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

[Southpaw]

Forgot to mention, yes I'm left eye dominant. Going left to right, my right eye has a better view of the next target to the right. Going right to left the gun could be blocking my right eye's view of the next target. But I'm definitely going to start practicing right to left more so both directions start to feel equally natural.

In USPSA the stage often dictates the target order. What really got me interested in asking this question is the local knockdown steel matches we do here. Many of the stages are set up with 30-40 steel targets spread out evenly and no movement on the stage. So you can shoot them going either direction with no benefit based on the stage layout. Here's an example of a stage, although maybe not the best for this discussion since the targets in the first array on the left are a bit closer and larger so makes sense to start there. Some stages are more even going either direction. http://youtu.be/CxieHLkfE7Q

[fishsticks]

Partially related to the fact we are conditioned to read left to right. I also think for a right handed shooter the ergonomics slightly favor pushing to the right rather than pulling to the left with the support hand.

[Hunter413]

It is from years of reading left to right. I am right eye dominant but prefer to shoot right to left because I shoot with both eyes and this allows the larger field of view to pick up targets faster. My right eye is obviously looking down the sights which leaves my left eye to pick up targets as I swing. Maybe that makes sense and maybe it doesn't. Best thing is to try it and see on a timer and then you will know which way you prefer.

Edited May 3, 2014 by Hunter413

[Nik Habicht]

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.

I proved that for my self as well, so I'll shoot right to left when I have that option and there's no downside.....

[shel6977]

I shoot first farthest away from where I'm moving next. If my next move is left, I shoot right to left or left to right if I'm moving to the right next. If there's no movement, generally I shoot left to right just because it's what works for me.

[caspian38]

You can only move the gun a little to your strong side without having to rotate your body, or take a step back/ readjust your footing. For me shooting right to left gives me a large engagement arc. For a lefty left to right will give you more range of motion. Your particular shooting stance might limit movement also. Try it with a rifle and it's pretty apparent which direction is more bio-mechanically efficient.

[JeffJ99]

I'm fine either way, but if it's an equal choice I'll usually go R to L, being cross-dominant and right handed it just works better for me.

[bountyhunter]

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?

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

We shoot left to right because we are taught to read that way so our brains are most comfortable scanning in that direction.

[kcobean]

I'm a south-paw also. For me, I shoot left to right because I "feel" more comfortable "pushing" the gun to the next target to the right vs. "pulling" the gun to the next target to the left.

[BeerBaron]

there is no doubt people brought up in languages that write and read left to write will almost certainly default to address a target array in that order if there's no other factors to help them deicde.

however a mate of mine (feralshooter on here) gave me a reason to shoot an array right to left (for a right handed shooter) that I haven't read in this thread yet.

hold your arms out in a normal gun grip (no gun in hand though) and start moving them right to left. you are closing your right arm across your body. get someone to put some resistance against it. you can overcome that resistance quite easily you are basically doing a pulling motion with your right (strong side) arm. going left to right you are now pushing away with your right arm. not as strong. you are using different muscles moving in each direction. it should be slightly easier for a right hander to be moving the gun right to left.

having said all of that there are usually other considerations that will determine this for you. entry and exit position, hard cover, no shoots, target distance etc.

I think it's worth practicing both.

[basman]

Practice both and you'll never have to think about it. Every once in a while, there is an advantage to shoot one way over the other.

[kcobean]

there is no doubt people brought up in languages that write and read left to write will almost certainly default to address a target array in that order if there's no other factors to help them deicde.

however a mate of mine (feralshooter on here) gave me a reason to shoot an array right to left (for a right handed shooter) that I haven't read in this thread yet.

hold your arms out in a normal gun grip (no gun in hand though) and start moving them right to left. you are closing your right arm across your body. get someone to put some resistance against it. you can overcome that resistance quite easily you are basically doing a pulling motion with your right (strong side) arm. going left to right you are now pushing away with your right arm. not as strong. you are using different muscles moving in each direction. it should be slightly easier for a right hander to be moving the gun right to left.

having said all of that there are usually other considerations that will determine this for you. entry and exit position, hard cover, no shoots, target distance etc.

I think it's worth practicing both.

This is exactly what I was saying in my post above yours. You just did a better job of describing it.

[BeerBaron]

there is no doubt people brought up in languages that write and read left to write will almost certainly default to address a target array in that order if there's no other factors to help them deicde.

however a mate of mine (feralshooter on here) gave me a reason to shoot an array right to left (for a right handed shooter) that I haven't read in this thread yet.

hold your arms out in a normal gun grip (no gun in hand though) and start moving them right to left. you are closing your right arm across your body. get someone to put some resistance against it. you can overcome that resistance quite easily you are basically doing a pulling motion with your right (strong side) arm. going left to right you are now pushing away with your right arm. not as strong. you are using different muscles moving in each direction. it should be slightly easier for a right hander to be moving the gun right to left.

having said all of that there are usually other considerations that will determine this for you. entry and exit position, hard cover, no shoots, target distance etc.

I think it's worth practicing both.

This is exactly what I was saying in my post above yours. You just did a better job of describing it.

kcobean, sorry I must have missed your post. I don't think I did a better job of describing it, just a longer one! I do think what you've experienced holds true for most. we seem to be stronger in one direction than the other and that's determined by our strong hand. right to left for righties, left to right for lefties.

[DagoRed]

I got a lot of advice when I shot a week+ ago, hard to remember all of it exactly. here goes. on the last stage? (5 of 5 I shot that day, I think they're stages) it was two hand grip three targets, move and do three strong hand then three weak hand. Afterwards the RO was giving me some advice on the single handed shooting and I think it was strong hand he said reverse it and shoot right to left, something to do with it being easier to control the gun moving that way.

Like I said, lots to remember from that first time but I am going to ask again when I see him and definitely work the one handed (haven't practiced that in years).

It does "feel" more natural to go left to right, since I'm reading this I'll be sure since I don't have habits yet to train both ways.

Red

[alma]

I got a lot of advice when I shot a week+ ago, hard to remember all of it exactly. here goes. on the last stage? (5 of 5 I shot that day, I think they're stages) it was two hand grip three targets, move and do three strong hand then three weak hand. Afterwards the RO was giving me some advice on the single handed shooting and I think it was strong hand he said reverse it and shoot right to left, something to do with it being easier to control the gun moving that way.

Like I said, lots to remember from that first time but I am going to ask again when I see him and definitely work the one handed (haven't practiced that in years).

It does "feel" more natural to go left to right, since I'm reading this I'll be sure since I don't have habits yet to train both ways.

Red

That is because you have stronger muscles available to pull the gun in towards your body than you would to push it away.

It wasn't discussed previously but I would agree that when shooting with one hand only that it can be beneficial to transition in towards your body for this reason (left hand transition left-to-right, right hand transition right-to-left).

[kevin c]

Right eye/hand dominant here. Given a choice, I shoot right to left on any array where I am flat footed. In a field course, though, I shoot in either direction as dictated by target presentation and how I plan the flow through the stage.

[tcburton1]

I shoot right to left when I can due to both eyes open I can transition to the next target quicker

[IHAVEGAS]

Muscles, as previously noted, would get my vote, not necessarily arm muscles alone though. I think the question is similar to 'why do most people shovel snow to their left?', 'Why is a persons best move to the basket normally to his right?', etc..

[steel1212]

I used to always shoot left to right if the targets are facing me. Now it all depends on the angle and target presentation. I think as mostly right handed Americans raised to read left to right it's just a habit. I remember shooting steel and a older shooter suggested I try right to left and was faster. Like I said it's all dependent on target presentation.

[IHMSA15151]

After 30 yrs. of pistol silhouette shooting in which you have to shoot left to right I find it's more of a natural mental thing to do it that way in steel challenge or fun steel. If the target set up dictates a distinct advantage to go the other direction I will.

[Aalmaron]

because i tend to recoil to the right, so on plates i use that to my advantage rather than fighting it.

[AdotOdot4]

Lefty who prefers left to right

Seems faster especially from a draw to start from my strong side.

[fastphil]

I'm right handed and like left to right, it makes my mag changes a little easier.

[doc88]

Practice both and you'll never have to think about it. Every once in a while, there is an advantage to shoot one way over the other.

I like this!!

[Darqnezz]

Right to left should be faster as the expulsion of gas pushes the recoil to that side anyway. Going with the flow SHOULD be faster, but its probably because that is the way we are taught to read.