AR15 Techniques Question: support side shooting

[tkoglman]

I see that this part of the forum has alot of training announcements but much less on discussions of actual training techniques and tactics.

So, I have a question.

I recently saw a technique for support side AR shooting which really intrigued me. I thought, "this is so simple, why didn't I think of it?" I haven't yet tried it at the range, but maybe some of you have and can give me some insight.

In the past, when I have had to shoot around the support side of a barricade, corner, cover, etc. I have leaned out or exposed more of my upper body to shoot from my dominate side because I am horribly non-ambidextrous. When I have tried to actually shoot from the support side by switching my hands, stance, etc. my shots have been slower, the transition is slow, and, until red dot sights, I had a hard time finding the sights and had to shut my dominant eye.

The technique I saw was simply moving the buttstock over from beneath the dominant eye to beneath the non-dominant eye and shooting without switching hands. I tried it, dry fire, and found it amazingly easy. It was fast, didn't require me to adjust my sling, and with a RDS, I saw almost no difference in speed aquiring the target.

I'm guessing that this technique wasn't taught in the past due to heavier recoiling weapons (I'm not sure I'll try it with my 870) and the traditional "shoulder pocket" shooting stance.

What has been your experience with this technique?

[Charles]

It works. It, like everything else, has it's plus's and minus's. My first exposure to it was from regiment guys. Where they got it from I'n not for sure.

I believe if one will dedicate the time and ammo to learn to shoot well from either side, that is the way to go. As it stands most would probably be better served to just lean out and shoot from there normal platform.

[Jay Cunningham]

Our own lovely and talented KevinB posted on this very topic - with pics even!



Sling Mounting Question

tkoglman, I'm a bit surprised by your comment:

I see that this part of the forum has alot of training announcements but much less on discussions of actual training techniques and tactics.

Your initial assessment is inaccurate. I suggest cozying up with the search function and doing a little reading.

[Steve]

yeap it works well...

[Matt Edwards]

I dig it 'cause my "real" trigger finger does the work. I think my left trigger finger has personal problems.

I agree, when I was first exposed to it, all I could think is "why didn't I think of that."

[Failure2Stop]

I first tried this technique years ago, but it was dismissed by the powers that be that were locked onto their concept of a complete transition to the support side (firing-hand and all).

Then when they realized that they couldn't hit with their weak side (except for the 10% ambidextrous shooters), they did a complete reversal, forcing us to teach the strong-side only lean out.

I am a firm advocate of the shoulder-switch technique. The only issue is learning to shoot with the non-dominant eye (for those that are not cross-eye dominant), which is much less of a learning curve than learning a complete side.

[Jay Cunningham]

I first tried this technique years ago, but it was dismissed by the powers that be that were locked onto their concept of a complete transition to the support side (firing-hand and all).

Then when they realized that they couldn't hit with their weak side (except for the 10% ambidextrous shooters), they did a complete reversal, forcing us to teach the strong-side only lean out.

I am a firm advocate of the shoulder-switch technique. The only issue is learning to shoot with the non-dominant eye (for those that are not cross-eye dominant), which is much less of a learning curve than learning a complete side.

I find that I'm best served by immediately closing my right (dominant) eye on a shoulder transition - otherwise I won't find the dot.

[Steve]

I find that I'm best served by immediately closing my right (dominant) eye on a shoulder transition - otherwise I won't find the dot.

I have also seen with some shooters and sighting systems (aimpoints) that closing the Objective lens cap helps as well with certain vision issues while doing this...

[Failure2Stop]

I find that I'm best served by immediately closing my right (dominant) eye on a shoulder transition - otherwise I won't find the dot.

Doh! I meant to put that in there. I really wish stupid work would stop interfering with my posting.

Depending on optic and shooter there are a few different ways to be sure you can pick up the dot. None of them are natural, and practice is necessary to ensure compitence in compressed/high velocity environments.

1- Close the strong eye as soon as the stock hits the weak side shoulder. This is the preferred technique for most magnified optics.

2- Blink the dominant eye as the weak comes into the sight. This does not really work (for most) with anything other than 1x optics. This does however, allow a two-eyes open technique.

3- Push heavily forward into the eye-relief. This is a pretty easy way, and makes it really hard to miss the dot or chevron. Combining this with 1 or 2 is what most wind up doing after multiple repetitions in training. This can be difficult with body-armor, especially if the shooter does not reverse his stance.

Steve mentions occluded eye shooting, and while I would never close my objective cover in a fight (for many reasons), I do use it in training to teach users to shoot with both eyes open and to acquire the aiming point with the reverse shoulder and weak-side shooting for ACOGs and Aimpoints.

[markm]

I have no prolem making hits in lefty mode. It just takes about 3 or 4 times as long to get the shot off.