How many shoot

[onegun]

with their weakside arm routinely? Another thread got me thinking of this and I'm just curious.

When I was a youngster in the early 60's, newly assigned to the Army MP school for training, we were fortunate enough to receive our pistol training from members of the Army Marksmanship Unit (most of whom then were on the US Olympic team as well). Once we had the basics down on the 1911 we were trained to fire with our strongside arm immobilized. It wasn't so much to operate the pistol but just to get off a magazine full accurately and effectively. Since that day I have continued to shoot left handed with my handguns some but with my small backup guns I do so almost exclusively. I do my worst with the larger handguns such as my SIG P220. The Kahr's, being smaller, are very accurate for me. I carry and shoot my BUG left handed as do several of my retired law enforcement friends. I know most don't carry a BUG in the CCW environment but it's a pretty good practice for your primary as well.

[steve666]

I usually fire a box of ammo weak side every time I go to the range just for practice.

[Kingcreek]

I occaisionally practice with a few rounds weak side.
My rifle coach (former Army Ranger) of days gone by almost lost his right arm mid-forearm in an accident. It was surgically reattached and after a lot of time and therapy he regained partial use of it. Every day he would come home from PT/rehab and go out to his backyard range and shoot steel plates with a 1911. Then he would go into his basement and pull the handle on the reloader and make more rounds. He had been doing this for awhile and we finished up at the rifle range and were just going to unwind at the pistol range. He told me to load 3 rounds in my 1911 chamber one and lay the gun down on the table. He did the same with his 1911. Then he picked up both- one in each hand- and dropped 6 plates form the outside in with 3 paired shots from 2 hands. I have to say, it was pretty inspiring.

[jlottmc]

I do just often enough so that it doesn't feel foreign to me.

[jocko]

I should practice weak side but I just don't. I am so so awkward with my right arm, it is embarrassing . I think God put my right arm on me to make me look normal but never told me how to use it.

I don't intend to start now either. to old to teach a old dog new tricks, for me anyhow..

[mad1ben2]

Not as often as I should... I actually like shooting off-hand and am surprisingly accurate (but slower) shooting that way... but I forget to practice it as much as I should...

[Ljutic]

IDPA forces us to shoot our off-hand from time to time, but it's not enough practice to make a real difference. I'll never be as accurate with the left as with the right.

For those that do practice with the off hand, is it always shooting with one hand to simulate catastrophic failure of your dominate arm?

Someday, I would like to learn akimbo shooting. I'm not comfortable doing that at the indoor range so it will have to wait until I get my access to the outdoor range. No real practical value to learning this skill other than to see if I can do it.

[garyb]

I have shot this way, but I don't shoot this way enough. Shooting weak side is a part of IDPA. I am looking forward to using this in IDPA to become more well rounded.

[adventures47129]

Gosh... I should far more often then I do. I need to develop a routine when I go to the range so I practice weak side, single arm, prone, kneeling... I mostly just go and shoot. It has gotten more social then practical.

[MW surveyor]

Hola from Mexico. Down here on assignment for the week. Should be back in Houston next week.

In any event, I try to shoot at least 20% of the rounds I take to the range using my weak hand with both the CW9 and my SP101. Gotta say, sometimes I'm more accurate with the left than the right! What's up with that!

[jocko]

Gosh... I should far more often then I do. I need to develop a routine when I go to the range so I practice weak side, single arm, prone, kneeling... I mostly just go and shoot. It has gotten more social then practical.

with you I just go an shoot and at my age, this prone and kneeling stuff comes very slowly with ol jocko. I tend not to practice in positions that hurt, which now is getting to be alot.

I am very guilty of just pulling up one of the range chairs and at 7 yards just plinking away at my FBI style Q silhouette targets. I don't run good, I certainly can't bend worth a fokk either but I tend to sit pretty good yet, so that is my agenda when I do alot of shooting. I know this is not the practical thing to do, so I am just adding to this posters threads, that he is not alone. I can attest that if a BG gives me a chance to pull up a chair, his ass is in deep trouble at 7 yards:D:D

[Bawanna]

I gotta concur with Jocko on this one as well. I can't even effectively pick my nose with my left hand. I think its just cosmetic to keep me from leaning too far RIGHT.
I've wanted to do them diving rolls across the room like in the movies but all that side pressure is hard on my wheels and I bust spokes, not good.

They let me qualify once with the boys up at the police range and they are talking me thru it. Ok now 6 shots weak hand from low ready at 20 yards. I'm like you want me to do what? Your nuts.
I some how faked my way thru and shot a 570 out of 600 which beat everyone else there at the time. Still have the range card, I won't go back on account I know that ain't never ever gonna happen a second time.

Prove positive that a blind hog gets an occasional acorn.

[earle8888]

I also carry "BUG" in weak side pocket, don't practice lefty enough. I also have CTL on PM40 BUG

[windsearcher]

Every time I head out to the range, I shoot whatever I have with me, one handed, with both weak side and strong side hands.... (primarily the strong side).... but enough to be at least comfortable with the XDM, Kahr and Glock using my weak side hand. Accuracy? Well... not going to win a marksmanship contest with weak side, but for practical purposes, a bad-guy will be having an really bad day. At least am getting used to working the controls and the feel of it using both sides.

[jocko]

bawanna, u mean 6 shots at about hip level at 20 yards.??? and with fokking weak hand. Hell I would have just walked off the range, no way I could have done that even with strong hand with my PM9, Just no way Hose. I guess my question to them would be, wow, why would I want to shoot like that fully knowing I am very inaccurate in that position,and I would think most shooters would also be, and where would my rounds be going also, as I really have no control at hip level at 20 yards. I have a hard time with that drill, I would think maybe 2 out of 10 might perform OK but again safety of where those rounds are going to me would be very important.(this ain't afganistan) I would think if I was 20 yards from the target that I could pull the gun up to eye level and shoot it normally and not from the hip. I would have not made it through any academy for sure..

[Bawanna]

We got to aim, just had to hold it in our weak hand(left for me). We shoot at a prison so if theres any strays flying around not real important unless it happened to hit a guard. They wouldn't like that very much.

It's strange to drive thru the middle of the prison complex to get to a little gravel pit on the backside. I don't go up there without one of the guys. It's a scarey place and you have to talk into the machine to somebody in a tower someplace and not hearing good, I'm always afraid I'll say the wrong thing and the whole place will come down on me.

Dietrich would probably dig it though, just thought of that. He'll probably want to come for a visit now so we can go shoot at the prison and maybe do a little fence jumping and stuff.

[crazymailman]

I've shot weak hand a few times; awkward as crap. But this thread has got me thinking that it would be a good idea to start getting the hang of it. Thanks for the push.