.22 LR advice for a new shooter

[Wbowen13]

I took my 10 yr old daughter shooting this past weekend, she is left handed at somethings, and right handed at others. I was hoping shooting was going to be a right handed sport, but it appears she is more comfortable handling the gun left handed but right eye dominant.

She can hit where she is aiming, even though the whole setup looks uncomfortable to me, it works for her and when we try to change it, she reverts back to her original stance. And since she’s hitting where she’s aiming I’m inclined to leave it be.

My question is, does anyone have any experience with this and can you offer any advice how I could help her to improve ? We were shooting a right handed bolt action, I’m wanting to buy her a left handed semiauto rifle, I have yet to be able to find one to try out for her, but I can only imagine it working out better for her, any advice on LH/RH ?
Thanks !

 

[Okie4570]

You'll save her and yourself a world of frustration later down the road if she'll go ahead and switch over to right hand, since she's right eye dominate. Especially when it comes to shotguns and archery. Was she shooting a scoped rifle?

 

[dennishoddy]

Some that are right or left eye dominate use glasses, and put a patch over the dominate eye to fool the brain into using the correct one.

I've seen a lot of folks do that.

 

[Okie4570]

Some that are right or left eye dominate use glasses, and put a patch over the dominate eye to fool the brain into using the correct one.

I've seen a lot of folks do that.

Pistol shooters primarily?

 

[GUN DOG]

I had some kids like that with shotguns put a piece of scotch tape on their dominate eye to make it blurry and the other eye takes over when you have both open. Works like a patch

 

[dennishoddy]

Pistol shooters primarily?

Shotgun as well.

 

[turkeyrun]

Given her being somewhat ambidextrous, she would be better off learning to shoot right handed.
Shooting left handed, the eye patch on the right or glasses with tape will help to train her eye.

The biggest advantage of shooting right vs left is availability of arms.
Her youth and inexperience will help in training, whichever way you decide to go.

My grandson was the same way. The first couple of trips to the range, he felt awkward. 6 yrs later, he doesn't remember trying to shoot left handed.

Stay patient. Don't force her. Make it fun. Keep it positive. Take her often.

 

[Wbowen13]

Thanks everyone for the replies, sorry I was slow getting back. She was shooting a rifle with traditional sights. I am wanting to start her with a .22 pistol soon but I was curious how others had gone before I messed up.

 

[t_rae]

I might try some of these myself. Didn't shoot growing up and found out I was left eye dominant in basic training at Ft. Benning. Drill Sergeant made me shoot left. I easily transitioned to right for archery and since taking up pistols have been forcing myself to shoot right. I might try to do the same with rifle. Thanks for the tips OKShooters!

 

[ProBusiness]

a person should shoot per their dominate eye. right eye dominate, shoot right handed, left eye dominatge, shoot left handed. this is easier for a new shooter, harder for an experienced shooter.

it will make a big diff for shotgun and moving target.

for pistols and rifles, a person can actually shoot with either their dominate eye or non-dominate eye because you can shoot pretty good with an eye closed.

i would say that over 80% of my shotgun students who are having problems hitting targets, are guys that are shooting cross dominance. i.e. left eye dominate shooting right handed, or right handed shooting left handed. changed them to match their shooting hand with their dominate eye and they are very happy now.