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New shooter Left vs Right handed?

XTR

F-TR obssessed shooting junkie
My youngest (8) is left eye dominant and in all of my trips to the range with him he seems to want to shoot left handed. I've mostly had him shoot right handed, had him shooting with tape on the left lens of his glasses today.

He does pretty much everything else in life right handed, and it wasn't pushed. (yea I know teach him to switch hit and he's the next Chipper Jones)

Personally other than water skiing goofy footed I'm so right side dominant it's pathetic so I have no point of reference. Then again, I shoot everything both eyes open most of the time and can switch focus from right to left as desired. (other than two rather embarrassing archery shots)

So, my question here is... At this point, let him learn lefty, or teach him right handed? With bolt guns it's a wash, with all the RBLP, LBRP, LBLP options in the world, but in semi's, esp ARs I think it gets more problematic.
 
I say beat him until he conforms...

Exactly why would you try to teach him to shoot right handed if he's left eye dominant. I'm predominately left handed and left eye dominant. I shoot very well but can switch if I need to, it never hurt me to shoot left handed.
 
In my experience you need to have him shooting left handed. My 12 year old is left handed but right eye dominant, he’s been shooting right handed ever since I discovered it. We had a female shooter in the AMU that shot right handed and shot well. We discovered she was left eye dominant and forced her to shoot left handed, in a matter of weeks she was blowing her old scores away.
 
I vote with the rest. My son is right handed for most things but he is left eye dominant. My nephew is the same way. No one had discovered this until I started teaching them to shoot. Both do just fine shooting left handed (except they both shoot handguns right handed). It just took a little practice to get used to using the left hand as a trigger hand.

I often think that this condition is a result of society's insistence on using the right hand. I really didn't pay attention to what hand he used for things as a young kid, since he used either hand with about the same degree of dexterity, but he did later tell me his teacher's insisted that he use his right for writing whenever she saw him using his left. Maybe he was meant to be a 'lefty'. On a guess, I asked my nephew. Guess what? His teachers had done the same thing. Now maybe all people whose dominant eye is different than their dominant hand, aren't leftys, but I have to wonder.

A quick check for this condition is to have the person in question point at a spot on the wall with both eyes open. Without moving the finger, have them close one eye. Repeat and have them close the other eye. The eye that allows the finger to remain precisely pointed at the spot while the other eye is closed is the dominant eye. The non-dominant eye will make the finger appear to be pointing considerably to one side of the spot. Plan accordingly.
 
And the biggest benefit to letting him shoot under his natural eye will come when he tries shotguns. You need both eyes open and cross dominance is a booger bear to overcome. I'm lefty and have had no problems with my AR--shell defector kicks the brass to the side and front. But make no mistake, left handed guns are generally scarcer and more expensive.
 
I'm a lefty and these days, there's no disadvantage shooting left handed as far as equipment. AR-15 can be used with left eject uppers per NrA CMP rules shooting XTC, many left handed actions for prone shooting, F class, bench shooting, etc., And, your dominant eye will not fatigue as fast as the other. Have him (or her) do pencil pushups (google it) and his eye strength will increase/maintain as he matures.
 
I am right handed and shoot my rifles left handed. As long as an AR has the deflector built in the upper there is not a problem. Occasionally I get a hot spent cartridge down my neck but it's not too bad. As for bolt guns, it is easier to work the action during F Class with a right handed rifle. When using a sling, not so much. For that, I had a left handed rifle, the only one I have ever owned.
 
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I am right handed and left eye dominant. I shoot right handed and have no problems but i do close my left eye. While shooting f class it is more natural for me using left eye on spotting scope. I do agree with the others and let him try both and see what way he likes better.
 
I'm left handed left eye dominant. Personally, I cannot use my right eye to look through a scope or set of irons. I could if I were in battle and my life depended on it but it's not comfortable and a real strain on my vision.

If he's left eye dominant let him shoot left handed. I shoot thousands of rounds through an AR every year and don't see a problem with it. Yeah, your face is on the ejection side... so what? Wear glasses and shoot responsible loads.
 
I agree with the others. I am right handed and left eyed. I was lucky that my father let me follow my natural inclination. I shoot a rifle or shotgun left handed and though I hold pistols in my right, I use my left eye to sight.
 
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I am left eye dominant, but I shoot right handed. Feels weird shooting left handed, but I can do it. I shoot pistols left handed as I am left handed, but I can also shoot pistols right handed, just not as well, but close. People tried to get me to go right handed(tied my arm down with rope) but gave up. I can bat right or left handed, but only golf right handed.
 
When I was young,it drove my dad and grandfather crazy that I shot rifles & shotguns left handed although I was a right handed person. Being left eye dominant,it was just natural for me to shoulder a weapon left handed.
The funny thing is when I started shooting handgun's,I always shot them right handed. Over the years,I started shooting both ways-RH & LH,and all these years later,I can easily shoot almost any type of gun with either hand or off either shoulder using either eye.

I'd say let your son shoot whatever feels natural to him,and let him learn the correct shooting technique for the style of shooting he likes. He will be the one to change things up if and when he decides too.
 
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I have a son that is right handed,left eye dominant . My other son is left handed and right eye dominant .

They started shooting at a very young age, I let them start out with what felt natural ...sure enough the lefty shoots right, and the righty shoots left . Both very fine shots ,the righty actually shoots ambi now . Right handed from the bench, lefty in all other cases...like shooting clays, hunting,etc. .

I guess what I am trying to say is that in my case the hands off approach worked just fine . My dad used the same approach and I always think back on how much I appreciated it,just did not realize it when I was a kid.
 
If a shooter wants to shoot to their full potential then they should use their dominant eye and shoot that handed. Just my 2 cents.
 
Yep...let him shoot left handed.

I’m right handed and have shot rifles, bows, and shotguns throughout my life left handed. Handguns with my right hand with both eyes open.
Shooting pd’s I shoot only right hand rifles and am faster with either single loading or from the mag. Left hand and eye are always in same location and being a righty my dexterity is pretty natural in loading and working the bolt. And yes, shooting an AR with a shell deflector is definitely a must. Now to figure a way to make one for my 10/22’s...

I did buy a couple of left hand large bore guns because I didn’t want to take my hand off the shooting sticks when hunting dangerous game.

I’m sure your son will adapt as he gets older......just my .02
 
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