Henry Rifle Forums

Elmer Keith wrote the following in his renowned revolver reference work, "Sixguns", published in 1961:

"Some folks are handicapped by having their master eye on the wrong side, that is, they may be left-handed and have the right eye the master, or vice versa. But we believe that with practice they can train the eye to become the master on whichever side they shoot. Constant practice with the thumb aimed at some object or other will greatly hasten the process, if one eye must be trained to become the master. Squinting of the non-shooting eye will also help, and in time it becomes automatic for one eye to see the sights on the target and the other to merely see the target."

The little dude in the 10-gallon hat had strong opinions on just about everything related to shooting and the majority of what he put forth has stood the test of time. When he wrote "we believe", he meant "I believe" – that was just part of his writing style. When shooting handguns, he advocated keeping both eyes open at all times. I assume that he must have had at least some evidence of the switch being accomplished by somebody.

Does anyone know of anybody who ever tried this dominance switcheroo, or, better yet, successfully achieved it?

Do you believe it's possible, or are people here in 2025 just stuck with putting dots on glasses and other make-do means like that.

I don't have any stake in this, as I'm not cross-eye dominant. I just find the idea extremely interesting.

Might work for some folks. Others may require surgery (cataracts or other physical problems). Eye's wear out with age, just like other parts of the body.

I can just barely shut my left eye with out almost shutting my right eye too, no problem with just shutting my right eye only. Asked my eye doctor about it and he said it was mental as you use the same muscles to shut one eye that you use to shut both eyes.

I have a hard time shooting a handgun with both eyes open so I move it slightly so I can use my left eye on the target (I'm right handed). I can shoot a rifle with both eyes open, I guess because the front sight is further away I can un-focus my left eye.

I've just completed surgery for my cataracts and I asked my doctor about that. He told me that it is possible for your master eye to switch when a person develops cataracts if the master eye clouds up too much. Then the brain may switch to the weaker eye if it's less cloudy. That's what happened to me. Now with my cataracts removed, I'm back to my normal master eye.

As to whether you can train your eyes to switch, I can't say. I am cross eye dominant, though, and I have shot rifles all my life that way and have done just fine. (I'm right handed and left eye dominant and shoot rifles right handed.) It's even been less of a problem for me shooting handguns because I can use either eye for that kind of shooting.

Shotgun shooting, though, has not been fine. Being cross eye dominant has been a hassle and a real problem for me with shotgun shooting. Then I have to close my left eye and shooting a shotgun without both eyes open is not great technique. Always had to work extra hard to be even an average shotgun shooter.

North Country Gal wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 11, 2025 5:37 pm

Shotgun shooting, though, has not been fine. Being cross eye dominant has been a hassle and a real problem for me with shotgun shooting. Then I have to close my left eye and shooting a shotgun without both eyes open is not great technique. Always had to work extra hard to be even an average shotgun shooter.

Not the ideal, but not the end of the world, either. For instance, this lady fires every shot she takes at a clay target with one eye closed.

Nora Martin Ross is a 34-time Amateur Trapshooting Association (ATA) All-American. One of her most amazing accomplishments came in 1990 when she became the first woman to break 100 straight doubles at the Grand American Trap Shoot, where she scored a 120x120 in a shoot off to capture the ATA Championship. Nora became the youngest person ever inducted into the Amateur Trapshooting Association Hall of Fame in 1999.

http://www.noramartinross.com/home.html

That is impressive. Wonderful to see.

Several years ago, I went trapshooting with my boss, we both were in our 40's then, he wore contacts for distance vision. He was right-handed and left eye dominant. He could tilt his head in such a way that he could shoot right-handed and site down the barrel with is left eye. Darndest thing I'd ever seen. He broke about 50% of a round of 25 of singles. He said shooting left-handed didn't work for him. I suggested try pointing the barrel at the target with both eyes open. With some discipline (old habits are hard to break) and practice that afternoon, his score improved.

I think the brain can make us a creature of habit, sometimes bad ones, but I believe with discipline and determination, we can trick it for the good. Especially when there is gun powder and projectiles involved.