Support Hand Shooting

[Fodder]

I just got home from my IDPA match and got spanked on one of the strings. You had to engage three targets, three rounds, with the support hand in a two handed grip around a barricade.

I practice support hand shooting every week, but never two handed, lesson learned. It was uncomfortable and I didn't have that muscle memory like my strong hand.

My question is, how many out there regularly practice support hand shooting? Is it one handed, two handed, combination? What drills do you do to stay proficient?


RB

[RRP]

Interesting stage. I would have struggled, too.

I run dry-fire drills daily. As part of that routine, I do one-handed shooting, from my dominant and support hand. But, I have not trained shooting from my support hand, using both hands.

I'm not sure I understand the practicality of that stage. In a fight for your life, you may receive an injury to your shooting hand, and be forced to defend yourself with your weak hand. That's why we train shooting with our support hand. But unless your strong hand has been shot (or otherwise immobilized), I can't think of a scenario where I would shoot from the weak side. In other words, in a fight for my life, the only time I would shoot with my left hand is when my right is not available.

[Fodder]

Support Hand Shooting

Interesting stage. I would have struggled, too.

I run dry-fire drills daily. As part of that routine, I do one-handed shooting, from my dominant and support hand. But, I have not trained shooting from my support hand, using both hands.

I'm not sure I understand the practicality of that stage. In a fight for your life, you may receive an injury to your shooting hand, and be forced to defend yourself with your weak hand. That's why we train shooting with our support hand. But unless your strong hand has been shot (or otherwise immobilized), I can't think of a scenario where I would shoot from the weak side. In other words, in a fight for my life, the only time I would shoot with my left hand is when my right is not available.

I would agree, didn't make a lot of sense to me either. But, we run how the stages are set up.

It did illuminate a gap in my training. So I will be throwing in some two-handed support training during my weekly range visits. I guess it's good, it's something I've been thinking of doing lately. This just pushes me to actually act on it.


RB

[wyntrout]

It really is something to consider... including what eye to use! I didn't know what to do with my strong hand when shooting weak side... got bitten by the slide a few times... not natural.

Then there's the eye to use. I noticed right away that using my master right eye, that I got a right twisting recoil that threw off my shots, so I tried to use my left eye... and tried closing my right eye and did better, but again, unnatural. So I would avise a lot of thought and practice in whatever method you use.

I don't shoot weak side much at all. I suck at that even more than strong-hand shooting!

Wynn

[RevRay]

I don't do those competitions, but a possible real-life scenario might be when you have to shoot around a corner and using your left hand would present a smaller target to the bad guy.

[Fodder]

Support Hand Shooting

I don't do those competitions, but a possible real-life scenario might be when you have to shoot around a corner and using your left hand would present a smaller target to the bad guy.

I've always found them to be really fun. Plus they provide an opportunity to discover gaps in your training / abilities. Just like they did for me in this case.

I always recommend people to give IDPA a try, it's less "gaming" than many of the other competitions.


RB

[jocko]

I am

I don't do those competitions, but a possible real-life scenario might be when you have to shoot around a corner and using your left hand would present a smaller target to the bad guy.

totally left handed, my right hand/arm is just there because
God wanted me to have it there. It serves no purpose to me. I can't write with it, can[t even pick my nose, let alone the thought of wiping my ass right handed. so put a gun in my right hand and I truly look like a girly figure trying to aim it. I don't get a grip with a dog sh!t, and I certainly cannot hit a nything. So that bein siad, If Ineed to shoot right handed, then I am dead, but I also will not try to train that way either as It is a mute point with me. not that I don't care but I really don't care. It is nice to see a dual hand shooter that can do well, but at my age,I am what I am and I really don't loose any sleep over it either When I was in catholic school 62 years ago the nuns tried to change me to right hand writing but finally just gave up. I think that was the firs ttime I ever heard thhe word Fokk come out of a nuns mouth. I think that is what she said, I could be off on that. Just sayin

semper vulgare.

[CB3]

Shooting from cover at times requires what the IDPA stage reflected. If you choose not to train for it, so be it.

A two handed grip is more comfortable, controlled, accurate and fast than a one handed grip, if you are shooting from a static position, such as around cover.

Practice dry actually switching from one side to the other rather than just starting with gun in the hand already. Also, learn to manipulate the slide and the mag release. Your brain can fairly easily reverse the learned behaviors of one side and apply them fairly quickly to the other.

As for eye dominance, that's a tough one. Not so hard for me as I am right handed and left eye dominant. Through practice and adaptation, if I shoot a handgun with both eyes open, my dominance is actually centered between my two eyes, which works out great. For folks with more normal vision, dry firing will help you identify what to do for two handed sighted fire. Accurate sighted fire with a handgun usually requires closing one eye. If both eyes see the same, then closing a different eye is again just a short learning curve.

I recommend learning to shoot all guns ambidextrously whether just for the fun of it or because it may be a necessity. The hardest part is learning the active transfer from one side to the other. While moving. Fast. You can be equally confident shooting from both sides with practice, especially if it is defensive shooting where silver dollar sized groups are not the goal. Speed and multiple CoM hits should win the day.

IDPA is good practice/training. Scenario based with lots of wrinkles you won't be able to duplicate on a square range. Shoot what you carry, unless you are "The Gamer" and have to place in the top three. Eh. Doesn't necessarily mean they will win a gunfight.

[bugs]

if I read your post correctly, this sounds like the work of a evil, sneaky, Match Directer; our club has one also so don't be too concerned as this was to make a simple stage a little more challenging. at our Halloween themed match ours' likes weak handed head shots on the zombie stage; just before the match date I practice weak hand head shots. in my normal practice,never. I will bank on my weak hand only,cover or no cover if needed in real life. IMHO.

NRA LIFER
IDPA BELEIVER

[CPTKILLER]

Interesting discussion but try shooting with tremors from Agent Orange. I do get it kids.

[DavidWJ]

I practice pistol and revolver shooting right and left handed, one and two handed. Nearly equal in all four. Practice, practice, practice, but it helps to be ambidextrous. I'm left eye dominant, so maybe I'm left-handed but was forced to use my right hand by my teachers.

[bugs]

I can relate to tremors from my 70yrs., but not Ranch Hand ; guess that's why they talk about trigger control. Gunny Owens taught everyone has a "wobble zone", learn to accept it and hammer.

NRA LIFER
IDPA BELEIVER