How ambidextrous are you?

[Road Runner]

I have noticed recently that I really can't do much requiring manual dexterity with my left hand.  Maybe it is age related to some degree, who knows.  But just picking up a coffee cup in the normal manner (using the handle) with my left hand seems extremely awkward.  I'm glad I don't have to write with it.  That would suck!    

[jsharr ★]

I am left handed and I have better fine motor skills with that hand.  I notice this when doing things like brushing teeth.  I can shoot pistols equally bad with either hand.  

[Kzoo]

I can do most things equally unwell with both hands.

[Gump]

I’m a natural lefty but was converted to a righty in elementary school. I still recall being scolded for writing with my left hand. I can do most things equally well, or poor, with both hands. I shoot right, bat either but better left, play hockey left and write right.

 

 

[Razors Edge ★]

7 minutes ago, jsharr said:

I am left handed and I have better fine motor skills with that hand.  I notice this when doing things like brushing teeth.  I can shoot pistols equally bad with either hand.  

I'm a lefty dominant for "fine" motor skills (writing, using tweezers, or similar) and a righty dominant for "gross" stuff like throwing, batting, or punching.

Seems to work well enough.

[jsharr ★]

I do not ever expect to be in a gun fight, but here is a valid reason for being proficient shooting with either hand.  In the pic below the right hand dominant only shooter is much more exposed that a person who can also shoot well with their left hand.

[maddmaxx ★]

I am right handed.  I cannot write or throw well with the left hand but I can use the fork and knife with either, bat left or right, and do many fine motor skill things in my modeling endeavors.

[bikeman564™]

I am right handed and do most things w/ my right hand. However when it comes to swinging a bat, golf club, or hockey stick. I swing left handed

[MoseySusan ★]

51 minutes ago, Road Runner said:

Maybe it is age related to some degree, who knows. 

Lots of people know. Using your non-dominant hand is good for your brain. 

[Bikeguy]

I'm right handed.  I deal cards left handed.  

54 minutes ago, jsharr said:

I can shoot pistols equally bad with either hand.  

I never tried shooing left handed.  I'll have to give that a try sometime.  Maybe I'll shoot tighter groups.  

[jsharr ★]

3 minutes ago, Bikeguy said:

I'm right handed.  I deal cards left handed.  

I never tried shooing left handed.  I'll have to give that a try sometime.  Maybe I'll shoot tighter groups.  

I make sure to shoot dominant hand and off hand every time I go to the range.  Not much difference for me.  I would most likely hit what I was shooting at with either hand at 10 yards.  Again, hope to never find out in the real world against anything other than a paper target.  I do not carry a gun with me.  Stays in a case until ready to go to the range.

[Parsnip Totin Jack ★]

Natural lefty but was taught to use right for sports stuff. I pretty ambidextrous. When I played tennis I could hit the ball well with either arm and usually did. 

[Kirby ★]

I think I'm pretty good with my left hand, until I have some sort of injury with my right hand and realize how incompetent I really am.

[jsharr ★]

39 minutes ago, Parsnip Totin Jack said:

Natural lefty but was taught to use right for sports stuff. I pretty ambidextrous. When I played tennis I could hit the ball well with either arm and usually did. 

Did your opponent get mad that you had two rackets?

[Parsnip Totin Jack ★]

4 minutes ago, jsharr said:

Did your opponent get mad that you had two rackets?

Not my problem, is it?

[Bikeguy]

1 minute ago, jsharr said:

I make sure to shoot dominant hand and off hand every time I go to the range.  Not much difference for me.  I would most likely hit what I was shooting at with either hand at 10 yards.  Again, hope to never find out in the real world against anything other than a paper target.  I do not carry a gun with me.  Stays in a case until ready to go to the range.

Now I need to try shooing left handed.   Maybe... that's my dominant had.  And that's why I deal left handed?  

I don't carry... yet.  Not sure I will.   And I agree I sure hope I never need to find out what it's like to shoot at anything other than paper.   But if the choice is him or me (or WoBG is threatened) it's going to be him. 

In December I qualified for the IL conceal carry.  2 days 8 hours each in class, and then shooting.  Maybe in 3 more months I may get the permit.   (They are slow here.)  I did OK for a rookie.   I sure the guy would be dead.  10 shots at 5, 7 and `10 yards, (30 total).   Only 2 shots were kind bad compared to the rest. 

 

 

 

[jsharr ★]

2 minutes ago, Bikeguy said:

Now I need to try shooing left handed.   Maybe... that's my dominant had.  And that's why I deal left handed?  

I don't carry... yet.  Not sure I will.   And I agree I sure hope I never need to find out what it's like to shoot at anything other than paper.   But if the choice is him or me (or WoBG is threatened) it's going to be him. 

In December I qualified for the IL conceal carry.  2 days 8 hours each in class, and then shooting.  Maybe in 3 more months I may get the permit.   (They are slow here.)  I did OK for a rookie.   I sure the guy would be dead.  10 shots at 5, 7 and `10 yards, (30 total).   Only 2 shots were kind bad compared to the rest. 

 

 

 

since he have hijacked this thread, what gun did you use to qualify / what is your favorite gun?

I just added a red dot sight to my Smith & Wesson SW22 Victory.

[jsharr ★]

6 minutes ago, Parsnip Totin Jack said:

Not my problem, is it?

Not if you are playing doubles

[groupw]

I am right handed but the left does ok. I wouldn’t want to write with it, but tight confines of little cars sometimes mean you have to do some fine motor functions with the left hand. 

[Bikeguy]

1 hour ago, Road Runner said:

I'm glad I don't have to write with it.  That would suck! 

My hand writing sucks with my right hand.

In 2nd grade I broke my right wriest. (footballl in a lot with a bunch of fiends)   I had a cast it made writing in school nearly impossible.  I told the nun at school I could not write.  Sister Patricia (I'll never for get this) tells me... God gave you two hands. Use your left hand.  My handwriting was kind of horrible with the left hand, but that's what I did for 6 weeks. 

[Longjohn ★]

I write like a doctor with either hand. I should have been a physician.

[shootingstar]

I'm clearly right-hand dominant. That said, I do use my left-hand to lift my mug to drink, naturally. I didn't think about this natural movement until your observation today.

At home, I have no room on my desk, to put my mug on my right hand side ...it would drop to the floor. So full mug of tea, always sits daily on left-side of desk and lift it, with left-hand.

But most stuff it is right-hand.. even brushing my teeth, using chopsticks (which to me, can be another true test of ambidexterity because of fine finger movement in hand), cooking with flipper/spatula, sewing, fine brush stroke painting on canvas, etc.

[Bikeguy]

1 hour ago, jsharr said:

since he have hijacked this thread, what gun did you use to qualify / what is your favorite gun?

I did that paper punching with a full size 9mm Springfield XD.  I like the trigger pull, at least compared to the two 38 specials we also have.  I just use the iron sites.  

I have a 5 shot Charter Arms 38 special Undercover, with a 4" barrel.   And a 6 shot Taurus 856, a small frame 38 special with a concealed hammer and a 2" barrel.

The first few times to the range, I'd take the 9mm and one of the 38s.   That was difficult to learn the trigger pulls on each gun.  OMG they are soooo different.  The 38s have a LONG and heavy pull  Now it's one type of gun at a time at the range.  

I'm now considering a bolt action rifle to purchase next for target shooting.  

 

 

 

[Razors Edge ★]

21 minutes ago, Longjohn said:

I should have been a physician.

It's never too late!!!!

Dr John!

[jsharr ★]

28 minutes ago, Bikeguy said:

I did that paper punching with a full size 9mm Springfield XD.  I like the trigger pull, at least to the two 38 specials we also have.  I just use the iron sites.  

I have a 5 shot Charter Arms 38 special Undercover, with a 4" barrel.   And a 6 shot Taurus 856, a small frame 38 special with a concealed hammer and a 2" barrel.

The first few times to the range, I'd take the 9mm and one of the 38s.   That was difficult to learn the trigger pulls on each gun.  OMG they are soooo different.  The 38s have a LONG and heavy pull  Now it's one type of gun at a time at the range.  

I'm now considering a bolt action rifle to purchase next for target shooting.  

 

 

 

My brother has a Springfield Hellcat that he loves.

My bolt action is a Ruger American in .22.  Fun to plink with and cheap to feed.  Shares the same rotary magazines as the Ruger 10/22, so if you add a semi auto rifle, you can use the same magazines for both.  

 

[Razors Edge ★]

1 minute ago, jsharr said:

Hellcat

You rang?  Buckle up!

[az_cyclist]

2 hours ago, bikeman564™ said:

I am right handed and do most things w/ my right hand. However when it comes to swinging a bat, golf club, or hockey stick. I swing left handed

That describes me as well. My HS baseball coach said that meant I was guiding my bat with my strong arm.  I have never really attempted to write with my left hand

[Chris...]

12 minutes ago, jsharr said:

My brother has a Springfield Hellcat that he loves.

My bolt action is a Ruger American in .22.  Fun to plink with and cheap to feed.  Shares the same rotary magazines as the Ruger 10/22, so if you add a semi auto rifle, you can use the same magazines for both.  

 

I looked at the rugers but settled on the S&W 

M&P 15  it’s a lot of fun

 

[Ralphie ★]

1 hour ago, Longjohn said:

I write like a doctor with either hand. I should have been a physician.

I blame computers. My handwriting has deteriorated so much there is probably very little difference between dominant and other now. Both would be illegible. 

[Longjohn ★]

1 minute ago, Ralphie said:

I blame computers. My handwriting has deteriorated so much there is probably very little difference between dominant and other now. Both would be illegible. 

We could open up a medical office Dr. Ralphie & Dr. John.

[Wilbur ★]

Natural lefty but do a lot of things equally well with the right. 

[jsharr ★]

4 minutes ago, Chris... said:

I looked at the rugers but settled on the S&W 

M&P 15  it’s a lot of fun

 

Not sure that is a bolt action.....  My youngest wants an AR 15.  Looking at some of the budget offerings, like the Radical Arms in 5.56 NATO/.223

[Bikeguy]

7 minutes ago, Chris... said:

I looked at the rugers but settled on the S&W 

M&P 15  it’s a lot of fun

 

I was very serious (almost purchsed) a Ruger AR-556 (model 8529) rifle in December.  A But I learned our state legislature may ban these in a few weeks.  Like that will stop any of the shootings here or anywhere else.  

So... now I'm on hold and considering a bolt action rifle. 

[jsharr ★]

9 minutes ago, Bikeguy said:

I was very serious (almost purchsed) a Ruger AR-556 (model 8529) rifle in December.  A But I learned our state legislature may ban these in a few weeks.  Like that will stop any of the shootings here or anywhere else.  

So... now I'm on hold and considering a bolt action rifle. 

Look at the Remington 700 for a great jumping off point. 

[Kzoo]

36 minutes ago, jsharr said:

Look at the Remington 700 for a great jumping off point. 

I owned one of those many years ago in 25-06.  Did they ever fix the long ignored issue with their safety switch?

 

[12string]

I am right handed, but i typoped thuijs witjh my lefyt hand.   b3e imporessed!

[maddmaxx ★]

I touch type so either hand is good, but only for half the keyboard.

[JerrySTL ★]

Pretty much actually. I throw left but bat right. My penmanship is horrible with either hand but less so with my left. I can use most tools with either hand but tend to use things like a hammer with my right hand and screwdrivers with my left hand.

I've mentioned this before. When I was training new aircraft mechanics there was a job on the DC-9 (AKA C-9A in the military) there was a job that required the left hand on one side of the aircraft and right hand on the other side. I'd put right handers on the job requiring the left and it was hilarious. They would bend in all kinds of contortions to try to do the job with their right hand. I'd eventually have to tell them to switch hands. Some would look at me like I was crazy. The lefties, on the other hand (pun intended), usually had no trouble at all. Lefties are used to adapting. 

I used to keep a pair of left-handed scissors on my desk and loved it when a righty borrowed them. I bet that a lot of you can't think of the difference between the two.

[JerrySTL ★]

5 hours ago, jsharr said:

I do not ever expect to be in a gun fight, but here is a valid reason for being proficient shooting with either hand.  In the pic below the right hand dominant only shooter is much more exposed that a person who can also shoot well with their left hand.

Last month I was on a cruise and met up with a former US Marshall who ran the entire Witness Protection Program. I noticed that he was a leftie and we talked about shooting guns including the M-16. It had a little deflector for lefties to keep the hot brass from ejecting into you. He mentioned that US Marshalls had to learn to shoot with both hands and practice it often.

[smudge ★]

I am right handed. I swing a hammer right handed but can switch to left a little right gets tired or the angle is weird. I switch out with shoveling snow too, but that's about the extent of it.

The kids are right handed, but they bat and swing a golf club left handed. When they were young and I was teaching them softball, they each stepped up to the plate left handed. I was just about to switch them to the other side when I realized batting left is a good thing. They play tennis right handed though.

[Further]

3 hours ago, JerrySTL said:

Last month I was on a cruise and met up with a former US Marshall who ran the entire Witness Protection Program. I noticed that he was a leftie and we talked about shooting guns including the M-16. It had a little deflector for lefties to keep the hot brass from ejecting into you. He mentioned that US Marshalls had to learn to shoot with both hands and practice it often.

Did he happen to know Raylon Givens ?

[JerrySTL ★]

12 minutes ago, Further said:

Did he happen to know Raylon Givens ?

I just searched his book but didn't see that name in it. However, he often didn't use the real name of some people if the information was sensitive.

Hunting Criminals to Hiding Them: My Journey to and with the United States Marshals Service

Sylvester E. Jones Sr.

 

OK. You got me. I just googled that name. 

[Further]

1 minute ago, JerrySTL said:

I just searched his book but didn't see that name in it. However, he often didn't use the real name of some people if the information was sensitive.

Hunting Criminals to Hiding Them: My Journey to and with the United States Marshals Service

Sylvester E. Jones Sr.

I was goofin on ya, sorry

 

Raylan Givens is a fictional character created by American novelist and screenwriter Elmore Leonard. Givens is a Deputy U.S. Marshal and initially appeared in the novels Pronto and Riding the Rap.

[Bikeguy]

Now that I think about it....

I also can shovel snow right handed or left handed.  That helps... when I have snow, and it's not enough to get out the JD and the snow blade.   The driveway is 150+ feet long and being about to switch sides using the shovel  helps.

[smudge ★]

This means, "I didn't like that shot. Gimme another ball." 

[Zealot]

Fighting and drumming, I’m very ambidextrous. But most other things, nope. 

[2Far]

When I was in HS, I broke my right arm and 8 weeks later I separated my right shoulder. I learned to write with my left hand.
 

I was a righty in hockey, but totally ambi in lacrosse & TKD. 

[Road Runner]

19 hours ago, smudge said:

The kids are right handed, but they bat and swing a golf club left handed. When they were young and I was teaching them softball, they each stepped up to the plate left handed. I was just about to switch them to the other side when I realized batting left is a good thing.

I have never understood the relationship between being right-handed and swinging a bat or club "left-handed".  I, too, do everything right-handed but I swing a bat "left-handed".  But what does that even mean?

When I am standing at the plate, my right arm is across my body and is the dominant force in my swing (pulling the bat across the plate), not my left.  Lots of people are very right-handed but bat or swing a club "left-handed".

[MickinMD ★]

I'm a lefty and am not very ambidexterous so I wouldn't want to do some things right handed like shave or handle kitchen stuff around hot areas unless it's just stirring or other non-skilled activity.

But I've handled power tools like small jig saws right handed when the position calls for it - I'm just a little slower and extra careful. And I don't have any trouble picking up a coffee cup with my right hand. In fact, my 25 oz pot and my 16 oz. mug sit on my right side when I'm watching TV with breakfast because I'm usually eating food with my left hand and tend to guard the fork or spoon and plate that's in my lap with my left hand when I reach for the coffee mug.