Help with shooting and my new found dominant eye

[Kevin1954]

Hi all just retired and started shooting and would like to shoot NRL22. I started practicing 4 days a week on a 100 yard range at my home in western Washington, I was using a Marlin xt to start with then purchased a Ruger precision rimfire that I am enjoying shooting. the problem is that I was shooting 1 inch groups at 50 yards with my right eye then I tried to shoot support side and my groups went down to 3/4 to 1/2 inch with both eyes open. So I'm left eye dominant didnot know for 65 years. My question is can I shoot nrl22 matches left handed with a right handed rifle? What do you thing the drawbacks would be and any suggestion would be appreciated Thank you

 

[littlepod]

Offhand shooting is hard, since you will need to swap your hands supporting your rifle to cycle the bolt.

Besides that it isn't so bad.

We do weak side shooting stages in NRL22 and I never found it too much of an issue.

 

[darth_ritis]

I'm a lefty and shoot right-hand rifles a lot, as lefty rifles are either hard to find or more expensive or both. You can do it, it will require practice. Offhand it's annoying but when prone with a rear bag it can be pretty slick.

 

[stello1001]

I'm a lefty and shoot right-hand rifles a lot, as lefty rifles are either hard to find or more expensive or both. You can do it, it will require practice. Offhand it's annoying but when prone with a rear bag it can be pretty slick.

I have a question for you. Why do you say it can be pretty slick being left handed but shooting a right handed rifle from the prone position? Imagine using your left hand to squeeze the trigger and the right hand to squeeze the rear bag or pull in the hook on the stock to your shoulder. You would have to operate the bolt with your right hand after each shot, thus getting you off your target.

 

[darth_ritis]

I have a question for you. Why do you say it can be pretty slick being left handed but shooting a right handed rifle from the prone position? Imagine using your left hand to squeeze the trigger and the right hand to squeeze the rear bag or pull in the hook on the stock to your shoulder. You would have to operate the bolt with your right hand after each shot, thus getting you off your target.

True enough. I guess I'm used to it. What I meant was, if your buttstock is solid in your shoulder and/or solid on a bag, you can keep your left hand firing hand in place and run the bolt with the right hand. You can get pretty fast this way, which is not to say normal right-handed shooting can't be fast too but it requires re-acquiring the trigger each time. Some right-handed shooters will use a lefty bolt for the same reason. It does suck for offhand shooting though.

 

[stello1001]

True enough. I guess I'm used to it. What I meant was, if your buttstock is solid in your shoulder and/or solid on a bag, you can keep your left hand firing hand in place and run the bolt with the right hand. You can get pretty fast this way, which is not to say normal right-handed shooting can't be fast too but it requires re-acquiring the trigger each time. Some right-handed shooters will use a lefty bolt for the same reason. It does suck for offhand shooting though.

Then I guess I personally haven't mastered the technique. I say this because I was actually shooting from the prone earlier. I'm left handed shooting right handed rifle. Every time I had manipulate the bolt, I came off target. My bag needed some squeezing in order to get my butt stock up higher so every time I let go the squeeze to run the bolt, I was off. I'll keep experimenting as this will not stop me, hopefully soon enough I get a left handed rifle or master this technique.
Thanks for explaining.

 

[Booner1334]

First, congratulations on your retirement!
I'm also retired and shoot whenever I can, but I'm strictly a target shooter. I found your post interesting that your groups decrease by 1/2 moa depending on which eye you use. I'm right handed and right eye dominant. I try to keep both eyes open when I shoot; one eye on the reticle and the other on the scope level. What I found out years ago was that my groups tightened up if I concentrate on the crosshairs and not on the target. Sure, I place the target in the crosshairs, (and I try and use the smallest target possible), but my concentration is on the crosshairs- not the target. It's sort of like when you use iron sights, you concentrate on the front sight placement on the target. Perhaps your doing this with your left eye but not your right?

 

[Kevin1954]

Thank you for the advice. When i shoot right handed I must close my left eye to see in the scope but not when I shoot left handed. I guess I will start saving for a left handed rifle. Any advice on a precision left handed rifle. Thanks again

 

[Robbi]

thats good advice thanks also

 

[Fig]

You are kind of screwed. My buddy has the same problem and has to lay his head across the rifle and close the other eye. It’s a big disadvantage.

I shoot a bow left handed and am right eye dominant. I get by, but it sucks. I thank god i shoot pistols and rifles righty.

 

[StrayDog]

For NRL.22: a lefty Vudoo will leave you smiling after every stage.
And other lefty precision .22s are coming out too, but Vudoo leads by example in every way.
For centerfire steel matches: too many actions/stocks combos to list--just shoot a match and ask to handle and dry fire some stuff.
And.... Check out the Lefty PX! Lots of good stuff in there, pages and pages of seeing what's being made and used by lefty Hide members.
Ask yourself what's your budget and what's your intended use?
UNlimited? AI+ZCO, lol, reasonable cost? Vortex Razor II on an Impact or Terminus LH w/ prefit barrel in your caliber flavor; Low Budget? Rem700P in a used stock of your choice... etc.
The more I think about it, the more i realize it's a great time to be a lefty bolt rifle shooter!

 

[powerspc]

I am right eye dominant and always shot right handed. Due to a condition with my right eye I had to start shooting left handed with my weak eye, of course all of my rifles are right handed. 2 years later, I would never own a left handed rifle. I find shooting a right handed bolt action rifle left handed to be completely intuitive. My left hand stays on (or near) the trigger where it belongs while I cycle the action with my strong hand (right). It feels perfectly natural to me, kind of like a clutch/shifter thing. Left pulls the trigger, right cycles the bolt. I think you will just get used to it, I personally never saw any reason to switch to a left handed action.

 

[Fig]

An automatics you will often need to get a shell deflector if you shoot it off handed.