Training for left hand carry

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gnappi

gnappi

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I'm left handed (LH) , right eye dominant, and have shot right handed all my life though at the range I regularly train a percentage of my shooting LH and have always advised my students to do the same.

My reason for training LH is a few times my right hand became unable to shoot a firearm, once for a severe case of tennis elbow, once for a bad injury on my right hand trigger finger and another for a wrist injury. I also have LH in and out of the waistband carry holsters in case I dork up my primary shooting arm / hand again.

It's been said that right handed persons were given a left arm by God only to balance out their body but I think preparation and training for LH shooting is prudent for right handed shooters.
 
I’m very much left handed. And left eye dominant also.

I like your last sentence about right handed people having a left arm to balance. That’s what my right arm is for. 😃

Good luck with the shooting. I think I’ve probably tried shooting right handed a couple times but gave up quickly.

One thing that I cannot stand is left handed bolt action rifles. They are very cumbersome. And I would think a right handed person could shoot one better.

I know your talking pistols and revolvers though.
 
Some years back I was at the Combat Rifle Competition in Arkansas and a 'fun day' competition was held using the 1911. The first string was shooting with your normal hand, The second string was using the off hand from the previous string. Very interesting scores from most all.
 
Something I’ve always done. I often carry IWB on my left side. If I chose to carry my knife or my primary gun on the right side on my belt.
 
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I’m very much left handed & left eye dominant. I carry OWB, l leave the IWB to the younger guys. I agree with Kevin on the bolt guns too, I can run a bolt with my right hand & not lose my sight picture. With auto pistols I punch out the mags with my trigger finger. SA revolvers are second nature, like they’re made for me. In basic training I did have to carry a brass deflector since the M16’s back then didn’t have them built in (1976) Sadly I’ve had to pass on some beautiful rifles over the years because they had a cheek piece for righties. I feel better now, always wanted to say all that-Dave
 
Anyone can learn to do anything with their weak hand with enough practice. Training with your carry gun with both hands is a must, because there's always a chance that you could be wounded on your strong side during a self defense situation. And then have to switch over to your other hand to keep on fighting.
 
I was working a job that kinda, sorta demanded the use of a concealed handgun when I had carpal release surgery. I had the right hand done first so spent 3-4 weeks prior shooting/carrying lefty. After the surgery, I carried lefty for another 4-5 weeks until my right hand was deemed good enough. Really didn't have any big issues although it was during this time that I switched from the single action Hi-Power to a DA/SA S&W 915. I never went back to the BHP and followed the 915 with a KP95DC when I had the funds.
I'm not ambidextrous but I grew up with left handed Dad and older brother so was fairly capable with the 'off hand'. With a light recoiling handgun, I'm almost as good lefty as righty.
 
I remember being 9 or 10 years old and thinking what a waste it was to have a left arm that can’t do much. Started to work at putting the left arm/hand to use. Can do most things with either hand now, but writing and using a hockey stick have mostly eluded my efforts.
 
I lost sight in my right eye when I was 59 due to glaucoma which was from a childhood injury that finally caught up to me. This is about the same time I started SASS. Since I'm right-handed, I had to teach myself how to shoot a lever rifle and a double barrel left-handed. I do not think it matters which is your dominate eye with handguns. I know in my case it doesn't
Well, I thought I might as well learn how to shoot a handgun left-handed. After 2000-3000, 22s of practicing, I can shoot just as well with either hand. Shooting with either hand does have some advantages in SASS competition IMHO.
Typing is a good example of using both hands to accomplish a task.
 
I understand training for shooting with the non-dominant hand so that if something happens where the dominant hand cannot function you are still ready to defend yourself. But what about training with firing with a foot, just in case BOTH hands become disabled? I've read that Chuck Norris can shoot a gun with his toes, so obviously it can be done.
 
vito said:
I understand training for shooting with the non-dominant hand so that if something happens where the dominant hand cannot function you are still ready to defend yourself. But what about training with firing with a foot, just in case BOTH hands become disabled? I've read that Chuck Norris can shoot a gun with his toes, so obviously it can be done.
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I seriously doubt that, in a defensive situation, you would have enough time to take your shoes and socks (if you wear socks) off. Then, since you can't use your hands, how do you get your shoes and socks off and the gun to the foot?
 
If both arms became disabled I think it would be easier to bend over and kiss your butt goodbye than to shoot with your feet, and Norris probably never shot a real gun, there's a big difference between a prop and a firearm.
 
I have always been left handed, right eye dominant. This causes some interesting things. I shoot a handgun, slingshot, or any hand size projectile weapon left handed. All knife work is left handed. I write left handed. I throw everything left handed. All precise work is left handed. I play pool left handed. HOWEVER, I shoot all longarms right handed. Never figured that out. I just found that I was more accurate and comfortable that way. Same with batting.
 
You really want to have some fun put a single action revolver in each hand when you fire the right you cock the left when you fire the left you are cocking the right that is a blast take some practice though yeah 12 rounds fired one right after the other pretty quick with some practice
 
Buffalo Red said:
You really want to have some fun put a single action revolver in each hand when you fire the right you cock the left when you fire the left you are cocking the right that is a blast take some practice though yeah 12 rounds fired one right after the other pretty quick with some practice
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In SASS that is called Gunfighter Category and can be very fast.

I do a right hand with the Old Armys
1769104743641.png


1769105368147.png





Then I do a little left while putting right gun back in holster
1769104797193.png


1769105398045.png
 
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Wyandot Jim said:
In SASS that is called Gunfighter Category and can be very fast.

I do a right hand with the Old Armys
View attachment 93358

Then I do a little left while putting right gun back in holster
View attachment 93359
Click to expand...
I don’t know anything about cowboy action shooting, so I have a question about the loads they shoot. Do the contestants shoot handloads, or do they have to shoot factory loads? And, another question; are the loads full power, or a mild load?
 
neilin said:
I don’t know anything about cowboy action shooting, so I have a question about the loads they shoot. Do the contestants shoot handloads, or do they have to shoot factory loads? And, another question; are the loads full power, or a mild load?
Click to expand...

Most shooters reload or buy handloads because we shoot a lot and factory loads get to be too expensive. SASS has rules as to the minimum load that you can use.
With 38 special I shoot around 800FPS with the Rugers and 1300-1400 with the Marlin 357 rifle both with 125 gr bullet. With the Old Armys and 147 gr round ball the vel. is around 700fps Some of the shooters shoot full loads but that takes a lot of time. They do have fun. Sometimes I will shoot full black powder loads of 45 Colt which is a handful.


Shot 5 rounds with the ROA
1769139876762.png
 
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Wyandot Jim said:
Most shooters reload or buy handloads because we shoot a lot and factory loads get to be too expensive. SASS has rules as to the minimum load that you can use.
With 38 special I shoot around 800FPS with the Rugers and 1300-1400 with the Marlin 357 rifle both with 125 gr bullet. With the Old Armys and 147 gr round ball the vel. is around 700fps Some of the shooters shoot full loads but that takes a lot of time. They do have fun. Sometimes I will shoot full black powder loads of 45 Colt which is a handful.


Shot 5 rounds with the ROA
View attachment 93404
Click to expand...
Thank you for the info!
 
I shot 44-40 vaqueros with a compressed load of swiss 2F
Or Remington reproductions 44 Cap & Ball with 3F swiss 24gr per shot.
One in each hand alternating shots was the most fun and dodging the smoke
 
Yep, Left-handed and left eye dominant. In police work we taught to shoot either hand even at 25 yds. Besides clearing and reloading the gun with 1 hand.
Since, 3 years ago, my left eye has had a small blank spot and a large floater. For speed, I use right eye for all handgun shooting. Left or right hand operation. I do about the same as many years ago. I can fire a 100% and need to under the HR218 law.
Rifles, I prefer a scope. The blank spot is on the lower vertical cross hair. About half way from bottom to horizontal cross hair. I can still see where I want the bullets to go. Peep sights work well but a small shift in my eye will cause the front sight to disappear. Shotguns I don't shoot much but miss a lot more shooting LH then I used to.
I have been seeing the eye Doc every 6 months and he believes it won't get worse since it was first noticed. With both eyes open the blank spot is not seen, the brain overrides the problem.
 
Buffalo Red said:
Yes 2011 was my last year there
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I really enjoyed the two matches that I shot in.
Smokey is an outstanding person. Since I had not planned on shooting that match, I was out of caps and balls and contacted Smokey as to where I could buy some. He told me he had plenty and gave me enough for the match. Sad part is if would not have entered Smokey would have gotten a plaque for 3rd place, but he came in 4th so no award
It is a shame politics got into the location. I thought the facilities were great.
 
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Exactly. Injuries happen and the fight doesn’t stop because your strong hand is out of commission. Training weak-hand isn’t overthinking it, it’s responsible prep. If you carry, you should be able to run the gun with either hand.
 
I have shot either, depending on which hand I would pick up a gun. Dad was right handed and mom was left handed so working around the farm it depended on if it was mom or dad I was helping at the time. When I started SASS I used either hand or both.
 
Back in the late 1980's I was assigned to the Marine Cors Security Force Battalion (Pacific). We trained "One hand, weak hand" quite a bit. We did this with both pistol and shotgun. With the pistol we had to draw fire and reload one handed with our weak hand. With the shotgun (pump) we had to shoot and reload when empty one handed weak hand. Once you got the hang of it, it was fairly easy.
 
It’s a good idea to practice shooting with your “off “ side hand.
In USPSA, we occasionally require shooters to shoot using only their “weak” hand.
It does affect scores.
 
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