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The Battle of the Eyes Continues, and a Question for the Trainers.

1K views 14 replies 12 participants last post by  azagthoth 
#1 ·
I don't know if you'll remember the posts or not, but a while back I posted regarding my eye dominance issues. (Left eye dominant, but right handed.)

Well I've gotten to the point that when shooting with both eyes open isn't so difficult, it's even becoming more natural.

So today while still putting my Sig through the paces a little more I decided to play with my .22 and started doing some shooting, I got my sights adjusted back where they need to be, something I've been meaning to do for a while now, and fired a couple of strings of week hand (Off hand for you PC folks, but it's my hand and I can call it what ever I want to.)

The results were a lot different than I thought they'd be. I'm not going to post all of my targets, just my last two, both at 10 yards.

*note, I know there's more than six holes on the .22 target, I miscounted somehow, probably too stupified at the results to think straght.






As you can see, that's pretty darn good for left handed, actually it's better than I do right handed.

The last picture was with my Colt 5" XSE, I don't even want to show the pics of my Sig targets with my left hand, it's embarrassing:embarassed:

My biggest problems right now with my left hand was my sense of trigger control was really off and my coordination is horrible. The .22's pull was so light it didn't matter, but with the Colt it just felt foreign.

I'm really torn as what to do with this development, I'm obviously going to keep carrying right handed for the time being, but should I strive to better my right handed shooting, or my left which is more accurate but less coordinated? I'm defiantly going to start beefing up my left arm and hand strength. But what do you all think I should focus on more? I am honestly perplexed. Any tips on coordination exercises? I plan on increasing my left hand dry firing exercises, but any other input would be nice.

I'm thinking of just dividing my range time in half for each style, but I'm wondering if it will be enough or if splitting evenly will be more of a hindrance.
 
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#2 ·
I don't know if you'll remember the posts or not, but a while back I posted regarding my eye dominance issues. (Left eye dominant, but right handed.)

Well I've gotten to the point that when shooting with both eyes open isn't so difficult, it's even becoming more natural.
I am also left eye dominant and right handed. It tends to be a problem with virtually all hand eye coordination tasks. Today I went to the range (and shot a XD sub compact .40, a very nice gun) and my groupings were pretty much 3-4 inches to the left of where I was aiming. I have no idea whether it is associated with the dominance thing or I am simply a novice. However, I also bowl and I need to 'aim' five boards to the right of where the ball actually rolls. Coincidence?

I tried to shoot with both eyes open and I see two guns, two sets of sights, and I almost hit the guy in the next lane (just kidding about the guy in the next lane...)
 
#4 ·
I also am right handed left eyed and my left eye is also stronger and correctable to 20/20 as my right eye is not.

I had always closed my right eye and used my left when shooting pistols and I did it this way for target shooting, a few NRA competitions and handgun hunting also. I never really had a problem with it.

Then a few years ago,in my late 50s yet, I discover IDPA and really enjoy it. But this closing one eye deal was not working for me and I didn't think I could get shooting with both eyes open to work for me.

Well after about three months of dry firing 3 or 5 nights a week, numerous range trips and several IDPA matches it is completely normal to shoot with both eyes open. I do shift my pistol slightly to the left to get it more in line with my dominant left eye.

I think if you want to shoot right handed, you can train yourself to shoot with both eyes open with a little work.
 
#7 ·
...I think if you want to shoot right handed, you can train yourself to shoot with both eyes open with a little work.

Thus far I've gotten pretty good with the right handed, both eye thing, it took a little less than a year, but it's working, I still seem to shoot better with my left, I actually owe that to this forum, I never used to do off hand shooting before visiting this place.

My last few targets have been pretty good with the 2 eye deal, but I still do better with my left hand, but my right is still more natural.

I think that eventually I will still stick with being a righty, but will still try to develop my left hand skills a little more aggressively, once I get more comfortable left hand shooting, I may try to switch to left hand shooting for a couple of reasons.

I think having my right hand available for other things, mag changes, light handling, and defensive blocking while firing from retention would be of benefit.

I'm just dreading having to find LH Versa Max IIs.:frown:
 
#8 ·
JD, If for some reason we ever meet up, I'll show you a really easy trick as to beat this.

I did it, and can now blink both eyes side to side. Im going to be getting into IDPA soon also, so who knows Maybe I'll see you at a competition.
I would try to explain it here on the forum, but it a little hard to actually visually show you something in mere text.
 
#9 ·
JD,

I have quite a few shooters who are RH/LE with no problems. Stick with right handed but continue to work with your left. If you feel that you are more uncoordinated with your left, than you are a righty. Don't forget that most righty's that shoot with their support hand have a tendency to be more accurate because they overthink while using their left hand and as a result are more accurate.

Can I assume that you have tried smearing a little vaseline on your glasses over your non dominant eye? It will allow you to become a both-eye open shooter a lot quicker. I have transitioned some shooters to switch their dominant eye using eye patches but that was only a few.

Get one of these and use it. I keep mine in the car and use it to and from work. Most guitar stores will have them, red is the one to start with.





Now if I told you there was a way to...

  • Develop mindfulness and mind-body interaction
  • Improve reaction time
  • Improve ambidexterity
  • Improve and refine motor skills
  • Boost self confidence
  • Improve concentration
  • Improve peripheral vision
  • Improve sequencing skills
  • Improve hand eye coordination
  • Improve quickness under control
  • Improve balance, reflexes and rhythm
  • Stimulate higher order problem solving
  • Develop and refine tracking and crossing the midline

...that would all be applicable to improving your handgun skillset, would you be interested?
 
#10 ·
JD,

Can I assume that you have tried smearing a little vaseline on your glasses over your non dominant eye? It will allow you to become a both-eye open shooter a lot quicker.
I suffer from the same eye dominance problem as JD. I've always just closed my right eye and angled the handgun closer to my left eye.

Can you explain a bit more about using vaseline on the right side of glasses?
 
#11 ·
"Well I've gotten to the point that when shooting with both eyes open isn't so difficult, it's even becoming more natural."

Stick right with that JD. :yup:

You're obviously "getting it" and you'll be better for it in the long run. :king:
 
#14 ·
Smearing vaseline over the non-shooting eye glasses gives the shooting eye the dominance, but allows the weak eye to stay open easier. It makes for an easier transition to keeping both eyes open since the non shooting eye can't truly focus. This is a technique in photography for achieving soft edges. Eventually you will eliminate and not need the vaseline.
 
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