Ambidextrous shooters?

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airgunutty

airgunutty

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Dec 1, 2024
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Stilwell oklahoma
I've recently started trying something new. I started trying get my left side comfortable with shooting. I'm only trying right now from bench rest but want to progress to being able to do off hand as well. I've been having some success in getting the mechanics worked out except for my eye. Left eye seems to lose focus even though I don't have problems with my eyes. I suspect that the problem will fix itself the more I work on it.

I decided to take on this challenge because you just never know when you might encounter a left leaning squirrel and I want to be prepared.
 
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I'm a lefty because of eye dominance, like so many of us are. I got good shooting LH a lot when I was a boy, first with a Crosman 760, Beeman R1 and then 10-22. I was happy shooting LH and never gave it a second thought.

When I started deer hunting, I got a Winchester 94 because it was LH friendly. As I got older, I wanted a rifle with a scope and only had access to RH bolt action firearms. I taught myself to shoot RH and got very proficient at it. Then when I got older, I got some money, so I bought a LH bolt gun and LH shotgun. The bolt gun didn't feel "right" and the safety on the shotgun was "backward". I got rid of them.

I did keep practicing from both sides and can shoot accurately from either side because I practice... With airguns, handguns and rifles/shotguns. Many competitions have competitors shoot from both strong side and weak side, for good reason. You'll be surprised how fast it all comes together with practice and lots of reps! Just keep at it and have fun! You'll be ambidextrous in no time!
Stoti
 
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stoti said:
I'm a lefty because of eye dominance, like so many of us are. I got good shooting LH a lot when I was a boy, first with a Crosman 760, Beeman R1 and then 10-22. I was happy shooting LH and never gave it a second thought.

When I started deer hunting, I got a Winchester 94 because it was LH friendly. As I got older, I wanted a rifle with a scope and only had access to RH bolt action firearms. I taught myself to shoot RH and got very proficient at it. Then when I got older, I got some money, so I bought a LH bolt gun and LH shotgun. The bolt gun didn't feel "right" and the safety on the shotgun was "backward". I got rid of them.

I did keep practicing from both sides and can shoot accurately from either side because I practice... With airguns, handguns and rifles/shotguns. Many competitions have competitors shoot from both strong side and weak side, for good reason. You'll be surprised how fast it all comes together with practice and lots of reps! Just keep at it and have fun! You'll be ambidextrous in no time!
Stoti
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Thanks. I have been practicing every day. Shoot a shot left then Shoot a shot right. Back and forth 20 shots each side. Also working diligently to shoot with both eyes open. The technique that seems to be working is I scan with both eyes until I actually take the shot then I cyclops it.
Any way thanks for your encouragement and all the best.

Agnutty
 
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My initial thought was maybe you were losing focus from closing your other eye and causing strain but it appears you are trying to keep both eyes open. I think it still might be worth while to pick up a clip on eye blinder for your glasses to keep you from subconciously squinting or having focus drift to the other eye unintentionally. Especially if you are bouncing back and forth between right and left it will be hard to build up muscle memory or ... psychological memory of which eye to be dominate.
 
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airbadger said:
My initial thought was maybe you were losing focus from closing your other eye and causing strain but it appears you are trying to keep both eyes open. I think it still might be worth while to pick up a clip on eye blinder for your glasses to keep you from subconciously squinting or having focus drift to the other eye unintentionally. Especially if you are bouncing back and forth between right and left it will be hard to build up muscle memory or ... psychological memory of which eye to be dominate.
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Thanks for the insight (no pun intended) but I am actually having a load of success shooting with both eyes open until I actually take the shot. I then close the opposite eye to fine tune the intended target. That being because I'm shooting at rats and mice and they are not easy to spot in the shadows.

Anyway thanks again for your response.
Agnutty
 
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I'm not ambidextrous. But though many years of shooting competitions with pistols. I can shoot left handed due to lots of practice because it was part of some competitions I switched to both eyes open many years ago as it's faster acquiring multiple targets.I did use the clip on sight blocker on my non dominant eye when shooting bullseye many years ago. It was stated that you needed light in non dominant eye. Don't remember why
 
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As an
airbadger said:
My initial thought was maybe you were losing focus from closing your other eye and causing strain but it appears you are trying to keep both eyes open. I think it still might be worth while to pick up a clip on eye blinder for your glasses to keep you from subconciously squinting or having focus drift to the other eye unintentionally. Especially if you are bouncing back and forth between right and left it will be hard to build up muscle memory or ... psychological memory of which eye to be dominate.
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I'll second the eyepatch/cover...easy to do and it will accelerate your progress. You're just retraining your eye.

As a side note, this is also good stuff for your brain. Learning and training your body to do something different.
 
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