[J MAC]

How long does take to be able to get shots consistantly within say a 12" diameter at 25 yards with weak hand only? I have practiced with it some for almost a year and it is still a little shakey...At first it shook like an earthquake...

Is anybody weak hand close to being as fast and accurate as their strong hand?

Am I attempting the impossible?

 

[WalterMitty]

Weak hand only is a common stipulation in IPSC courses of fire.

Some people *must* practice it, I just don't know any of them.

 

[T.Labren]

I never considered shooting with my weak hand, Until I broke a bone in my strong
hand. It didn't take me long to learn how to do the simple tasks one takes for granted such as shaving, eating, brushing hair or teeth etc. I had three months to do everything with my only my left hand. Change mags, loads mags and shoot. If you want to learn you must practice often and do it safe.
My draw times were only 1/4 of a second slower with my left hand using a borrowed holster. It only gets better with perfect practice... Good shooting...

 

[dsk]

You won't get good until holding a gun in your weak hand feels just as natural as holding it in the strong hand. When I hold with my strong hand the gun feels like a natural extention of my arm. Hold it in my weak hand, and it still feels like an alien presence.

------------------
D. Kamm
USGI M1911/M1911A1 Pistols Website
http://www.geocities.com/M1911_M1911A1

 

[Wit]

Surprisingly, I shot better with my left hand than my right hand at 15 yards (still target with all the time I want.) I guess my left index finger hasn't got a bad habit from the right index finger yet. Farther than that, everything is messy since my left eye is not as good.

 

[h4444]

I'm naturally left handed/left-eye dominant, but was taught to do everything right handed. Typically, I can pick-up and learn things quickly lefthanded.

Week hand only,,,,,I love those words, that is where I can pick up the most points on those ranked higher than me.

It still feels a little funny,,,,but I'm almost as fast and pretty much as accurate.

HMMM,,,,damn you guys, now I've got to get two ambi's installed.

 

[WalterMitty]

I had the experience of running a one handed shooter through a stage at Area 4 year before last.

He had rigged up a mag holder belt that held the mags pointing up ready to load. For reloads he would drop a mag, jam the gun down on a fresh mag, and push the whole thing forward off his belt.

It was quite inspiring.

 

[Gargoyle]

Have you ever thrown a baseball with your weak hand? Where I come from, we call it the sissy throw. Same when I shoot left handed.

The recoil twists the gun and my wrist when fired. Have to work on it though!

------------------
If you don't mind being where you are, you are not lost.

 

[RobertWink]

I can shoot about as accurate weak handed with my Ruger P89 9mm. I am not as fast, but the accuracy is there. There is also low recoil, and the pistol is ambidex..

my Springfield? well the recoil is somewhat bad for my weak hand, and the accuracy is fair, but second shot is a joke, just too much recoil to recover quickly. Also I can't access the safety or slide lock one handed using my weak hand. Maybe I should workout my weak side more, but I am far better with a low power 9mm than with a .45

 

[LAK]

I had to shoot weak hand as part of qualification in a military course many years ago, including rifle. I also shot that way in competition (military only). I did ok, but strong hand had a significan edge in speed, and I was much better with a rifle. Certainly I have no problem close up with a pistol or revolver.

It will vary form person to person; but technique and lots of practice would have a great bearing on skill level. There are many people who lose a dominant eye or hand, arm, fingers and attain normal levels of coordination and manipulation with a formerly weak hand and/or eye combination.

I recall an article many years ago - can't remember where - about a shooter (doctor?) who shot strong hand/weak eye with a pistol. He maintained that there were neuro/physiological grounds that it was a "better way" for stressful combat shooting with a pistol. He would shoot with his head cocked over his strong arm; sight picture using the weak eye.

 

[col132]

On our standard 25 yard 48 rd qualification course we fire 12 of those rounds left handed. That's 25%. Knowing that we only fire 1/4 of our standard course with the left hand, I realize it is not getting as much practice as my right hand. Therefore I try to spend 25-50% of my practice time on the range using my left hand. The basic marksmanship principles are the same for the left hand as for the right hand. Practice (and dry firing) are the key.

 

[Double Naught Spy]

A guy I shoot with is a natural lefty, but a lefty functioning in a righty's world. He broke his dominant left arm in a car crash so he had to shoot weak/right-handed if he still wanted to participate with the group. His scores actually improved and his groups tightened shooting right handed. Now, sometimes he does left, sometimes right.

As for me, I am happy with 12" groups at 15 yards left handed.

 

[Redzone]

I only read the first three responses. But I think shooting weak handed is very confidence building. As you anticipate the shot less and center slower and more carefully. Making the thinking of shooting more desirable when strong hand is back to shooting. The one handed drills have a similar effect but less defined.

 

[redmule]

I've found that doing other tasks with your weak hand is a big aide in shooting with your weak hand. Try a hammer or screwdriver lefthanded.

When you shoot lefthanded, do you use the other hand for support? I spend at least half my range time shooting onehanded, left and right.

------------------

 

[BillD]

I do all of my weak hand shooting one-handed. I figure if my ohter hand is available, I will have my gun in it.

------------------
"Even the most normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag and begin slitting throats"
Mencken

 

[HeadHunter]

Originally posted by LAK:
I recall an article many years ago - can't remember where - about a shooter (doctor?) who shot strong hand/weak eye with a pistol. He maintained that there were neuro/physiological grounds that it was a "better way" for stressful combat shooting with a pistol. He would shoot with his head cocked over his strong arm; sight picture using the weak eye.

It was Paris Theodore of Seventrees Ltd. He called it the "Quell Stance." His thesis was something like emotions are more closely associated with the master eye so by shooting with the non-master eye a shooter would feel less stress in a gunfight.

I like to practice with both dominant and non-dominant hand only regularly. My accuracy is very close although I am not quite as fast with the non-dominant hand. I have no qualms about shooting with either hand only thanks to my training at the Rogers Shooting School www.rogers-shooting-school.com .

Our last IDPA match theme was dominant/non-dominant hand only. Many shooters found it very educational when they were forced to shoot one hand only.

------------------
Claude
Shooterscoach.com

 

[Ricky T]

Originally posted by HeadHunter:

Our last IDPA match theme was dominant/non-dominant hand only. Many shooters found it very educational when they were forced to shoot one hand only.

You are a feind ! Making people shoot with their non dominant hand, what next? Use the sights?
I used the Quail Stance.

 

[HeadHunter]

Originally posted by Ricky T:
I used the Quail Stance.

I have used the Quail (get out of there as quickly as possible!) Stance on a number of occasions in my life and found it works quite well. LOL

"you know, they say running is good for your health; well, in this neighborhood it can save your life!"

------------------
Claude
Shooterscoach.com

[This message has been edited by HeadHunter (edited 11-06-2001).]

 

[10-Ring]

Started shooting w/ weak hand about 8 months ago. Always good for a laugh. Then something clicked...I'm still not as good as strong side, but it is getting better and I can now group pretty well out to about 20 yards...I'm no longer happy just hitting paper!

 

[Shinglekill]

I'm basically ambi-everything but left eye dominate. The real problem occurs when drawing with both hands simultaneously (Hollywood style) and trying to aim both guns at once with the left eye.
I can honestly say that I'm equally bad with either hand.