Left-Handed Shooters in the Military

[smokey%]

I figured this would be the best place to ask this question as I've gotten mixed responses from Google. I have handled enough rifles and know that I am a left-handed shooter when it comes to rifles. Now the weird thing is, I write with my right hand but throw balls with my left (I used to play basketball and I shot with my left hand). Does the military and more specifically the Marines accommodate left-handed shooters or do they just have to learn how to shoot right-handed?

 

[A1Janitor]

I know nothing about guns.

My son mentioned this to me awhile ago. He was determined to be a lefty shooter. He said it is based on eye dominance.

He said they give you a sling that accommodates either hand.

That makes no sense to me. Hopefully it makes sense to others.

 

[MidCakePa]

DD is a Marine 2LT. She’s also right-handed. When learning to shoot during plebe summer, it was determined that her left eye is dominant — hence she became a left-handed shooter. That was reinforced at Leatherneck during firstie year, and then at TBS after commissioning. She qualified as both rifle expert and pistol expert — the highest levels.

Studies have shown that people who shoot opposite from their dominant eye have a harder time learning. (You can Google those studies.) But as DD shows, high levels can be achieved. It just requires more work and practice.

DD, DS (an AROTC cadet), DBIL (a regular shooter), DN(ephew) and I shot rifles and pistols out on the “back 40” over Thanksgiving. DD was the most accurate. Not bad for a pseudo-lefty.

 

[ldrship]

I figured this would be the best place to ask this question as I've gotten mixed responses from Google. I have handled enough rifles and know that I am a left-handed shooter when it comes to rifles. Now the weird thing is, I write with my right hand but throw balls with my left (I used to play basketball and I shot with my left hand). Does the military and more specifically the Marines accommodate left-handed shooters or do they just have to learn how to shoot right-handed?

you are lucky you know you are left eye dominant. that is the first step in marksmanship training. many people are left eye dominant. you won't be forced to shoot poorly through your right eye.

 

[smokey%]

you are lucky you know you are left eye dominant. that is the first step in marksmanship training. many people are left eye dominant. you won't be forced to shoot poorly through your right eye.

How do I know that I am left eye dominant? Is your dominant eye the same side as your handedness when it comes to shooting?

 

[bookjustice]

you can check eye dominance by holding a triangle formed with both index fingers and thumbs touching, arms fully extended away from your face. Pick any point that's away from you, and look at it with both eyes open. Now, close your left eye. If the image largely stays still inside the triangle with very little movement, you're right eye dominant. Open the left and close the right eye. If the image appears to 'move', then you are right eye dominant. Basically, whichever eye keeps the picture in the triangle still is your dominant eye, and whichever 'shifts' the image is non-dominant.

How do I know that I am left eye dominant? Is your dominant eye the same side as your handedness when it comes to shooting?

 

[UHBlackhawk]

DD is also right handed but left eye dominant. I took her to the post gun club/range to shoot several times when she was growing up and noticed I couldn’t get her shot group down. Fortunately, the range has retired marksmen as instructors and one of them pointed out she was left eye dominant. Duh. That fixed it. As pointed out, that should be step number one.

DW was left handed, but was forced to write with her right hand in German schools. She shoots and throws left handed. Bats both left and right. Forcing her to be right handed gave her mild dyslexia but she was still able to make it through flight school and medical school finishing toward the top of her class in both.