Accuracy issues with different hands

S

Shipman515

New member
Alright, this is the deal. I'm 21 and have been shooting handguns since age 13-14. My father is a retired firearms instructor, ex secret service sniper, and a national police revolver champion. Needless to say, he's good.

I'm a "lefty" but I am very ambidextrous and preferred shooting handguns right handed. However, growing up, I would switch hands back and forth to be accurate with both in the case something happened to either hand/arm. I shot fairly accurately with either hand. Long story short, in mid June (a month before my 21st) I was in a jet skiing accident and fractured my right humerus. I had a titanium rod inserted, and due to complications, I suffered nerve damage. I have lost a good bit of use of my right hand for the next 4-5 months.

I own 4 semis, and when I turned 21 in July I picked up a S&W 5 shot (model 042) for CC. I took it to the range, shooting left handed and shot nice groupings at 15 yards, but about 6-8 inches to the left. I figured the little J frame was just off and went on my way. When I took the gun home for a weekend, my father shot it, dead on. I was perplexed. My arm had gotten a little better so I tried right handed (very uncomfortable and awkward), but the 6 inch issue was gone. I switched back to the left hand and the same thing happened, good grouping, but ~6-8 inches to the left.

Neither my father nor I had a good guess as to the reason, so Ii figured I'd post up here asking opinions.
 
You may be pressing the trigger "Back and to the left" instead of "straight back". That is one possibility. And when you shoot left handed do you also shoot left "eyed"? I do. -Goodspeed
 
I align my right wrist with my right eye when shooting with my right hand.

I do the same thing with my left wrist and left eye when I shoot with my left hand.

If you still shoot to the left/right, close the eye you're not using and open it again when you're on target.

Hope that helps :).
 
Simple it's the trigger length of pull

Going from semi to a revolver...

Obviously it's not the training from what you wrote about your father (well experienced and sounds like you've been shooting for some time too).

The trigger length is affecting your POA. The travel on the revolver can be quite daunting compared to a semi, especially in double action.

Does this still happen when shot in single action?

Also the grip needed for a semi and a revolver are different. The semi's call for a more straight wrist. The revolver design typically calls for a "canted forward" hold or grip.

Hope this helps.
 
Accuracy Issues

Are you holding the pistol straight up and down when firing one-handed? Is your arm fully extended when you shoot one-handed? If you were taught to hold the gun straight up when shooting one-handed, it's probably a finger/trigger control issue, if you were taught to hold the gun at about a 45 degree angle, it's probably a "milking the grip" issue.
 
If I haven't fired double action for a long time my left hand does the same thing but not with my right hand. I think the posts mentioning the length of trigger pull combined with switching dominant eyes is my problem and the only way I can get rid of it is to put up the dry fire target and start the drill with my gun an inch from the target. Pain in the tookus but it works for me. Doubly important for me since reconstructive surgery on my right shoulder, now its stronger and my left shoulder is getting worse. Takes more work but its worth it.
 
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