Strong/weak Hand

[nhglyn]

When shooting strong or weak hand (open gun) should you cant the gun to the outside or to the inside, and why? Which direction of cant reduces dot movement and controls recoil the best? How much cant related to vertical?

I have heard differing opinions on this from some of the best shooters/teachers in the business. TJ once told me during a class that studies and testing had shown that canting the gun towards the outside (both strong and weak) was the "best" way. But, I have heard arguments for canting inwards too.

What do you think and why?

[Matt Cheely]

I can't see how canting the gun outwards could work at all?

I always tip the gun slightly towards the center of my body. More so with the left hand.

[38supPat]

I could swear Todd told me to keep it straight up and down. I still keep it as vertical as I can but tend to cant a bit inwards

[Micah]

Saul and Angus have both stated that aiming straight up and down is the best way to shoot strong/weak hand. I have heard many Open shooters state that it is challenging to them to find the dot shooting w/s.

[38supPat]

If they don't practice

[Micah]

If they don't practice

Yeah, I should have mentioned that the comments were not from A-M-GM shooters. Not that I am a Master yet...but I have noticed that the recoil from my pistol is dampened moreso when I shoot single handed if the gun is straight up and down.

That being said, just practice the hell out of one handed shooting! Think of all the people you shoot with that piss and moan when they see strong/weak hand stages. Use this to your advantage!

[38supPat]

Yeah, that was my point. Most of the times when I hear complaints. Eg. shots too hard, strong/weak hand, mandatory reloads etc. it's usually from people that hate to do those things, so they don't practice them then suck at them on game day. To be honest, I prefer close speed shoots, but I've learned to love difficult stages, long shots, strong/weak hand, steel etc. because I practice them and most don't.

[kevin c]

Isn't part of canting the gun weak hand a matter of trying to get the usually strongsided dominant eye in alignment with the sights?

I've been told by a couple good shooters to consider aiming with the eye on the same side as the gun. That means, for the non-cross dominant, left eye with left hand, right with right. The gun will be more upright, will (perhaps) recoil more like a two handed grip, and will recover more consistently (besides my tendency to jerk shots, the biggest problem I have SHO or WHO is regaining the sight picture for the next shot).

Just some thoughts out loud.

Kevin

[Mistral404]

Weak and Strong hand should be incorporated into every practice, even if it is just one mag each. Taran Butler has some tips on shooting weak hand etc. in the Front Sight mag.

I had to spend a lot of time with .22 just to get the feel down right. Now the weak hand strong hand stuff is something I look forward to in a match.

In talking with Matt B. he mentioned that doing all the hard stuff in practice improves your confidence when you get to a match that weak/strong stuff is essentially not even a consideration on determining how to shoot the stage.

[al503]

I have heard differing opinions on this from some of the best shooters/teachers in the business. TJ once told me during a class that studies and testing had shown that canting the gun towards the outside (both strong and weak) was the "best" way. But, I have heard arguments for canting inwards too.

What do you think and why?

Experiment and find out what works best for you.

Any advice/tips should be taken with a grain of salt. What may work for Burkett/Jarret/Angus/TGO, etc., may not work for you as we all have different somatotypes, abilities, etc.