I need advice ! ! ! ! I am handicapped to the extent I must use a cane for mobility and balance , I also wear a knee brace . Now here is my problem I use the cane on my LEFT side , my RIGHT knee is bad and I am a LEFT hand shooter . I have tried shooting RIGHT handed but forget it ! ! ! I have and shoot everything from 44 mag. to 22 . I would like advice as to what type of concealed carry holster to use and where to get it . THANK YOU in advance and GOD BLESS
:smile: Two years ago, now, I had my right knee replaced with a brand new, bright 'n shiny, stainless steel one. (It was a, 'stitch' of an operation; and the recovery period was long; but I got through it.)
Before that I used a cane in my left hand for, something like, 23 years. During this time I endured two separate surgeries and lots of physical rehabilitation. I've also been to, 'cane school' more than once. Consequently, I feel better qualified than most to offer an opinion on your problem. My honest personal opinion is for you to simply DROP THE CANE AND DO WHAT YOU'VE GOT TO DO. (You can, even, lean up against a wall if you have to.)
It's your right knee, and not your left. The only reason you've been told to use the cane in your left hand is (1) to support more of your body weight when you step forward with your right leg, and (2) to alleviate possible longterm wear and twisting of your spine. When you stand still you shouldn't need the additional support from the cane. Your knee couldn't be any worse than mine once was. I used to hobble into IDPA matches, wait my turn, walk up to the start-box, drop my cane, and shoot my way through the course. The only physical actions I couldn't do were to kneel, or run. I had to walk, and remain upright for everything.
If you are able to walk with a cane then you should also be able to stand still and fire a gun. I did this through 23 years and several armed confrontations. (Possibly because the more active you are, and the more places you go, then the more vulnerable you will appear to be. 'People are people' and there will always be some who will try to intimidate and take unfair advantage of the less physically able.) Nevertheless, you should be able to do something similar to what I’ve done for myself for yourself, too.
As for shooting with your right hand? I've been a certified pistol and riflery instructor for the past twelve years. I’ve, also, been an active competitor and gun club member for, well, most of my long life. I’m able to tell you that it’s very common for a right handed pistol shooter to be more accurate - but, perhaps, a little slower - when using a pistol with his left hand.
In your case (and because of how the human brain works) I'd expect you to be faster, but less accurate with your right hand; but, still, entirely capable of hitting COM on a man-sized target at and inside 10 or 12 yards. The best street combat holsters are the ones that ride at 10 and 2 o'clock on your belt. The usual place where you will be most vulnerable is whenever you're sitting behind the wheel of a car. Why? Because a right handed shooter will be able to bring his pistol into action very quickly; but you will not.
As for me? I'm ambidextrous. I own both right and left handed holsters. On those days when I know I'm not going to be driving I'll carry at 10:00 o'clock on my left hand side. Why? Because this gives me a speed and range-of-motion advantage while I'm sitting in the passenger-seat. On days when I'm the driver I'll carry at 2:00 o'clock on my right hand side. Does it ever get confusing? Yes, once in awhile I've been known to reach for a pistol with my right hand when I'm actually carrying on my left; but, happily, I've never done anything like this when it might have made a difference. How did I become ambidextrous? Another accident! When I was thirteen years old I lost the use of my right hand for more than a year and a half. That’s all it took; and, all of a sudden like, after I regained the use of my right hand I could use any tool or weapon, proficiently, with either hand.
After thinking about it I'm going to say something else for your benefit: I grew up in a very tough military school type environment. Weaklings didn't last; and there were occasional emotional dropouts and even one suicide. There were, also, distinct benefits to growing up in a school that always demanded the greatest personal effort you were able to muster. If a student were able to maintain, at least, a C average he’d be allowed to attend one of the best high schools in North America. If, however, his cumulative grade average dropped below C then he'd get pulled out, and sent to vo-tech high school, instead.
Because we, all, knew that our futures were on the line if a boy had the ability to learn then he used it to stay ahead of whatever academic standard was expected of him. (Things aren't done that way in American education, today; are they!) I suppose the idea was that, no matter what, you never let the system or the environment get the better of you at anything. After the second accident I realized that I'd been permanently injured; and I made up my mind that, no matter what, I was going to continue living as normal a life as possible. Without going into detail, it became necessary for me to have to learn to do a lot of things, like skillfully handling pistols, all over again. (Because severe physical trauma can shake you up like that!)
My suggestion to you would be to take your time. Don't be quick to give up. If you don't shoot well with your right hand, today, then stay with it, and see how much better you can shoot a month, or two, from now. The worst thing someone like you or I can do is to allow ourselves to believe that we can't. Put your cane on a pistol lanyard and, thereafter, drop it and pick it up as needed.
(There's no such thing as, 'I can't'.) :wink:
NOTE: By the way, the very best pistol shooting I’ve ever done in my entire life I did AFTER the second accident, and not before. Why? Because I wanted to. God bless you, too. I hope you feel better.
