Overcoming Training Scars

Tucker 1371 · February 28, 2016, 05:48 PM

Ive been working on a nasty training scar that I've probably had since I was 10 years old. I'm cross dominant and when I shoot handguns I have a tendency to cock my head over to the right or to turn it to the right when I draw and aim instead of bringing the sights to my left eye.

I've found that dry fire practice in the mirror helps me to see when I'm doing it but it's turned out to be a very difficult habit to break.

Have any of you noticed a bad habit or "training scar" and had to break it? If so what was it, how did you break it, and how long did it take?

Big Shrek · February 28, 2016, 07:02 PM

Mmm...kind of in that realm, but kinda not...naturally ambidexterous,
but still had to train my left hand to be as accurate as my right...
also shoot with left eye working in concert with left hand...
this makes working in the SASS Gunfighter class a bit easier,
not to mention a heck of a lot faster

As with anything, muscle memory is key, so practice a lot!
It takes 12 weeks to successfully instill a new habit,
so practice daily for 12 weeks, and it will be yours for decades

Tucker 1371 · February 28, 2016, 07:17 PM

12 weeks... Boot Camp makes so much more sense now.

Guess I've got a lot more dry firing at the mirror in my future. Thanks for the reply!

9x45 · March 1, 2016, 06:04 PM

There is a fix for that, other than just rolling your gun to your left eye, assuming you are right handed. So here is the trick, put scotch tape over your dominant left eye, and keep your head straight and look with both eyes open. It will appear your left eye is seeing, but you right eye is actually on the front sight. Start at 3 yards, one shot from the low ready, until you have the holes touching. It's a flash sigh picture, not Bullseye. If you don't break the shot as soon as you see it, start over. Hold you gun like this.

Tucker 1371 · March 1, 2016, 07:04 PM

Will I eventually get to a point where I don't need the tape? I don't want to change my eye dominance either, I shoot rifles left handed with zero problems.

I've been practicing drawing and sighting in quite a bit since I started this thread. I've notice about 75% of the time I am able to bring the gun up and sight in correctly. Every now and then I will subconsciously do it wrong and cock my head over to my right shoulder, almost like someone shooting weaver but I am shooting isosceles.

9x45 · March 1, 2016, 09:39 PM

Rifles are different, if you have a course of fire that requires a right hand shooter to shoot weak side, you just close your right eye. Yes, you can can overcome it, not in one session, or two, but many, it will come.

K_Mac · March 2, 2016, 11:41 AM

Tucker I am right hand and left eye dominant. I have not completely solved this problem when it comes to shotguns because of limited interest, but when it comes to self-defense distances with a handgun or rifle I can make it work. My solution is similar to using tape; I just squint slightly with my left eye rather than covering it. This allows me to use most of my peripheral vision with fast target and sight acquisition. It may not be the ideal solution, but it is the one that works for me after thousands of rounds fired.

9X45 shows in his photo holding his pistol with his thumbs pointing in the direction of the muzzle. This is sound technique, used by many who are much more skilled than me. It has never worked for me in spite of hours of trying. I learned to shoot with my thumbs interlocked and I have come to accept that like squinting it is what works best for me.

I don't think there are many 'one size fits all' answers in shooting or life. Put in the time to find and master your solution. Good luck.

tedbeau · March 2, 2016, 12:21 PM

When I started shooting IDPA I selected a Glock 27(sub compact 40 caliber) and for the firs two years I used factory ammo. The combination of light gun and hot factory ammo caused me to develop a flinch in anticipation of recoil.

The situation is much worse when I try to shoot slow and accurate. I have actually flinched, realized I was doing it and stopped my trigger squeeze, the muzzle dips about an inch when I catch myself.

When I shoot IDPA and am more focused on shooting fast rather than a super smooth squeeze I find I don't do it as much. I guess the solution is to shoot fast!

Reloading my own ammo to minor PF has helped some. Hopefully I'll pick up a normal size gun soon and the added weight will help with recoil even more.

Tucker 1371 · March 3, 2016, 07:51 AM

Quote:

The situation is much worse when I try to shoot slow and accurate. I have actually flinched, realized I was doing it and stopped my trigger squeeze, the muzzle dips about an inch when I catch myself.

I've done that a time or two.

Quote:

When I shoot IDPA and am more focused on shooting fast rather than a super smooth squeeze I find I don't do it as much. I guess the solution is to shoot fast!

That sounds like more of a blessing than a training scar

Thanks for the tips y'all. I plan to keep shooting rifles left handed and pistols right. Just going to have to work on keeping my dang head still.

Anyone else have a "training scar" they'd like to share?

marie1 · March 14, 2016, 01:38 AM

Avoiding the "tunnel vision". And learning to be aware of surroundings. And operating not just the weapon in the physical sense but spiritual as well. And health of mind ( words inserted into exhaled breath that I did not speak) when focusing on the drill. And checking target (is down), weapon, check left right etc

February 28, 2016, 05:48 PM	#1
Tucker 1371 Senior Member Join Date: December 29, 2008 Location: East TN Posts: 2,649	Overcoming Training Scars Ive been working on a nasty training scar that I've probably had since I was 10 years old. I'm cross dominant and when I shoot handguns I have a tendency to cock my head over to the right or to turn it to the right when I draw and aim instead of bringing the sights to my left eye. I've found that dry fire practice in the mirror helps me to see when I'm doing it but it's turned out to be a very difficult habit to break. Have any of you noticed a bad habit or "training scar" and had to break it? If so what was it, how did you break it, and how long did it take? __________________ Sgt. of Marines, 5th Award Expert Rifle, 237/250 Expert Pistol, 382/400. D Co, 4th CEB, Engineers UP!! If you start a thread, be active in it. Don't leave us hanging. OEF 2011 Sangin, Afg. Molon Labe

February 28, 2016, 07:02 PM	#2
Big Shrek Senior Member Join Date: August 6, 2009 Location: NorthWest Florida Posts: 1,358	Mmm...kind of in that realm, but kinda not...naturally ambidexterous, but still had to train my left hand to be as accurate as my right... also shoot with left eye working in concert with left hand... this makes working in the SASS Gunfighter class a bit easier, not to mention a heck of a lot faster As with anything, muscle memory is key, so practice a lot! It takes 12 weeks to successfully instill a new habit, so practice daily for 12 weeks, and it will be yours for decades __________________ Marlin Specialist Calico Specialist A gun should be a tool in the hands of a deadly weapon, not a deadly weapon in the hands of a tool.

February 28, 2016, 07:17 PM	#3
Tucker 1371 Senior Member Join Date: December 29, 2008 Location: East TN Posts: 2,649	12 weeks... Boot Camp makes so much more sense now. Guess I've got a lot more dry firing at the mirror in my future. Thanks for the reply! __________________ Sgt. of Marines, 5th Award Expert Rifle, 237/250 Expert Pistol, 382/400. D Co, 4th CEB, Engineers UP!! If you start a thread, be active in it. Don't leave us hanging. OEF 2011 Sangin, Afg. Molon Labe

March 1, 2016, 06:04 PM	#4
9x45 Senior Member Join Date: January 14, 2000 Location: Southern California Posts: 1,089	There is a fix for that, other than just rolling your gun to your left eye, assuming you are right handed. So here is the trick, put scotch tape over your dominant left eye, and keep your head straight and look with both eyes open. It will appear your left eye is seeing, but you right eye is actually on the front sight. Start at 3 yards, one shot from the low ready, until you have the holes touching. It's a flash sigh picture, not Bullseye. If you don't break the shot as soon as you see it, start over. Hold you gun like this. __________________ Sometimes my Glock forgets where to look.....

March 1, 2016, 07:04 PM	#5
Tucker 1371 Senior Member Join Date: December 29, 2008 Location: East TN Posts: 2,649	Will I eventually get to a point where I don't need the tape? I don't want to change my eye dominance either, I shoot rifles left handed with zero problems. I've been practicing drawing and sighting in quite a bit since I started this thread. I've notice about 75% of the time I am able to bring the gun up and sight in correctly. Every now and then I will subconsciously do it wrong and cock my head over to my right shoulder, almost like someone shooting weaver but I am shooting isosceles. __________________ Sgt. of Marines, 5th Award Expert Rifle, 237/250 Expert Pistol, 382/400. D Co, 4th CEB, Engineers UP!! If you start a thread, be active in it. Don't leave us hanging. OEF 2011 Sangin, Afg. Molon Labe

March 1, 2016, 09:39 PM	#6
9x45 Senior Member Join Date: January 14, 2000 Location: Southern California Posts: 1,089	Rifles are different, if you have a course of fire that requires a right hand shooter to shoot weak side, you just close your right eye. Yes, you can can overcome it, not in one session, or two, but many, it will come. __________________ Sometimes my Glock forgets where to look.....

March 2, 2016, 11:41 AM	#7
K_Mac Senior Member Join Date: September 15, 2010 Posts: 1,850	Tucker I am right hand and left eye dominant. I have not completely solved this problem when it comes to shotguns because of limited interest, but when it comes to self-defense distances with a handgun or rifle I can make it work. My solution is similar to using tape; I just squint slightly with my left eye rather than covering it. This allows me to use most of my peripheral vision with fast target and sight acquisition. It may not be the ideal solution, but it is the one that works for me after thousands of rounds fired. 9X45 shows in his photo holding his pistol with his thumbs pointing in the direction of the muzzle. This is sound technique, used by many who are much more skilled than me. It has never worked for me in spite of hours of trying. I learned to shoot with my thumbs interlocked and I have come to accept that like squinting it is what works best for me. I don't think there are many 'one size fits all' answers in shooting or life. Put in the time to find and master your solution. Good luck. __________________ "Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do." Benjamin Franklin

March 2, 2016, 12:21 PM	#8
tedbeau Member Join Date: March 17, 2015 Posts: 54	kind of a "scar" When I started shooting IDPA I selected a Glock 27(sub compact 40 caliber) and for the firs two years I used factory ammo. The combination of light gun and hot factory ammo caused me to develop a flinch in anticipation of recoil. The situation is much worse when I try to shoot slow and accurate. I have actually flinched, realized I was doing it and stopped my trigger squeeze, the muzzle dips about an inch when I catch myself. When I shoot IDPA and am more focused on shooting fast rather than a super smooth squeeze I find I don't do it as much. I guess the solution is to shoot fast! Reloading my own ammo to minor PF has helped some. Hopefully I'll pick up a normal size gun soon and the added weight will help with recoil even more.

March 14, 2016, 01:38 AM	#10
marie1 Junior member Join Date: December 12, 2015 Posts: 3	Avoiding the "tunnel vision". And learning to be aware of surroundings. And operating not just the weapon in the physical sense but spiritual as well. And health of mind ( words inserted into exhaled breath that I did not speak) when focusing on the drill. And checking target (is down), weapon, check left right etc