Ever since I buggered up my shoulder sometime in October I’ve carried the Makarov as my EDC pistol, just because it’s the shortest gun I own*. I stopped carrying the Tracker because my shoulder simply would not perform the action required to draw it from any holster I possess. This went on so long I’d begun to contemplate getting a left-handed holster and practicing a lot, but lately there has been some improvement.
But yesterday there was a brief almost maybe-gonna-be-an-incident, similar to this one, that reminded me why I like to carry a real pistol. I drew the Mak because I didn’t know what was going to come out of the scrub in my direction – nothing did, as it happened, but I really wished for my .44.
Freedom of movement in my rotator cuff is coming back faster than strength: I can draw the pistol, but can extend it offhand only with grunting pain. So at present the only way I could shoot the gun with any hope of accuracy would be to draw with my right and pull it up to eye-level with my left.
But I’m hoping that by now I’ve healed enough that I can benefit from exercise? The arm is actually of quite a lot of use now, and I never get those spells where I move it wrong or tense it wrong and go through ten minutes of slowly-fading agony. I have been able to reach up and remove very light things from shelves at higher than shoulder level for quite some time now, though it hurts a little sometimes. I can lift my arm from this keyboard without needing to use the other arm, and that only hurts a little bit.
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*Technically this is untrue. I also own an NAA mini-revolver. But I’ve never killed anything with it.
Just don’t get too frisky with that arm, Joel. It is still trying to tell you that something is not working right. Pain is your friend in this case, so you are less apt to injure it worse.
Good to see that the cuff is coming along. Just remember, like ML wrote, don’t over do it.
Have you tried a cross draw holster? Drawing from one keeps your arm almost level and makes it easy to bring the left hand around to support the gun two handed. A purpose made holster is the best but an inexpensive Uncle Mikes will work.
Rotator cuff tears do heal over time….With scar tissue causing pain and diminished function. Physical Therapy….Done PROPERLY can help, but they NEVER get ‘all better’ without surgery and even with surgery it’s unusual to get back to 100%, close but not all the way. Till you see a good orthopedist you will always have noticeable impairment. Wait long enough and full function is gone forever. Wishful thinking, old wives tales and well-meaning amateurs aren’t going to solve this.