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Old January 10, 2013, 02:59 AM   #1
timothy75
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Weak side barricde with a long gun?

I've never really found a method I'm happy with for shooting around the left side of cover with a long gun. What method do you guys use? Im right handed right eye dominant. Thanks
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Old January 10, 2013, 08:44 AM   #2
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Learn to shoot left handed.

Both rifle and pistol, you expose less of your body if you shoot the left side of the barricade left handed, right side, right handed.

If you're right eye dominate, then close your right eye and use your left eye.

It takes a bit of practice but its possible.
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Old January 10, 2013, 08:53 AM   #3
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kraigwy took my answer. You should be at least functional, if not competent, shooting both left and right handed with any weapons you keep or carry for protection. That includes using any controls, reloading, and, obviously, using the sights and being able to hit your target. You never know when your strong hand might be incapacitated or, as brought up here, you may have to shoot with your off hand to maintain cover or concealment.
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Old January 10, 2013, 09:12 AM   #4
Bartholomew Roberts
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I have found a red dot makes left-sided rifle shooting much more doable for me.
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Old January 10, 2013, 10:43 AM   #5
Alabama Shooter
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Quote:
I have found a red dot makes left-sided rifle shooting much more doable for me.
Absolutely. Both eyes open with a scope with a wider FOV (EO Tech) works great for me. At shorter distances (under 75 yards) this works really well.
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Old January 10, 2013, 11:11 AM   #6
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What Kraig said. It is really not that difficult.
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Old January 10, 2013, 12:33 PM   #7
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I just put a red dot on my 10/22. I need to try a few left handed magazines at the range next time I go.
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Old January 10, 2013, 02:11 PM   #8
kraigwy
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Red Dot, green dot, not dot, scope, irons or what ever,

The ideal of cover in the first place is to reduce exposure.

Learn to shoot left handed, learn to close your right eye and use your left eye when shooting the left side of a barricade.

Also when using a pistol/revolver use one hand. Again you'll expose less of your body.

Try it, stand infront of a barricade and have your shooting partner point his finger at your. Have him do it with one hand, and then two hands. See how much of your partner you can see.

Another trick. Have done it with a rifle but with a pistol using laser sights.

When I was in LE I did a lot of building searches. I carried a little mechanic's expection mirror for peeking around corners.

I've been practicing sticking the gun and mirror around the target and using the mirror to see the laser sight on the target. With practice you can get pretty good without exposing your head.
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Old January 11, 2013, 12:40 PM   #9
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Being able to accurately and effectively employ the rifle in an ambidextrous manner around off-side barricade/cover conditions, using both strong & off-side mounting/holds, makes for a more versatile shooter. Training issue.

It can, however, become an equipment issue if you're required to use a sling which prevents quickly switching the weapon to the off-side shoulder. In fast-paced situations it might prove handy to be able to keep the weapon mounted strong-side and be able to shoot around the off-side barricade/cover available.
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Old January 12, 2013, 11:28 AM   #10
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It can, however, become an equipment issue if you're required to use a sling which prevents quickly switching the weapon to the off-side shoulder. In fast-paced situations it might prove handy to be able to keep the weapon mounted strong-side and be able to shoot around the off-side barricade/cover available.
I use a 2 point sling on my rifles. A sling is for 2 purposes, carrying the rifle and to enable the use of a hasty sling. Some will say that a single point or other sling allows for faster transitions to a handgun. I just don't see it.
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Old January 12, 2013, 12:45 PM   #11
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Yeah, there's any number of sling types being pushed and used nowadays.

I work with & without slings, and my former agency is still using an adjustable 2-pt sling for rifles & shotguns.

The single point slings may offer transitioning from one side to the other, but that's about it. I like how the 2-pt slings give better options for getting the slung weapon out of the way under different situations.

It doesn't have to be fancy.
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Old January 13, 2013, 02:57 PM   #12
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there is no weak side just right and left. Left barricade, left shoulder firing position.
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Old January 13, 2013, 04:55 PM   #13
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Quote:
there is no weak side just right and left. Left barricade, left shoulder firing position.
Made me chuckle.

I remember many years ago, when I was young firearms instructor and I was qualifying a senior guy (martial artist, power-lifter). I told him to use his weak hand for part of a course-of-fire, at which time he admonished me, "I don't have a weak hand" ...

Most of the time I try to use the term "offside" or "non-dominant".
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Old February 13, 2013, 04:40 AM   #14
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You may be surprised at your shooting ability with your weak side. While at the range for deployment training, we had to shoot standing, kneeling and prone with our weak side. I actually did better using iron sights (red dots not available) with my weak side (especially at 300 meters).

When I mentioned it to the instructor, he said that I didn't have any bad habits shooting weak sided and a lot of people shoot better with their weak side (assuming you are following the fundamentals (BRASS for me)).
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Old February 13, 2013, 10:50 AM   #15
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Yeah, just practice for weak-side improvement.

And another vote for the good old two point sling.
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Old February 13, 2013, 05:04 PM   #16
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For a shooter that's shooting right handed on a left side barricade?

Stand far enough behind the barricade, so as to have the rifle or shotgun mounted in your right shoulder pocket. Meanwhile...have your left foot planted far forward, with a big knee flex. Have your right foot planted far rearward, with maybe your right knee locked. Lean forward, so as to have your weight on the ball of your left foot.

Lean you body to the left of the barricade...aim and take the shot.

This position is best demonstrated by Matt Burkett's DVD: Shotgun Mastery
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