Need Advice: Son's right handed & left eye dominant

SDCoyoteCaller

SDCoyoteCaller

Active member
I am beginning to teach my youngest (5 y/o) son how to shoot a BB gun. The problem is he is right handed, but left eye dominant and it has been a struggle. I have gotten mixed advice on how to teach him to shoot. Some have told me to teach him to shoot left handed right away and others have told me to let him shoot right handed with both eyes open. I have tried having him shoot left handed, but it is really awkward for him. I know he is only 5, but this is when I started my oldest son and he is a phenomenal shot now. What is everyone's advice on what I should do? Thanks.
 
I worked some as an instructor for the local fish & frog/NASP teaching kids archery and pellet gun shooting/techniques.

Bottom line: Dont fight the dominant eye. He is young enough to learn how to shoot left handed but he is too young to learn to use a non dominant eye. Some people can develop into using weak eye later on but most cannot.

I have seen numerous examples of parents trying to fight a dominant eye and the kids would struggle beyond belief. Sit the parent down and tell them to go with it for a few minutes and boom...kids were shooting bulleyes in a quick hurry.


Are you absolutely positive he is left eye dom? what test did you do?
 
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Feel his pain. I too am backwards being right handed and left eye dominate. I shoot left handed and glad no one taught me other wise. I say let the little guy hold and shoot the bb gun how he feels comfortable. He will eventually figure it out and probably be out shooting you in a couple years
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I am right handed and left eye dominant. I learned to shoot at an early age left handed and now it just comes natural. I have bought a couple left handed rifles in recent years but actually prefer the right handed ones. My next build will have a Boyds left handed stock for a right handed action. Get him started now shooting lefty and it will come natural to him much quicker.
 
The test I used was to have him hold his arms out straight with thumb and index finger of both hands coming together to form a triangle. I stood away from him and told him to hold his arms out straight and look through the hole created by his fingers and center my head inside. I then told him to bring his fingers to his face keeping my head inside. He brought the triangle to his left eye every time. I did it this way because he is currently unable to close his left eye voluntarily, which seems odd because he has no trouble closing the right. Anyways, I had him repeat it multiple times and it was the same every time.

He naturely wants to shoulder the gun to his right shoulder, but then he brings his head way over the stock to look down the barrel with his left eye. Switching him to lefty is definitely awkward, but I think it is probably the right thing to do in the long run. I would think shooting right handed with both eyes open, as has been suggested by some people I know, really wouldn't solve the problem because he would still predominately be sighting down the barrel with his right eye. Am I correct in that thinking?
 
Originally Posted By: SDCoyoteCallerThe test I used was to have him hold his arms out straight with thumb and index finger of both hands coming together to form a triangle. I stood away from him and told him to hold his arms out straight and look through the hole created by his fingers and center my head inside. I then told him to bring his fingers to his face keeping my head inside. He brought the triangle to his left eye every time. I did it this way because he is currently unable to close his left eye voluntarily, which seems odd because he has no trouble closing the right. Anyways, I had him repeat it multiple times and it was the same every time.

He naturely wants to shoulder the gun to his right shoulder, but then he brings his head way over the stock to look down the barrel with his left eye. Switching him to lefty is definitely awkward, but I think it is probably the right thing to do in the long run. I would think shooting right handed with both eyes open, as has been suggested by some people I know, really wouldn't solve the problem because he would still predominately be sighting down the barrel with his right eye. Am I correct in that thinking?

100% right. and it makes perfect sense that he can close his right eye and not his left. The left is dominant so that is the eye his brain wants to keep open to get the most sensory input. That is also the same reason he wants to shoulder to the right side. That is the strong side so it just comes natural.

That said, it will be much much more difficult for him to train his right eye vs training his left side of body.

I know exactly what you mean about wanting to bring his left eye to the sights when shooting right handed. That is the most common que in young or new shooters who have mixed dominance.

I would encourage him to keep trying left handed shooting. The best thing you can do is to have him get setup behind the gun left handed and practice finding the target. He can shoot but I would just have him pull up and get a sight picture 3-4 times in a row then shoot once and repeat. It will eventually start to become natural to shoulder and point as its a muscle memory type of deal.
 
I'm left eye dominant and shoot left handed but she's ot archery right handed because I was shown at an early age to shoot right handed. After many years into adulthood I switch to left handed. It was difficult at the start but quickly improved.

My opinion, you need to shoot with the dominant eye. The body is easy to retrain vs. your eye/brain.
 
I was the other way around I was left handed and right eye dominant. once I started school he told my teacher I was left handed but he wanted me to be right handed. so any time I picked up a pencil or pen with my left she would make me hold it with my right. my parents would do the same at home. I still do some things left handed but 99% of things I do right handed. I would say teach him to shoot with his dominant eye. I know many right handed shooters who are left handed because their opposite eye is dominant.
 
Here is what I have done for a couple of kids that were opposite eye dominant to shoot. Take there shooting glasses and smear their dominant lens with something or put a piece of scotch tape on the lens. It will allow them to still see what needs to be but blocks what needs to help them shoot with both eyes open.
 
Eye dominance can shift (occasionally multiple times) as kids mature. Teach him to shoot left-handed, but beware locking him into it. He may eventually become right eye dominant again. Being an ambidextrous shooter isn't the worst thing in the world, especially during turkey season
 
I'm right handed, left eye dominant. I learned to shoot righty at age 12, first on iron sight rifle, later on pistol, even later on a scope. I have no problem shooting with the "wrong" eye and I shoot better than most.
 
Just let him do it his/her way. My grandson is the same way. He wanted to shoot right handed. Always leaning way over the rifle to see the sights. I painted out the left lens of his shooting glasses. It worked. Later he got glasses (real glasses) and his problems seem to have gone away. Maybe his dominant eye changed. I have no idea. I myself have always been right handed, but have always shot left handed with a rifle. With a pistol I shoot right handed. Go figure!
 
I'm largely ambidextrous, without an overwhelmingly dominant eye, but I'd absolutely agree - Teach him to shoot same side as the dominant eye. You can train your hands for dexterity, but changing your eye dominance means you'd have to reprogram your brain.

If he changes over time, you'll likely notice.
 
I'm one of the don't fight nature guys. I'm cross dominant, right handed, and shoot lefty. I learned early on at six about my issue and developed some level of skill. I shoot handguns right by body adjustment. I can shoot either shoulder with a long gun but only at a decreased speed. At Medicare age I'm just too old to switch. I hope your youngster learns what is comfortable and productive for him. I'm sure Dad will be smiling.

Greg
 
That condition is called cross dominance. It is common in males and very common in females. I have read some training articles that put the number at 40% plus in girls. Bottom line (as stated above) is get him started shooting left handed as soon as you can. The body will adapt, his eyes won't. As young as he is you will be having fun in no time at all. I know adults who have struggled with this and it does not get any better. One of my fellow bow ed instructors finally switched to shooting left handed bows at about 35yrs old. Six months later he was shooting great and wished he had done that 20 years ago. Good luck, he will be fine!
 
As some have posted, only one way to go, teach him to shoot left handed. If you don't teach him to shoot left handed, he will just quit in discuss. I have two brothers that have struggled with this all their life.

One does not shoot rifles or shotguns at all, the other is now trying to adapt a left hand rifle/ shotgun rifle approach.
 
My parents told me I used to bat lefty, but was made fun of so I switched to right. I am cross dominant with most tests I have used, but have no issue switching back and forth. With a pistol my body adjusts to whichever hand is holding the pistol, and really whichever shoulder is more forward, meaning right shoulder forward, right eye goes to sights, same for the opposite. I shoot a right hand Savage Mk2 lefty because the bipod blocks the mag well and I have to single feed. My ARs are right, and it doesn't bother me.

I honestly think I can think my right eye dominant.

Make sure he understands that shooting lefthanded isn't a bad thing. Have him spend a day shooting each, and then after a week of visits, ask him which is easier.
 
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Thanks everyone for the great advice!!! You all confirmed what I was already thinking. I will get him shooting left handed, and won't look back. You guys are great! Thanks again!
 


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