Cross-Dominant

[40frank]

Hi Mas, I would like your advise on this subject. I posted this here because I remember a while ago you wrote an article on it. Years ago when I was in boot camp, a real "patient" DI noticed I was right-handed, left eye dominant. His solution was simple; "If I catch you doing anything for the next 13 weeks with your right hand, you won't have any hands..." (Had to clean it up :supergrin:)

Anyway it worked, I have been shooting lefty ever since. To stay sharp with both hands, I started using my right hand-left eye and the range. I noticed that I am slightly more accurate using my left hand but faster with my right hand. Is there any advantage/disadvantage you can think of if I were to switch back to shooting right-handed with the handgun? Is the extra movement of lining the sights up with my dominant eye going to create problems? (I use the four count draw and right before I thrust my handgun out, I move the handgun in line with my dominant eye.)
Thanks for your time, Frank.
P.S. If you can please remind me where that article was written, I would like to track it down. Thanks.

[Mas Ayoob]

Frank, I'm going from memory here, but I think cross-dominant issues were discussed in "Gun Digest Book of Combat Handgunnery," 6th edition. I also did a column on the topic 2 or 3 years ago in GUNS magazine, might be available in the archives at www.gunsmagazine.com.

Short form: for one-handed shooting with the right hand and left eye, rotate the gun 15-45 degrees toward the left eye and the sights should come dead into line with the pupil of the left eye. This can work in a two handed stance as well, or try the following for two-hand shooting:

With classic Weaver stance (both elbows bent) drop the right side of your head toward your right shoulder. This should align left eye reasonably well with right hand.

With the Ray Chapman modified Weaver stance (gun arm locked, support arm bent), firing with your right hand and aiming with left eye will be facilitated by keeping the head erect and bringing your chin to your right shoulder/bicep area.

With the Isosceles stance (chest square to target and both arms locked out forward) the handgun will come center with your head and a slight, natural adjustment will allow a dominant eye on either side to align quickly.

Give it a try and let us know here how it works.

Best,
Mas

[40frank]

Give it a try and let us know here how it works.

[/QUOTE]

Thanks Mas, I tired the isosceles this morning and it worked out great. In fact, I plan to switch back to my dominant hand. When I first learned shooting, I fell under the old school philosophy of switching to your non-dominant hand for hand-gunning. I did find your article. It was refreshing to learn that Dave Sevigny and Tom Yost are also cross-dominant...and they seem to be doing alright.:supergrin:
Thanks again, Frank.