Pocket Holsters Strong Hand Weak Hand?

[willow]

Helped a friend at a gun show last weekend and ended up the proud owner of an R9.  That resulted in a group discussion regarding the best pocket carry; strong hand versus weak hand.  I am still in uncertain mode.  Which is the besy carry method in your opinion and why.  If this has been beaten to death before I apologize as I am new to this site.

[Richard S]

Willow:

Welcome to the Forum.

I carry my pocket pistols strong side.

[BillinPittsburgh]

Strong side if it is a primary gun, weak side if it is a backup gun to something bigger on my strong side.  Your R9 will likely fill both roles at various times.

For the primary gun role, the "why" is obvious.

For the backup gun, I want it primarily accessible by my weak hand in case my strong hand is injured.  I can draw a hip-holstered gun weak-handed but it isn't very fast.  it also allows me to keep a hand on the gun as I do other things with my strong hand.

[willow]

Thanks for the comments.  The argument presented by some was always weak hand whether back up or primary as it is then a consistent position for panic situations where the mind relies on instinct.  These were police instructors that gave that opinion.  Other instructors challenged in favor of the strong hand. Very confusing.

[Michigunner]

Willow,

Welcome to the forum.  Please come back often.

I just "naturally" selected my right hand, because of being right-handed.

That was especially easy because keys, etc. were usually in the left pocket.

Perhaps certain police instructors consider  very special circumstances.  Meanwhile, I think the strong hand should hold handguns.

Many people believe special practice is needed to even use the weak hand, which could be called upon if the strong hand is damaged.

Bill

[RJ HEDLEY]

Quite a few of my LEO customer opt for Weak hand carry.

[FireBreather01]

I think Bill nailed it! If I'm carrying one gun then it is always on my strong side. If I have two - then one is strong and the other is weak. I practice shooting both strong and weak side shooting and am fairly proficient with either. Due to an injury years ago I had to switch my strong side to lefty. With surgeries, therapy and practice I can still shoot most guns right-handed.

To become proficient with your weak hand I highly recommend taking a class where you carry and shoot weak-hand only. It's fun!

[willow]

Let me explain.  I am a gun nut.  I shoot IPSC with a 1911 and IDPA with 625's. I am a RSO at the local pistol range and have a decent amount of time to practice weak hand shooting. Regardless of practice my weak hand is not as adept with a hand gun as is my strong hand. My observation is that is true of most that I shoot with.  I am told one of the reasons Rob Leatham is so good is that he is truly ambidextrous.  Having said all that the original discussion at the gun show centered on the fact that if I carry let's say my R9S in the "weak pocket" when I have a bigger gun on my strong side, I should always carry the R9S on the weak hand for muscle memory, continuity or call it what you will.

[BillinPittsburgh]

Hi Willow,

To a certain extent, you answered your own question.  If you shoot better with your strong hand, then that is where you have your best muscle memory, and you should always have your primary gun on your strong side.

In fact, if I had to go for the BUG and my strong hand was uninjured, I would begin shooting with the weak hand and then switch to the strong hand ASAP.

To practice weak handed, get an inexpensive weak-side holster so that you can draw just like you would on the strong side.  Proceed slowly and don't expect to have anything near the same speed you have on the strong side.  If your range will allow it, practice from the pocket as well.  You aren't going to shoot as well as you do strong-handed, but you will soon be able to shoot quickly enough and well enough to make a mugger very sorry that he counted you out with your strong hand injured.

The advantage of a lighter trigger pull is substantially magnified when shooting with the weak hand.

To draw a gun from a strong side holster with the weak hand, reach across the chest and grab the grip upside-down, with the palm towards the chest and your pinky finger below the trigger guard.  Pull the gun out of the holster, rest the slide on your belt, and rotate the gun so that you are holding it correctly.  If you have a 1911 without an ambi safety (the ambi safety is a good idea even if you are right handed), you will have to reach around with your thumb to disengage the safety.  At this point, you can shoot normally.  As you can see, this isn't a quick procedure, and it is a rare occasion when you can practice this while actually shooting with both safety and the range owner's approval, because you are going to sweep a lot of area with the muzzle.

[Richard S]

As always, Bill presents a detailed and insightful analysis and explanation of his position.  

When I carry both my 1911 as primary and my R9 as backup, I have them both holstered on the strong (my right) side -- the 1911 holstered just behind the right hip and the R9 holstered in the right front pocket.  I do so because I am so strongly right handed (left brain hemisphere dominant).  If I were living back in the "Old West" and wearing two revolvers, I expect I would be one of those wearing one holstered on the right hip and the other holstered for a right-hand cross-draw.  (I also expect I would have a Bowie knife sheathed behind my left hip and a derringer in my right front pocket.   )

I truly envy those who are ambidextrous.

[BillinPittsburgh]

Hi Richard,

Thanks for saying so.

I should add that I know some very knowledgeable instructors who are not big fans of the backup gun on the weak side, for exactly the reasons you mention.

For me, ambidextrious shooting capability is okay with light triggers but deteriorates very quickly with heavier DA triggers.

Also, if I am carrying a primary gun in my pocket and also carrying a backup gun, the BUG goes on my left ankle, which means I have a (primarily) right hand draw for the BUG.

[Richard S]

With regard to the "cross draw" technique, that method of deploying a weapon can be traced back to Biblical times. The following passages are from Judges, Chapter 3.  Verse 21 shows that Ehud, who was left-handed, favored the "cross draw."  


[size=10]12 The children of Israel again did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh: and Yahweh strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh.

13 He gathered to him the children of Ammon and Amalek; and he went and struck Israel, and they possessed the city of palm trees.

14 The children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.

15 But when the children of Israel cried to Yahweh, Yahweh raised them up a savior, Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a man left-handed. The children of Israel sent tribute by him to Eglon the king of Moab.

16 Ehud made him a sword which had two edges, a cubit in length; and he girded it under his clothing on his right thigh.

17 He offered the tribute to Eglon king of Moab: now Eglon was a very fat man.

18 When he had made an end of offering the tribute, he sent away the people who bore the tribute.

19 But he himself turned back from the quarries that were by Gilgal, and said, "I have a secret errand to you, king." The king said, "Keep silence!" All who stood by him went out from him.

20 Ehud came to him; and he was sitting by himself alone in the cool upper room. Ehud said, "I have a message from God to you." He arose out of his seat.

21 Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into his body:

22 and the haft also went in after the blade; and the fat closed on the blade, for he didn't draw the sword out of his body; and it came out behind.

23 Then Ehud went forth into the porch, and shut the doors of the upper room on him, and locked them.

24 Now when he was gone out, his servants came; and they saw, and behold, the doors of the upper room were locked; and they said, "Surely he is covering his feet in the upper chamber."

25 They waited until they were ashamed; and behold, he didn't open the doors of the upper room: therefore they took the key, and opened them, and behold, their lord was fallen down dead on the earth.

26 Ehud escaped while they waited, and passed beyond the quarries, and escaped to Seirah.

27 It happened, when he had come, that he blew a trumpet in the hill country of Ephraim; and the children of Israel went down with him from the hill country, and he before them.

28 He said to them, "Follow me; for Yahweh has delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand." They followed him, and took the fords of the Jordan against the Moabites, and didn't allow any man to pass over.[/size]


Of course, Ehud was using a sword said to be "a cubit in length."  The length of a cubit at the time is a subject of some scholarly debate, but Ehud's sword was probably between 20 to 30 inches long (more likely near 30 inches, since Eglon is reported to have been "a very fat man" and the sword pierced him through).  The longer the sword, the more natural -- even essential -- it is to deploy it using the "cross-draw" technique.  Nonetheless, ever since handguns were first developed, there have been some individuals for whom the "cross-draw" has proven to be the most effective means for deploying them.  

"Different strokes for different folks."