I have been a firearms instructor for many years and it never ceases to surprise me that this fundamental issue is so poorly addressed if at all by supposed firearm experts.
So if your right-handed shooter, you use your right eye to aim with right? So how do you come to this conclusion? The reason when it comes to firearms is that we as shooters just expect “it to be so”. Well it may surprise you that a good percentage of rifle shooters may be using the incorrect eye or as I call it “master eye” to aim with. Of course if youre left-handed the vice is versa, your master eye may actually be your right eye. Confused? Well you dont have to be I will endeavour to explain how to establish which eye is the most dominate and that it is the one you should actually use to aim your rifle with. Once you discover which eye is more dominate then your scores should literally go through the roof!
Using the incorrect dominate eye to aim your rifle will provide you with significant shoot placement and fundamental aiming problems. Have you been on the range lately and the guy next to you seems to be getting those extra “bulls” or higher target competition scores than you and you just figure that you need to tweak your iron sights or your scope just that one more click to outdo him/her and yet he/she still best you. You start to loose confidence blame your rifle, look for another brand and or look for other things to excuse your lack of accuracy.
In the following explanation I will be referring to the right-handed shooter. So lefties just do the opposite from my explanation. No rifle is needed.
Step 1 Choose a target or object about 10 yards from you determine the point on the target or object that you will aim at.
Step 2 Keep both eyes open.
Step 3 Raise and extend your right-arm with your thumb pointing upwards and place the very tip of your thumb on the chosen point of aim on the target.
Step 4 If you believe your dominate eye is your right eye close your left eye and keep your right eye open. Now for the results!
Did the image of your thumb stay on the point of aim? If so that is your dominate eye! So continue to use your right eye for aiming your rifle!
Did the image of your thumb move off the point of aim? If so then more than likely your right eye is not your dominate eye! We can confirm this by one more test.
Step 5 Now close your right eye and keep your left eye open (arm still extended and thumb still on the same point of aim)
If the image of your thumb remained on the point of aim then your left eye is your most dominate eye.
Step 6 If the image of your thumb did not move of the point of aim using either eye then sick with your right eye for aiming your rifle!
If however you fall into Step 5 my advice is next time you go the range start practicing or altering your firing position and weapon hold to accommodate your most dominate eye if you wish to increase your scores or game kills. I hope you gained something from this tip.
