Target engagement order - why does everyone shoot left to right?

[Southpaw]

If you have an array of targets in front of you with no advantage based on the stage design or target arrangement, will you shoot them left to right or right to left? For example, some classifiers are like this with say 5+ targets arranged somewhat symmetrically and no movement.

It seems the vast majority will shoot left to right given the choice. This makes me think I should be shooting right to left since I'm a lefty, but it feels more natural for me to shoot left to right like all the righties do. Am I missing something? I've always shot left to right, but I guess I could switch if there's some advantage to this that I'm not picking up on.

When I think about it, I guess I shoot left to right for 2 reasons: 1) my right eye can peripherally see the next target better, whereas if the next target were to the left of the current target I'm shooting my right eye would be blocked by the gun and 2) if I were shooting 1 handed the gun would recoil to the right some making it easier to come down on the target to the right, so I just do the same when shooting 2 handed. Although if these 2 reasons actually had any merit I think I'd be seeing a lot more righties shooting right to left

[Sarge]

My guess would be dominant eye.

[Matt1911]

My guess would be that everyone copies what the first guy did.

[alma]

I don't think it's faster one way or the other. I think it's just the direction of habit for people whose language reads left to right.

[drute]

Personally I think shoot left to right because my first multiple Tage scenario was a plate rack at a local range and I shot it left to right 100s of times and got very used to that target order. When I started shooting uspsa I notice some stages right to left would be the better choice but I was slightly slower. Now when I shoot that rack I practice both ways

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[NoSteel]

Any time I have to start facing up range I turn to face targets strong side ( right ) this puts the targets to the left first in sight line. I see no reason to break that habit when facing down range start..

[Chills1994]

If you speak/read English, you are already used to moving your eyes left to right.

[Chills1994]

Your eyes actually move in like short bursts (when you're not visually tracking anything) called saccades (or saccadic eye movement). When you see a doc for a physical, he'll do something like this:

The other thing he might do is have you follow the tip of his finger as he moves it in a circular pattern. Your eye movement then smooths out and should be one fluid motion (smooth pursuit).

I suspect that being taught to read english at an early age, our eyes are just used to left to right saccadic movements.

Edited April 27, 2014 by Chills1994

[Hi-Power Jack]

I believe that many years ago, Rob Leatham proved to himself on the timer that going RIGHT to LEFT

was faster for him, and many people switched over - but, we are accustomed to reading left to right.

[MarkCO]

I am typically faster right to left. But I let the course and target appearance and which way I am going next set my plan.

Maybe being ambidextrous makes the way I pan less critical for me.

[kneelingatlas]

I shot Olympic style rapid fire pistol when I was a kid which is generally shot one handed right to left, so that's how I end up shooting, but in a steel match I alternate from string to string to see which feels better.

[Southpaw]

Thanks all for the replies. Very interesting to hear everyone's own reason for why they shoot the way they do. Sounds like it's more a mental thing than actual physical reasons that would cause one way to be faster than the other.

Any time I have to start facing up range I turn to face targets strong side ( right ) this puts the targets to the left first in sight line. I see no reason to break that habit when facing down range start..

I'll do the same thing (but reversed because I'm a lefty). If the stage design causes one way to be faster than the other I'll do that, but it does feel a bit weird shooting right to left. For example, I shot classifier CM 99-8 a few months ago. I turned towards my strong side so engaged the targets right to left, but then after the reload, without even thinking about it, I re-engaged the targets left to right.

If you speak/read English, you are already used to moving your eyes left to right.

I wonder how they shoot in Israel (or any other country that reads right to left). Does everyone shoot right to left there?

Personally I think shoot left to right because my first multiple Tage scenario was a plate rack at a local range and I shot it left to right 100s of times and got very used to that target order. When I started shooting uspsa I notice some stages right to left would be the better choice but I was slightly slower. Now when I shoot that rack I practice both ways

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That's a very good point. I should really practice more going right to left so when a stage dictates the target order I'm more comfortable shooting either direction.

[NoSteel]

I'll do the same thing (but reversed because I'm a lefty). If the stage design causes one way to be faster than the other I'll do that, but it does feel a bit weird shooting right to left. For example, I shot classifier CM 99-8 a few months ago. I turned towards my strong side so engaged the targets right to left, but then after the reload, without even thinking about it, I re-engaged the targets left to right.

You would want to shoot in the opposite direction post reload since this allows you to stay focused on the las target shot during your reload and save you the time not going all the way back to the right just to go left again...

Edited April 27, 2014 by NoSteel

[alma]

It seems like I read about this somewhere (perhaps the Enos book) that talked about purposely shooting from right to left just to break the mental habit and to bring more awareness to what you are doing as opposed to running on auto pilot.

I will say that if I have a scenario with a target array followed by a reload and engagement on the same array that I often run it both ways. This allows me to stay relatively indexed on one target during my reload.

[Pasley]

I generally shoot left to right. I'm right handed and shoot with my right eye closed. Have wondered if I should try going right to left more.

[IronicTwitch]

I'm left eye dominant and shoot right to left. That allows me to pick up the next target without looking over the gun. Also I've told myself I get some benefit of the ejector recoil pushing the gun left to help transition between targets. If I'm moving even moreso since I don't like running over spent brass (especially on indoor ranges with concrete floors).

[bigfish]

I like right to left so that I can lead with my non shooting eye. In dryfire and practice I try to keep everything 50/50 on direction

[RammerJammer]

My guess would be dominant eye.

I messed with the right to left only thing for a while and it was just a little visually awkward. That and the familiarity with left to right it only makes sense.

[Studlee]

I'm right handed shooter and 95% of the time I'll shoot left to right. 1 reason is most stages you transition to next position for next set of targets. During the transition it forces me to make sure the gun is pointed down range. It also helps in the reload when I grab the new mag and tilt the run to the mag. I don't want to make the mistake and break 180 if I'm moving from right to left.

Another reason is when facing up range. On the beep I turn clockwise and pivot on my right foot which keep the gun in the same spot during my draw. The first target I see is the left.

[Sac Law Man]

There are many reasons,, here are a few,, Righties have an easier time shooting left to right, their non dominant eye can pick up the next target faster. Also, most handguns will recoil up and to the right which aids in transitions when shooting left to right.

[L3324temp]

I mainly attack stages left to right because it makes you less likely to break the 180 if you are a right handed shooter.

[mike4045]

I change directions based on target presentation. I do not like to draw into a partial or target with no shoot on it. I practice both directions and don't lose much either way. I also prefer left to right when shooting single stack or production to avoid 180 when reloading or moving.

[caspian38]

There is almost always an advantage to be found. I like right to left as I find my brain likes to look left on its own. The least amount of movement to the largest /closest target ( on one side or the other). If I forget a target it is usually on my right side for some reason.

Get a timer and try it both ways. I find a reason / advantage on almost every stage that dictates the best direction to shoot an array. Usually it is more substantial than how fast I shoot LR vs RL.

If your cross dominant ( find yourself switching eyes as you move the gun accros your body ) you may find that starting opposite your dominate eye keeps you from switching as much. I used to have trouble with shooting right to left becuse about 3/4 of the way left I would switch eyes and start aiming with my left eye. I see your left handed but are you left eye dominant?

[motosapiens]

I think it's more natural to go left to right (probably because that's how we read, as chills1994 astutely mentioned), but I practice both directions with no apparent difference in time. There are often sound reasons on a stage for going right to left. IMHO, whatever you are not good at is what you should be practicing the most, so when you have to do it in a match it won't kill your score.

[ardo]

With all other factors being equal, I shoot right to left. I do, however, practice both.

Years ago, when I got into sporting clays, the instructor told me that for a right-handed person it would be easier to turn left. I shoot pistol the same way, and find it more comfortable.