Advice on opposite hand shooting?

[DavidS]

I am right handed. I need to learn to shoot with my left.

Before I head out to the range, any specific things I should watch out for to help the process along? Thanks.

[AJBert]

Take your time and remember whatever training you've had and just apply it to shooting left handed.


It really is that simple. Don't worry about trying to shoot with your left eye, though. Shooting a handgun with your weak hand and dominant eye will have little to no effect on poa/poi. Some may disagree with that statement but myself and many others who were/are in the military were taught this way.


You just might surprise yourself and find out you are more accurate shooting with your weak hand as you really have to pay attention to the basics. I've only shot weak handed unsupported, never have tried supported. Reason being is the main reason one would have to shoot weak hand is your strong hand/arm has been incapacitated.


Good luck and have some fun with it!

[DavidS]

I've only shot weak handed unsupported, never have tried supported. Reason being is the main reason one would have to shoot weak hand is your strong hand/arm has been incapacitated.

Very good point! Appreciated.

[RRP]

David, I assume you will be shooting one-handed? Otherwise, if your right hand/arm is not wounded, you would likely fight with your dominant hand in command.

When shooting left handed, and using your right dominant eye, cant the gun to the right slightly. The sights will align with your right eye.

[AIRret]

David, I assume you will be shooting one-handed? Otherwise, if your right hand/arm is not wounded, you would likely fight with your dominant hand in command.

When shooting left handed, and using your right dominant eye, cant the gun to the right slightly. The sights will align with your right eye.

Agreed.


In the fall of 2011 I had to switch strong hand permanently and I found dry fire practice extremely important! Concentrate on the grip, sight picture and trigger pull. Another words the basics. Keep up the dry fire until it feels fairly
natural.

[AJBert]

When shooting left handed, and using your right dominant eye, cant the gun to the right slightly. The sights will align with your right eye.
It doesn't matter if the sights are aligned with either eye, as long as the sights and eye are aligned to the target. The reason one doesn't shoot a long gun this way is you would have to put your face across the stock in order to align the sights/scope with the off eye. Laying your face across the stock and pulling the trigger tends to get one new markings on the face, sometimes with blood dripping. Plus, it is very uncomfortable.


In other words, as long as the sight axis is from the eye through the sights to the target it doesn't matter which eye or which hand you are using.

[AIRret]

AJbert

Masaad Ayoob also suggests a person try the tilting method because for some
people it works better.

[wyntrout]

Watch out for slide bites with the "new" supporting hand. :eek: I don't know what to do with that "strong hand" when trying to adapt to the left hand... got a few slide bites.

Wynn:)

[Bawanna]

The only way I'll ever be shooting with my left hand is if my normal right hand is gone or so messed up it can't hold and fire a gun. If it's gone I see no reason to survive anyhow so might be an incentive to win.

When I practice weak hand (not as often as I should) it's one hand only. My left hand is pretty much cosmetic and balance only. I can't do much with it. I guess it does ok on a keyboard so I guess it does have a reason to exist. Just not much.

[DavidS]

Thanks for all the tips.
First thing I did was try some dry firing. As several commented, the sight alignment was not far off from the very beginning. I was a still a little surprised at how close it was using my right eye.
Next I went down to the range to let go a few rounds. I did this unsupported, again as suggested by other members. I was not going after tight grouping accuracy, I just wanted to fire off rounds as fast as I could acquire the target to see where I stood. After the first two somewhat errant rounds, I managed to keep the rest on and 8.5 by 11 sheet of paper. I was a little surprised by this also.
My biggest surprise was how weak my left hand/wrist was compared to my right. Hence the first two errant rounds. I was really expecting a little more stability.
One piece of really good news. With my wrist action, I was really expecting a fail to eject like I had during break in. No such thing, the MK40 ran like a champ.

That is about the gist of it. There are a couple other things I noted that I need to work on but I think I am off to a good start. More range time definitely needed.

Thanks for the help.

[b4uqzme]

....One piece of really good news. With my wrist action, I was really expecting a fail to eject like I had during break in. No such thing, the MK40 ran like a champ...

Thanks for the help.

Good deal. I had to practice quite a bit to be able to shoot the MK9 left handed without a jam. 8.5x11 inch accuracy is just fine too (7 yards?).

I've had to shoot left handed, from retention, in IDPA. The goal there is an 8 inch circle at about 5 feet. By the time you resort to shooting with your weak hand only, you are happy to just do damage...things are getting desperate.

It's a good thing to practice and thanks for the reminder.

(Retention is point shooting with your elbow tucked into your side...not looking down the sights at all.)

[wyntrout]

If you shoot left-handed with your normal right eye dominant, you will probably bend your wrist and have recoil that's not aligned with your arm. You might try switching to the left eye and even close the right one to establish "normal" alignment of the pistol, wrist, and your arm.

In the end, it's what ever works best for you after some practice. I suck at weak hand shooting and don't do much of it. :rolleyes:

Wynn:)

[DavidS]

Yes, 7 yards.

[garyb]

Good to practice strong AND weak sides.

[AIRret]

I shoot at least one mag with my off hand (one hand only) every time I go to the range.

I view it as an essential piece of training, but that's just me.

[garyb]

I shoot at least one mag with my off hand (one hand only) every time I go to the range.

I view it as an essential piece of training, but that's just me.



That's a good approach and I agree that doing this helps. We shoot weak hand in IDPA....at times....and it is good training.

[muggsy]

I find it easier to cant my head when shooting left handed to be able to use my right eye. Canting the gun causes me to shoot high and to the right.

[bugs]

I also cant my head to use the dominant eye; if I cant the gun my hits tend to go that way. I make the effort to keep the gun straight, control the press, and follow the recoil pulse; just like strong hand in reverse.

practicing weak/strong hand, freestyle whenever you practice will do wonders for confidence abilities. :)

NRA LIFER
IDPA BELEIVER

[kenemoore]

So...I shoot cross eyed sorta maybe. I am right hand dominate and left eye dominate. I shoot all my pistols right handed, but use my left eye. Rifles, I shoot 100% left handed, always have.

Anyway, shooting left handed I shoot almost as good with one hand as both, I think it's because I'm finally using the same eye and hand. Shooting right handed, I tend to cant to the left a bit, and shoot okay, nothing fancy. Left handed, straight up, tight groups, makes me smile.

[berettabone]

I have to work on things all of the time......................it's a b!t@h to be right handed and left eye dominant. You would be surprised at how many people don't even consider which eye is dominant. I don't know what they are looking at............................and they don't know how to check to find out which is their dominant eye.

[RRP]

I am right hand dominate and left eye dominate. I shoot all my pistols right handed, but use my left eye.

Perfect!




I am right hand dominate and left eye dominate. Rifles, I shoot 100% left handed, always have.


Exactly. You've got it figured out!