ambidextrous shooting?

billy · 06-24-2008, 07:50 PM

who here shoots a handgun with either hand?
i am a little bit better with my left but when i pick one up off the bench to shoot i dont notice which hand i use .

Mike Franklin · 06-24-2008, 08:08 PM

I shoot CAS, Double Duelist. I have now for over 11 years. I'm a little faster with my right but accurate with either.

billy · 06-24-2008, 08:16 PM

what made me ask is when i buy a holster i always wonder..
hmm left or right?

killer · 06-24-2008, 08:33 PM

I can do it due to the Catholic nuns in elemetary school. No kidding. I write left handed and my mother told the nuns to break me of the habit. They gladly whacked me on the knuckles of my left hand if I used it for anything.

Darned if it didn't make me ambidextrous with handguns, hammers, playing baseball, and a host of other stuff. Thank you nuns.

billy · 06-24-2008, 08:44 PM

well THATS a ...erm....
mixed blessing?

troy2000 · 06-24-2008, 10:13 PM

I only recently got into handguns instead of long guns (although I've usually had one handy), and I'm still all screwed up. I can't decide which hand to use. I'm left-handed, and that's definitely my strong hand. Then again I'm right-eye dominant, and I've shot rifles and shotguns right handed all my life.

As I settle in, I suspect I'll gravitate to shooting with my weak hand anyway, because that's the way the safeties and magazine releases are set up on the CZ60 and Tokarev I've recently bought, in place of the revolvers I'm used to.

I'm getting older, and I suspect that the day is coming when I won't get away with developing an attitude and staring down trouble; I may have to actually produce.

I'm getting enough gray hairs and wrinkles that sooner or later some of the young bucks are going to take their chances with me. So I'm thinking of taking a self-defense course or two and getting intimately familiar with what I carry, to the point that I function as automatically with it as I previously would have with my fists, my feet or a knife.

GlockMeister · 06-25-2008, 12:39 AM

I don't currently but plan on trying my left hand at it, I'm normally right handed. Because some training courses require you to be able to shoot off hand as well as some competition. Some day I hope to do that but also it's good practice in case something happens to your strong hand/arm...

Mike Franklin · 06-25-2008, 07:59 PM

The odds that you'll have to shoot with the off hand are kinda low. I want to be able to because it's a neat thing to be able to do and because you just never know?????
try2000, it's not that hard to shoot with one hand and aim with the other eye, it does take practice.
How does that go? 'Never mess with an old man, he likely just kill ya'.

Palladin8 · 06-25-2008, 09:14 PM

While qualifying on the M-9 pistol in the Army we had to shoot strong hand supported, unsupported, and weak hand supported. After countless rounds down range I became pretty proficent with my right hand but never as good as with my left hand. I am completely left dominate from hands to eye. I would always catch myself and still do while shooting with my right hand looking down the sights with my left eye.
It's a great skill to work on

Mike Franklin · 06-26-2008, 10:59 AM

My Son loved his M-9. He carried it in a military shoulder holster. He's talked about getting the civilian copy just to have one.

Dawok370 · 06-26-2008, 04:21 PM

I'm partially ambidextrous since I can write with my right but not with left, and I can fire with both hands but I'm left eye dominant.

troy2000 · 06-26-2008, 06:26 PM

By the way, Billy: nice to see a picture of the real you for a change, instead of all those silly monsters you've been putting up as your avatar...

billy · 06-26-2008, 06:32 PM

thanks,
yep i am a real chick magnet alright.

One-eyed Dave · 06-26-2008, 06:46 PM

Starting trying to shoot dualist. So far, I can hit the broad side of a barn...but that's about it. Still not good enough to take it to a meet.

Mike Franklin · 06-26-2008, 11:30 PM

One-eyed Dave, just do it. I plan on switching to Gunfighter one day. Just to do it.

Jersey Jailer · 06-27-2008, 12:20 AM

As a LEO we shot left and right handed and could shoot either way. At abt 40 I had 2 left eye injuries they tell me I was leading with my face. A left shoulder tear. so between no strength in the left arm and poor sight in the left eye I try not to shoot l handed

big shrek · 06-28-2008, 12:59 AM

Leading with yer face?? Hehehe...old boxers never die, they just disintergrate...

Practicing Doubel Duelist or Gunfighter styles at SASS events tend to assist one greatly. However, it is those who for whatever reason as children spent time developing BOTH hands who have the true edge in Ambidexterity. The vast amount of Righties never bother to do anything serious with their left hands...this is a mistake, in my view. I was fortunate enough to have a left-handed uncle and I thought it was cool how he could do things with either right or left, so I emulated him. Consequently I could write, play 1st base as a lefty, bat as a lefty, etc...

Training, as always, is KEY. If you have the Will, you have the Way!!

Bravo · 06-28-2008, 07:55 AM

I'm left eye dominant, but all of my rifles are right handed (and I've grown up shooting right handed).

As a result, I shoot rifles right handed, but sometimes shoot handguns left handed.

wunhunglo · 06-28-2008, 09:07 AM

I can't believe that nobody has said it: " I'd give my right hand to be ambidextrous!"

I don't think it makes that much difference as long as you manage to get your eyes & sights lined up. I take it that most of you shoot pistols with both eyes open?

I am right handed but can do OK shooting weak-handed as well.

rebel727 · 06-28-2008, 08:44 PM

I shoot pretty well left handed but not as fast as with my right. I only shoot SA, even if the gun is a DA.

06-24-2008, 07:50 PM	#1
billy spiritual counselor Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: a secret lab on the shores of lake titicaca Posts: 12,106 Images: 9 Blog Entries: 146	ambidextrous shooting? who here shoots a handgun with either hand? i am a little bit better with my left but when i pick one up off the bench to shoot i dont notice which hand i use . __________________

06-24-2008, 08:08 PM	#2
Mike Franklin Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Poteet, Texas Posts: 1,276	I shoot CAS, Double Duelist. I have now for over 11 years. I'm a little faster with my right but accurate with either. __________________ Aim real good we're nearly out of ammo.

06-24-2008, 08:16 PM	#3
billy spiritual counselor Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: a secret lab on the shores of lake titicaca Posts: 12,106 Images: 9 Blog Entries: 146	what made me ask is when i buy a holster i always wonder.. hmm left or right? __________________

06-24-2008, 08:33 PM	#4
killer Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: In the rat race Posts: 905 Images: 6	I can do it due to the Catholic nuns in elemetary school. No kidding. I write left handed and my mother told the nuns to break me of the habit. They gladly whacked me on the knuckles of my left hand if I used it for anything. Darned if it didn't make me ambidextrous with handguns, hammers, playing baseball, and a host of other stuff. Thank you nuns. __________________ "Yeee Hawww...I'm a cowboy on an iron horse." Killer's cabin: http://buckmountainchateau.com/

06-24-2008, 08:44 PM	#5
billy spiritual counselor Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: a secret lab on the shores of lake titicaca Posts: 12,106 Images: 9 Blog Entries: 146	well THATS a ...erm.... mixed blessing? __________________

06-24-2008, 10:13 PM	#6
troy2000 Resident Armed Liberal Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Southern California Posts: 9,453 Images: 9	I only recently got into handguns instead of long guns (although I've usually had one handy), and I'm still all screwed up. I can't decide which hand to use. I'm left-handed, and that's definitely my strong hand. Then again I'm right-eye dominant, and I've shot rifles and shotguns right handed all my life. As I settle in, I suspect I'll gravitate to shooting with my weak hand anyway, because that's the way the safeties and magazine releases are set up on the CZ60 and Tokarev I've recently bought, in place of the revolvers I'm used to. I'm getting older, and I suspect that the day is coming when I won't get away with developing an attitude and staring down trouble; I may have to actually produce. I'm getting enough gray hairs and wrinkles that sooner or later some of the young bucks are going to take their chances with me. So I'm thinking of taking a self-defense course or two and getting intimately familiar with what I carry, to the point that I function as automatically with it as I previously would have with my fists, my feet or a knife. __________________ If a million people say a foolish thing, it is still a foolish thing. -Anatole France

06-25-2008, 12:39 AM	#7
GlockMeister Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Northern Illinois Posts: 5,478	I don't currently but plan on trying my left hand at it, I'm normally right handed. Because some training courses require you to be able to shoot off hand as well as some competition. Some day I hope to do that but also it's good practice in case something happens to your strong hand/arm... __________________ I'd rather be tried by 12 than carried by 6! Last edited by GlockMeister; 06-25-2008 at 08:56 PM.

06-25-2008, 07:59 PM	#8
Mike Franklin Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Poteet, Texas Posts: 1,276	The odds that you'll have to shoot with the off hand are kinda low. I want to be able to because it's a neat thing to be able to do and because you just never know????? try2000, it's not that hard to shoot with one hand and aim with the other eye, it does take practice. How does that go? 'Never mess with an old man, he likely just kill ya'. __________________ Aim real good we're nearly out of ammo.

06-25-2008, 09:14 PM	#9
Palladin8 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 404	While qualifying on the M-9 pistol in the Army we had to shoot strong hand supported, unsupported, and weak hand supported. After countless rounds down range I became pretty proficent with my right hand but never as good as with my left hand. I am completely left dominate from hands to eye. I would always catch myself and still do while shooting with my right hand looking down the sights with my left eye. It's a great skill to work on

06-26-2008, 10:59 AM	#10
Mike Franklin Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Poteet, Texas Posts: 1,276	My Son loved his M-9. He carried it in a military shoulder holster. He's talked about getting the civilian copy just to have one. __________________ Aim real good we're nearly out of ammo.

06-26-2008, 04:21 PM	#11
Dawok370 Registered User Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 11	I'm partially ambidextrous since I can write with my right but not with left, and I can fire with both hands but I'm left eye dominant.

06-26-2008, 06:26 PM	#12
troy2000 Resident Armed Liberal Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Southern California Posts: 9,453 Images: 9	By the way, Billy: nice to see a picture of the real you for a change, instead of all those silly monsters you've been putting up as your avatar... __________________ If a million people say a foolish thing, it is still a foolish thing. -Anatole France

06-26-2008, 06:32 PM	#13
billy spiritual counselor Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: a secret lab on the shores of lake titicaca Posts: 12,106 Images: 9 Blog Entries: 146	thanks, yep i am a real chick magnet alright. __________________

06-26-2008, 06:46 PM	#14
One-eyed Dave Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 23	Starting trying to shoot dualist. So far, I can hit the broad side of a barn...but that's about it. Still not good enough to take it to a meet.

06-26-2008, 11:30 PM	#15
Mike Franklin Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Poteet, Texas Posts: 1,276	One-eyed Dave, just do it. I plan on switching to Gunfighter one day. Just to do it. __________________ Aim real good we're nearly out of ammo.

06-27-2008, 12:20 AM	#16
Jersey Jailer Senior Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: SOUTH Jersey Posts: 499	As a LEO we shot left and right handed and could shoot either way. At abt 40 I had 2 left eye injuries they tell me I was leading with my face. A left shoulder tear. so between no strength in the left arm and poor sight in the left eye I try not to shoot l handed __________________ [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC] Austrailian Shepherds are like potato chips... You can't have just one

06-28-2008, 12:59 AM	#17
big shrek Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Northwest, FL Posts: 446 Images: 37	Leading with yer face?? Hehehe...old boxers never die, they just disintergrate... Practicing Doubel Duelist or Gunfighter styles at SASS events tend to assist one greatly. However, it is those who for whatever reason as children spent time developing BOTH hands who have the true edge in Ambidexterity. The vast amount of Righties never bother to do anything serious with their left hands...this is a mistake, in my view. I was fortunate enough to have a left-handed uncle and I thought it was cool how he could do things with either right or left, so I emulated him. Consequently I could write, play 1st base as a lefty, bat as a lefty, etc... Training, as always, is KEY. If you have the Will, you have the Way!! __________________ No worry I are just der big dumb troll nevermind dis here notepad I am just countin' ma toes.

06-28-2008, 07:55 AM	#18
Bravo Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Maine, USA Posts: 1,897	I'm left eye dominant, but all of my rifles are right handed (and I've grown up shooting right handed). As a result, I shoot rifles right handed, but sometimes shoot handguns left handed.

06-28-2008, 09:07 AM	#19
wunhunglo Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: currently "Sunny West Africa" Posts: 1,657	I can't believe that nobody has said it: " I'd give my right hand to be ambidextrous!" I don't think it makes that much difference as long as you manage to get your eyes & sights lined up. I take it that most of you shoot pistols with both eyes open? I am right handed but can do OK shooting weak-handed as well.

06-28-2008, 08:44 PM	#20
rebel727 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Heidelberg, Mississippi Posts: 1,545	I shoot pretty well left handed but not as fast as with my right. I only shoot SA, even if the gun is a DA. __________________ North-1 South-0 HALFTIME!