Learning to shoot again...off the 'wrong' shoulder.

[-Mongrel-]

Evening chaps (I'm assuming still no chapesses still, due to the speed they get scared off by the PW massive!) long time no post, but still about!

 

I've recently had an accident which, in short, is going to severely compromise my right eye vision for at least a year, quite possibly permanently.

 

My left eye was becoming dominant anyway due to a slight degradation in the right which I resolved using a tape 'patch'.

 

So, seeing as I can't use my right eye now, I figure the best solution is to learn to shoot off my left shoulder and left eye.

 

It sounds easy if you read it fast! Other than having to teach new muscle memory, how difficult is this likely to be? It feels very alien to mount a gun in my left shoulder, but I guess I'll get used to that, what are the other issues to overcome?

 

If you had to do this I'd be VERY keen to hear your experiences.

[Underdog]

Sincere best wishes sir. You will adjust I am sure.

 

U.

[jonny thomas]

I'm a l/h but can shoot with my right just stick with it like you say its a matter of muscle memory

My son is r/h with left eye dominance he copes well by shutting his left eye

[r1steele]

Not quite the same but a good friend of mine was a very good darts player and broke his right arm and was plastered around his elbow area which stopped him playing. He decided to have a go left handed as being unable to play was bugging him and he managed to get the hang of it very quickly and everyone commented that he seemed to play better left handed. He still plays left handed (better than right handed) and has done for about 20yrs now even though he is right handed at everything else. You should adapt and you never know, it may improve your shooting. Good luck and I hope all goes well for you

Edited June 23, 2015 by r1steele

[Salopian]

Mongrel,

It really is a matter of time and dedication, if you only shoot once a fortnight it will take a fairly long time to adjust . But realistically if you can find the time and practice dry mounting at home it should be okay within a month.

An issue maybe that however degraded your vision in your right maybe , it can still have an influence, because muscle memory and influence from the brain can alter what you THINK you are seeing.

Good luck and get well soon.

[Buckster]

This is an eye injury that i had a few years ago resulting in me losing my sight in it, tried to continue shooting from the right shoulder but it was just a waste of time.Just kept practising on the left after a few months it just felt normal.

[welsh1]

I am left handed left eye dominant, but i learnt to shoot right handed,at first it feels wrong but stick with it and it will become the norm,i shoot better right handed than left these days ,and left handed shooting now feels a bit strange.

[welshwarrior]

Lots of dry mounting practise then stick with the shooting. Aim for 20 good mounts a day to start with it may take 100+ but stick with it it'll come.

[FatFreddysCat]

Or crossover stock, right shoulder, left eye

[demonwolf444]

I thought i posted but must have forgot to press post!

 

Long story short, i swapped from right hand shooting to left hand shooting because of a hereditary condition resulting in the deterioration of my right eye which is lazy and short sighted.

 

Learning to shoot left handed was awkward but 6 months at it and it began to feel less alien but to begin with every movement and operation was awkward.

 

I just use neutrally cast guns i shoot right hand cast guns just fine unless the measurements are extreme.

 

Best of luck with it.

[winnie&bezza]

I first started shooting in my late teens and shot right handed as I'm right handed. But then my right eye started to become less dominant and had to squint my left eye to get the sight line of the rib. So I did the circle trick with your fingers trick and realised my left eye had become the dominant one, so I started shooting left handed and it felt natural really quickly even though I can't write left handed or do any task as a lefty as it its so cack handed (yes lads I know what your thinking!). So just keep at it mate. Good luck.

[Penelope]

My dad uses a Charles Hellis 'cross over' to good effect.

 

Or crossover stock, right shoulder, left eye

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[bruno22rf]

I lost my right eye 16 years ago after shooting right handed for 20+its not as hard as you might think-worst thing I found was simply carrying the gun in the "wrong" arm-once the gun comes into your shoulder things become more instinctive and you might find that your shooting improves-certainly if you've had a degenerative condition and you have not noticed the slow deterioration in your sight.

[JDog]

I must have been shooting off the wrong shoulder all my life.

[Marki]

Same for me. I'm naturally left handed and left eye dominate but copied my dad as a kid and have always shot right handed. I'm started shooting left handed due to my eye sight and it does feel better but I notice that after a bit I seem to forget and end up with my stance the wrong way around. just takes time i guess.

[JDog]

I know someone who has a right handed stance ie his left foot is forward for an incoming driven target, yet he shoots off his left shoulder. It looks very odd.

 

Mike Procter, a great South African cricketer who played for Gloucestershire for some time used to take off on his 'wrong leg'. It looked decidedly odd but it didn't prevent him from being one of the fastest and best bowlers of all time.

[Marki]

errrrrrr. From what you've said I may well have had my feet the wrong way round to start with.

 

 

Yet another excuse to save for when I miss everything.