eye throughout a day of hunting activity. How much of the left eye do you need to cover. Can you do other activities outside of shooting without much difficulty.

I'm thinking of setting up a pair of safety glasses that way.

Your thoughts.


SM

[Val]

Scoutman,
I've used the taped left lens out in the field while dove, duck and quail hunting. It wasn't a problem. You need to tape on the right side of the left lens. I have tape out to about half the lens. This helps my target acquisition at skeet because I can pick up targets coming from the left much quicker. Also, with both eyes open you have depth perception. Put some tape on and then practice mounting the shot gun several times with both eyes open. You should not be able to see the gun barrel with the left eye. The right eye will automatically take over. When not actually out in the field looking for birds I put on my regualr glasses or sunglasses. About my third outing using the taped lens and both eyes open, I noticed my scores improving.

[ScoutMan]

Thanks Val.

I'll give it a try.


SM