Shooting with the Wrong Hand

[M. D. Van Norman]

Have you checked your eyes? You might be left eye dominant.

have to sight with my right eye when shooting lefty. I was just having a bad day.

[Untamed1972]

Glad to see I'm not the only guy who quotes "The Princess Bride". I was recently given some crap by someone for doing so. They obviously did not appreciate the classicness of the film.

But as a Sicilian....my favorite quote from the movie is "Never go up against a Sicilian when death is on the line!"

(I also actually am left-handed and in my right mind...LOL)

[brassburnz]

I'm right-handed but left-eye dominant, so I shoot with my left hand. I always like the stages in action pistol competitions that require shooting with the weak-hand because I don't really have one.

Left hand or right hand, my speed is about the same....and I still miss!

[M. D. Van Norman]

I can miss very, very fast.

[missiondude]

It's the only way to do it. God forbid you ever need to use a weapon in self defense and you can't use your strong side hand and you need to use your off side hand what would you do?

You need to practice not only shooting but loading magazines/cylinders, working the slide/opening the cylinder, etc. If you ever expect your gun to save your life you must be able to work it with both hands.

Agree with all of the above, but add in weak side only malfunction clearances. The double feed is a real treat weak side only

[doubleactiononly]

I'm right-handed but left-eye dominant, so I shoot with my left hand. I always like the stages in action pistol competitions that require shooting with the weak-hand because I don't really have one.

Left hand or right hand, my speed is about the same....and I still miss!

haha yeah, me too. But it makes buying holsters and gear a pain.. no one stocks left-handed stuff! I've been thinking about shooting right handed for this reason alone.


but regarding the OP, I notice a lot of people shoot more accurately than they expect with their weak hand simply because they haven't developed any bad habits with it .. yet

[MrExel17]

Agreed!

There is no "wrong" hand.

Everyone should practice with both hands, one and two handed using eyes both open and closed on either side.

[Ninja45]

I shoot better with the wrong hand, especially if it is in the hand of my son who is a combat firearms instructor. LOL, couldn't resist....

[Fishslayer]

But as a Sicilian....my favorite quote from the movie is "Never go up against a Sicilian when death is on the line!"

There's also a Sicilian 8th step in recovery.

"Made a list of all people who had harmed us and made them disappear."

[wjc]

Glad to see I'm not the only guy who quotes "The Princess Bride". I was recently given some crap by someone for doing so. They obviously did not appreciate the classicness of the film.

But as a Sicilian....my favorite quote from the movie is "Never go up against a Sicilian when death is on the line!"

(I also actually am left-handed and in my right mind...LOL)

Inconceivable!


(I'm also a Sicilian)

[spddrcr]

While practicing with both hands might seem like a good idea, it is an issue that is subsidiary in importance to more important factors. What I mean by subsidiary is that other factors should trump the decision to practice regularly with your non-dominant hand. These other factors are more important, and higher up on a decision tree matrix.

For example, when and if you decide to wear a vest you should ask yourself a series of questions that can eventually lead you to the conclusion of regular practice with your non-dominant hand. The issue of whether you have a vest and what type of vest you are wearing is important. If you have front plates and no side plates, or any real sort of side protection in your rig, then you should square your shoulders off to the target. If you do have the side protection you should blade your body to the target and this is where the issue of non-dominant sight picture comes up.

So, some other factors that would affect your decision process might be: Dominant leg and sureness of footing; Hip, and/or shoulder subluxation; The use of two pistols simultaneously for rapid semiautomatic or fully automatic firing; The use of sighting computers on one, or both pistols.

Can anyone come up with other factors that would affect a decision to practice with the non-dominant hand?

I think it would depend on what type of shooting you regularly do. in USPSA or IDPA the ability to be able to shoot with your weak hand could mean winning or losing a match, and it often comes down to that.

[morrcarr67]

Agree with all of the above, but add in weak side only malfunction clearances. The double feed is a real treat weak side only

I hadn't thought about that. From now on any FTF, FTE or any other will be fixed using my off hand. Good advise. Thank you.

[socal425]

Originally Posted by Untamed1972
Glad to see I'm not the only guy who quotes "The Princess Bride". I was recently given some crap by someone for doing so. They obviously did not appreciate the classicness of the film.

But as a Sicilian....my favorite quote from the movie is "Never go up against a Sicilian when death is on the line!"

(I also actually am left-handed and in my right mind...LOL)

Inconceivable!


(I'm also a Sicilian)

LOL! You guys beat me to it!