Injured/dis-abled carry

[ozarkgunner]

I saw a thread about people with arthritus carrying, but I have another question. I have problems with my right shoulder. I have rotator cuff damage and a couple other things wrong with my shoulder. Some days it hurts some much that it's painfull to reach my hand back far enough to put my hand on my pistol, much less trying to pull it from my holster. I usually carry at 3 o'clock. Its relly the only place thats comfortable for me. I have a bit of a gut, so carrying further forward isn't very convenient for me. I don't like to carry further back cause I can't sit in the car well. Cross draw isn't really an option because I have limited mobility in my right arm. Reaching all the way to my left side wont work.
So, any ideas?

 

[Phillip Gain]

Smaller pistol, and front pocket carry.

That, or train yourself to shoot lefty.

Or get your rotator cuff fixed.

 

[fnsmoak]

Left dominant "therapy".

 

[fudo]

You can try an on-side twist draw, but Phil has the best answer. You can't play the cards you wish you had.

 

[Mobuck]

Lose "the gut". I like high ride belt holsters but can't use them due to shoulder problems. I don't have the amount of arm movement to draw from a high ride pancake holster or an IWB behind my hipbone so I use what I can work with and wear a cover.

 

[ozarkgunner]

Thanks for the input. And thanks for the support, I'm working on loosing the gut. I had a smaller pistol before, a Keltec P11, 9mm. I liked it, but accuracy was out the window beyond 20 feet. I wanted to be able to have a little more distance between me and my "target". I've been carrying a Tokarev that I got from my father. Some times I carry a 2" Rossi .357, but prefer the Tokarev.
I'm going to start training with my left hand. Any recommendations on where to look for training aids to switch dominance? I'll have to get a new holster. I just got a nice OTW leather, pancake(ish), high ride holster. No straps, quick, easy access.
I just had a couple steroid shots in my shoulder earlier this month. I'm planning surgery sometime early next year. I'm waiting to be at my new job a year before I'm out and on light duty for 2-3 months. I'm a welder/fabricator.
Thanks for the input guys.

 

[Mobuck]

I didn't want to come off as being snotty but I feel there are some things that indicate the quality of selfcontrol I would like to see in another person who is carrying a weapon.
I had surgery on both hands in 2008-9 and had the left one worked on first(I'm right handed). When it came time for the surgery on the right, I was going to be "disarmed" so to speak for 6-8 weeks. I had prepared for this by doing some work on my lefty shooting. I found I couldn't easily handle my DA/SA pistol or revolver since the left hand was so much weaker. I did find I could handle a single stack/single action 9mm and practiced drawing and firing until I was comfrotable with that choice.
You may find switching to left hand carry acceptable but it may take some trial and error before you're able to find a combination of firearm and holster that works. Just be sure you can manage the operation safely as you are much more likely to fumble when using your weak hand. Remember, it's not been all that long since a man was killed in this state while attempting a weakhand draw.

 

[fudo]

Get some snap caps and practice working on that trigger.