I am a right handed shooter with everything but long guns. I am left eye dominant and have trouble acquiring the target with both eyes open using a hand gun since I have to tilt my head a little to sight with my left eye. I only shoot my hand guns with my right hand. Should I try to learn to sight with my right eye or just keep shooting with one eye closed. I know this reduces my field of vision by at least 40% which could be a problem in a defensive situation. Any suggestions will be appreciated.

My only suggestion is that you continue to work towards learning to shoot with both eyes open.

In the end you will be better for it. Good luck!

I'm left eye dominant also, I shoot a handgun right handed, rifle left handed.

Dry fire practice will help you. Start from a low ready and press the gun out until the sight align with your eye, squint your non dominant eye at first, over time open it more and more.

You will develop the ability quickly, it just takes a little getting used to, for both eyes open shooting.

JRC is absolutely correct. It takes practice but is doable. You will suffer less tiredness as well.

RMD

Although this is the Rifle Room, I understand that you’re referring to sighting with and shooting a handgun—correct?

If so, I tell my students who are right-handed, but left eye dominant to just use their left eye. The advice already given is correct, except that I’d add that there should be no reason to tilt your head when sighting with your left (dominant) eye. As part of the practice in acquiring a sight picture with your left eye, assume a relaxed head-upright position and bring the gun up to the position that you can aim without moving your head. That will require moving the gun over to the left slightly as compared with aiming with your right eye, but once you become accustomed to it, that won’t matter. Although I’m right-handed and right eye dominant, I can’t focus on the front sight with my right eye. When I want to have a clear view of my front sight, I use my left eye and simply move the gun so my sights are in line with it.

So, I agree that it’s simply a matter of practice and training one’s brain to use the eye we choose. Start slow and become accustomed to what’s required.

I've had several clients who were right handed and left eye dominate.

The important thing to practice is to bring the sights to, in front of, the dominate eye; not the eye to the sights

quote:

Originally posted by matthew03:
I'm left eye dominant also, I shoot a handgun right handed, rifle left handed.

Dry fire practice will help you. Start from a low ready and press the gun out until the sight align with your eye, squint your non dominant eye at first, over time open it more and more.

You will develop the ability quickly, it just takes a little getting used to, for both eyes open shooting.

Handgun right, rifle left.