The time machine takes us back more than four decades.
Became a published gun writer and police weapons/use of force instructor at age 23.
I showed up anyway.
The author learned to shoot a different way after a crippling injury. Ever since, he’s maintained the skills he developed. Image: Gail Pepin
It was a profound learning experience for me.
Its easy to forget your own seminal learning experiences.
Lets say you want to take care of yourself and your loved ones in life-threatening emergencies.
The right-handed shooter should think, “How would I teach my southpaw sibling to shoot?” Image: Gail Pepin
Rarely does a hand go up.
More hands than not will go up.
Thats where mirror image shooting comes into its own.
Author shoots a Trophy Match version of Springfield Armory 1911A1 from his support side. The spent brass is circled to show controllability with solid technique — even in the “wrong hand.” Image: Gail Pepin
It made me a better, more understanding, and more patient instructor ever since.
It does for them what that early experience did for me: it makes them the student.
Safety levers…magazine release buttons…cylinder release latches, et cetera.
With his left hand and dominant right eye, the author uses a 15-degree McMillan-Chapman tilt to align the sights. Image: Gail Pepin
Its because you have the cognitive knowledge of accumulated shooting to transfer to that hand.
Whats missing is the experience, the reps, or whatever term you want to put on it.
Like any skill, it will take refreshing, too.
The author urges you to have an opposite side holster for your carry gun, if only just in case. Here’s Springfield 1911A1 in left-handed High Noon scabbard. Image: Gail Pepin
But when I was playing hurt, Ihadto consciously focus on technique and think Crush grip!
Smooth roll on that trigger!
If youre not normally cross-dominant, you will be when shooting mirror image.
Mirror image shooting includes the draw and every other aspect of handgun manipulation. Image: Gail Pepin
That is, your firing hand will be on the opposite side of your dominant eye.
This works particularly well one-handed (and also strengthens the grip slightly: try it and see!)
but can also work in a two-hand hold.
In true mirror image shooting, spare ammo is staged for the “formerly dominant” hand to access. The mag pouch is a classic from the late G. William Davis. Image: Gail Pepin
Give mirror image a try.
It has its benefits.
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1911Series
