As a dedicated firearms instructor with significant time spent on the shooting range, I've made an intriguing observation regarding eye dominance and hand preference. While accuracy is undoubtedly critical, speed and efficiency play equally vital roles in mastering firearms. What may surprise many is the intricate relationship between your dominant hand and your dominant eye, which can be more complex than it may seem. In this article, I will draw upon my experiences and years of experimentation to shed light on the complex relationship between handedness and eye dominance, particularly emphasizing their impact on shooting speed and effectiveness.
CHALLENGING EYE DOMINANCE
Early in life, most of us determine which hand is dominant, and we are usually taught to perform most tasks, such as writing and throwing, primarily with our right hand. However, what often goes unnoticed is that our eyes also have their preferences. In the world of firearms, aligning your sights with your dominant eye is paramount for quick and precise aiming. This alignment minimizes aiming errors and enhances the speed of your shots. Here's where it gets interesting: your dominant eye doesn't always correspond with your dominant hand.
My journey as a firearms instructor has provided invaluable insights into this fascinating aspect of shooting. What's even more intriguing is that I, too, am left-eye dominant despite receiving my initial training as a right-handed shooter. In my early days as an instructor, I followed the conventional path of teaching right-handed techniques. This meant using the right hand for shooting and focusing on developing right-handed skills. While this approach worked well with pistols, which are more forgiving, it didn't translate as smoothly when it came to rifles.
Rifles differ significantly from pistols in demanding precise synchronization between the dominant eye and the shooter's actions.
A rifle's longer barrel and stock require rapid and accurate alignment with the dominant eye. This alignment is crucial for swiftly acquiring targets with precision, tracking moving targets, and maintaining a rapid rate of fire. As an instructor, I soon realized that aligning my dominant left eye with a rifle while adhering to right-handed techniques presented substantial challenges. No matter how hard I tried to adapt, achieving the desired speed and efficiency proved elusive. It became increasingly apparent that adjustments were necessary to accommodate my left-eye dominance and increase the speed of my shots.
Here we can see how a left eye shooter can shoot a pistol right-handed without issue, maybe even not knowing he is Left eye dominant
OPTIC NERVE AND CHALLENGING RIGHT EYE DOMINANCE
Instructors must also grasp the importance of the optical or optic nerve in determining eye dominance. This nerve serves as the brain's messenger for visual information, conveying data from the eyes to the brain and enabling us to perceive our surroundings. The brain naturally favors input from one eye over another, determining our dominant eye. Traditionally, the industry has assumed that approximately 84% of the population is right-handed, with the presumption that right-handedness equates to right-eye dominance. This assumption has been perpetuated by the historical prevalence of right-handed tools and equipment, leading to the widespread belief that right-handedness is the norm. Instructors may have observed that the conventional ratio of right-handed to left-handed individuals doesn't always align with reality. Individuals who identify as right-handed may possess left-eye dominance. This observation has prompted me to question whether the distribution of right-handed and left-handed individuals is more evenly balanced than previously thought.
CHALLENGING THE HEREDITARY MISCONCEPTION
While some contend that handedness and eye dominance are hereditary, my experiments have led me to a different conclusion. Left-handed parents tend to be more open to allowing their children to explore their natural tendencies. In households where left-handedness is embraced, children may more likely discover their true handedness and eye dominance. However, societal pressures often lead many children to conform to right-handed norms, resulting in a misalignment between their innate tendencies and societal expectations.
Through a series of experiments conducted over several years, I've unearthed a significant revelation. Many right-handed individuals who assume themselves to be right-eye dominant may, in fact, be mistaken. These experiments involved participants with varying degrees of shooting experience and preferences. Time and again, individuals who considered themselves right-handed and right-eye dominant were shown to have left-eye dominance upon closer examination.
A recent class I conducted further underscored this phenomenon. Among the four participants, one was known to be left-handed and left-eye dominant. The other three, all of whom had considered themselves right-handed, discovered during the class that their true eye dominance was left despite years of using their right hand for various tasks. These findings reinforce the notion that assumptions about dominant eye based on handedness can often be incorrect, and embracing your true eye dominance can significantly increase the speed and efficiency of your shots. In this example, 100% of the class was left-eye dominant; more often, I find 50% of the class or greater is Left-eye, and most of the time, they don't know it.
EMBRACING THE DOMINANT EYE FOR IMPROVED SPEED
As instructors, our primary goal is to help our students become faster and more efficient shooters. By emphasizing the significance of aligning with the dominant eye rather than relying solely on handedness, instructors can help students unlock their full shooting potential and increase the speed of their shots.
Instructors should also know the industry's limited availability of left-handed bolt-action rifles. Recognizing this gap can enable instructors to advocate for their students' needs or help students identify alternative solutions. Ensuring that left-eye dominant shooters have access to suitable firearms is essential for enhancing the speed and efficiency of their shots. As instructors, we can encourage our students to explore their dominant eye early in their training to help them become faster and more efficient shooters. Reminding students that they can't change their dominant eye reinforces the importance of adapting their shooting techniques to accommodate it.
If speed matters to you then consider letting your dominant eye dictate your dominant hand
CONCLUSION
For firearms instructors, understanding the complex interplay between eye dominance and handedness is vital for nurturing skilled, swift shooters. The role of the optical nerve in determining eye dominance should guide our instruction. By imparting this knowledge and emphasizing the importance of accommodating dominant eye alignment, instructors can empower their students to become faster and more efficient shooters. When guiding individuals on their shooting journey, instructors should encourage them to pay attention to their eyes – as my experiments have shown, assumptions about the dominant eye based on handedness can often be incorrect. Embracing one's true dominant eye can significantly improve shooting speed and efficiency, enabling students to hit their targets with newfound rapidity.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rob Orgel enlisted in the USMC in 2004 as an Infantry Rifleman (0311), serving with 3rd Bn 1st Marines in Iraq, including roles as a point man in OIF-3 & team leader in OIF-6. Later, he joined the 1st Marine Regiment, achieved the rank of Sergeant in 2010, & continued service in Afghanistan. Upon returning, he became a Combat Instructor at the School Of Infantry West. Transitioning to private military contracting with Securing Our Country (SOC), he instructed at the American Embassy in Iraq. In 2018, Rob became Chief Instructor at GPS Defense Sniper School, revamping their program. Now, as owner & lead instructor at Emergency Response Tactical, he focuses on training novice to advanced shooters on the range over 300 days a year
