Dominant Hand Confusion

RunningOnMT · 04-19-2012, 03:03 PM

Wonder if anyone else has this problem. All my life I have been right handed (or perhaps more accurately, right armed) when it came to most physical activities, like baseball, bowling etc. I shoot rifles right handed. However, when I write, I am left handed. I also use my left hand to use a fork or spoon when I eat.

Recently I've been noticing something curious. While I have always shot handguns right handed, I notice I seem to grip a handgun better and have a smoother trigger pull using my left hand. Both my hands and their index finger mechanics, appear to be identical, but when I squeeze a trigger with my right hand I tend to pull the sights off target a bit. My right trigger finger tip seems to contact my weak hand (in a two handed stance) and the trigger guard. It's like it doesn't pull back straight. I have no such interference when shooting left handed, and with the exception of my natural shakiness while aiming, I can squeeze the trigger and drop the hammer without disturbing my sight alignment.

Now here's the problem; only two of my handguns don't have controls such as slide, safety, and mag release, on the left side (for a right handed shooter). Of these two one is a revolver (GP100), and the other is a Bersa 9mm with ambidextrous controls. All the rest are set up for right handed operation. Also, though it would seem I shoot a bit more accurately left handed, I draw from a holster smoother and faster with my right hand.

So the question is, "which side should I carry on for CCW?" Has anyone else dealt with this inconsistency? How did you resolve it and what would you recommend?

Double D · 04-19-2012, 03:51 PM

Your just weird. There is no help for you. I guess you will have to carry on both hips.

Shooter45 · 04-19-2012, 03:57 PM

That is a bit strange but with practice, you can work thru it.

Question : Which eye do you aim with when shooting right handed ??

Which eye do you aim with when shooting left handed ??

These questions should be answered for both pistol and rifle.

gvw3 · 04-19-2012, 04:42 PM

I am left handed but have a weak left eye. I shoot right handed. It is the only thing I do right handed. What ever works for you is the way to go.

RunningOnMT · 04-19-2012, 05:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shooter45

That is a bit strange but with practice, you can work thru it.

Question : Which eye do you aim with when shooting right handed ??

Which eye do you aim with when shooting left handed ??

These questions should be answered for both pistol and rifle.

If shooting left handed I use the left eye. When shooting right handed I use the right eye. I would almost say I'm ambidextrous but I can't write worth a damn with my right hand and I can't throw a baseball with my left.

One thing I need to mention is that I'm not a fingertip shooter as I was taught to do with a rifle in the service. I allow my finger to rest on the trigger where it feels most comfortable for the grip I have on the piece. For example, with a 1911 I'm on the trigger almost to the first joint of my trigger finger. That finger is what drags across my weak hand in a two handed grip. I don't know why it doesnt do that when shooting left handed. I've experimented by trying to vary my finger placement on the trigger, but can't seem to keep from pulling off target when I squeeze the trigger with my right finger.

As for a rifle, I always shoot right handed and use the right eye. The only times I ever fired a rifle left handed, I was shooting an M16 from the hip.

I'm just trying to figure out if I should pick a hand and stick with it or change depending on the gun.

RunningOnMT · 04-19-2012, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Double D

Your just weird. There is no help for you. I guess you will have to carry on both hips.

You know Dan...you just might have hit the nail on the head there.

polishshooter · 04-20-2012, 10:31 PM

It seems kind of wierd that you can shoot with either eye...either hand I can figure, but the dominant eye is usually pretty "fixed."

When I shot IPSC a lot of matches had "Weak Hand Only" stages, and kind of similarly I always seemed to shoot slightly better with my left hand, but they were always close, either 7 or 10 yards max, and usually involved a string of 6 with both, a reload, then the transfer to the weak hand, then one handed with the weak hand only, in anywhere from 8 to 12 seconds depending on the match, I would have my right hand holding onto my shirt front with a death grip after I kind of "swept" the gun into the other hand, so I didn't wiggle with it waving around with nothing to do

. Several times I had ROs question me if I was actually left handed. Many times the second 6 were better than the first 6!

I would cant the .45 though and use my right eye, and since the .45 recoils up and to the right, it was easy to get back on target if I shot them left to right...the muzzle moved on it's own to the next target with the recoil and all I had to do was let it drop down a little and the sights were right on the center of the next target.

But I am a little strange too...I'm right handed/right eyed in shooting, writing, throwing, BUT I have always batted left handed, shot left handed when I played Hockey, and Golf left handed.

04-19-2012, 03:03 PM	#1
RunningOnMT Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Akron, Ohio Contributor Posts: 4,720	Dominant Hand Confusion Wonder if anyone else has this problem. All my life I have been right handed (or perhaps more accurately, right armed) when it came to most physical activities, like baseball, bowling etc. I shoot rifles right handed. However, when I write, I am left handed. I also use my left hand to use a fork or spoon when I eat. Recently I've been noticing something curious. While I have always shot handguns right handed, I notice I seem to grip a handgun better and have a smoother trigger pull using my left hand. Both my hands and their index finger mechanics, appear to be identical, but when I squeeze a trigger with my right hand I tend to pull the sights off target a bit. My right trigger finger tip seems to contact my weak hand (in a two handed stance) and the trigger guard. It's like it doesn't pull back straight. I have no such interference when shooting left handed, and with the exception of my natural shakiness while aiming, I can squeeze the trigger and drop the hammer without disturbing my sight alignment. Now here's the problem; only two of my handguns don't have controls such as slide, safety, and mag release, on the left side (for a right handed shooter). Of these two one is a revolver (GP100), and the other is a Bersa 9mm with ambidextrous controls. All the rest are set up for right handed operation. Also, though it would seem I shoot a bit more accurately left handed, I draw from a holster smoother and faster with my right hand. So the question is, "which side should I carry on for CCW?" Has anyone else dealt with this inconsistency? How did you resolve it and what would you recommend? __________________ "Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death!" -->

04-19-2012, 03:51 PM	#2
Double D TFF Moderator/Host Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: North Florida Contributor Posts: 8,053	Re: Dominant Hand Confusion Your just weird. There is no help for you. I guess you will have to carry on both hips. __________________ I own a bunch of scary guns. You want em? Come and take em..... Liberalism is a serious, non curable, mental disorder... NRA LIFE MEMBER Oath Keepers Member NRA Certified Instructor 30 Yr CC permit holder.

04-19-2012, 03:57 PM	#3
Shooter45 Administrator Join Date: Feb 2001 Contributor Posts: 8,747	Re: Dominant Hand Confusion That is a bit strange but with practice, you can work thru it. Question : Which eye do you aim with when shooting right handed ?? Which eye do you aim with when shooting left handed ?? These questions should be answered for both pistol and rifle.

04-19-2012, 04:42 PM	#4
gvw3 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Chicago IL Area Contributor Posts: 3,238	Re: Dominant Hand Confusion I am left handed but have a weak left eye. I shoot right handed. It is the only thing I do right handed. What ever works for you is the way to go. __________________ Criminals advocate stronger gun laws to foster a safer work environment. This limits their exposure to risk.

04-20-2012, 10:31 PM	#7
polishshooter Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Indiana Contributor Posts: 7,859	Re: Dominant Hand Confusion It seems kind of wierd that you can shoot with either eye...either hand I can figure, but the dominant eye is usually pretty "fixed." When I shot IPSC a lot of matches had "Weak Hand Only" stages, and kind of similarly I always seemed to shoot slightly better with my left hand, but they were always close, either 7 or 10 yards max, and usually involved a string of 6 with both, a reload, then the transfer to the weak hand, then one handed with the weak hand only, in anywhere from 8 to 12 seconds depending on the match, I would have my right hand holding onto my shirt front with a death grip after I kind of "swept" the gun into the other hand, so I didn't wiggle with it waving around with nothing to do. Several times I had ROs question me if I was actually left handed. Many times the second 6 were better than the first 6! I would cant the .45 though and use my right eye, and since the .45 recoils up and to the right, it was easy to get back on target if I shot them left to right...the muzzle moved on it's own to the next target with the recoil and all I had to do was let it drop down a little and the sights were right on the center of the next target. But I am a little strange too...I'm right handed/right eyed in shooting, writing, throwing, BUT I have always batted left handed, shot left handed when I played Hockey, and Golf left handed. __________________ The problems we face today are there because the people who work for a living are outnumbered by those who vote for a living.