# Wrist/arm damage over time?



## kasad (Mar 12, 2013)

I live in the UK and while we can own gun(s), it's not the done thing. Depending on ones exposure for the need to own a firearm it pretty much dictates whether one ever will, unlike in the republic of America where it's more part of the culture. However as the political spectrum shifts to a more libertarian stance the laws will no doubt be relaxed and so I began researching online about the universe of guns in general.

I have my favorites but regarding pistols it dawned on me that I could suffer long term cumulative damage in the wrists and arm (upper body in general) as hearing loss can be brought on without protection. I found the following article useful where it touches on preventative measures e.g. spreading out the calibers used and days of hooting i.e. not every day as well as protection in the form of gel padded gloves and was hoping others might have something to contribute.

July, 96 Injuries

For example using the following contraption it must put a lot of stress on the shoulder?






Thanks.


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## SouthernBoy (Jun 27, 2007)

kasad said:


> I live in the UK and while we can own gun(s), it's not the done thing. Depending on ones exposure for the need to own a firearm it pretty much dictates whether one ever will, unlike in the republic of America where it's more part of the culture. However as the political spectrum shifts to a more libertarian stance the laws will no doubt be relaxed and so I began researching online about the universe of guns in general.
> 
> I have my favorites but regarding pistols it dawned on me that I could suffer long term cumulative damage in the wrists and arm (upper body in general) as hearing loss can be brought on without protection. I found the following article useful where it touches on preventative measures e.g. spreading out the calibers used and days of hooting i.e. not every day as well as protection in the form of gel padded gloves and was hoping others might have something to contribute.
> 
> ...


With the popular handgun calibers and pistols in use, you are highly unlikely to suffer any damage to your wrists or hands from recoil. You may acquire arthritis as you age and that, in turn, could hamper your shooting and create pain. But in a healthy wrist and hand, it just ain't gonna happen. The picture in the article you linked is of a man shooting a hand cannon (yes that is a gun culture term) of pretty stout caliber. That is a very specific handgun used for big game hunting, not self defense.

The slide fire operated AR-15 in 9mm is not going to hurt your shoulder, either. A 9mm carbine has a light recoil (I have one) and is not about to cause any concerns... even with a slide fire stock. As besides, one would not likely fire a lot of rounds at a setting with this configuration because of the cost of ammo today.

Hope this helps.


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

Effective and accurate pistol shooting, except that done with "hand cannons," is done with locked wrists and elbows, and frequently even locked shoulders.
Locked joints feel mostly compression, which is what they are designed to cope with. The locking eliminates torsion, which some joints don't handle well.
(I am arthritic, but the arthritis was developed quite independently, and _is not shooting-related in origin_.)

It is up to you, to control noise with hearing-protection devices. _Doing so is essential._
(I have lost my upper-range hearing, due to shooting-related damage that I could've avoided.)
Hearing protection can be achieved using industrial-strength, headphone-style protectors, available in any hardware shop. Shooting-specific protectors of this type differ only in exterior shape, the better to accommodate normal shooting positions.
Also available, probably in the same hardware shops, are the compressible-sponge ear-canal inserts. You can use these alone, or in conjunction with the "headphones."

_Also extremely important is eye protection._ Glass lenses are not appropriate for this. Polycarbonate plastic is much better, and may still be ground to your prescription, if you normally require vision correction.
Clear and uncorrected eye protection is also available from hardware shops. Many of these fit over prescription eyeglasses. Some come in useful filter colors.

If you know what you're doing, and have strengthened yourself through practice, you could shoot thousands of rounds during a two-day weekend, without any adverse effects at all.
Been there, done that.


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## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

The only ill effects that I've ever suffered after shooting countless rounds of ammunition over many, many years, was a somewhat thinning wallet.


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## denner (Jun 3, 2011)

I believe your worries should be geared toward the very frequent shooting of "big-bore handguns" such as the .458 Winchester, 45/70, 500 S&W, or 454 Casull etc... Always use hearing and eye protection and the standard handgun calibers such as .45, .40, 9mm etc in at least a compact size pistol should give you no worries. I'd have concerns about the recoil from a .458 Winchester rifle much less .458 Winchester pistol.


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## Broondog (Feb 1, 2013)

the only discomfort i've ever experienced during/after extended or multiple range trips is "loading thumb", but this too can be avoided by utilizing one of the many loading assist contraptions on the market today.

then again, you have to remember to bring it along in the first place.


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## SteamboatWillie (Jan 24, 2013)

I believe Tennis is the real villian here. After all, there is no such thing as a "gun elbow". :mrgreen:


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## pic (Nov 14, 2009)

You'll be ok, lots of great advice above.
If that really concerns you.
Listen to your body, It will let you know. 
Athletes have to listen to their bodies, athletics is very repetitive.
safety glasses, impact resistant glasses will always have the Z87 mark on them.:smt067


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## pic (Nov 14, 2009)

Kasad 
,,practice handgun safety when you do get your handgun
Took my buddy out shooting for the first time.Shot a handgun only once in his life.
He did a great job. He verbally announced loudly any change in his handguns condition. TAKING POSITION,CHAMBERING A ROUND, RELOADING MAGAZINES ,SLIDE LOCKED OPEN.
Made me feel comfortable, I did not have to watch and stand six inches away from him every time he shot,lol.
New shooters often have The ole swing around move with the gun cocked After firing the gun with another bullet in the chamber "hey did you see that shot,lol"


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## SouthernBoy (Jun 27, 2007)

Broondog said:


> the only discomfort i've ever experienced during/after extended or multiple range trips is "loading thumb", but this too can be avoided by utilizing one of the many loading assist contraptions on the market today.
> 
> then again, you have to remember to bring it along in the first place.


Back in 2007, I purchased my first Glock in this century, a gen3 Glock 23. I had purchased two of them, a G23 and a G27 in the 90's but sold both because for some reason, I could just not seem to shoot either of them well. Anyway, this 2007 purchase of a gen3 Glock 23 was fine, except for the required target (serrated) trigger. I would give me trigger bite after about 70 rounds to the point of causing a blood blister in my right index finger. The serrations did not agree with my finger. So I replaced the trigger with the G22 trigger assembly (smooth faced) and problem solved. This was the only problem I can ever recall having experienced with a handgun including my .44 Magnums.


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## kasad (Mar 12, 2013)

SouthernBoy said:


> With the popular handgun calibers and pistols in use, you are highly unlikely to suffer any damage to your wrists or hands from recoil. You may acquire arthritis as you age and that, in turn, could hamper your shooting and create pain. But in a healthy wrist and hand, it just ain't gonna happen. The picture in the article you linked is of a man shooting a hand cannon (yes that is a gun culture term) of pretty stout caliber. That is a very specific handgun used for big game hunting, not self defense.
> 
> The slide fire operated AR-15 in 9mm is not going to hurt your shoulder, either. A 9mm carbine has a light recoil (I have one) and is not about to cause any concerns... even with a slide fire stock. As besides, one would not likely fire a lot of rounds at a setting with this configuration because of the cost of ammo today.
> 
> Hope this helps.


Thanks for your reply.

I understand the difference between game hunting (which I would have thought done with a rifle) and self defense, but I get the impression people like to shoot regularly as it's fun. A lot of the videos I have seen online from the likes of Hilcock and such might not be your usual person as they have a lot of firearms donated to them to try out, but people down the range, as it were, probably shoot a number of different configurations and weapon types, just for fun and they could include ones like a Derringer, which is a high caliber, or a 22 like a Ruger.

So for me it's more about understanding the limits and measures to take for a range of calibers e.g. as I understand it hearing loss is cumulative, so people wear hearing protection but it's not necessary with a suppressed firearm, unless it's in company with other on a range who are aren't using suppressed arms, even then some suppressors aren't that good.

So it's good to be prepared. I also use a computer a lot and so my wrist is weaker for it, I'll have to change my habits. I bet that's more of a factor now as computers are more prevalent, like iPod's could cause hearing damage but the data gathering on it is so slim due to the amount of time people have been using portable media players (which could be traced back to the SONY Walkman of the 80s I guess) that a generation of people with hearing issues has yet to be proven.


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## kasad (Mar 12, 2013)

Steve M1911A1 said:


> Effective and accurate pistol shooting, except that done with "hand cannons," is done with locked wrists and elbows, and frequently even locked shoulders.
> Locked joints feel mostly compression, which is what they are designed to cope with. The locking eliminates torsion, which some joints don't handle well.
> (I am arthritic, but the arthritis was developed quite independently, and _is not shooting-related in origin_.)
> 
> ...


Thanks for your reply.

I was hoping to zero in on limb related issue(s) but as your brought up the aural and ocular subject (which I'm a little more confident of) it's good to branch out. I was wondering, as I like to play it safe (don't forget here in the UK that guns in general are not really seen beyond the TV screen), about ear plugs and over the ear headphone cans? My ears hurt if I use inner-ear canal headphones, so I always opt for big over the ear headphones for music, I suspect the same would be the case for protection, especially for long periods, I also feel that they would do a better job? However with inner-ear canal ear plugs my ears might not ache for use and I could use them in conjunction?

However how would such a setup affect others safety? If someone can't warn you in time of something down a range with other people or something else? It might sound far fetched but closing off this sensory perception (which can affect balance too) is also an issue: I can imagine firing a gun a a real world situation and not being prepared for the sound of it, thus rendering all my practice useless?

Is balance an issue when wearing a lot of ear protection? Here in the UK there are still some sports we dominate, like the pub game of Darts (laugh if you will: Darts - YouTube). One chhampion of old let slip one of the secrets to his success and it was the use of ear candles, which remove inner-ear wax (like detox for your ears) to give him greater balance, so cutting off the loud sound of the bang would obviously have an affect on you when shooting to save your life?

As for eye protection I don't wear (but need) glasses, however think they look quite cool anyway. But why just eye protection, why not face? If a ricochet it coming toward one at any point on the body how much damage could it actually do and why not protect the rest of oneself? I looked into ricochets as a lot of the shooting videos I had been watching were on private grounds and they preferred to shoot metal targets (as opposed to paper and zombies). It turns out that the the bullet should be aimed square on the metal to avoid as best as possible any ricocheting, and to keep a good twelve yards (yea, we still use Imperial measurements here sometimes, but American and British Imperial do slightly differ) away from the targets being shot.

So eye protection seems easy enough, I wonder about the colours though, do they just come in yellow, I like yellow, but it could affect my perception of a target and make me blind to certain elements, so it might be better to go for clear?


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## kasad (Mar 12, 2013)

I heard about that but to be honest that has little to do with the economy and more with politics, artificially introducing added costs to market prices is a tax any which way you look at it, it seems to be a cynical but feeble attempt to reduce their usage. One of the tips I read was to dry-fire a weapon (without bullets I believe), and then there's cheaper ammo, which can damage a gun or cause a misfire (which could cost you your life) as well as buckshot, but I'm not sure if that's cheaper, however it's just as deadly and will break bone! Machine pistols are beyond the reach of a whole generation of young Americans in the first place to even worry about heavy use of ammo, but all these measures are ineffective in the long run.

Cheaper ammo will come with a new political outlook, probably one issued by someone who understands the culture of the Constitution.


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## kasad (Mar 12, 2013)

denner said:


> I believe your worries should be geared toward the very frequent shooting of "big-bore handguns" such as the .458 Winchester, 45/70, 500 S&W, or 454 Casull etc... Always use hearing and eye protection and the standard handgun calibers such as .45, .40, 9mm etc in at least a compact size pistol should give you no worries. I'd have concerns about the recoil from a .458 Winchester rifle much less .458 Winchester pistol.


I'ts interesting you mention rifles here, because I wasn't sure about these ever hurting a person (on the shooting end of course!). They can kick like anything else, but for me I'd only ever really get into them in a "sniper" like scenario, that's how I would get the most fun out of them, or so I think, but I've never fired a firearm so I can't bet sure, but we all have preconceptions. If it wasn't for a video on on the Kal Tek KSG shotgun I would never have even dreamed of being interested in shot guns at all! (Kel-Tec KSG Bullpup Pump-Action 12 Gauge Shotgun - Gunblast.com - YouTube)

My idea of a rifle is lying flat on the ground, long scope and silencer, it must be hard to get hurt by that, but the recoil issue would be directly on the shoulder, o that's something to look into, but one would be firing less, surely that's different from a full automatic Uzi with a but-stock?!

But I'm more into pistols right now, .22 Ruger type, looks like fun. Not sure if they're legal in the UK though, I bet the Derringer isn't? unless it's muzzle loaded of course, but then that could be fun to).


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## kasad (Mar 12, 2013)

Broondog said:


> the only discomfort i've ever experienced during/after extended or multiple range trips is "loading thumb", but this too can be avoided by utilizing one of the many loading assist contraptions on the market today.
> 
> then again, you have to remember to bring it along in the first place.


I'd seen that, the guns with hammers can hurt the top of the hand. I'll be honest I like to keep my hands from being calloused. Oh he's a pansy you say, well, maybe, but I like what I like and I want what I want, see. I notice that Hillcock1945 seems to always have a dirty thumb, he does load his own ammunition though, not something I think I'd do, unless firing a gun with a custom or hard to get hold of ammunition type. I would probably buy factory made, the quality really is very good now apparently, like ACP? However if I really got into it I saw on a video that regulating certain quantities of gunpowder and such can affect performance, but I'm a long way from that (did you know out Olympic athletes had to go abroad to train with their fire arms! - scandalous, we were the bloody hosts!!).

I wonder, continuously shooting a wooden handled gun, does that form callouses on the inside of the palm and fingers of the hand? Can using rubber grips prevent that, or can I have my cake and eat it e.g. a wooden handle for a gun and the use of gel padded glove(s)? I suppose a glove would also protect one from the hammer blow or the sliding top on a Glok? (if that ever is an issue on those types of guns?)


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## kasad (Mar 12, 2013)

SteamboatWillie said:


> I believe Tennis is the real villian here. After all, there is no such thing as a "gun elbow". :mrgreen:


True, but it's brought on my poor technique and avoided just as easily, so I'd like to avoid problems before they happen.


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## Broondog (Feb 1, 2013)

kasad said:


> I'd seen that, the guns with hammers can hurt the top of the hand. I'll be honest I like to keep my hands from being calloused. Oh he's a pansy you say, well, maybe, but I like what I like and I want what I want, see. I notice that Hillcock1945 seems to always have a dirty thumb, he does load his own ammunition though, not something I think I'd do, unless firing a gun with a custom or hard to get hold of ammunition type. I would probably buy factory made, the quality really is very good now apparently, like ACP? However if I really got into it I saw on a video that regulating certain quantities of gunpowder and such can affect performance, but I'm a long way from that (did you know out Olympic athletes had to go abroad to train with their fire arms! - scandalous, we were the bloody hosts!!).
> 
> I wonder, continuously shooting a wooden handled gun, does that form callouses on the inside of the palm and fingers of the hand? Can using rubber grips prevent that, or can I have my cake and eat it e.g. a wooden handle for a gun and the use of gel padded glove(s)? I suppose a glove would also protect one from the hammer blow or the sliding top on a Glok? (if that ever is an issue on those types of guns?)


the "loading thumb" i actually refer to is discomfort from the act of repetitively pushing a round into the magazine while loading it. when you come close to full on a mag it gets more and more difficult to press the rounds in and can give the pad and the first knuckle of your thumb some grief. this can be lessened by getting a load assist device. Lula comes to mind as a popular brand (google lula loaders) though some gun manufacturers will include their own loader in with a new gun.

nothing is pain free. even sleep can bring leg cramps so just get out there and do it! have fun! get dirty! make some noise!


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## Paul1954 (Mar 6, 2013)

Not sure if this has been brought up or not but I can think of other things that also bring pleasure but can cause wrist injuries. The worst thing that ever happened to me from shooting is a lighter wallet when I leave the range. Just do it!!!


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## SouthernBoy (Jun 27, 2007)

kasad said:


> Thanks for your reply.
> 
> I understand the difference between game hunting (which I would have thought done with a rifle) and self defense, but I get the impression people like to shoot regularly as it's fun. A lot of the videos I have seen online from the likes of Hilcock and such might not be your usual person as they have a lot of firearms donated to them to try out, but people down the range, as it were, probably shoot a number of different configurations and weapon types, just for fun and they could include ones like a Derringer, which is a high caliber, or a 22 like a Ruger.
> 
> ...


I'm a retired software engineer so I made my living designing systems and writing countless thousands of lines of code. I found a way to align my forearms with my desk and my keyboard which enabled me to avoid any nerve of muscle problems in my forearms, wrists, and hands.


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## kasad (Mar 12, 2013)

I saw those gun loaders, there must be an easier way, like the coin sorting machines.

A good business opportunity there if anyone can figure it out.


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## kasad (Mar 12, 2013)

I used to use a mouse but that was a bad idea, I found using a laptop made those pains (right up and down my arm) go away, so I am looking for an Apple "magic" stand alone trackpad to complement a desktop setup, so I can have better back posture.

The real answer of course is to not use the computer as much and for that I really appreciate the direction the industry's going in now with portable devices like the iPad, and of course technology makes us more productive ever eighteen months or so.

My aim is to make a lot of money so I can dictate, that way I have more free time, then computers will be email checking and on the fly at that, on an iDevice of some description. But I don't know if that'll ever happen, I have to hope it will.

Good to know you found a way to beat the RSI.


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## kasad (Mar 12, 2013)

I just saw in this video that BigDaddyHoffman1911 has gunpowder in his lungs, not sure how long it takes to do that or what kind of weapons he's using but I should imagine that it's a large gauge firearm like a pump action shotgun on double barreled one and I remember seeing in another video someone breathin in the smoke to show what a man they were.

Making Shooting Videos Can Be Difficult - YouTube


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## pic (Nov 14, 2009)

I would try to shift my focus more toward safe handling of a handgun/firearm. Toughen up soldier


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

kasad said:


> ...I was wondering...about ear plugs and over the ear headphone cans?...[W]ith inner-ear canal ear plugs my ears might not ache for use and I could use them in conjunction?


If you use the very soft, yellow-foam ear-canal plugs, they may be comfortable. They are to me, anyway. Over-ear cans have to have a good seal with the head, which cheap ones don't; thus some people, for instance my wife, use both together.



kasad said:


> ...However how would such a setup affect others safety? If someone can't warn you in time of something down a range with other people or something else? It might sound far fetched but closing off this sensory perception (which can affect balance too) is also an issue: I can imagine firing a gun a a real world situation and not being prepared for the sound of it, thus rendering all my practice useless?


No hearing-protector reduces impulse sound to zero dB. You can always hear. It's just that the high-dB impulse sound is attenuated down to no-harm levels.
There are over-the-head cans which include amplifiers which allow you to hear normally, but which shut down immediately upon the arrival of a high-dB impulse. They are, however, quite expensive, and may not be available from your local hardware shop.
In a save-your-life emergency, your senses will shut down somewhat. You will probably experience "tunnel vision," and your hearing will temporarily desensitize. One or two shots will not do any damage, but many shots will permanently ruin your hearing.



kasad said:


> ...[W]hy just eye protection, why not face? If a ricochet it coming toward one at any point on the body how much damage could it actually do and why not protect the rest of oneself?


Ricochets are not the problem, since they are outward bound-downrange, not back toward the shooters. Punctured primers and defective cartridge cases are the real problem, and neither creates much force toward the face. It's just that one mustn't get anything into one's eyes: One small brass shard, and the eye is gone.
But if that same brass shard hits the skin of the face, it won't penetrate far, and will be easily removed. (Been there, done that.)
So eye protection is an absolute necessity, but full-face protection would merely be an annoyance.



kasad said:


> So eye protection seems easy enough, I wonder about the colours though, do they just come in yellow[?] I like yellow, but it could affect my perception of a target and make me blind to certain elements, so it might be better to go for clear?


Good-quality eye protection comes in many colors, each one useful for a different condition of the ambient light. None of them is of a deep enough shade to interfere with normal visual acuity. Yellow is usually indicated for bright sunlight, as it makes the black markings of a paper target "pop" out at you. (Could a Brit ever experience bright sunlight?)
Some eye protectors feature the ability to exchange lenses, and come with a complete set of colors. Thus, you experiment to find what you need for a given condition.
My own everyday eyeglasses have polycarbonate lenses, which are photochromic. (That is, they darken automatically in bright sunlight.) I find this the most useful, both for shooting and for everyday use.


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## SouthernBoy (Jun 27, 2007)

pic said:


> I would try to shift my focus more toward safe handling of a handgun/firearm. Toughen up soldier


And excellent method of strengthening hands and forearms us raising and holding dumbbells with arms extended straight out for ten seconds starting with 5 pounds in each hand. Do ten reps of these three or four times a day. In between, do hand strengthening exercises using hand exercise grips. Do two sets of 25 reps each, also three or four times a day or whenever the urge hits you.


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## TheLAGuy (Nov 28, 2012)

I'm guessing females are only prone to this... right?


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## kasad (Mar 12, 2013)

It's not about being wimpy, it's about exploring the possibilities.


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

kasad said:


> I saw those gun loaders, there must be an easier way, like the coin sorting machines.
> A good business opportunity there if anyone can figure it out.


Um, you're not planning on carrying a machine like that from home to range, are you?
Well, that'll surely build-up your arms!

Truth: If you know the trick, loading most semi-auto magazines is really easy, and without any gadgets or gimmicks. My tiny, lightweight wife can do it without a problem.


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## Broondog (Feb 1, 2013)

after about the 20th reload my thumb gets tired. kudo's to the wife.


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## XD40inAVL (Feb 1, 2013)

I saw a post where and avid "hand cannon" shooter, who was also a hand and wrist surgeon was talking about hand/wrist damage and corrective surgery. 
But this only applied to .44Mag, .45Colt long, 50 Cal and up.


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

Broondog said:


> after about the 20th reload my thumb gets tired. kudo's to the wife.


She says "Thanks!" and reminds me to tell you that she normally does not fire 150 rounds during one range visit any more.
We've both gotten too arthritic, during the past year, and now usually stop at 50 or 60 each.


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## pic (Nov 14, 2009)

kasad said:


> It's not about being wimpy, it's about exploring the possibilities.


Does not sound wimpy ,ohh maybe a little,lol. It May be totally justified, who am I to judge. Everybody has their concerns when it comes to firearms.

Your present concerns may be based on your professional livelihood. I don't know.

You may be a pianist, musician , surgical dr.

BUT you will get great advice from this Handgun forum. Excluding myself, there are very knowledgable members that are regulars on this forum who will give you the best advice possible,

thanks n good luck
PIC


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## TheLAGuy (Nov 28, 2012)

It's mainly women I heard.


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## kasad (Mar 12, 2013)

Thanks, that's useful info.


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## kasad (Mar 12, 2013)

I'll have to devise a routine, I thought about Yoga, something like that, it sounds like it could make it in.

Thanks.


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## kasad (Mar 12, 2013)

Coin sorting machines are miniaturised now, I suspect someone will come out with a machine that does the same for bullets also. When each one costs less than a dollar each i.e. like pebbles on the floor.

How to Use a Coin Machine or a Coin Sorter? - Machine FAQ


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## kasad (Mar 12, 2013)

That and abrasions and dirt, there has to be better way, surely it's a machines job to do this.


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## kasad (Mar 12, 2013)

I know the one, but that was an old guy and I think he had a good life.


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## pic (Nov 14, 2009)

kasad said:


> Coin sorting machines are miniaturised now, I suspect someone will come out with a machine that does the same for bullets also. When each one costs less than a dollar each i.e. like pebbles on the floor.
> 
> How to Use a Coin Machine or a Coin Sorter? - Machine FAQ


I already have a coin sorting machine, it shoots them out, one at a time.. there are many designs and models. browning , smith, wesson, colt,


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## Jonny_Cannon (Dec 17, 2012)

I practice with both hands. I shoot two-handed, but also make sure I'm proficient with either hand as well. Only problem is, when I use my left hand, it feels like someone else is shooting.

Cannon


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## pic (Nov 14, 2009)

Jonny_Cannon said:


> I practice with both hands. I shoot two-handed, but also make sure I'm proficient with either hand as well. Only problem is, when I use my left hand, it feels like someone else is shooting.
> 
> Cannon


just don't shoot yourself in self defense, thinking it was someone else,lol.


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## Broondog (Feb 1, 2013)

Jonny_Cannon said:


> I practice with both hands. I shoot two-handed, but also make sure I'm proficient with either hand as well. Only problem is, when I use my left hand, it feels like someone else is shooting.
> 
> Cannon


yes, i have also noticed that shooting left-handed is just not right. 

seriously though, every time i fire a pistol left handed it always kicks up and to the right, but right handed it just kicks up. i don't shoot lefty very often so i'm sure my form is incorrect or something.


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

Broondog said:


> ...[E]very time i fire a pistol left handed it always kicks up and to the right...


You can control this by holding the pistol in your left hand and slanting it to the right by about 40°.
At pistol-shooting distances, you won't lose any functional accuracy.

Another helpful technique is to take a right-handed Weaver stance (left foot forward, stiff left arm fully extended), and then to clasp your right hand and arm tightly to your chest.
By controlling your right arm in this way, during left-hand-only shooting, you remove a powerful lever-arm from the recoil equation, and you will find recovery and second shots much quicker to accomplish.


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## Broondog (Feb 1, 2013)

Steve M1911A1 said:


> You can control this by holding the pistol in your left hand and slanting it to the right by about 40°.
> At pistol-shooting distances, you won't lose any functional accuracy.
> 
> Another helpful technique is to take a right-handed Weaver stance (left foot forward, stiff left arm fully extended), and then to clasp your right hand and arm tightly to your chest.
> By controlling your right arm in this way, during left-hand-only shooting, you remove a powerful lever-arm from the recoil equation, and you will find recovery and second shots much quicker to accomplish.


or i could just take it over a full 90 or better and be all gangsta and stuff! :anim_lol:

but seriously i will give your pointers a try.

now if the rain will stop here long enough to let my pistol range dry out i can get to some spring shooting. i got almost 3" yesterday alone.


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