A Rack Of Plates

[Luiz Francisco Ramos]

I have always shooted right to left, but sometimes , when I go left to right the series go very good and faster. So I would like to understand if there is any logic advice about it. Somebody can help? In the Matt´s DVD, he explain this for kevin Helpes, but because my poor english I did not understand what he saids...

thanks

[tightloop]

I have not seen Matts tape so I cannot help you with the translation.

When I shoot plates I always shoot them right to left because I shoot Mod

Weaver and I like shooting toward a closed position with my arms and upper body.

I suppose it is personal preference, unless Benos or TGO or Matt can tell us why it is better the other way.

[Luiz Francisco Ramos]

For better analisys, I must to inform that I am right hand and cross eyed...

[tightloop]

I suggest you try the Egret stance, as depicted by Brian Enos. If you can assume that stance while making your draw, cross eye dominance will not matter.

[Nik Habicht]

Luiz,

Do you have access to a plate rack for practice? If so shoot it both ways several times with a timer and without. Keep track of times and transition times between plates. See what else you notice. Can you always go six shots for six plates left to right, but occasionally need seven shots for six plates going right to left? Does anything feel different when you change directions? Experiment and see what you notice....

[Ron Ankeny]

I am with Nik, do what works the best for you. A friend of mine insists that anyone who even has a clue will shoot right to left. He argues that the average shooter (right handed, right eyed) will be able to pick the left target up faster with the left eye unobscured. He also argues that with a proper grip your pistol will track more towards the support hand. He concludes his reasoning by stating that it is easier for a right handed shooter to index (swing to the left).

OTOH, I shoot left to right. It seems more intuitive because I read from left to right. Also, my pistol tracks slightly to the right (about one o'clock). I prefer left to right and my buddy has been trying to get me to change for a couple of years.

[Loves2Shoot]

Left to right for me also, I don't know why it is more comfortable (I would guess the reading thing also,) but my times are about the same regardless which way I shoot them.

[h4444]

I shoot left to right,,,,feels more comfortable and the way I position my holster and draw my pistol naturally comes straight out pointing somewhat to the left,,,,so why wast any motion moving back to the right. I figure, the pistol is already going that way in a straight line,,,,keep going that way.

[xcount]

Before shooting in any organized or sactioned competition, I shot a local game that incorporated the Bianchi Falling Plate event as one of its parts. My gun at the time was a Glock 17, pre-finger grooves, and it seemed to twist in my hand somewhat.

This was long before I ever heard of Brian Enos or read anything about grip, stance, NPA, etc. All I knew was grab the gun from the holster and try to knock 'em all down. But I did notice the gun seemed to recoil up and to the right. And I noticed that, when shooting left to right, this caused the "next" plate to be hidden from view until the gun recovered. But if I shot right to left the "next" plate was visible and I could just bring the gun to it during recoil recovery.

Once I started shooting NRA Action Pistol and shot the plates from the prone position I found it worked better for me to "pull" the gun to the next plate with my support hand than to "push" it to the next plate. So, another reason to shoot right to left.

When I started shooting IPSC I found there were times when I would be forced to shoot left to right. With a little work I discovered I was just as fast and just as accurate in either direction.

But to this day, if you put a bunch of targets out there and say "shoot 'em", 99% of the time I will go right to left. No logical reason but it just "feels" better.

[benos]

Luiz,

As far as I know there is no "logic" involved. I prefer left to right, but whether it's because I've shot them that way for 20 + years, or I like left to right because we do so many things in that direction, like reading for example, I can't say for sure. So, I agree with Nik - experiment, and pay attention to what you see and feel. Does the gun stop on the targets more precisely one way than another?

Does one way just "feel easier"?

Do you consistently shoot one way faster, or more consistently?

be

[Flexmoney]

I am right handed. When I started, I shot the plates left to right. Going right to left felt uncomfortable to me. Therefore, I decided that I needed to work on shooting the plates right to left. Now that is more comfortable.

Guess I need to work it from the other direction for a while.

[eric nielsen]

For me its faster left to right, purely because of recoil. My pistol is slightly to the right of my centerline and results in a twisting force. I try to minimize that distance off the centerline, like Ron Avery suggests everyone try to do.

You all have made me curious if there might be a few situations (spacing of the targets) where having my recoiling slide (Limited) might actually slow down my shooting left to right. That won't matter with my open gun - nothing is ever obscured, dot never leaves the lens.

For me the difference on the timer is .05 seconds per transition. A rack of 6 plates (5 transitions) will fall .25 seconds sooner for me. Try it with a timer & see how it goes for you.

Eric Nielsen

A-28026

[MattBurkett]

I am not "cross-eyed" so luckily I don't have that issue. I shoot plate racks approximately the same speed each way, but, am much more comfortable left to right. Two factors I have been able to identify with this issue. The torque of a right hand twist barrel and that I am english and have read since a child (believe it or not) left to right. Thats the way my eyes are used to moving.

Use what works for you, just prove it on the clock and scoresheet first to make sure that your feeling is correct.

[Luiz Francisco Ramos]

Thanks for your atention !

I did from the 2 directions several times and left to right for me is a little faster because the weak eye (in my case the right one..) see the next plate easely, and then I can engage faster.

So I think that there is a relatioship with the seeing facility.

Could have too a relation with the recoil twist of my pistol, slightly to the right...

Sure , there is a good facility with the natural point of aim, caused for the position of my holster...

thanks again !

[George D]

Luiz,

I was taught that the best swing direction depends on your right/left hand dominance. As a right-hander I learned to shoot right to left and find that my gun tends to recoil up and slightly left. When I was shooting trap I also noticed that I found it easier to shoot a clay flying right to left than left to right.

Of course, in your case, the cross-eye dominance may also be a factor.

[spook]

I've noticed something. I used to 'always' shoot left to right, because it felt natural. Then one day I decided to try the other way around. It felt "unnatural". It seemed as if I was going very slow. I looked at the timer and there was no difference.