Practice what you're not good at!

This section is dedicated to all issues relating to training and tactics. Commercial advertisements and solicitation for your own classes are not
permitted.

Moderators: Mustang380gal, Coordinators, Moderators

Post Reply
Brian D.
Posts: 16226
Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2005 8:42 pm
Location: SW Ohio

Practice what you're not good at!

Post by Brian D. »

Today for me at the indoor range that was strong/weak hand only, from less than ideal positions. After each short string (3-5 rounds) I brought in the target and taped up everything outside the 9 ring. Towards the session's end I wasn't using any pasters.

It's easy/fun/satisfying to practice what you're comfortable with, but not really useful. For what it's worth my weak hand only is usually better than strong hand only. Guess my left trigger finger hasn't developed bad habits.
Quit worrying, hide your gun well, shut up, and CARRY that handgun!

********************************************************************************
1911 and Browning Hi Power Enthusianado.
User avatar
TSiWRX
OFCC Patron Member
OFCC Patron Member
Posts: 6676
Joined: Fri Jan 28, 2011 8:33 pm
Location: Cleveland/Shaker Heights

Re: Practice what you're not good at!

Post by TSiWRX »

I've made a recent commitment to getting better with single-handed marksmanship.

The right (my dominant hand) is coming along nicely, but the other side is still embarrassingly weak. :oops:

My Dot Torture was looking really, really good, until number 8. :P
Allen - Shaker Heights, Ohio
User avatar
schmieg
OFCC Coordinator
OFCC Coordinator
Posts: 5746
Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2005 11:11 pm
Location: Madeira, Ohio

Re: Practice what you're not good at!

Post by schmieg »

TSiWRX wrote:I've made a recent commitment to getting better with single-handed marksmanship.

The right (my dominant hand) is coming along nicely, but the other side is still embarrassingly weak. :oops:

My Dot Torture was looking really, really good, until number 8. :P
I'm pretty good one handed with a .45 or below, but that's how I learned to shoot back in the '50's.
-- Mike

"The smallest minority on earth is the individual. Those who deny individual rights cannot claim to be defenders of minorities." - Ayn Rand
User avatar
TSiWRX
OFCC Patron Member
OFCC Patron Member
Posts: 6676
Joined: Fri Jan 28, 2011 8:33 pm
Location: Cleveland/Shaker Heights

Re: Practice what you're not good at!

Post by TSiWRX »

^ Any tips or tricks, I'm all ears (and eyes)! :)
Allen - Shaker Heights, Ohio
User avatar
schmieg
OFCC Coordinator
OFCC Coordinator
Posts: 5746
Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2005 11:11 pm
Location: Madeira, Ohio

Re: Practice what you're not good at!

Post by schmieg »

TSiWRX wrote:^ Any tips or tricks, I'm all ears (and eyes)! :)
Not really; it's just a matter of locking he wrist. I was taught the old stance where you stand with your body about 45 degrees to the side of the target, legs spread to a solid stance, head turned toward the target and shooting arm extended. Heck, they were even teaching that in the Army in the 60's, though the two handed grip was becoming more popular. My father used that stance both in 1970 and 1972 when he won the senior division at National Match.
-- Mike

"The smallest minority on earth is the individual. Those who deny individual rights cannot claim to be defenders of minorities." - Ayn Rand
User avatar
TSiWRX
OFCC Patron Member
OFCC Patron Member
Posts: 6676
Joined: Fri Jan 28, 2011 8:33 pm
Location: Cleveland/Shaker Heights

Re: Practice what you're not good at!

Post by TSiWRX »

^ Locking the wrist - will do. :) Thank you!

The traditional "bullseye" stance, right?
Allen - Shaker Heights, Ohio
Aesinsp
OFCC Patron Member
OFCC Patron Member
Posts: 1279
Joined: Mon Dec 17, 2012 8:27 am
Location: Central Ohio

Re: Practice what you're not good at!

Post by Aesinsp »

The last training that I attended(low light handgun), we were told that we have the strong hand - and the other strong hand... There are no weak hands! :lol:
"If you are not prepared to use force to defend civilization, then be prepared to accept barbarism."
Thomas Sowell, Knowledge And Decisions

Never forget and Never again, Molon labe
User avatar
schmieg
OFCC Coordinator
OFCC Coordinator
Posts: 5746
Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2005 11:11 pm
Location: Madeira, Ohio

Re: Practice what you're not good at!

Post by schmieg »

TSiWRX wrote:^ Locking the wrist - will do. :) Thank you!

The traditional "bullseye" stance, right?
Yes. If you have difficulty with the wrist, one thing I was taught was to hold the gun sideways (gangsta sytle) and then rotate your hand to the correct orientation. That seemed to help some people.
-- Mike

"The smallest minority on earth is the individual. Those who deny individual rights cannot claim to be defenders of minorities." - Ayn Rand
User avatar
TSiWRX
OFCC Patron Member
OFCC Patron Member
Posts: 6676
Joined: Fri Jan 28, 2011 8:33 pm
Location: Cleveland/Shaker Heights

Re: Practice what you're not good at!

Post by TSiWRX »

schmieg wrote:If you have difficulty with the wrist, one thing I was taught was to hold the gun sideways (gangsta sytle) and then rotate your hand to the correct orientation. That seemed to help some people.
Oh, now that's most interesting [from just trying this here at the keyboard].

I will have to focus more on this on my next live-fire session.

Thank you!!!!
Allen - Shaker Heights, Ohio
Brian D.
Posts: 16226
Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2005 8:42 pm
Location: SW Ohio

Re: Practice what you're not good at!

Post by Brian D. »

Canting the gun "inboard" a bit for one handed shooting is indeed an old trick. A new IPSC shooter showed me that maybe twenty years ago as if he'd invented it. By then I'd seen it done by some longtime Bullseye competitors who may have learned it from genuine, from-the-Old-West, cowboys.
Quit worrying, hide your gun well, shut up, and CARRY that handgun!

********************************************************************************
1911 and Browning Hi Power Enthusianado.
User avatar
TSiWRX
OFCC Patron Member
OFCC Patron Member
Posts: 6676
Joined: Fri Jan 28, 2011 8:33 pm
Location: Cleveland/Shaker Heights

Re: Practice what you're not good at!

Post by TSiWRX »

^ I may have mistaken what schmieg was trying to relay, but I think it's more than that slight inboard cant that he's talking about, Brian D..

I also prefer that slight inboard cant (particularly as it overlaps both with my cross-dominance as well as with my use of handheld flashlight), but I think that what schmieg wrote is specifically to address the lock-out of the wrist, which is more easily achieved "naturally" when the gun is held in that "gangsta" manner, fully 90-degrees from typical, rather than to be about any specific cant (or not) to the gun.

I think it's separate from the (ongoing debate) of the cant of the gun, when shooting single-handed.
Allen - Shaker Heights, Ohio
User avatar
schmieg
OFCC Coordinator
OFCC Coordinator
Posts: 5746
Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2005 11:11 pm
Location: Madeira, Ohio

Re: Practice what you're not good at!

Post by schmieg »

TSiWRX wrote:^ I may have mistaken what schmieg was trying to relay, but I think it's more than that slight inboard cant that he's talking about, Brian D..

I also prefer that slight inboard cant (particularly as it overlaps both with my cross-dominance as well as with my use of handheld flashlight), but I think that what schmieg wrote is specifically to address the lock-out of the wrist, which is more easily achieved "naturally" when the gun is held in that "gangsta" manner, fully 90-degrees from typical, rather than to be about any specific cant (or not) to the gun.

I think it's separate from the (ongoing debate) of the cant of the gun, when shooting single-handed.
That is correct.
-- Mike

"The smallest minority on earth is the individual. Those who deny individual rights cannot claim to be defenders of minorities." - Ayn Rand
Brian D.
Posts: 16226
Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2005 8:42 pm
Location: SW Ohio

Re: Practice what you're not good at!

Post by Brian D. »

Did some more strong/weak only drills with friends today, at speed on the clock, starting from the holster. One exercise is done from an awkward position to boot, but it's sort of complicated to explain. Suffice to say it's something you could have to do for real. It's not easy, which is why I set it up.
Quit worrying, hide your gun well, shut up, and CARRY that handgun!

********************************************************************************
1911 and Browning Hi Power Enthusianado.
Post Reply