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Which Hand Shooting a Pistol

Sparty_76
Ok, this may be a dumb question. I just got in to hand gun shooting. I am left eye dominant but right handed. I have an auto and two revolvers. I have always shot my long guns using the left hand as my trigger finger but it feels awkward with a pistol in my left hand. If I do not think about it, I naturally will pick up a pistol with my right hand but instinctively use my left eye to aim. What do you think, pull the trigger with right hand or left hand or does it not make any difference?

For medical reasons when shooting long guns I am teaching myself to shoot right handed with both eyes open. (I cannot have a gun slamming into the left side of my upper chest). It has been hard with a shotgun but I am up to about 60% on the trap range. I have tried but it seems almost impossible to shoot with both eyes open shooting a pistol and hit anything.

Thanks!
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Comments

8 comments

Date Votes
  • perry shooter
    Shooting a pistol with one hand takes very good small motor skills. If you can write at all with your left hand you may train yourself to hold pistol with your left hand but there a number of people that hold pistol in right hand and shoot while aiming with there left eye. put a strip of scotch tape over the Right lens of your shooting glasses.
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  • mark christian
    I am also right handed-left eye dominant but since I always shoot with both eyes open, shifting the pistol to my left eye is not an issue. The opposite hand/eye situation is actually much more common than many people suspect and the use of tape exactly as Perry described is a quick and easy solution.
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  • dbain99
    I have recently noticed this with my wife. She strong hands a pistol with her right and supports with the left as well as using her left eye to aim with. She keeps both eyes open but with a right handed grip her right eye is basically out of the picture. I have tried this position and can shoot SLOW fire shots more accurately than my normal stance.
    In the end try multiple combonations without any preconcieved notions and see what is comfortable, practical and repeatable for you.
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  • Mooseyard
    I'm also right handed, left eye. I shoot long guns left handed only. Handguns I can shoot with either hand if I'm shooting one handed. I actually shoot better left handed when only using one hand. However, when shooting two handed I also shoot right handed. My right side has better motor control and allows for a smoother, faster draw. Drawing from my left feels very odd so I don't do it.
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  • Don McManus
    Also right-handed and left eyed.

    Have trained myself to shoot long guns and after literally 1000s of rounds, pistols with both eyes open and using the right eye. IMO, it has been the best answer for me.
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  • tsr1965
    Wow, there's a bunch of you...[:D][:D][:D].

    I think to answer the OP's question...if you are already shooting your long gun left handed, I would try to initiate that with your handguns. However, there is nothig wrong with shooting right, left eye dominant.

    Best
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  • DKDravis
    well then... I'm opposite.. Left handed and right eye dominant...

    I shoot both long and short guns righthanded... with both eyes open..

    since I'm almost equally good at small motor skills with both hands this was never a problem.. except in double-action revolver where you need both strenght and motor skills in the right hand... so I never did get the hang of DA.....

    I suspect that years of training just improved my small motor skills in my right hand to the point where shooting righthanded is just natural for me.

    Both eyes open in shooting any weapon is a definite advantage...
    You see much more when engaging multiple targets, and when hunting you are aware of much more of your surroundings. I find I can combine the images of both eyes op to around 4X magnification on my right eye and still it enhances my vision considerably..
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  • beantownshootah
    quote:Originally posted by mark christian
    I am also right handed-left eye dominant but since I always shoot with both eyes open, shifting the pistol to my left eye is not an issue. The opposite hand/eye situation is actually much more common than many people suspect and the use of tape exactly as Perry described is a quick and easy solution.


    Ditto. +1. IMO, that's one of the best solutions (there are several others).

    If you're using a two handed grip and an isoceles stance it makes zero difference which eye is dominant. Just look over the sights with your left eye instead of your right.

    If you're using a two handed grip and a Weaver stance, you can just turn your head slightly to the right and look over the sights with your left eye.

    If you are using a ONE handed "gallery" grip for NRA type bullseye shooting, you have multiple options:

    a. Learn to shoot with your left hand. (I don't like this option, and most people don't).

    b. Rotate your head when shooting so that your chin is just inside your right shoulder. This will align your LEFT eye with the gun sights. Some people refer to this as the "kiss the bicep" technique (though you don't literally have to kiss your biceps muscle!). As Perry Shooter suggested, you may combine this with a piece of tape over the RIGHT lens of your shooting glasses, though since you're sighting with your dominant left eye, you may not need to.

    c. Close your left eye and shoot with your right only. Cheap and easy, if you can do it (some can't). You can also use an eye patch over your left eye for the same effect. No left eye open, no dominant eye problem!

    Yes, ideally you want both eyes open for increased field of view in a "tactical" situation, but if all you're doing is shooting a static bullseye, it shouldn't make any difference. In a "tactical" situation, you're probably also using BOTH hands when shooting, and then these tricks aren't as necessary (see above).

    You can also tape off a portion of the LEFT lens of your shooting glasses. This will "trick" your brain into using the right eye's image as the dominant one when looking at the pistol sights. This is a particularly good solution to shooting a right handed RIFLE if left eye dominant, since most normal rifles won't let you get away with rotating your head to sight with your left eye.

    Note that depending on which exact method you use, the use of your left eye and right handed grip **MAY** require you adjust the windage on your sights a get a good zero. Its because the axis of your shooting arm (and gun and sights) towards the target may be a little different than the visual line of sight to your target, with your left eye shifted over.
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