Temporary loss of strongside arm; suggestions?

[treeprof]

I'm going to need (right) shoulder surgery in a few mos. and am facing a few weeks in sling, 3 mos. until full movement and 1 yr. to full strength. Prob 6-8 wks til I can shoot at all with strongside hand, maybe more. I shoot rt hand (also rt eye dom), but am left-handed in abt 60% of activities, incl. writing, throwing, etc., and I can shoot ok with my left (tho will be practicing lots). I'd appreciate input on the following from someone who has either lost use of the strongside or has some other insight:

1. Am thinking that I will limit carry to my S&W 642 (mostly pocket), P32 (pocket or clip) and Kahr P9 since these are fairly light-recoiling in 1 handed, weak-side shooting and are light in wt. However, anyone have suggestions for using an injured arm for support with heavier recoiling gun, since I will prob keep using something in a .357 Sig for home defense?

2. Best way to carry the P9 OWB for weak hand draw: cross-draw or std. draw? Or something else? (BTW, I don't carry IWB).

3. Anyone used the side-kick waist pack from Uncle Mikes? I usually keep keys/knife in 1 pocket, handgun in another, but this will not be an option, at least while I'm in the sling, since I may need easy access to both with my left hand. I'm thinking that such a pack could double for either keys or gun. Or, any good waistpacks that could be used 1-handed? My Bianchi is a 2-hand deal.

4. Is using my (semi-auto) shotgun for home defense out of the question, or is there a good injured-arm way to use it, like from the hip? Could an AR-15 style .223 be used (looking for excuse to buy one)?

5. Which will be tactically smarter to reload: semi-auto or revolver w/speedloaders? I'll have to switch hands and use the rt hand to hold gun while loading with left either way, I think. That is my usual approach for revolvers anyway, since my left hand has better fine motor control.

Thanks.

 

[C.R.Sam]

Certainly contributes validity to the premise of practicing with either hand, either eye, left hand n right eye, right hand n left eye etc etc.

Suggest practicing weak side one handed with your heaviest recoiling defensive weapon. You may not be able to count on support from the bad side when needed.

I prefer std draw from either side. Cross draw makes me nervous when other people sweep me while doin it.

One handed shotgun takes a bit of practice but doable either from hip or shouldered.

One handed reload easier from kneeling.

Do lots of practice before gettin the wing worked on and go with what works for you.

Best of luck with the overhaul.

Sam...early on, mom was afraid I was neither handed, I proved her right.

 

[Andrewh]

Well, I have done a lot of thought on that, because of the fbi shoot out. When they all lost the use of their strong hands. So I am right handed, but use a left handed cross draw rig for my carry. I use a semi auto most times with ambi saftey(till the one on the p9 fell out.) I feel that the semi auto is easier to reload. If you carry in a cross draw that doesn't canter too much, you can reholster to do the reload. Carry clips on the same side as the usable arm. You can even cock one handed if you don't like keeping one in the chamber. Use your belt to catch the back sight and push down. Or the heel of your shoe.
As for support from the weak arm, it depends on how it is hurt. I always liked the idea of low light crossing your flashlight arm over your gun arm. If nothing else(if the recoil doesn't hurt) the extra weight will help in controlling the recoil, if you don't have the strength to hold the gun.
Shotgun, is the best choice, but go and by the ar-15 anyway
I would hold it under the arm in the arm pit, if the stock is long enough. You won't shoot low, and it should help steady the side to side movement.
Good luck on your surgery.

 

[racegunner]

You write and throw south-paw, but shoot right handed? You missed the boat when you first picked up a side arm not using it lefty right off the bat.

You have an advantage!...maybe. You may have ambidextrious tendencies [I don't think you have to admit this in the military any more ]
You might have an easier time than most people going weak side. If you can already do things lefty that require those motor skills than you are further along than you might think! Good luck with the surgery.

By the way; this is a good reason (excuse) to buy that Glock 19 with a few "standard" mags and plus-2 floor plates. 17 rounds in one mag may solve the reload issue...and once chambered it doesn't have any of those silly knobs and levers that may require a shift in hold to access.

 

[Edmund Rowe]

Take the opportunity to learn lefty shooting

I would pick your favorite and best shooting handgun and learn to shoot it well left-handed.

I myself would pick a hip holster for the lefty handgun, but that's just me. I like cross draws worn on the front, but they aren't too concealable there.

If you dry fire every day with your left hand only, you ought to get very good at it. I mean not just practice, but perfect practice. Make that handgun married to your left hand. If I were you I'd figure out malfunction and reloading techniques as well.

Long arm shooting: I know of a shooter who only has, for lack of a better term, 1 1/2 arms. He shoots long arms by holding the semi-auto shotgun or M1A up to his shoulder with only his one hand. Yes, his one full arm is VERY strong!! With a tactical sling which lets the long arm hang across his chest, he can reload using his shooting hand. Let me say that this guy is a phenomenal shooter. I've seen him do head shots from the holster in less than 1 second. (He starts with the hand on the holstered handgun but still he's durned fast and deadly accurate).

...and if you think that's incredible, you ought to see him shoot a bolt action rifle, throwing the bolt with his right arm/stump!

My point of all this is you can do way more than what the normal folks think is possible if you set your heart and mind to it.

Edmund

 

[hube1236]

Use the other hand, it feels like someone else is doing it.

 

[M1911]

I agree with the other folks here, take the time now to learn to shoot left handed. Ayoob tells of the time he had to do the same. Here's the story, IIRC. He was in Illinois, staying in, literally, a roach motel. He was working on a typewriter when a roach ran under it. He picked it up to smack the roach with his right hand. Lost his grip and dropped the typewriter on his hand. He actually broke some bones (either hand or fingers, don't remember). He was scheduled to go out to a shooting class the following week (don't remember if it was with Hackathorn, or Clint Smith, someone like that...). So, he went and shot the whole week left handed.

Since then, he teaches at least one class where he does everything left handed (including two-handed shooting).

M1911

 

[Longshot]

This post hits home. I have a cast on my right (strong side) arm for 3 weeks. I need to get better with the other hand.

 

[GregM]

One handed reloading is fairly easy with some practice. We practice weak handed reloading quite often on our range. To do this with an outo, my personal choice is to drop the mag, place the gun between my knees with muzzle downrange towards your target with the magazine well facing up, pop a mag in, drop the slide, and away you go. Practice it A LOT and you can become faily fast at it.

GregM

 

[grimel]

FWIW, I practice LOTS weak hand only. I carry a backup weak hand. Why? I severly sprained my wrist as a child and broke the same wrist as I was leaving high school/entering college. I learned to do a lot of things wrong handed. Working various construction related jobs, I've broken/dislocated/smashed the crap out of fingers on my shooting hand. You can say I've been down the road you face on many an occasion. Forget the wheel guns! Sticking the auto between your legs butt up while kneeling is nice - on the range. Shoot to slide stop, drop mag, stick in belt, retrieve mag, shove in gun, remove gun, hit slide release, continue shooting. I'd suggest leaving the gun loaded. It is possible to operate the slide with one hand, not something I like doing, but it could come in handy. PLEASE DO NOT practice with live ammo. Hand over top thumb to the rear, NO part of hand touching frame, place grip against thigh, jack slide and pull up off thigh. With a short round it is possible to hold frame in web of hand and operate slide. Or use the sight on cloths method. Again I recommend leaving gun loaded.

As for shooting, try tucking your chin into your shoulder. That will line your dominate eye with the sights. Practice now while it isn't so important.

 

[treeprof]

Thanks for all the good advice. I am giving serious thought to cross-draw in spite of my and most of ya'lls preference for strong-side carry, the primary rationale being that a bad wing on the injured rt side still could serve a weapon retention role (cover, elbow press, etc.) if the left arm was otherwise engaged (w/a BG, that is, hube).

 

[BUTCH48]

First give the repaired shoulder the rest it needs. I tore off my right bicep a year ago and had it surgically reattached. I carried my Kel-Tec p32 with ball ammo only, in an uncle mikes pocket holster in my left front pocket. My kel-tec was 100% will ball. I also carried a large folder tanto.

Good luck, heal fast.