Weak side/One handed Reloading & Shooting tips, Anyone???

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by popper

There is a plastic thingy that holds the button down for the Rugers, then you just drop them in. Doesn't everybody practice either or both hands? My strong side shoulder won't hold the 40 on target very long, even after working with weights. Every once in a while I even try the PX4 double action 'crotch' shot just to get used to it. If I did shoot revolver I'd look for a bench stand I could use, maybe a short dowel in a 2x2 of plywood? Mag change is easy but if I needed to reload in 'use' I got other problems.

---

As far as practicing with weak side... Yes, I have, but unfortunately not enough. That is now going to change.
;)

I am going to concentrate on the shooting more heavily than mag/speed loading at first. I don't have any speed loaders for the revolvers I have now, but that will change eventually. I have been more of a semi auo pistol fella for the past 5-6 years, so they & their accessories like mags have been my focus. Now , as I find myself in this position, I have to re-think my perspective on such things.
:)

G'luck on your improving yourself also! Please share if ya think of anything.
:)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Blogman

I had a stroke Dec. 2014 on my right side, well had the stroke in the left of the brain... Nevrmind, you know what I mean. Anyway that UpLULA would have been great to know then. Been dealing with working rebuilding every since. Back to 85% and still going strong.

---

My wife's stepdad had a major stroke about 12yrs ago and you couldn't tell if you saw him now, his only lingering effects are a minor cognitive issue with reading and switching words like asking for a bucket when he wants a shovel, so keep plugging away and you will get back to where you were

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by TXGunNut

No big deal, really. Shooting weak hand is a good practice even if not out of necessity. I find it makes you a better shooter. It also impresses the heck out of folks who think they can't do it. Like KCSO I was a PPC shooter so it was something I had to learn. Every now and then I don't have the use of my right hand. I just slide a 2" .38 or .380 in my "weak side" pocket and go about my business.
Get well soon, get off those pain pills ASAP.

---

Yes, it is not likely a big deal for some/most folks, but as I find myself in this situation I want to try to improve myself & make it a learning experience as I try to heal up.
:)

As far as the meds...I have already started to back off now, just after a couple days. pretty sharp pain when I moved wrong & it lingered so I could not sleep... Like now here at 0100... If I move without thinking I wake up right quick & it keeps m,e awake for some time.... It will get better though...
:)

Thanks for your good wishes!
:)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Remiel

Most pain meds either don't work or make me sick, so it's mostly Advil and water for me,

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

---

Yes... I will be changing over to something like Advil soon.
:)

JB, I hope you have a speedy recovery. "Time heals all"!
Try not to linger on what you can't do but focus on the things you want and need to do.
Recovering from surgery is no fun. Side affects from pain Meds not good.
Stay tough friend and get well soon.
Mike

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by myg30

JB, I hope you have a speedy recovery. "Time heals all"!
Try not to linger on what you can't do but focus on the things you want and need to do.
Recovering from surgery is no fun. Side affects from pain Meds not good.
Stay tough friend and get well soon.
Mike

---

Thanks for the well wishes, Mike! Gonna keep a positive attitude for sure!
:)

Seems I've been plagued by physical challenges all my life. (just complaining here) Aches and pains usually associated with the latest dumb thing I did. Back when I was young & stupid (well, younger at least), one fine Sunday while cutting molding on my radial arm saw, I made a mistake and cut the tip of my strong side trigger finger off. Luckily, the local ER had a good flight surgeon on call and she basically wrapped up the remaining meat and cobbled some of the nail over the remaining bone and sewed me up. The next day I drew a left handed holster, and re-qualified with the .38, 870, & M-16. Had to shoot the .38 left handed. Never did take a day of medical. Switched my duty rig to left handed and carried that way for about three months. It was no fun. But, it can be done. Protect your wound, use your head, and press forward. We human animals are much more capable of stuff than we think. Best of luck, 725

I was taught to reload my Beretta 1 handed if either of my arms was out of action. Shoot until slide locks to rear. Squat down & place handgun barrel between calf & thigh (hold behind knee) Push mag release. Insert new mag. Rise and thumb down slide release as you stand. You are now ready to continue shooting.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by JBinMN

And G'Luck with your recovery!
:)

---

Thanks for asking JB.
For me, after I realized that things were gonna be different, I knew it was gonna be a long haul and git back on the horse. First was self therapy, keep moving and keep my strength up. I soon found that the muscles and the brain had their own ideas where to go and what to do. Usually the opposite way. If I tried to fight it I would get shaky (sore, tired or pi$$ed off or all) and then get confused or angry. The best thing was to back-up, regroup and slow down. I had to think what I was going to do then try to start again, slowly but deliberately. With a stroke one has to build up both the mind and body, together.
Secondly, Don't get mad, angry, throw things or just give up. Of course you are going to do those things but try not to as to get others hurt. The same with getting angry and throwing words at people, specially your loved ones. My wife and daughter have been great with me.
Third, things might have to be taught. Meaning some of the ways I used to do had to be taught (not re-taught) a different way. I used to be able to aim double sighted, now I can only use my right eye. Another thing and it really bugs me is I also have to tilt my head slightly to the left to aim. The doc says it may be an equilibrium thing. I can see fine for the most part, it's that brain/body block thing.
For the forth, get plenty of rest. If you're tired, rest. If you're angry, chill a bit. If you over do it the shakes will set in. Ya can't reload or shoot if your tired.

That's about it, just keep kickin.

I hear ya Remiel. I'm assuming your wife's stepdad had the same type of left side stroke I had. I can do all the black powder funs, deal with the property, rebuild our ol' one room schoolhouse but I can't for the life of me remember how to work on my own car. It took me an hour to re-wire a horn a couple year ago. I used to have a great vocabulary and elocution, now, not so much.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Remiel

The only thing I could recommend is what was told to me when I had rotor cuff surgery on my strong side is to start small and take it slow.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

---

Extremely good advice +1 I load with one hand my left side doesn't work at all TBI got me just start slow and think your way through the little things holding a case under a powder is gonna take a bit of engineering and build up a platform to set your cases on,I changed to a feed through powder die,so I just use the press. Hope your recovery ,is quick

Thanks for the tips & support!
:)

Going out this afternoon to take the missus out to shoot her LCR .357. I made up some lighter 38Sp loads with Red Dot & 148gr WCs for her a while back & it is time to go out & shoot them to see how she likes them. I may do some weak side shooting also. Slow & easy, of course.
:)

Took the missus out to try out the light loads I made up for her. Laddered up from 2.1 - 2.5gr for the first 25, then had her shoot a round of 5 factorys for comparison, then we went from 2.5gr @ 5 rds each to 2.9gr. then finished off the last 15 factory I had there. After that we went to shooting the .22 pistol for about 60 rounds.

All in all it was a productive day for her, since now we know just about where she can handle the loads with her weak hands from surgeries, & I got a re-visited "familiarization fire" experience for my weak side hand. I found out that I started getting the wobblies after about 25 shots with the 38sp so when IO went to the .22 I was doing the wobblies pretty much every shot & started to go off paper with some of them.

Had a good time shooting though & now it is a matter of loading up some more rounds for other calibers & working on some dry firing for the both of us. Although I am the one who will be more apt to do it than she will.

Like said, gonna go slow easy with things...

Interesting note... I found my self canting the weapon slightly to my strong side as was mentioned earlier. Not intentional, but just found myself doing it on occasion. Not sure why that woluld happen but it did.. :???:

Thanks again for the tips being shared.
:)

I found out that I started getting the wobblies after about 25 shots Yup & it might not go away, unfortunately. IMHO it's a nerve problem, not muscle. Stop & relax when it starts, wait a minute then restart. canting is normal, thrust your arm out and your knuckles will be horiz. You have to think that one out.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by popper

I found out that I started getting the wobblies after about 25 shots Yup & it might not go away, unfortunately. IMHO it's a nerve problem, not muscle. Stop & relax when it starts, wait a minute then restart. canting is normal, thrust your arm out and your knuckles will be horiz. You have to think that one out.

---

You are likely correct. I had the same surgery on my left elbow back in Dec. 2015. It was at 90% affected then, with only 10% of normal usage(nerve sensitivity). In the right arm back then, as they checked both for comparison, was at 70% affected, with 30% of normal and it got worse since then, thus the surgery this time. The Neurapathy is still there in the left, just subdued from getting worse by the surgery. So, that it being nerves is very likely & hopefully my right side will not be affected as much as I did not wait as long to do the right as I did with the left one. That & not having the support of the other arm + not being used to shooting one hand only left(weak) sided, my arm was also gonna get tired of holding weight out there after a while anyway.... (LOL - it is not like when I was younger, since I remember more than one occasion in the Corps of having to hold out our weapons as a punishment & lasted a whole lot longer in doing it... ;) )

Thanks for pointing that out though! I really do think my Neurapathy is a factor as well.
:)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by JBinMN

I found out that I started getting the wobblies after about 25 shots with the 38sp so when IO went to the .22 I was doing the wobblies pretty much every shot & started to go off paper with some of them.

Interesting note... I found my self canting the weapon slightly to my strong side as was mentioned earlier. Not intentional, but just found myself doing it on occasion. Not sure why that woluld happen but it did.. :???:

---

Having the same thing with me JB. I shot two cylinders with both 1851s today (total 24 shots) and everything was looking good. When I finished up with the Walker 47 I was all over the board, even double handed. As far as my Doc said with canting a bit to the side, it may be something that won't correct. I'll take a pic tomorrow and show ya.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Blogman

Having the same thing with me JB. I shot two cylinders with both 1851s today (total 24 shots) and everything was looking good. When I finished up with the Walker 47 I was all over the board, even double handed. As far as my Doc said with canting a bit to the side, it may be something that won't correct. I'll take a pic tomorrow and show ya.

---

Please do take the pic & share if ya can/like. I am interested to see if it is close to the same thing. Although I am not sure how one would take a pic. LOL
:)

I am also glad that more than one person understood what I meant by the "wobblies". Seemed like a good way to describe it anyway... Barrel/sights wobbling around the aim point.
;)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Friends call me Pac

I was taught to reload my Beretta 1 handed if either of my arms was out of action. Shoot until slide locks to rear. Squat down & place handgun barrel between calf & thigh (hold behind knee) Push mag release. Insert new mag. Rise and thumb down slide release as you stand. You are now ready to continue shooting.

---

If you have a drop free mag it's a lot easier to hit the mag release before you put the gun in your leg vise.
Also if your standing you can do it between the knees.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Artful

If you have a drop free mag it's a lot easier to hit the mag release before you put the gun in your leg vise.
Also if your standing you can do it between the knees.

---

I forgot to try this with the.22. I plan to go out & shoot some of the semi autos this week. I will try this, both leg and knee vise styles when I do.

Thnx for the reminder, Artful!
:)

Also, for any that may be interested in how things are going...
I also should mention that I just came back upstairs from de priming the 38sp we shot the other day.
It was slow & steady & did not take that long, even weak arm/one handed.
Later today I will start to prime & so on, after I run them thru my cleaning process.(citric wash then tumble).

I am still thinking thru the powder loading process on what I will do there... I am leaning towards forgoing the RCBS powder measure & just going with using a scoop measure method & weighing for the time being. I need to figure out how to hold the cases and still flip the handle on the RCBS measure without spillage before I try using it.

Any further suggestions would be welcomed for sure.
:)

Shot at 25 yards, 1851s, .44, 20 grain Hodgdon Pyrodex "P", right handed. All on paper (12 shots).

Walker 47, 40 grain, same boolits, double handed, first two on paper, two off left top, two off left bottom.

Uugghh.

Attachment 203434