Cocked&Locked
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- S. Ontario
About 5 months ago at work, i had a severe accident that resulted in severing the tendons to my right index finger. As i shoot rather a lot, this was not a happy situation for me, more so when the surgeon told me i might never get proper use of it back. The nerve to tip was severed and i had no retraction...i could extend the finger but not contract it, to say, pull a trigger 
. After 3 months of physio i was able to bend normally at the first knuckle, about 75 degree at the second, and no control or feeling at all with the last joint and tip. What to do?
I'd always practiced left handed shooting some, and while i was OK, i certainly shot better right handed. At about the same time, shortly before the accident I finally picked up the G17 I'd always meant to add to the stable; not because i particularly like them, but i didn't have one...they are a landmark design and i thought i should have at least one in the collection. So i found myself with a glock, no usable right hand, and time to kill.
As stated I've never been a huge glock fan, i don't find them particularly aesthetic or ergonomic. My hands must have changed over the years, because i found it felt much better then i remembered. When i first started shooting i remember thinking they felt like a brick, only less comfortable...I guess too many years of shooting too many different handguns have made my hands more catholic in their tastes. One thing that hadn't changed was the trigger still felt crunchy and tended to pinch/wedge the end of my finger as i shot. I know there are tons of after market trigger parts, but i wanted to keep it largely stock so i decided just to shoot it and see what i could do with it.
The shape of the grip, and the nature of the trigger made it very easy for me to inadvertently "push" the pistol as i shot. Proved to myself that it was me by switching back and forth from right to left hand, and watched the shot displacement shift from 2" right of center (left handed) to 2" left of center (left handed) As soon as i rotated my shooting hand on the grip to place the barrel axis in line with my forearm, and concentrated on pulling straight back, my groups centered with both hands. Then it was time to start holster work.
The first time i put the holster on the left side, and my mag pouches on the right, i stepped to the line, carefully loaded and holstered. Then proceeded to draw a magazine and point it down range..I thought my friend was going to piss himself laughing at me...muscle memory is a powerful thing LOL. Lot's of slow deliberate work has cured that. I still can't shoot what i'd call fast left handed but at least my draw is tight and consistent. For some reason i don't pick up the sights as well drawing left as when i draw right, haven't yet figured out why...any idea's anyone?
Interestingly enough, in the 1000 rounds I've put thru the glock getting comfortable with the platform has significantly improved my opinion of the unit, I still think the trigger is crap but it's consistent crap, so you can work with it. The reset is where it really shines; easy to work with, predictable and short. Very fast gun to double tap with. And it's stone reliable, but i'd expected that.
Before my accident, i'd expect to probably have about a 4-5" group with a service style handgun at 25 yards, and possibly tighten it up to 3-4" with a target gun like a K38 or a high end 1911. I figured that was about as well as i could expect to shoot, having finally broke down and admitted that my eyes are not like they where 20 years ago. Apparently forcing my self to focus on the glock for the last few months and to do it all left handed has improved on this.
Last night i found that i can again get enough motion in my index finger to shoot right handed, and a friend showed up with a Wilson CQB and offered it to me. I managed to put 4 rounds into 1.25" then pulled the last one to open it up to 2"... I was pleased but figured it was a bit of a fluke, then i did it again....I guess the time spent shooting left handed forced me to focus again on trigger management and grip placement so much that when i went back to right it traveled over.
There are still some issues with the right hand; I don't have the grip strength i had and when i shoot left handed i can't retain a consistent support grip due to numbness and the fingertips inability to contract makes it very hard to keep the hand from shifting for more then 2 or 3 shots in a row. Trying to run two quick doubles will jack the gun out of my right hand...i'm playing with my grip to see if i can find a modification to improve this...The surgeon want's to see me again in may, and thinks he may be able to free up the finger tip....here's hoping...I also found last night for the first time i can stroke a revolver trigger double action again...up until a week ago i could pull thru about 85% but couldn't break the shot. That was huge, i love shooting DA fast
Anyways, it's been an interesting journey. I thought some of you might be interested or have been or currently are in a similar situation. Don't despair, there's hope! Apparently old dogs can learn new tricks.
. After 3 months of physio i was able to bend normally at the first knuckle, about 75 degree at the second, and no control or feeling at all with the last joint and tip. What to do?I'd always practiced left handed shooting some, and while i was OK, i certainly shot better right handed. At about the same time, shortly before the accident I finally picked up the G17 I'd always meant to add to the stable; not because i particularly like them, but i didn't have one...they are a landmark design and i thought i should have at least one in the collection. So i found myself with a glock, no usable right hand, and time to kill.
As stated I've never been a huge glock fan, i don't find them particularly aesthetic or ergonomic. My hands must have changed over the years, because i found it felt much better then i remembered. When i first started shooting i remember thinking they felt like a brick, only less comfortable...I guess too many years of shooting too many different handguns have made my hands more catholic in their tastes. One thing that hadn't changed was the trigger still felt crunchy and tended to pinch/wedge the end of my finger as i shot. I know there are tons of after market trigger parts, but i wanted to keep it largely stock so i decided just to shoot it and see what i could do with it.
The shape of the grip, and the nature of the trigger made it very easy for me to inadvertently "push" the pistol as i shot. Proved to myself that it was me by switching back and forth from right to left hand, and watched the shot displacement shift from 2" right of center (left handed) to 2" left of center (left handed) As soon as i rotated my shooting hand on the grip to place the barrel axis in line with my forearm, and concentrated on pulling straight back, my groups centered with both hands. Then it was time to start holster work.
The first time i put the holster on the left side, and my mag pouches on the right, i stepped to the line, carefully loaded and holstered. Then proceeded to draw a magazine and point it down range..I thought my friend was going to piss himself laughing at me...muscle memory is a powerful thing LOL. Lot's of slow deliberate work has cured that. I still can't shoot what i'd call fast left handed but at least my draw is tight and consistent. For some reason i don't pick up the sights as well drawing left as when i draw right, haven't yet figured out why...any idea's anyone?
Interestingly enough, in the 1000 rounds I've put thru the glock getting comfortable with the platform has significantly improved my opinion of the unit, I still think the trigger is crap but it's consistent crap, so you can work with it. The reset is where it really shines; easy to work with, predictable and short. Very fast gun to double tap with. And it's stone reliable, but i'd expected that.
Before my accident, i'd expect to probably have about a 4-5" group with a service style handgun at 25 yards, and possibly tighten it up to 3-4" with a target gun like a K38 or a high end 1911. I figured that was about as well as i could expect to shoot, having finally broke down and admitted that my eyes are not like they where 20 years ago. Apparently forcing my self to focus on the glock for the last few months and to do it all left handed has improved on this.
Last night i found that i can again get enough motion in my index finger to shoot right handed, and a friend showed up with a Wilson CQB and offered it to me. I managed to put 4 rounds into 1.25" then pulled the last one to open it up to 2"... I was pleased but figured it was a bit of a fluke, then i did it again....I guess the time spent shooting left handed forced me to focus again on trigger management and grip placement so much that when i went back to right it traveled over.
There are still some issues with the right hand; I don't have the grip strength i had and when i shoot left handed i can't retain a consistent support grip due to numbness and the fingertips inability to contract makes it very hard to keep the hand from shifting for more then 2 or 3 shots in a row. Trying to run two quick doubles will jack the gun out of my right hand...i'm playing with my grip to see if i can find a modification to improve this...The surgeon want's to see me again in may, and thinks he may be able to free up the finger tip....here's hoping...I also found last night for the first time i can stroke a revolver trigger double action again...up until a week ago i could pull thru about 85% but couldn't break the shot. That was huge, i love shooting DA fast
Anyways, it's been an interesting journey. I thought some of you might be interested or have been or currently are in a similar situation. Don't despair, there's hope! Apparently old dogs can learn new tricks.
