I am left eye dominant and shoot right handed. Recently, I heard of an Eyemaster Sight. It mounts on the end of the of the barrel on the left side. It supposedly will allow me to keep both eyes open and sight with my left dominant eye. Anyone out there using one or know someone using one?
left eye dominant issues
- Thread starter kuk kuk
- Start date
A5 Sweet 16
Well-known member
Another trick is to simply raise your left thumb & block the bead from your left eye. Might take a little more practice.
JMO—Switch to left handed shooting
Was right handed and right eye dominate-lost right Eye at thirty-
Switched to left hand at that time —not near as big of a deal as you may think
I would not waste my time on that other b.s.
Only issue-is I cannot use a left handed auto or pump—to much muscle memory and dominate right hand I JMOtried it and sold left hand gun—your results may vary —
One thing you will have to look for if you switched getting the right
/ left cast adjustments
springertime
New member
also left eye dominant, switched to lefty, shoot some trap you will be shocked how easily the transition is
I'm left eye dominant and a righty. I put a small piece of tape on my glasses. Lets me keep both eyes open.
I tried the eyemaster sight, but it didn't help liked I hoped it would. The tape works the best. The size of tape is no bigger than my pinky nail. I still have full peripheral vision, which is great.
I tried the eyemaster sight, but it didn't help liked I hoped it would. The tape works the best. The size of tape is no bigger than my pinky nail. I still have full peripheral vision, which is great.
I tried the sitemaster thing, but I think I use the general end of my barrel as a reference, as opposed to actually checking my bead (which shooters really shouldn't do).
When I'm shooting clays, a piece of tape works best. When I'm hunting, the tape is too annoying so I just go all natural. Gives me an excuse for my misses.
When I'm shooting clays, a piece of tape works best. When I'm hunting, the tape is too annoying so I just go all natural. Gives me an excuse for my misses.
A5 Sweet 16
Well-known member
While neither my eyes nor my brain are as sharp as they once were, at least they still match my right-hand shooting form. So I've never actually had off-eye-dominant issues, but I've experimented w/ the concept.
Even if we (correctly) don't focus on the bead during a swing/shot, the bead is definitely involved in a gun mount. When learning/practicing a mount, we judge it by where the bead floats in relation to the rib or receiver. (Also, we relate it to gun fit. How many of us pick a pretty, new gun up off the rack at the store, mount it, & then close our left eye to see how it "fits"?) Ideally, we practice enough that a good mount becomes second nature. But still, while focusing on a bird during a shot, the brain knows the bead is there & uses it, either to establish lead or to judge the quality of my mount. Occasionally, I'll be able to correct a mount prior to pulling the trigger (almost subconsciously), not because I'm checking the bead, but because my brain still sees it & determines that my mount's not perfect. Sometimes I'll miss a shot & immediately know it's because my mount wasn't right.
I'm pretty sure the concept between the Eyemaster, the tape on the glasses, etc. is the same. It's not so much about checking the bead (which takes focus off the bird & can lead to aiming). But by either moving the bead, or by taking the dominant eye out of the equation, your brain is tricked into believing your dominant eye (if you have one) is looking straight down the barrel, rather than across the barrel.
For over-thinking nerds like me, this is fun stuff to think about.
Even if we (correctly) don't focus on the bead during a swing/shot, the bead is definitely involved in a gun mount. When learning/practicing a mount, we judge it by where the bead floats in relation to the rib or receiver. (Also, we relate it to gun fit. How many of us pick a pretty, new gun up off the rack at the store, mount it, & then close our left eye to see how it "fits"?) Ideally, we practice enough that a good mount becomes second nature. But still, while focusing on a bird during a shot, the brain knows the bead is there & uses it, either to establish lead or to judge the quality of my mount. Occasionally, I'll be able to correct a mount prior to pulling the trigger (almost subconsciously), not because I'm checking the bead, but because my brain still sees it & determines that my mount's not perfect. Sometimes I'll miss a shot & immediately know it's because my mount wasn't right.
I'm pretty sure the concept between the Eyemaster, the tape on the glasses, etc. is the same. It's not so much about checking the bead (which takes focus off the bird & can lead to aiming). But by either moving the bead, or by taking the dominant eye out of the equation, your brain is tricked into believing your dominant eye (if you have one) is looking straight down the barrel, rather than across the barrel.
For over-thinking nerds like me, this is fun stuff to think about.
Last edited:
dustin mudd
Active member
hi all, I have watched this thread for a week or so.
MY input will be different than most. I too am left eye dominate, righty shooter. I was a poor shotgunner, but had the dogs, nice guns, trips to the Dakotas, and missed far too many easy shots. I finally went with a friend and got professional lessons.
tried :
patch over eye
glasses with tape
and trying to close left eye on shot.
The professional watched me shoot for a couple of hours, and suggested to me, which I accepted to START all over, discarding the crutch's.
He said Both eyes open are critical to successfully being a better shooter.
Gil Ash is his name.. He said if I would trust him, he believed I would improve?????
His approach is basically the eyes ,and brain are very complex and competent at doing the " MATH" for proper shooting.
basically he teaches:
Proper gun fit is mandatory.
swinging in a tempo , with the target, but keeping the barrel in front, WATCHING the leading edge of the target or bird head.
insert the gun to shoulder and face on stock.
( he insists we dry practice proper gun mount).
When gun on shoulder, shoot!
See target shoot target!
I know this is a EASY sounding and simplified explanation.
That said , my brain DID adjust for left eye dominance keeping eyes open, the brain and eyes , LEARNED to function in sync.
NO I will never be a competitive shooter, but both my target, and hunting success did improve fairly dramatically!
He teaches thru the USA and in his home base in Texas, and MIGHT be worth a weekend of your time? NO regrets on my part.
MY input will be different than most. I too am left eye dominate, righty shooter. I was a poor shotgunner, but had the dogs, nice guns, trips to the Dakotas, and missed far too many easy shots. I finally went with a friend and got professional lessons.
tried :
patch over eye
glasses with tape
and trying to close left eye on shot.
The professional watched me shoot for a couple of hours, and suggested to me, which I accepted to START all over, discarding the crutch's.
He said Both eyes open are critical to successfully being a better shooter.
Gil Ash is his name.. He said if I would trust him, he believed I would improve?????
His approach is basically the eyes ,and brain are very complex and competent at doing the " MATH" for proper shooting.
basically he teaches:
Proper gun fit is mandatory.
swinging in a tempo , with the target, but keeping the barrel in front, WATCHING the leading edge of the target or bird head.
insert the gun to shoulder and face on stock.
( he insists we dry practice proper gun mount).
When gun on shoulder, shoot!
See target shoot target!
I know this is a EASY sounding and simplified explanation.
That said , my brain DID adjust for left eye dominance keeping eyes open, the brain and eyes , LEARNED to function in sync.
NO I will never be a competitive shooter, but both my target, and hunting success did improve fairly dramatically!
He teaches thru the USA and in his home base in Texas, and MIGHT be worth a weekend of your time? NO regrets on my part.
A5 Sweet 16
Well-known member
I agree with the concepts dustin lists above that helped with his shooting. What I hear him saying is that if fit, mount, timing, technique, concentration (especially on the target), etc. are improved, the negative effect of off-eye-dominance is likely to diminish. I have no doubt that’s true. I suppose ideally, you could train your eyes/brain to not be aware of the bead/barrel at all. But how much practice would that take the average person? I’ve probably done a medium-to-large amount of shooting, compared to the average hunter. There are times, usually hunting, when I’m 100% not aware of the bead. But there are times, more frequently while target shooting, that I’m definitely aware of the bead/barrel to varying extents. Sometimes it’s helpful; sometimes not so much.
I consider myself a “pretty good” shooter. What’s the difference between me & a “really good” shooter? Is it that they’re never aware of the bead? Or is it that they’re aware of it & their brains know what to do w/ the info? Could be different schools of thought on this too.
I consider myself a “pretty good” shooter. What’s the difference between me & a “really good” shooter? Is it that they’re never aware of the bead? Or is it that they’re aware of it & their brains know what to do w/ the info? Could be different schools of thought on this too.
I've hunted with Dustin and he is an exceptional shot. Gil Ash has several video's that are available - seems to be a more than adequate instructor.
Some observations I've had in my shooting:
1) Clays - I always start out shooting well, but as the round goes on I start missing more.
2) Upland - I really don't miss many shots on pheasants, especially when my dog gives me enough warning to be ready.
3) Waterfowl - My most inconsistent shooting. Some days are good, some bad, lots mixed.
I think it boils down to me being surprised by the target or not. If I'm surprised, I'm 100% focused on the target. Don't even notice by bead. The ducks that decoy really well, or the 4th round at a sporting clays station, I start anticipating the shot. I think that's my downfall, more than my eye issues.
1) Clays - I always start out shooting well, but as the round goes on I start missing more.
2) Upland - I really don't miss many shots on pheasants, especially when my dog gives me enough warning to be ready.
3) Waterfowl - My most inconsistent shooting. Some days are good, some bad, lots mixed.
I think it boils down to me being surprised by the target or not. If I'm surprised, I'm 100% focused on the target. Don't even notice by bead. The ducks that decoy really well, or the 4th round at a sporting clays station, I start anticipating the shot. I think that's my downfall, more than my eye issues.