Help me with my weak hand

[flyingcircusboy]

Any tips for weak handed shooting? I am trying to develope it. Do you aim with your dominant eye or the look over the top method? I figure if i ever have to use my weak hand its because something is wrong with my strong hand, which would preclude me from using it for support. Any ideas for holding it steady? Exercises and such? Thanks in advance. FCB

[oso45-70]

FCB,
I'm noy sure if i understand the question or not but, Here goes. Not sure which hand you would shoot with but, Most people use the hand that is the strong hand to shoot with and steady the shooting hand with the weak side. My right eye is the dominant eye and i'm right handed so i don't have to peek over to the side to shoot. I don't knoe what type af hand gun you use, But if it is a revolver you can dry fire it without hurting it.
Do this dry firing for as long as you can hold it, The Idea is to fire it without moving off of the target. You should be able to put a coin on the barrel and dry fire without dropping the coin. when you get to this stage you will be able to go to the range and do some good. Hope this gives you a start. Just keep trying until you get it . Good luck.........Joe.................

I should add on more thing IF it is a 22 rim fire you should not dry fire it without snap caps, Doing so will mess up the fireing pin or the cylinder.

[Donna]

Hello FCB,

This will strengthen both hands and entire arms. Get a piece of dowel, about 1 ½ inch in diameter by 1 foot long, and a 1/8th to 3/16th inch thick rope by about 4 feet long. Drill a hole about a hands width from one side, put the rope through and tie a knot so the rope will not come out and the other end tie a small loop that you can fasten a weight on it. Make the whole thing so that holding the dowel with both hands at arms length level with your shoulders the weight is of the ground. Start off with 1 pound, keeping your back straight slowly wind the rope onto the dowel lifting the weight. Then slowly unwind the rope lowering the weight. Do this for three times or more a day for a week. Then add an other pound making it two pound weight repeat another week and keep on doing this until you are lifting twice the gun’s weight then do this for a minimum of two months. Then three times a week just to maintain your new strength. Remember to keep your back straight.

For your eyes take a pair of safety glasses put some black electrical tape over the lens of you strong eye and practice dry firing your gun sighting with your weak eye but keeping both eyes open while doing this. Always use snap caps anytime you dry fire a firearm whether it is a handgun or rifle and whether it is a centerfire or rimfire. Remember to keep both eyes open.

Donna :wink:

[TScottO]

I’m sure there is a “text book” way to shoot opposite unsupported hand with the cross dominant eye. The competitive pistol shooters could help you with this. But I’ll give you the method I used when I shot action pistol regularly.

First of all the main thing most people lack is coordination of motor skills with the weak side. In your daily activates focus on using your weak side more, small tasks such as: reaching for things, taking money out of your wallet with your wallet, brushing your teeth etc all with your weak side. After a while you will develop pretty decent coordination.

For strength exercises buy one of those hand grip exercisers or a racket ball and squeeze this while you are driving, walking around, watching tv… Other than that go to your kitchen and grab a heavy container of some sort of canned food. Use this to do wrist rolls and also use this buy standing up with your arm straight down by your side with the can in hand and raise your arm in front of you to line of sight.

When actually shooting using the weak unsupported side keep your arm straight, wrist locked and grip your pistol high and firm enough that the skin under your fingernails turns white. Shoot like this for a while and over a period of time you will be able to adjust as you gain a little confidence and coordination. When lining up the sights bring the gun in front just like the can of soup, and to the center of your chest then turn your head very slightly to the weak side so that your dominant eye is focusing on the front sight and the target.

This may not be the “text book” method but it worked for me.

Be Safe,
Scott