Need help and advice: Right temporarily disabled.

[mountaindrew]

I need some help. I got into som poison ivy the other day, and I am seriously alergic. My right hand is affected to the point of a serious loss of dexterity. My trigger finger and middle finger are covered in blisters and oozing sores. From experience it will be about a week before They start healing, and another before the finish healing. I can work with the help of gauze and a rubber glove on that hand, but my problem is...

I carry in a pocket holster, right side, Kahr pm9. While I could hold and shoot good enough if I had too, I cannot smoothly draw. I cannot hardly get my hand into the pocket.

I have never trained weak hand! Now I see the need. While I do shoot a couple of mags at the range each trip with the left hand, I never practice drawing or presenting with the left.

What do I do? Carry in my left pocket, and count on overcoming righty training and remembering the gun is in my left side under stress,

Or do I carry as usual in my right pocket, and count on the adrenaline to overcome the pain in my hand and allow my to draw and present and fire as I have trained?

 

[Mt Shooter]

I would stay out of the poison ivy

that and having some ability to shoot with either hand comes in handy, no pun intended there.

 

[velobard]

I'd work a lot more on weak side shooting at the range, and weak side draw, etc at home. My son is in a similar situation. A few days ago he broke his collarbone in the right side and he's never practiced weak side shooting. That's about to change, just as soon as he gets off the painkillers.

 

[rrruuunnn]

i have neglected to do the same.

if you want a book on injuried limbs training. this book will even train how to reload while injured. how to draw with the strong arm disabled.

Tactical Pistol Shooting (Paperback)
by Lawrence Erik (Author)

 

[Titan6]

While I could hold and shoot good enough if I had too

Do that then. It is not always the best time to start learning new things when you are not at 100%. When it goes away then start the training with your weak side.

 

[TRB]

The obvious solution is to start training immediately with the left hand. Here's why.

Currently your injuries are on your mind. It is painful to use your fingers, let alone shoving your entire hand in your pocket to retrieve your pistol. Knowing all of this will cause you to hesitate in your draw. The lack of dexterity could cause problems smoothly drawing the pistol. You might not be able to access it at all.

The same can be said for the late start in training left handed. However, after a couple of days training you should be at the level of conscious competence. This will enable you to respond in a reasonable amount of time to any threat coming your way.

You have an advantage in that you already train to shoot LH/single hand during the course of regular training. You can probably hit with reasonable accuracy. So the only thing that you need to learn is the draw.

Get moving!

 

[buck00]

Are you expecting trouble? Is there a high chance of having to draw this week? Are you going on patrol in Tikrit?

I know you can say "well you never know, and you always must be ready 24 hrs a day." Right?


Or try this. Try going to the store this week without carrying. You may find that it causes you to increase your mental defense to compensate for not having a CCW. Your radar becomes sharper. And chances are, a team of AR carrying perps isn't going to rush the store and engage in a shoot out.

Just something to think about.

 

[ZeSpectre]

Are you expecting trouble?

Buck, did you seriously just issue that standard "anti" line HERE???
Hope you have your flame resistant clothing on because it sure sounded just like someone saying "but I -feel- safe" or "that sort of thing never happens here". Which of course is true...right up until it isn't true any more.

mountaindrew,
Wow, that really sucks! Sorry about the poison-ivy issue and I hope you heal well and quickly.

However I'm also going to permanently tag this thread for future reference when folks bust my chops about "wasting my time/money" practicing the "full four" as I call it.

1) Strong hand-two handed
2) Strong hand-single handed
3) Weak hand-two handed
4) Weak hand-single handed

 

[Eyesac]

Are you expecting trouble?

Yeah, what do you need guns for anyway they're dangerous, just call the cops.

 

[crebralfix]

Regarding bilateralism:

Train with Airsoft. It's cheap and easy to do. Confirm with a few rounds at the range. Learn to reload and clear malfunctions.

 

[riceboy72]

Depending on your loss of dexterity, you may consider carrying on your left side until the pain and swelling subside to a moderate level of comfort. If your loss of dexterity is major and you cannot comfortably use the controls on the pistol or maintain a decent and safe grip, then I'd recommend off side carry for sure.

Or, if you're able to grasp the pistol fairly well but drawing from your pocket is your major concern, then perhaps consider a reasonable OWB holster. You can still carry on your strong side and you don't have to jam your already painful hand into a tight pocket to fish out your gun. It can be challenging enough at times when your hand is fine; being in the condition it's in can make it that much harder and way more painful.

Heal fast!

 

[redneckrepairs]

If you have an iwb for the pm9 take it and place it behind the left hip in a " calvary draw " and go on about your business , If you dont have one well the little pm9 fits fine in a 1911 holster which can be found easyer and cheaper especially if your local gunstore has a " junk leather " section as many here do . Remember this is a " get you by solution " not something you are going to want to convert to lol .

 

[sm]

Use a revolver weak side until you heal up.
Borrow one if need from family for instance.

My take is, a revolver is easier to get up to speed with , including weak handed.

-One can know the gun is safe, and make safe easier.
-Easier to load and unload.
-Quality dry fire practice
-Limpwristing does not occur.


Now my experiences will suggest a medium frame revolver.
Not a J frame, as it takes some time and quality practice with this size, hence the reason we do not suggest learning to shoot with a J frame.

Medium frame, steel guns, are best.
Steel and Aluminum come next.

Colt Detective Special, a steel gun, feels like a K frame, but carries like a J frame.

K frames such as Model 10 ( blue) or Model 64 ( steel) are proven guns, including for your emergency situation.

Ruger SP101 is another, and we like the old dedicated .38spl.

If one is right hand and right eye dominant, "canting" the gun assists in getting hits.

I am sorry you are down, sending best you recover quickly.

Steve

 

[mountaindrew]

Well thanks alot for al the suggestions guys. I really appreciate the positive responses.

Today I used a IWB strong side and found I could draw fairly well with just the thumb and outside of my trigger finger (the only unaffected surface) and once in hand I get a good firing grip. I just wore an untucked t-shirt instead of my usual uniform (mechanic) That might get me through. And in response to the "why do you need that this week," well I just started work on my new house (where I got the poison ivy clearing out the overgrown driveway.) It is in an iffy neighborhood and was broken into before I bought it (vandalism damage is one of the reasons I got it cheap). When I got there today I found it had been broken into again last night, (nothing taken and no damage save the ruined screen on the window and the back door left open) so I really do feel a need to be armed while I work on the house. Once I get a security system and perhaps a dog, I will feel better, but I will still stay armed.

During the project I am considering switching to open carry, as it is my own property. I am weighing the pros of sending a message of strenght to the wolves in the neigborhood against the cons of scaring the sheep, i.e. peaceful neighbors. I will probably just carry iwb under a t-shirt.

I am however going to have a "Gun Bar-b-que", the kind I read about where everyone wears thier nicest gun, just as soon as I move in.

 

[Mark K. C.]

Consider carrying two pistols if you have them. If you are not able to perform with one at least you will have another chance to protect yourself. Remember: BG does not know any of your limitations, only what you show.

 

[mountaindrew]

Mark, that is a good idea. I could always slip my p3at onto my left back pocket (it has been out to pasture since I upgraded to the Pm9) I normally carry a spare mag there, but a "NewYork reload" may be better suited to this situation.

 

[velobard]

I'd also recommend grip and wrist exercises for your weak side.

 

[DoubleTapDrew]

Carry the P3AT weak side and keep carrying your Kahr like you do now. If you run the KT dry you'll have such an adrenaline spike you won't even feel your right hand as you rip your right pocket open to get to the Kahr
Practice weak hand shooting though, either now, or after you heal!

And get some of this:

 

[Treo]

Gawd I'm glad I'm ambidextrous

That said I do practice W/ both hands and with my glasses off

 

[riceboy72]

Thanks to this post, I went to the range yesterday and practiced quite a bit of off hand shooting. I forget how hard it is, and how infrequent I do shoot with my left hand.

mountaindrew, at the cost of your poison ivy exposure and discomfort, thanks for opening my eyes and reminding me the importance of off hand training. I hope your hand has healed and feels better than it did from when you originally posted.

 

[hso]

I'd go to the Dr. and get the shot over with and be back in the game in under 24 hrs.