Primary/Secondary

BikerRN · October 25, 2008, 11:58 AM

I wasn't sure where to put this, but thought it might fit here, and was wondering if anyone else does anything similar.

I was forced to switch hands a few years ago due to medical reasons.

I'm naturally right handed, but shoot/carry my "Primary" left handed. I select a "larger than normal" as my EDC for my left hand. Lately, past five years, it's been either a 3" GP100, Glock 19 or 1911 and the "Secondary" is a J-Frame or SP101.

I was wondering if anybody else has "switched hands" so to speak?

Biker

David Armstrong · October 25, 2008, 01:11 PM

I wasn't forced to swith, but back when I was giving firearms training classes regularly I did a rotation pattern that included 3 months carrying with the off-hand as the primary every year. Never changed guns based on that, though.

Nisei · October 25, 2008, 01:41 PM

I got into a car accident back in May, and broke my right thumb. I was in a cast for a couple weeks and I wanted to practice with my left hand but I failed miserably.

BikerRN, besides having to do lots of practice, do you have any techniques or tips that could help improve shooting with the non-primary hand? I think it wouldn't hurt to be an ambidextrous shooter.

- Hiroshi

Threefeathers · October 25, 2008, 08:04 PM

At LFI Ayoob has us do a lot of shooting with the non-dominant hand because he finds that in after action reports the good guy is often, 25% or more hit in the dominant hand or shoulder because folks aim at the threat and the threat is your gun.
We take a tight grip, cant the hand 30 degrees so the dominant eye can easilly see the sight, then pull the trigger. We did many dry fires, then six live fires at a time. Do from 7 meters, then 10, farther only if you are hitting. Aim for center mass. You'll be shocked at how quickly you get good.

bufordtjustice · October 25, 2008, 10:32 PM

I am left handed, but have always shot right handed with pistols and long guns. In addition to being right eye dominant, I shot this way because my Dad and everybody else that shot was right handed and that is the way they knew how to teach. Eventually, shooting guns right handed being natural for me.

I can also shot very well left handed but it is because that is my "strong hand" and it is the one I use every day for almost everything. If you want to be better with your "weak" hand, be it right or left, you have to develop fine and gross motor function with it. It will take awhile but isn't impossible. Think about how a left handed person starts their car every morning.

Start making a concerted effort to do everything from using the remote to opening the pickle jar to turning on light switches to carrying the 50 pound bag of dog food with your left hand and you will begin to pick it up. At the range don't worry so much about how many rounds you fire, just do tons and tons of loading and unloading, presenting the weapon, etc. In fact, use only one or two or three rounds per magazine for quite some time to develop the muscle memory. I think I saw a study that said it takes around 1000 repetitions for something to become natural.

I know this from a lot of personal experience. Back in my younger days, I went through months and months of hardcore handgun training with a lot of talented shooters. I always held my own and usually was in the top 4 or 5 out of 20 or so. When we did disabled drills, weak hand, etc., no one could touch me. Why, because I had 20 plus years of experience using my left hand.

October 25, 2008, 11:58 AM	#1
BikerRN Senior Member Join Date: February 11, 2007 Location: "State of Discombobulation" Posts: 1,333	Primary/Secondary I wasn't sure where to put this, but thought it might fit here, and was wondering if anyone else does anything similar. I was forced to switch hands a few years ago due to medical reasons. I'm naturally right handed, but shoot/carry my "Primary" left handed. I select a "larger than normal" as my EDC for my left hand. Lately, past five years, it's been either a 3" GP100, Glock 19 or 1911 and the "Secondary" is a J-Frame or SP101. I was wondering if anybody else has "switched hands" so to speak? Biker

October 25, 2008, 01:41 PM	#3
Nisei Member Join Date: September 16, 2008 Posts: 78	I got into a car accident back in May, and broke my right thumb. I was in a cast for a couple weeks and I wanted to practice with my left hand but I failed miserably. BikerRN, besides having to do lots of practice, do you have any techniques or tips that could help improve shooting with the non-primary hand? I think it wouldn't hurt to be an ambidextrous shooter. - Hiroshi __________________ "In anything at all, perfection is finally attained not when there is no longer anything to add, but when there is no longer anything to take away." - Antoine de Saint Exupéry

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October 25, 2008, 01:11 PM	#2
David Armstrong Junior member Join Date: January 24, 2005 Location: SW Louisiana Posts: 2,289	I wasn't forced to swith, but back when I was giving firearms training classes regularly I did a rotation pattern that included 3 months carrying with the off-hand as the primary every year. Never changed guns based on that, though.

October 25, 2008, 08:04 PM	#4
Threefeathers Junior member Join Date: June 7, 2004 Location: AZ Posts: 392	At LFI Ayoob has us do a lot of shooting with the non-dominant hand because he finds that in after action reports the good guy is often, 25% or more hit in the dominant hand or shoulder because folks aim at the threat and the threat is your gun. We take a tight grip, cant the hand 30 degrees so the dominant eye can easilly see the sight, then pull the trigger. We did many dry fires, then six live fires at a time. Do from 7 meters, then 10, farther only if you are hitting. Aim for center mass. You'll be shocked at how quickly you get good.

October 25, 2008, 10:32 PM	#5
bufordtjustice Senior Member Join Date: February 14, 2008 Posts: 279	I am left handed, but have always shot right handed with pistols and long guns. In addition to being right eye dominant, I shot this way because my Dad and everybody else that shot was right handed and that is the way they knew how to teach. Eventually, shooting guns right handed being natural for me. I can also shot very well left handed but it is because that is my "strong hand" and it is the one I use every day for almost everything. If you want to be better with your "weak" hand, be it right or left, you have to develop fine and gross motor function with it. It will take awhile but isn't impossible. Think about how a left handed person starts their car every morning. Start making a concerted effort to do everything from using the remote to opening the pickle jar to turning on light switches to carrying the 50 pound bag of dog food with your left hand and you will begin to pick it up. At the range don't worry so much about how many rounds you fire, just do tons and tons of loading and unloading, presenting the weapon, etc. In fact, use only one or two or three rounds per magazine for quite some time to develop the muscle memory. I think I saw a study that said it takes around 1000 repetitions for something to become natural. I know this from a lot of personal experience. Back in my younger days, I went through months and months of hardcore handgun training with a lot of talented shooters. I always held my own and usually was in the top 4 or 5 out of 20 or so. When we did disabled drills, weak hand, etc., no one could touch me. Why, because I had 20 plus years of experience using my left hand.