Need your help

[floydster]

I have just recieved my Conceal & Carry permit and I need advice on what side to carry.

I am left eye dominant and have started shooting left handed, my groups have been getting better as I go on.

My question:
Should I carry on my left side now, even tho I am right handed?

Any input would be appreciated, thanks.
Floyd

 

[Eric F]

Try a gun!

try a left and a right holster and practice a few times with each. Then pick the one you are most comfertable with.

 

[Wopasaurus]

Whichever one lets you draw the fastest with the best control. It depends on you and your situation. Try both, practice practice practice

 

[Claude Clay]

many holsters are designed to be configured for either side. try one and eventually you'll know which side yourself likes better. try for as many range trips as possible to give both sides time to learn a pattern before you decide. upside of this field experiment is that which every side you chose, your weak hand got in some trigger time

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

There is more to carrying a gun than just aiming it to shoot. You need to draw it from the holster, manipulate the controls quickly and easily, reload, etc. IMO, unless you are truly ambidextrous, your right hand, probably being the more dextrous, should be used for this. There are ways to overcome the opposite eye dominance problem, e.g., adopting a "Weaver" stance and turning your head a little, or canting or tilting the gun so the front sight moves more into your eye's "field of view."

 

[misterwhipple]

I agree with The Lone Haranguer. My right eye is weak and my left hand is clumsy. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that just by tilting my head a little I could use the two strong parts together.

Too bad it won't work with a rifle, though.

 

[CB900F]

Floydster;

OTOH, there are ways to overcome the cross dominance problem with your hand. If you're shooting better with the left eye, which is normal given that it's the dominant one, then train with the left hand holding the gun. As has been said before, you can't miss fast enough to win a gunfight.

Many people can bat from either side of the plate. Perhaps the majority of left-dom golfers still use right handed clubs. Train with the left hand until it's natural. Which means that an afternoon's trying it out isn't gonna get the job done. Visualization is a great tool to train the mind to accept what you want to get accomplished. Think left hand moves, see left hand moves, do left hand moves.

900F

 

[rainbowbob]

My right eye is weak and my left hand is clumsy. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that just by tilting my head a little I could use the two strong parts together.

I have been experimenting with shooting both eyes open. With some suggestions from THR posters, I was able to "discover" for myself that turning the head so that the dominant eye is closest to the target works well.

It works best when I draw right-handed, bring both hands together in a two-handed retention hold (belly height), Weaver stance, both eyes on target. As I lift the gun to eye level and drive it toward the target, I turn my head to the right and index my chin on my right shoulder. This automatically puts my left eye on the sights, while keeping both eyes open. Hard to explain - but pretty easy to do. I'm still working on making this the "default" mode.

 

[LegalAlien]

If you are right hand dominant, but left eye dominant I think you will find it much easier to keep a right hand draw, then tilt your head over slightly and use your left eye to aim.

It will be easier than trying to train a weak left hand. Unless you are a natural ambidexturous (lucky you!!) person, your left hand coordination is not anywhere close to what your right hand is, and will require a tremendous effort to develop that new set of left handed skills.

You will be surprised how quickly you develop the muscle memory to do the head tilt part.
I found that out not too long ago. Due to a new contact lens prescription (happens as we get older!!!), I suddenly found that I could not focus on any of the 3 levels (back sight, front sight or target) with the new contact in my right eye, but when I tilted my head and used my left eye, it was clear focus all the way. I have been practicing that for a few weeks and then about 2 weeks ago, when I went to a gun store to look at some guns, I realised that it had become a 'natural' movement to tilt my head and aim with left eye.

 

[floydster]

Thanks for all the input, this forum and you guys are just awesome, for now I think I will holster on the right
and see how that works out for me.
But at the range I will still be shooting left handed, as it is getting more natural for me, if that is a reasonable assumption.
Floydster

 

[rainbowbob]

I will holster on the right and see how that works out for me. But at the range I will still be shooting left handed...

floydster:
I think whatever you do in training is what you will revert to in an emergency. The advice I have taken to heart from folks here is to consistantly train the way you will carry and shoot in "real life".