IDPA - Any Southpaws?

[rickb308]

Do any southpaws shoot IDPA, and if so, how do you handle tactical reloads?

Specifically thinking of 1911 type semi's with the mag release accessible from a right handers grip.

Wanting to get an H&K USP Compact Variant 2 because of the mag release being under the trigger guard and the safety & decocker being on the right side of the gun.

My 1991A1 has an ambi safety, but there is nothing I can do with the magazine release button.

As it stands now, I have to shift pistol to right hand to drop mag, and switch back to left hand to be able to grab mag with right hand (from weak side), load, rack, & resume.

[Lindy]

Nah - just learn to hit the magazine button with your trigger finger. That's what I do when I'm shooting left-handed. I go both ways - it's lots of fun to mess with people's heads by changing sides.

[SRVA]

I'm a left-handed IDPA shooter. I have had no problem. Use my trigger finger to hit the mag release, then move it to the slide release while I'm inserting the new magazine. If for some reason I can't get to the slide release, I overhand the slide to release. Takes very little time.

I have shot a 1911, HK USP and Steyr. Currently I'm shooting the Steyr and have not found a better pistol to use, either right or left handed.

PM me if you would like to get more information.

[Lindy]

There is a device on most pistols to lock the slide back. It is better to manually pull the slide to the rear than to manipulate that lock to release it, for several reasons:

(1) In a fight, an adrenaline dump will usually eliminate most fine motor skills, which is what is used to hit that slide lock. Using a "gorilla grip", where the palm of the non-shooting hand is on one side of the rear of the slide, and the fingers of that hand are on the other, to grasp the slide and pull it to the rear, is a gross motor skill.

(2) You may be fighting with someone else's pistol which you picked up. Slides locks vary in position, method, and ease of actuation. Pulling the slide to the rear will release the slide on every pistol made.

(3) Having the slide all the way to the rear, under maximum spring tension, gives the slide it's best chance of picking the round up off the magazine and getting it completely into the chamber and the slide into battery.

I prefer to develop habits which will serve me under the worst conditions I may encounter, rather than those which will give me a faster time in a match.

That's just my opinion, and your mileage may vary.

[1Shot]

No trying to argue but I do have a different opinion.

I have heard many instructors use the adrenaline dump as a reason not to use the slide release/stop on an auto pistol. These same instructors will readily acknowledge that pulling back on the slide will not release it on many pistols. Just as an example most Kimbers will not release the slide by pulling back especiall if it has a "shok buff". Yes, I know that is a whole different discussion on whether a defensive pistol should have one of these in there to begin with.

Hitting the slide release will work on any pistol.

I also challenge the theory of not being able to hit the slide release because of adrenaline but we are still suppose to be able to hit that little button called the magazine release. There is also that little button called the trigger that has to be properly operated under stress.

YMMV

[Lindy]

Well, of course you are arguing - there's nothing wrong with that. It's in the give and take in these discussion that useful information is found.

"Shok Buffs" are unnecessary in any pistol in which the recoil springs are periodically and properly replaced. Springs wear out. I replace the recoil springs in my pistols every couple of thousand rounds. And I've seen more than one malfunction created by a "Shok Buff", but I've never seen a single pistol on which pulling the slide to the rear would not release the slide lock. If there is one, it's broken and should be fixed.

And I've spent some time shaking from an adrenaline dump. I regularly practice techniques which work under the worst possible conditions - like clearing a double feed with only one hand - the one I normally don't shoot with. I hope never to need that ability, but I will continue to practice techniques which work under bad conditions - which pretty much defines a gunfight. That's my choice. Others may do differently.

[TraCoun]

I'm a southpaw, and shoot a Springfield Champion 1911 type. I get the mag release with my strong side thumb. It may mean a little more movement of the gun for me, but it doesn't seem to be that much of a problem. I have more problem with the slide release 'cause it's pretty stiff, and IPDA won't allow an oversize one. I've got an over size on another 1911 I have and it's a lot more usable.

I do the same with the mag releases on my Beretta 96 and Glock 27.

TraCoun

[SRVA]

I, too am left handed. I have used my trigger finger, an overhand pull on the slide, inserting the magazine with enough force to drop the slide, and the trigger finger of my support hand to drop the slide. They all work and give me a bunch of options that right handers don't have. Life's good.

BTW Lindy, the Kimbers will not allow the slide to be pulled far enough to the rear to release the slide if you install a shock buf. This is not because they are broke, just their design tolerances. Try it.

[1Shot]

I certainly won't argue about the skok buff's becasue that has been discussed to death on other forums.

When I read that if pulling the slide to the rear didn't release the slide I removed my CQB from the holster, unloaded it and locked the slide to the rear. I can pull on it all I want and it will not release. Have two more CQB's in the safe here next to the computer. Same drill, same result. I don't think 3 of my Wilson's are broken and in need of repair.

Wife just got another CQB, this one in 9mm and guess what........ It worked on it.

I called a couple of friends that I knew would have their Kimbers on them and they said it didn't work on theirs either.

I have also tried this on numerous Beretta pistols and it works reliably on about half of them. These range from NIB condition to 8000 rounds thru them. It does seem to work on Glocks and Sigs, at least the ones I tried.

I have also had the adrenaling dump a few times and observed it in others several times as well. I regularly practice one handed shooting, reloading and malfunction clearance drills, with both hands. I do these from all kinds of positons but most instructors only teach them in the standing postion. Try a weak hand only malfunction clearance from laying on that side. I'm just throwing this stuff in as food for thought and starting to ramble.

My main point in all this is that sometimes we take too many things as an absolute, especially when we pay our money to get someone to teach us these things. I have been to Thunder Ranch, as I am sure many of you have, as well as other schools around the country. Not one school I have attended taught the things I listed above. Sure they lay you on the ground and do some shooting but they don't incorporated all of the drills from various postions. Somewhere some of them may do it but I have not heard of it.

[Lindy]

It's hard for me to imagine that a company would deliberately have made the tolerances on a pistol so tight that a slide would go far enough to the rear to lock open, but not far enough to release. It cannot have been done in order to make the firearm more reliable, since anything which interferes with the rearward movement of the slide, like a bit of dirt, might then prevent it from locking open as John Browning intended it to. Nor can it have been done to make it shoot better, since there is no way it can.

If there are such pistols, in any case - and I believe those of you who say there are - I don't want one, and I sure as heck don't want to have to fight with one. Taste varies - there are even people who choose to drink light beer. That's a SEP - Somebody Else's Problem.

[TraCoun]

I typed an earlier reply but got myself crosswired. I have a Sprinfield Champion .45. I usually use the middle finger of my left hand to hit the mag release, and I don't have any real problem with that. In fact in works better for me than using the ambixetrous safety on my Beretta 96.

The slide release on the Champion is another story. It is pretty stiff. I'd like to get an oversize slide release like I have on another .45, but IDPA says 'no'.

TraCoun