Switching Shoulders

[Nightcrawler]

Not sure where else to put this, as it applies to all longarms, rifles and shotguns alike.

When does a shooter need to fire a long gun from his off shoulder?

People say it's done in close quarters or indoor shooting, for firing around corners. But I've seen videos of Navy SEALS and SWAT teams in training; they way the team enters a room each man covers a different sector with his weapon, and nobody swaps shoulders on their weapons (they're usually slung with an "assault sling" anyways).

Firing from the opposite shoulder can come in handy when you need to fire around offhand cover. For instance, I'm left handed, but I'm standing at the right edge of a wall. If I put the stock of my FAL into my right shoulder, it's easier to fire around the wall without bending my back in funny ways.

However, being left eye dominant, and perhaps not having practiced firing offhand enough, I might be better off risking exposing a little bit more of my body and using my left shoulder, as I'm not super confident in my right handed rifle shooting skills.

So what do you think? I ask because so many countries now issue bullpup rifles, and while nearly all of them are swapable for lefties, I think all of them require a different bolt to accomplish this. However, the UK, France, China, Austria, Australia, and others don't seem to think the swapping hands problem is too much of an issue. I've read many poor reports on the SA-80 rifle, but never once have I read a report where someone berated it for not being able to swap shoulders on the fly. (With that rifle, that's the least of your worries, I think.)

I'd be nice if they could make a bullpup that you could fire from either shoulder. Like a lever that you could flip to make it eject from the left or from the right, like it flipped the extractor to the other side or something. It'd take a bit of engineering, but I wouldn't say that it's impossible.

 

[ACP230]

One of the complaints I've read about the SA80 is that it makes shooting around corners difficult. More than a "stiff upper lip" is apparently required to get through the experience.

 

[striker3]

While in CQB there is a simple rule called "Wall, Body, Weapon" Your body should always be between the wall and yourself because it gives you more range of movement regarding what you can and cannot cover with your muzzle. That is one of the reasons that I do not particularly like assault slings, they limit you to much.

When patrolling, each member of the patrol should have their weapons pointed in the opposite direction of the man in front of them. ie: the point man is orientated front, 2nd man is holding his weapon right handed covering to the left, 3rd is holding his rifle left handed with the muzzle orientated to the right and so on. Also it is really handy to be able to shoot with the offhand when using cover, if you are shooting from the left side of a piece of cover, then you will expose less of your body if you shoot left handed and vice versa with the right side.

 

[Thumper]

For some reason, I can "mirror" just fine with a handgun, but can't with a long gun.

I just have to shoot right shouldered and expose myself (so to speak).

 

[mete]

I got my deer this season that way. If you are right handed and the deer comes up on your right side , you can turn around with large amounts of movement and noise or you can shoot left handed and left eyed with with much less movement .

 

[Nightcrawler]

It's only fair to point out that not all bullpups are lacking in the ambidextrious usage department. Observe.

 

[Blackhawk 6]

I believe either technique is valid, though personally I do not like to switch shoulders. Try both techniques, in full kit, and figure out which works best for you based on your gear and/or preference. Once you have made a decision, practice.

 

[fix]

I shoot with both sides in a variety of situations. It comes from being cross dominant. However, I wouldn't recommend it to anyone unless they intend to train extensively. IMO any theoretical advantage you may gain could too easily be negated by fumbling around. It's more than just shooting. Reloading, which has an effect on placement/config of carrying equipment, is a good example of the law of unintended consequences. Nothing wrong with practicing for an emergency, but switching volutarily does more harm than good unless you train that way a lot. In the sporting context (read: nothing is shooting back), go for it.

 

[Smoke]

Being cross dominant helps. I find I shoot long arms equally well from either side. This is handy when hunting from the cab of a pickup, I don't care if I drive or ride shotgun.

As for "WHen to do it"...

Imagine you are standing in front of a building. THere is an alley on either side. With the weapon mounted to your dominant shooting position (right handed for this post) if you move to the right side of the building you will notice that you naturally expose less of yourself while allowing your weapon to cover the area with out changing positions.

Now do the other side of the building. It will be more natural for a lefty. There are techniques for these situations, but it is more natural for a right handed shooter to approach a left hand corner and still use cover.

Smoke

 

[Sleuth]

1. One of the complaints, and the list is long, with the SA80, is that troops don't want to patrol on the left side of a street. This came out in Northern Ireland.

2. I used to teach use of the AUG, which can be fired from the left shoulder with a right side bolt. HINT: Keep your mouth closed - hot brass tasted really bad.

3. Place a cam-corder downrange, and then clear a left and a right corner without shifting shoulders. You may choose to learn how to shoot from the 'off' shoulder after viewing the tape.

4. In a 'dynamic' situation, the time lost changing sides can lead to negative outcomes. In a stelthy entry, time can be your friend.

 

[tire iron]

striker3 and sleuth nailed this topic in spades.

To summerize:

1. Not all cover/concealment is the same as you are (right or left handed) - if fact - a full 50% of cover/concealment is the opposite that you are.

2. Just because current military doctrine doesn't teach to swithc shoulders doesn't mean it is an invalid concept.

3. The person that can shoot equally well from both shoulders will have a HUGE advantage against those that cannot/do not.

I would REJOICE if the my enemy was saddled with a rifle that cannot switch shoulders - as you can almost guarantee that no one will be 'covering' the right side on a patrol (cause everyone will have to have thier rifles pionting to the left side) - allowing a right side near ambush to REALLY be effective. And if/when they drop down behind cover, guess which side of the cover they will choose??

Remember - when in a gunfight one wants to MAXIMIZE hits on the enemy while MINIMIZING exposure to hostile gunfire.

If you are shooting right handed/shouldered around left side cover - you are exposing WAY too much bullet absorbing matter than you ought/need to.

Of course the choice is yours to make.

cheers

tire iron