Practice with off hand

Who here practices seriously with their non-dominant hand? I have had some interesting conversations at the range when I start practicing off hand. I generaly run about 100 rounds every other week this way.
Thoughts and opinions?

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That would depend on what you consider seriously. While I can do many things with either hand I am not truly ambidextrous. My goal is to put more rounds than not center mass with my off hand. I will put at least a couple full mags down range with off-hand every time I am there (unless taking out someone new for their first time shooting).

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I practice with my off hand ever range session. In an SD situation I canā€™t be sure of finding cover that favors my strong side. I usually run some with two hands, then strong hand only, then off hand only. I also try to use my non-dominant eye sometimes, but that can get pretty embarrassing!

Regards.

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do you generally shoot with both eyes open or do you close one

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I usually end up closing one eye, but I consciously try to use both. My eyes seem to be a lot older than my mind and can be reluctant to give me a good sight picture when I use both, although it is easier to use both eyes when shooting two handed. (Isoceles stance)

Regards.

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I can certainly understand that. I suffered damage to much optic nerve. So I force myself to use both eyes.

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Canā€™t my non-dominant hand is really messed up. I couldnā€™t hold a gun in my non-dominant hand Iā€™ve had three big operations on my left hand and I have constant unrelenting pain so holding anything even a fork is not happening.
Three years ago in Chicago was shot in my hand by a street gang member lost my left first finger.

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I learned to shoot from the US Army when I went in 1969 with both eyes open, so I just donā€™t close my eyes all these years later.

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I encourage it in all of my students but with as little control as I have of my left hand and arm Iā€™m putting everyone around me at risk anytime I try to do so myself so I reserve that practice for when Iā€™m alone on my own range.

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Yes I practice weak hand. My groupings are less than desirable but is on target.
You never know when your strong hand will be taken out of the game.

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Yes, with my non dominant hand. Like @MikeBKY said, I donā€™t group as nicely, but, I can get the job done if pressed into action that way.

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I do practice with my non dominant hand. Like others I donā€™t shoot as well with it. I do keep all my rounds mostly in the 9 and dome in the 8 ring on a silhouette target nine dominant hand.

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I have shot left and right hand starting at 18 years old. I donā€™t see a problem with it. And for the ones that canā€™t, I would say PRACTICES you never know when youā€™ll have to do it.

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Iā€™ve only had it for a month an half or so, but dry fire with a MantisX has been quite fruitful, especially for off-hand improvement. The first pistol I had to work with it is a DAO P220 circa 10 years ago and the pull is stiff for a hand which isnā€™t used to being used for ā€¦ everythingā€¦ That said, in MantisX terms my off hand is scoring 80s now on a 10 round course of fire, so the repetition has been quite successful. I recommend it. When Iā€™m on the range in live-fire I use single-action 22LR for 70% of training. It was FAR safer for everyone just after I started. Now, full defense loads on said P220? No worries - for me or the folks right or left!

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From a purely mental aspect as a former FTO as a FLEO we moved away from the terms strong and weak. Not criticizing just offering a different thought, surviving the encounter has a lot of mental aspect we moved to dominant and support. The idea was to reinforce that there was nothing weak about our physical abilities to better survive the fight. Just a thought good sir.

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:point_up:

And well named - ā€œnon dominantā€ā€¦ not ā€œweakā€ :+1:

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I just go with ā€˜right and leftā€™ :wink:
When teaching though, I use non-dominant.

I do left hand fire most range trips usually single hand. Iā€™m going to add two hand left as well. My left hand groups are about 50% bigger right now, and Iā€™m slower but both speed and accuracy are improving quickly.

What I need to work on is getting to my gun, in the holster, left-handed.

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@MikeB I agree and usually refer to dominant and non-dominant. Depending on the audience, I may switch back and forth. My pet peeve is referring to a magazine as a clip. I have seen and used clips. They are a pain in the arse and nothing like a magazine.

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@MikeBKY I use clips every dayā€¦ they keep my hair out of my face rather nicely :grin:

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@Zee we need a :heart: button not just a :+1:!

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