Hello all, here is today's article posted on TheArmoryLife.com. It is titled “Ayoob: What Is a Cross-Dominant Shooter?” and can be found at https://www.thearmorylife.com/ayoob-what-is-a-cross-dominant-shooter/.
![](https://www.thearmorylife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/forum-cross-dominant-shooter.jpg)
![](https://www.thearmorylife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/forum-cross-dominant-shooter.jpg)
A couple thoughts on this article:
1) The focus on "Chapman" vs "Classic Weaver" vs "Isosceles" seems pretty archaic. I don't know many modern instructors that still focus on this, nor do I think that prescribed stances matter much in the real world. That said, I agree that something akin to the Isosceles stance, being more or less squared up to the target is most natural and conducive to cross-eye alignment. It's also the most natural for a bunch of other reasons.
2) In the year 2023, it seems pretty remiss to write an article on "Cross-Eye Dominance" in regards to handguns, and not at least mention that a red dot completely eliminates the issue. The red dot is a HUGE advantage for CED shooters, and I don't know why this benefit isn't mentioned more.
Agreed with the general gist of the article that more has been made of cross-eye dominance than is really necessary, and that there are plenty of really good shooters who are CED.
Sidenote - what the heck is Ayoob doing in that first pic? Holding a carbine with no sling in one hand and drawing his handgun with the other at the same time?
Apparently you didn't read the article. He tells you exactly what is going on here, and why, and it makes perfect sense to me.Sidenote - what the heck is Ayoob doing in that first pic? Holding a carbine with no sling in one hand and drawing his handgun with the other at the same time?
Apparently you didn't read the article. He tells you exactly what is going on here, and why, and it makes perfect sense to me.![]()
And you were doing SO good in your first post in this thread, Bob.Yes, the shooting stances are way outdated. Regular fighting stance we all use is the way. This is the way.
And red dots absolutely make it a moot point. As do scopes. The only time it makes any difference is with iron sights or a beaded shotgun.
Regular fighting stance we all use is the way...
And red dots absolutely make it a moot point.
Okay, I won't argue with you, although it's a moot point because whether this rifle has a sling on it or not is completely irrelevant to the point he's making here.I did read the article. I'll reserve my general thoughts on Ayoob and his advice. Regardless, long guns should have slings, period.
Disagree on that one. You are still going to line the red dot up with one eye or the other, probably the dominant eye.
You should be shooting a handgun left handed if you're left handed.Im cross eye dominant, lm right eye dom but left handed. I shoot pistols left handed and rifles right handed. I probably should switch to shooting pistol right handed but Ive done it this way for so long I dont see the point in changing now. Arron Cowen of Sage Dynamics has a good video about being cross eye dominant. Hes also right eye dominant and left handed.
Possibly. It depends I suppose if you shoot with both eyes open. Nevertheless, YOU zero'ed the red dot, so it will be zero'ed to however you shoot. Presumably. So it doesn't matter. Same with a scope. Same with anything that is adjustable and gets zero'ed. How you zero it is where it hits. Your eye dominance doesn't meanAnd you were doing SO good in your first post in this thread, Bob.
Agreed, but we don't all use the same "fighting stance." We had this conversation before.
Disagree on that one. You are still going to line the red dot up with one eye or the other, probably the dominant eye.
Not to be argumentative, because I've learned to respect you and your opinion, but I think maybe you don't understand dominance and how it works.Not if you're using the red dot properly. There is zero need to line one eye or the other up with the dot. Simply look at the dot with both eyes open, superimposed over the target. Dominance is irrelevant.
This is true. You are only going to see the dot with whatever eye you shoulder the weapon on. However, since you zero'ed the weapon with that eye it will be on target because that's how you adjusted the optic. So it's irrelevant.Not to be argumentative, because I've learned to respect you and your opinion, but I think maybe you don't understand dominance and how it works.
Keep both eyes open and point to something across the room, quickly and without thinking about it. Close one eye, and then open it and close the other. Your finger was lined up with the "target" with one eye, wasn't it, and the other eye gave you a "sight picture" you've never seen before.
The red dot works the same way. With both eyes open, you will automatically "find" the red dot with one eye or the other. You CANNOT see the red dot with both eyes at the same time, you just THINK you are because both eyes are open.
I experimented with all this 20 or 30 years ago, when researching "point shooting" techniques, and discovered that it's just about impossible to "bring the gun up along your body centerline and fire when it's in line with your nose," as one well-known WWII-era instruction manual put it. Trying as hard as you can to follow those instructions, the gun will end up in front of your dominant eye. It's best to learn/know this and "go with the flow."![]()
The red dot works the same way. With both eyes open, you will automatically "find" the red dot with one eye or the other. You CANNOT see the red dot with both eyes at the same time, you just THINK you are because both eyes are open.
Correct. You are getting it.This is true. You are only going to see the dot with whatever eye you shoulder the weapon on. However, since you zero'ed the weapon with that eye it will be on target because that's how you adjusted the optic. So it's irrelevant.
Ha ha. Getting what Snake ? Everything I said was fact and that hasn't changed. Cross dominance is a moot point with optics.Correct. You are getting it.![]()
Okay, thanks for trying to explain. I appreciate it.I'm not trying to be argumentative either, but the red dot does not work the same way that iron sights do. It's not two fixed points on the pistol like an iron sight - it's a floating holographic image. It moves around inside the window, but as long as the dot is on the target, you're going to hit the target - one eye open or both eyes open or aligned with your non-dominant eye. It doesn't matter.
I think we are diverging in our point of view on this because you are describing needing to focus on the dot itself.
If you are focusing on the dot when you are target shooting, that's fine, who cares. But if you are training for defensive shooting, you should never look at the dot, never focus on the dot, period. You remain target-focused the entire time, and the dot is raised into your sight picture peripherally. When the dot is superimposed over the target (again, without shifting your focus to the dot), you pull the trigger. If you're literally looking at the dot, you're using the dot incorrectly (again, for defensive purposes).
And this is why, with training, target-focused shooting with a red dot is faster than iron sights. You are never trying to align two things, you are never focusing on the sights to begin with. And yes, this is entirely possible to do with both eyes open, and without ever aligning one eye with the dot over the other.
You're actually correct-"ish" but not for the reason you think.Ha ha. Getting what Snake ? Everything I said was fact and that hasn't changed. Cross dominance is a moot point with optics.
Okay, thanks for trying to explain. I appreciate it.
I have ZERO experience with a true holographic sight. None. So I don't know how those work at all.
I do have a common cheap "red dot" sight on an AR-type rifle. I just had it out and tried to make it behave as you described.
I held the gun out at arms length as though it were a handgun and put the red dot on a target with both eyes open. I moved it all around, as you described. The red dot moved all around but I'm gonna believe you when you say it was actually on target the entire time, regardless of where it appeared in the "window."
Then I closed my left eye (I'm right eye dominant) and repeated the exercise. It looked exactly as it had with both eyes open.
Then I tried it again, starting with both eyes open until I saw the red dot, and then I closed my RIGHT eye. Guess what? The dot disappeared entirely. I had to move either my head or the gun to see it again. Just as I said, it was NOT POSSIBLE to see the red dot with BOTH eyes at the SAME TIME. With both eyes open, the RD sight indexed to my RIGHT (dominant eye). And it didn't make a bit of difference if I were focusing on the red dot or only seeing it peripherally. It can only be indexed to one eye or the other at a time.
Did I explain all that clearly enough?![]()