Do you shoot one handed?

[brandnew]

So I hadn't been regularly practicing any non-dominant hand shooting but after reading an article about a good number of injuries in a gunfight happening to the hands and shoulders, I thought maybe it would be a good idea to train.

I also read a short article talking about competition shooters training one-handed so they can focus trigger squeeze, grip and follow through, the argument being that when you shoot with two hands, your support hand compensates for your shooting hand's bad habits. Removing the support hand lets you see what you're doing wrong a bit more clearly.

So on my range, I hardly see anybody ever shoot one handed, and nearly all of the time I see folks shooting with their right hand, which I have assumed was their dominant hand.

So I'm curious to know... Do you make a habit of training with your non-dominant hand? What about one-handed shooting?

 

[wep45]

the option that you left out of your poll, is the one that i use exclusively at the range...................

i shoot left or right hand..........single handed grip, DAO.

 

[ccsniper]

I can't shoot while on my hands

 

[sidheshooter]

I train with them all. I took a class last weekend that had us doing a lot of manipulation drills; the good news: all that lefty (support hand) shooting practice had me as about the best shot in the class weak side only.

The bad news: it is apparent that I really suck at weak-hand only reloads. I'll be working on that a lot in the next couple of months; it was pretty ugly out there in the tac bay.

As an aside, I posted a query over at the CZ forum about ease of southpaw use when decocking the P-01 (a gun I lust after), and the responses thus far lead me to believe that weak hand-only training while on the move is not widely practiced by a lot of shooters.

 

[David E]

lead me to believe that weak hand-only training while on the move is not widely practiced by a lot of shooters.

It's not, but this poll won't reflect that.

 

[mustang_steve]

Both sides, both grips....and I go further and use oddball footing/body positions as well. After all, in a SD situation, it's unlikely we'll have the luxury of having the ideal footing for a good shot.

 

[psyopspec]

I marked both, but primary training is for a smooth, fast draw.

-Dominant hand draws, coming into a two-handed combat shooting stance.
-Dominant hand draws, coming into a one-handed retention shooting stance.

I do practice weak side one and two handed, but this is largely "familiarization" as opposed to dedicated training.

 

[sidheshooter]

One thing about the poll; my vote would probably have been more accurate if there was an option for "train each hand by itself (including all manipulations) as well as standard strong side with a two-hand dynamic grip."

I can honestly say that I have shot *some* mirror-image (exact same as my favored two hand grip, just opposite) but I can also just as honestly say that my time doing that can be measured in magazines, rather than thousands of rounds. Aside from competition games, I never saw the point: if I am able to fully use both hands to defend myself, it's going to be strong side.

Maybe I'm missing something? I'd be curious to hear justification for mirror-image training from folks that have experience to the positive on that one.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

You should do 25-50% of your practice one-handed for the same reason I always recommend carrying chambered = you may not have both hands available. Shooting on the move or from unusual positions (e.g., on your back or side, to simulate being knocked down or wounded) is not something you can do at most ranges, however. This can be done in the home, dry fire, with a laser to simulate bullet impacts. I don't have to tell anyone the gun must be confirmed unloaded, preferably rendered inert somehow.

 

[psyopspec]

Maybe I'm missing something? I'd be curious to hear justification for mirror-image training from folks that have experience to the positive on that one.

For me, I just like the challenge. Ever try brushing your teeth with your non-dominant hand? Eating? Just small ways to stimulate the brain and answer the completely unimportant but self-amusing question of "I wonder how hard that would be?"

For pistols this doesn't matter so much, but for CQB with a long gun I practice with the gun on both sides so that I can pie corners properly, or shoot non dominant side if that's the only way around cover.

 

[Boolit]

Both sides, both grips. It was part of training for the job I retired from.

I strongly urge people to train their off-hand, and non-dominant eye. The more you do it, the better it gets. In fact, many people feel they eventually become better shots with their off-hand due to the fact they have to consciously train it. I was decorated several times for expert marksman during my military career, but oddly enough I shoot handgun better off-hand, than I do rifle off-hand.

 

[Deanimator]

I'm a bullseye pistol competitor. I don't have any choice.

 

[sidheshooter]

per psyopspec:

For pistols this doesn't matter so much, but for CQB with a long gun I practice with the gun on both sides so that I can pie corners properly, or shoot non dominant side if that's the only way around cover.

I totally get that with the long gun, thanks for pointing it out.

Pretty much OT but, in that same class I mention above, we viewed some surveillance/security cam video of a shootout at a quickymart/stopnrob type of place. Evidently, the deal was: a young marine vet decided to set the stage for 'suicide by cop' and reported himself to 911 as a "suspicious man with a rifle under his coat".

I'll remember that vid for the rest of my life, for a variety of reasons both tactical and emotional; this guy (aside from the obvious crime staging) did everything right tactically; the officers reportedly suffered 8 casualties over the course of taking this guy down (eventually done by SWAT at another location). The first thing he did when confronted by a stacked pair of RO's operating from behind the corner of the convenience store to the rifleman's right was to instantly go left side, slice the pie perfectly, and take them both out of the fight.

Tragic and horrific to watch, but also very educational and eye-opening.

I'm not going to soapbox because I don't think I've earned the right, but my humble opinion is that: one, most vets have proven that they can find more productive ways to deal with their demons than this guy and two: there is always going to be a few of "those" guys regardless, and they are trained as well as the rest; which is to say pretty darn well. It's probably something for LE to consider. At the least, they should be bringing rifles of their own any time the report indicates that they're up against one.

Scary.

Sorry about the OT, carry on.

 

[mustang_steve]

As for learning to be proficient with both hands...just look at all the ambidextrous folks out there....many of them are not "born" that way.

For example....myself. I am a lefty, however I was in a right-handed world. This meant that I learned to do all kinds of things right handed since there was no facilities for left-handed folk. Later on I learned to do it left-handed as well, which was faster of course.

The point being....I learned faster by deliberately learning with the wrong hand first, then when I was proficient in it, started on my good hand. The core techniques are down by then. You'll also have used the lesser hand first, and not really have noticed how awkward it is....that little bit of psychological help makes a world of difference.

By now, I'm at a point where I can everything except write with either hand with equal skill.

The thing is, what hand you are is really just a matter of comfort....you can overcome such things.

 

[Hold My Own]

Interesting OP. I was reading a S.W.A.T. Magazine, and there was an article about SD in the home or around the home where you usually squat down when holding a pistol therefore learning to shoot with one hand might actually be beneficial in some cases.

 

[FourNineFoxtrot]

I marked that I train "Dominant Side, Two-handed grip only". Sometimes I do shoot one-handed or weak hand, although I've never used both hands to support a weak-hand grip (not sure what the point is; if both hands work I'd use the dominant hand, and if one hand is injured I'd use the other hand one-handed). Mainly, though, while I may sometimes shoot in different grips, I don't do it often enough to constitute "training". I don't shoot as often as I'd like (it's been a while), and when I do I focus on keeping my two-handed shooting grip up to par.

 

[Snakum]

When it's for real, how we train now will make the difference. So I have tried to at least get marginally comfortable shooting every pistol and rifle I own on both sides. I kind of feel I owe it to my family and friends to be as proficient as I can possibly be.

 

[Mad Chemist]

1-handed for both hands, 2-handed for strong. 2-handed weak hand seems a little pointless.

 

[YammyMonkey]

I'm honestly surprised at the votes on this poll. Right now both sides & both grips is winning by a landslide.

I definitely train both sides but don't train two handed non-dominant as much as the other 3, but still do it occasionally as a skill builder/test. My usual process for classes is the first time I take a class I do it with my dominant side & the second time I take the same class I run it with my non-dominant side. The end goal is to be just as comfortable running the gun with only my non-dominant side as I am with my dominant side & the support hand. Won't shoot as well one handed, that's just a fact, but a sub 2 second non dominant hand only draw is hard to argue with.