Smaller is not necessarily better.

 

Phil Kiner is right...smaller is not necessarily better. But, everyone's needs are different, so some trial-and-error is appropriate. For a smaller occlusive patch, try using varying widths and lengths of Magic Mending tape. The spot can be made small by reducing the length, width or both; i.e., start with a square spot and cut the vertical or horizontal length down as needed - a square or rectangular patch seems to work as well as a circular or elliptical spot. This minimalistic approach was not particularly successful for me and I went back to what Phil advocated in his class. This ultimately led to a patch that is slightly wider than the target pickup zone (via trial and error) centered laterally over the muzzle and located just below the top of the rib. This size and placement combined with a high gun hold allows both eyes to be used for target acquisition and keeps the off eye from taking over when moving to the target.

Best of luck,
Pat

 

These work also; for $2. The dense part in the middle is only 9mm; the entire bandaid is 22mm and easy to trim to more of a rectangle, and very sticky
Amazon.com: Band-Aid Brand Tru-Stay Clear Spots Bandages for Discreet First Aid, All One Size, 50 Count: Health & Personal Care

re: position of the dot
Magic dot placement

Courtesy of Dr. tightwad from another thread
Small (5mm) dots taped to or ground into the lens of your shooting glasses on the eye NOT aligned with the barrel. The orientation for this occluder or opaque "spot" on the lens of a right-handed shooter is identified by having the shooter mount the gun and cheek the stock as though they are ready to call for a target, looking straight down the barrel with the right eye. In this position have a friend use a small stick-on dot (found at Staples or Office Depot) stuck to the side of a thin piece of wire or maybe a toothpick so that it looks like a lollypop. Have your friend move the dot around on surface of the left lens of your shooting glasses until its in the position that makes the "second barrel" disappear. When the second barrel disappears press the dot onto the lens and carefully remove the wire or toothpick so as not to scratch the lens of your shooting glasses. Unmount the gun and remount it. If you now have both eyes open and see only one barrel the dot is in the right place. If not you may have to move it around a bit to get it in the best position.

Corey Cogdell-Unrein, 2016. Her tape is square with a second rectangular layer toward the bottom

2008

Satu Nummela-Makela, Finland, Gold 2008 Olympics

Unfortunately, if I use anything but a very small dot, exactly over my pupil, my left eye is actually drawn to the dot

 

Scotch tape does work. If you don't want it to show. Place the dot on the lens facing your eye.

 

I can use scissors and cut my own from Scotch tape but they are ugly. If anybody has a good method for cutting nice circles please let me know. Thanks

Cut the tape into a neat, tidy square. Works for me. I don’t think it has to be a circle.

 

A hole punch will do it with a Magic Dot. However, after several years I just went to a small circle of chapstick inside the lense - perfecto.

 

It is ironic- I have be using a solid opaque dot about the 3/4 th size of a morgan magic dot. I think my eye could be looking around or under the dot, anyway be missing some targets I should hit etc. I decided to put a full size translucent morgan dot on and give it a try. Bought the dots about 3 years ago and used one time and stopped cause they felt too big and so different. Today I shot two rounds of skeet- shot good’ but that is not a good test. I mostly shoot sporting and this time I am going to give the larger dots a chance. I looked at several threads on line and here on TS, smaller may not always be better.

 

The little circles used to strengthen note book paper punch holes work great. Added benefit, if you squint you can see further

 

Or go to the web and google the UK system called Red Eye....they have 3 sizes in the kit you get and they are magnetic so you can move them around and don't scratch the lenses. I used them before I went to the Meadow Industries Sight Blinder on the rib.

 

Or go to the web and google the UK system called Red Eye....they have 3 sizes in the kit you get and they are magnetic so you can move them around and don't scratch the lenses. I used them before I went to the Meadow Industries Sight Blinder on the rib.

Totally agree w/ Bill on this little device. I battled with left eye dominance my entire life. Dots, grease, different lense colors, closed eye, squint (which I used for decades)----all were some form of un-satisfactory---FOR ME---This sight blinder is cheap, 100% effective (you physically can't see the front bead with your left eye----period), stays in place, doesn't interfere with anything and simply stops any sight of that bead with your non-shooting eye, If you're like me---fully left eye dominant, partially, get the occasional cross-issue like some of my shooting friends, or fear it may happen out of the blue, why not use this guy?? I don't see any down side to it and love the up side. For the first time in over 40 years I can track the bird with both eyes wide open. I'm shooting higher scores than ever before & I think this is a big part of why.

 

Go to an office supply store and buy a drafting stencil. You can get the one with several different sizes of round holes or elliptical holes. Place scotch tape over the hole and cut out with an exacto knife or any sharp pointed knife. Try all the sizes and see which works the best for you. Good luck.

Rex

 

I started with dots punched out using a price of 38 caliber brass but it turned out to be too small. Moved to a 45 acp case for a while but still too small. My wife has a vinyl cutting machine and she makes .6" dots for me now out of a heavy contact paper like material. Works great and have an endless supply. If you would like shoot me a PM and I can have her cut a couple of dozen and mail them over. Just let me know size. I think Magic Dots are .75"

Looks like this

 

A sight blinder stops the off eye from seeing the bead,; I've used them for 6 years. But it doesn't stop the off eye from seeing the target, which is what I'm trying to focus on in the first place. I agree there's no downside to having one, but it didn't cure my cross-firing. If you want to try a sight blinder, rather than spend $15 for the one pictured, you might buy a $3 set of 20-30 feeler gauges and tape one on the side of the rib rather than on top.

I've shot with both eyes open for 30+ years, during which time I went from occasional cross-firing on very specific target trajectories to unbearable cross-firing on left angles 18 months ago. Since then, I with played with every imaginable "trick" (occlusion) which, in effect, was trying to become a one-eyed shooter. I'm cautiously optimistic that I've cured my cross-dominance and, in that regard, am a better trap shooter than I've ever been ... still with 2 eyes open.

 

Get the Shotspot from the UK if you like to spend lots of money on shooting equipment.
They come in various levels of translucency.
Home
(I tried them all. Only the least translucent worked for me, and no better than Magic Dots.)

 

Thanks for all the advice. I will probably just go back to scotch tape.

 

Dab petroleum jelly on the area where you'd put the spot.

 

1/2" works great!