New guy question on weak hand pistol
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New guy question on weak hand pistol
Hello. I'm doing the NRA/Winchester qualification program and I'm at the point of shooting one-handed. I started shooting handguns about 50 years ago, the first being a 1911A1 in the Army, then I started shooting revolvers as a Police Officer. Since I retired I'm getting back into shooting. Two-handed I have no problem shooting weak (left) hand using my dominant (right) eye. However, I seem to remember from my academy days we were taught to use our non-dominant eye with our weak hand. We were also taught to close one eye too. I realize part of it was to present as little of your body from cover, but the doctrine has changed over the years. Which eye should I be using with my weak hand. Thank you.
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atomicgale
- Posts: 860
- Joined: Fri Mar 10, 2017 7:34 am
- Location: Copperhill Tennessee USA (a registered CERCLA superfund site)
Re: New guy question on weak hand pistol
Greetings Texas Hill Country (& Canyon Lake) from rural Appalachian Tennessee.
Presuming this is to qualify NRA Expert, "Stage Two - Weak Side, ONE HAND: Five shots in 10 seconds" (from page 5, Winchester/NRA qual. program).
My Opinion on ONE HAND "Weak-side" is: DOMINANT EYE! Both eyes open. The brain will more quickly accept input on visual perception from its preferred input sensor i.e. dominant eye. Then it's simple repetitive practice to coordinate the relatively clumsy muscles, hand, and finger on the left hand to adapt the skill set. Stance (if isosceles) is static; does not vary from strong hand or "weak hand." Head/vision square to target.
Now, my trick on One-Hand: Left hand brings pistol frame over to Dominant eye at about a 30 to 40-degree angle from vertical, canted right i.e. "Semi-GANGSTA'-style." (I'm serious!) Visually, settles your sight-picture on the base of the 7-O'Clock hour-hand if your target is a clock. Elbow locked straight; shift entire arm over from shoulder joint to align with right eye.
Bear in mind, the AP-1 or AP-2 Targets only require "Minute-of-Felon" precision.
Recoil control: I drop my left thumb (below ambidextrous safety on a 1911) to touch top of middle-finger, adjacent to under side of trigger guard. Barrel recoils controllable up into 2-o'clock position & recover.
(Post-mortem: I E.D.C. two guns below my kidneys, on my left side is either a Ruger LCPII, G43, or HK VP9sk, depending on the weather & my particular temperament that day . . . .)
Note: The night sights on the HK are STUNNING! Front sight lines 'right up, especially coming in from a left side hold.
That's MY WAY! - I'm sure opinions will differ.
- LG
NRA Certified Pistol Instructor
Tennessee Dept. Homeland Security Certified Handgun Permit Instructor
former military, blah, blah, blah . . . .
Presuming this is to qualify NRA Expert, "Stage Two - Weak Side, ONE HAND: Five shots in 10 seconds" (from page 5, Winchester/NRA qual. program).
My Opinion on ONE HAND "Weak-side" is: DOMINANT EYE! Both eyes open. The brain will more quickly accept input on visual perception from its preferred input sensor i.e. dominant eye. Then it's simple repetitive practice to coordinate the relatively clumsy muscles, hand, and finger on the left hand to adapt the skill set. Stance (if isosceles) is static; does not vary from strong hand or "weak hand." Head/vision square to target.
Now, my trick on One-Hand: Left hand brings pistol frame over to Dominant eye at about a 30 to 40-degree angle from vertical, canted right i.e. "Semi-GANGSTA'-style." (I'm serious!) Visually, settles your sight-picture on the base of the 7-O'Clock hour-hand if your target is a clock. Elbow locked straight; shift entire arm over from shoulder joint to align with right eye.
Bear in mind, the AP-1 or AP-2 Targets only require "Minute-of-Felon" precision.
Recoil control: I drop my left thumb (below ambidextrous safety on a 1911) to touch top of middle-finger, adjacent to under side of trigger guard. Barrel recoils controllable up into 2-o'clock position & recover.
(Post-mortem: I E.D.C. two guns below my kidneys, on my left side is either a Ruger LCPII, G43, or HK VP9sk, depending on the weather & my particular temperament that day . . . .)
Note: The night sights on the HK are STUNNING! Front sight lines 'right up, especially coming in from a left side hold.
That's MY WAY! - I'm sure opinions will differ.
- LG
NRA Certified Pistol Instructor
Tennessee Dept. Homeland Security Certified Handgun Permit Instructor
former military, blah, blah, blah . . . .
-
atomicgale
- Posts: 860
- Joined: Fri Mar 10, 2017 7:34 am
- Location: Copperhill Tennessee USA (a registered CERCLA superfund site)
Re: New guy question on weak hand pistol
LEO Application: ONE-HAND (left), Dominant eye (right), "Semi-Gangsta'-hold" (This is current/experimental modern training still in "need-of-feedback" stage of development)
SCENARIO: Deputy in lethal-force situation. Deputy in driver's seat of patrol car; Bad-guy front & center of car (usual traffic stop) pointing pistol/shotgun/AK at you.
Old school: Deputy exits vehicle, takes cover behind open car door. Right hand shot.
PROPOSED: Deputy remains in vehicle. Extends service weapon, left-handed, one-handed, thru door-jamb. Takes sight-pic w/ right eye, w/weapon outside of windshield. You're viewing your sights thru the windshield. Hold is canted to the right; you're leaning forward against steering wheel. This angles sight pic to "Semi-Gangsta'-style" - TRY IT! Reach out the windshield and that's the natural extension of your arm, (and becomes "Full-Gangsta'-style" if subject moves to the right.) Left hand shot.
THEORY:
1. Deputy retains control of vehicle. Right-hand stays on steering wheel to either: Reverse & Escape, -OR- Drive forward & Run bad-guy over (Always fun!)
2. Quicker: Don't have to shoot thru your own windshield
3. Easier on the ears!: Weapon is discharged on other side of windshield, instead of right in your ear. Currently training dispatchers that when a "Shots-fired, shots-fired" advisement is issued: The deputy CAN'T HEAR the radio for instruction because muzzle blast leaves you deaf for three days.
4. If suspect moves right, the "behind-the-door" technique leaves deputy without line-of-sight.
5. Hot brass deflects off windshield, instead of inside car
6. Gives deputy better cover - Metal coverage from entire front of car instead of just the door. Feet/legs get cover too, instead of exposed to spread of shotgun pellets.
FEEDBACK WANTED! Note, for you self-defense types out there, this is currently "Experimental" under an approach for increasing ambidextrous skills. This is a prototype for techniques and skill-sets I term OPERATIONS RESEARCH.
Hope this helps.
SCENARIO: Deputy in lethal-force situation. Deputy in driver's seat of patrol car; Bad-guy front & center of car (usual traffic stop) pointing pistol/shotgun/AK at you.
Old school: Deputy exits vehicle, takes cover behind open car door. Right hand shot.
PROPOSED: Deputy remains in vehicle. Extends service weapon, left-handed, one-handed, thru door-jamb. Takes sight-pic w/ right eye, w/weapon outside of windshield. You're viewing your sights thru the windshield. Hold is canted to the right; you're leaning forward against steering wheel. This angles sight pic to "Semi-Gangsta'-style" - TRY IT! Reach out the windshield and that's the natural extension of your arm, (and becomes "Full-Gangsta'-style" if subject moves to the right.) Left hand shot.
THEORY:
1. Deputy retains control of vehicle. Right-hand stays on steering wheel to either: Reverse & Escape, -OR- Drive forward & Run bad-guy over (Always fun!)
2. Quicker: Don't have to shoot thru your own windshield
3. Easier on the ears!: Weapon is discharged on other side of windshield, instead of right in your ear. Currently training dispatchers that when a "Shots-fired, shots-fired" advisement is issued: The deputy CAN'T HEAR the radio for instruction because muzzle blast leaves you deaf for three days.
4. If suspect moves right, the "behind-the-door" technique leaves deputy without line-of-sight.
5. Hot brass deflects off windshield, instead of inside car
6. Gives deputy better cover - Metal coverage from entire front of car instead of just the door. Feet/legs get cover too, instead of exposed to spread of shotgun pellets.
FEEDBACK WANTED! Note, for you self-defense types out there, this is currently "Experimental" under an approach for increasing ambidextrous skills. This is a prototype for techniques and skill-sets I term OPERATIONS RESEARCH.
Hope this helps.