Help: Now left handed for a while

[Bunnypunter]

Alright guys, so much to my surpise, I ripped my pectoral major from the bone the other day and had to have surgery. Docs says 4-6 months of no shooting anything with my right arm. Well, this is completley unacceptable. I will lose my mind if i go that long without some form of lead-release. So heres my question, since the only alternative I have to to go lefty now, any thoughts/coaching/advice you would give to me to make the switch? I carry CCW religously so moving over to a left hand draw and shoot is my first priotory, then on to the rifles. Anything to help would be much appreciated.

 

[Greg Langelius *]

My first suggestion is to obey your medical professionals' advice, and forget about any activities that attempt to 'cheat" one's way around it.

That said, now is the ideal time and motivation to take up "weak side" shooting techniques, deliberately and consciously keeping in mind that some activities may still compromise the healing process, and to consciously NOT do them.

Then, face up to the truth squarely; your customary shooting activities are completely compromised, and need to remain so until healing is advanced sufficiently according to your physicians' approval.

As for such curtailments being unacceptable and likely to drive you round the bend, grow a pair and do what's mandated. Facts are, even with complete recovery, some things may never become as easy and effective as they once were. Many of us are in such boats, and life continues to go on with neither our sanity nor our satisfaction being forever flawed.

Improvise, adapt, overcome; and persevere...

Greg

 

[Bunnypunter]

Thank you Greg. I completley agree in respect to not going against my doctors advice. I understand that if I dont heal properly i could be done shooting convetnionally for life. I'm not willing to risk that to cheat the system. On the bright side, I have no restrictions with my left arm/weak side. As long as the right arm is in the sling I can do whatever is still comfortable with old lefty. Having said that, this is the reason I would like to exploit this opportunity to grow as a shooter with my weak side. I cannot shoot anything with a kick for a minimum of 6-10 weeks but .22's are fair game on my left side. Same with light pistols that will not cause any irritation accross my body. So my plan after talking with the doc today is to begin training with my M&P 22lr in hopes to be able to pack my 38 special/or M&Pc9 and feel a bit more confident doing so.

With the new structured restrictions, is there are advice you would give to be able to help transition to the weak side?

 

[sjb269]

Break out the double deuces. I love the idea of an M&P 22. spend a couple months gettn the hand eye thing going on the left side... CCW the .22, hey it's better than nothing. I wouldn't stand in front of one!
4-6 months will fly by.

 

[Greg Langelius *]

Well; I've been waiting for additional advice to accrue, but there's been slim pickin's on that.

Beyond offside rimfire practice I can't come up with much either. Maybe an answer is to sidestep the issue for the near future. There's more to shooting than just the 'bang' part.

This might be an opportunity to do the skullwork homework on the subjects included within the mantle of marksmanship; ballistics, cartridge optimization, meteorology as a segment of the shooting sport, handgun tuning, legal aspects surrounding the employment of deadly force in self defense, etc. Put some effort into improving your support items and concepts. Audit a course or two on the strategies and tactics underlying handgun self defense. It needs to get done some time, now's as good a one as any other.

Greg

 

[TOP PREDATOR]

i'm not a doctor, but i have to think that even though shooting support side isn't taking the brunt of recoil, the body as a whole is and some of it trickling over to your other side.

the rimfire advice (still using support side) seems the best thing to do without F'n up your stuff for the rest of your life or at least prolonging recovery.

besides, shooting support side will open eyes to the stuff you normally take for granted and remind you of all the stuff you should be doing strong side. if you hunt or compete in different / awkward position matches, it'll also help with being able to execute in a position that is less than optimal.

keep aware of eye dominance, cheek weld, and the other fundamentals, just apply them to your newly found support side shooting.