Looking for some input on teaching my kids to shoot guns and bows. They are left handed but both right eye dominant. They tend to pickup and hold right handed, but that maybe because that is how they see me doing it. Any input from the lefties would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you

Dave

I am kind of all mixed up. I write right handed but do a lot of stuff left handed. Not sure how I can help but I think it is easier to learn to shoot “off” handed with your dominate eye than visa versa. Especially if they haven’t really learned to shoot before. Just my opinion.

I’m severely left handed; my dad says he could tell when I was 3 months old. If your kids show signs of being able to shoot righty convert them immediately...being lefty sucks when it comes to guns, baseball gloves, and golf clubs.

Coming from a right hander who has to shoot left handed after 6 eye surgeries that left my dominate right eye with poor vision. Also, my father, brother, son (RIP), wife, and grandson are all left handed so I have a bit of experience. My best friend is left eye dominate but right handed, he has learned to shoot bow and rifle left handed.

Coonhunter and MisterFurious are correct, if they are right eye dominate and they are able to pick up and hold as if they were right handed then they will be way ahead learning to shoot right handed.

Having grown up left handed, right eye dominant, I feel I've got an advantage over alot of right handed. Learned to shoot gun and bow right handed, was all we had, baseball, bat right, throw left. Now I'm comfortable pistol either hand, rifle not so much. Not being totally one hand dominant has been helpful through life. They'll figure it out.

Right eye dominant. Easy. Shoot all the righthanded guns, bows and shotguns you want. Follow the eyes, never look back so to speak. My kids are right handed but left eye dominant. All lefthand rigs here and shooting great.

30338 nailed it.

I too hand all kinds of handedness switches depending on endeavor. Right eye dominant, so guns and archery are on the right side.

I started archery with no mentor as a left handed shooter. At about age 30, an astute mentor suggested I switch sides. Took about 3 days to erase the muscle memory and develop the needed strength, and accuracy came around in a hurry.

Probably one of the greatest or errors made by parents is a failure to assess eye dominance before sitting ones kids down to shoot. Never assume.

Thank you for all the great advice. It does seem that they are more able to use both than I was. My left was useless as a kid, I work with my hands and it seems that as I’ve gotten older I have more control over the left but would still be very difficult for me to shoot left handed. Do you guys think everyone has one dominant eye? I have argued with my wife about this and she swears that when I have her try the dominant eye test that both eyes are the same.

+3 ... I am Left Hand, Right eye dominant. Have 50+ years of left hand muscle memory. Wish I had been brought up shooting Right hand (dominant eye). Two reasons: First, I would be a better shot, especially with a shotgun. Second, there are whole lot more firearm options available for right handed shooters...

I hear that. At least the bats and balls are ambidextous, so there's that.

If your son is left eye dominant don't even think right handed.

Shoot with the stronger eye. No chance of doing as well with a shotgun or traditional bow using the wrong eye. There are plenty of ambidextrous guns and even bows.

With kids it might change later. Then you switch to that stronger eye. Just how it is. Hanging around an archery range I have seen lots of adults immediately improve their shooting by switching to the stronger eye no matter how awkward.

My latest and last left hand project. 6.5-06. Richards electric blue laminate stock. I could likely get better pictures in sunlight if it ever warms up.

Learn how to use your right hand.

At 73 YO probably not anymore.

Looks good! Barrel length and contour?

I am LH and left eye dominant. So, I shoot LH bolt guns. I strongly believe one should follow the eye.

What 30338 said. I'm a lefty with a mother who feels that is her biggest mistake in life. She tried everything to convert me instead of getting me the ball glove, etc. that fit me. If they're right-eye dominant, that's the way they should shoot.

Follow the eyes. Both my boys are RH and Left eyed. NERF guns were our training tools. Kids love them and can "shoot" a whole lot, for cheap. I just made sure they were both using them for the correct eye. Now they just do it that way. IME it doesn't have to be live rounds to get them used to using the hand that matches the eye for shooting.

I'm righty but left eye dominant. Long guns and bows I shoot left handed. Pistols right handed, which is easy with the isosceles stance. I think go with the eyes and the natural inclination of the child. Either way there are plenty of options. If there were a kid who just did not have a preference, leaning toward right handed shooting would yield a slight benefit. Either way, not a big deal.

It's good to practice shooting firearms with the off hand, IMO. This is especially true for tree stand hunting in heavy cover. I think it's also necessary to practice with the weak hand for defensive handgun shooting.

Lots of fun to be had with either choice.

Like others mentioned, go with the dominant eye. Im left eye dominant and shoot lefty as i see better and it feels more natural to me. I write and eat left handed as well bit i bat, throw, and punch harder righty so im kind of a mix when it comes to tasks.

I used to do archery as a righty and it felt natural with exception to my sight. I switched to left and it still feels a bit weird but the results were better and wish i had done it earlier.

Always follow the dominant eye and if your child is right eye dominant but a lefty switch them early and it will allow more choices for them.