I know, it sounds strange...but I might need to switch if I'm going to carry more.  I had a snowboarding "incident" over 10 years ago that caused some nerve damage on my left hip, as well as some mild permanently swollen tissue, I guess from the scarring.  It'll never get better.  It doesn't bother me day to day, but whenever I wear a holster it drives me crazy, especially if it's IWB.  I can pocket carry on my left front side easily.

I started with an M&P compact that I could never get comfortable with so I got a glock 42, pocket carrying it is awesome.  I made myself a new hybrid holster for IWB on the left hip and it still bothers me.  Now I know it's not a holster materials or weight thing, it's an ANYTHING riding there problem.

This brings me to the notion, what if I just switch hands and sides?  I'm a decent shot but not great by any stretch.  I've probably fired 10k handgun rounds total in my life...so it's not like I train all day everyday with my left hand.  I can shoot well right handed, I'm just slower right now...so can I overcome what muscle memory I've already created?  I'd like to carry something larger sometimes, but the g42 is definitely all I could tolerate IWB and I have to rotate it all the way around to about 7-8 o'clock to be comfortable.  I'm worried in a stressful situation I'd still go to the left, even if I've practiced my draw 5000 times on the right or whatever.

Has anyone made the change or known someone who changed? Any thoughts?

I'm a right handed guy and I shoot left handed, I have since I was a kid.  It's about all I do left handed.  Not sure why, my Dad tried to break me of it and eventually gave up.

About 10 years ago I started having problems with my left elbow, so I started shooting and carrying right handed.  I did so for almost a year until the elbow problem cleared up.  I got pretty good, it never became as comfortable as left handed, but it wasn't bad at all.  Of course as I said, I'm a right handed person, so I guess that made it somewhat easier, but it was still awkward at first.


Give it a try, life is full of challenges and you'll never know how good you are until you get serious about it.

Cant say that ive ever been in that situation, but normally in times of stress we fall back on to our training and our mind just does the rest automatically. You already admit that you haven't shot very much in the past, so to me I would think that if you started practicing regularly now with an IWB/OWB holster in the right hand position you should be fine going forward. This would allow you to carry a larger sidearm, and alleviate the symptoms of pain you are having currently.

You don't even have to shoot a million rounds a year to practice this, you can draw and dry fire as much as you want at home and it wont cost you a dime. From here forward, shoot as if you were right-handed primarily and it shouldn't take very long to get proficient with it. Good luck!

I've done weak hand drills for years.
10 years ago I had a elbow injury.  I'm a lefty.  For almost a year I carried right hand.
Took some time and practice.  I got used to carrying  this way in a couple of weeks.
I'm not as fast but I'm almost as accurate.

I'm lefty as well.
I am left eye dominant and I do everything left handed.

If I had that problem, I'd have to find a crossdraw, shoulder holster, or AIWB solution.

Some people are not 100% lefty.
I know a few people who write left handed, but golf, hitting a baseball, rifle shooting, eating are all done right handed.
Someone like that could probably make the transition.

I am not one of those people

Awesome, I'm glad to hear some of you made the swap with minimal trouble!  I also have a "realistic" blowback airsoft pistol that I got with the intention of practicing draws and stuff...I'll get off my ass and make a right sided holster for it and start practicing. Thanks!

ETA: I write right handed already, but do most other stuff with my left.  My right hand is actually slightly stronger though when it comes to grip strength.

No experience here, and I know you said IWB is unpleasant, but have you tried AIWB?

Ever since I switched to AIWB to help take pressure off an old back injury that flares up, the only time I can carry at 3-4 o'clock is OWB.

Again, no experience, just a thought.

I shoot right handed.  I carry on my right side with one exception, pocket carry.  I pocket carry in my left pocket.  I started doing that when I first started carrying so I could have a backup gun available to my off hand.  It stuck, now when I carry only a pocket gun I still carry it on my left side.  I write left handed, and do most other things left handed, so it isn't that much of a stretch.  However, I am primarily a right handed shooter and I am right eye dominant.  I am a little strange, no doubt about that.

I am mostly the same way Landric. Now I have to change it up due to an injury but it helps.

To the OP, it happens and can be learned. What I did was if you have the time and coin take a CCW type of course and mirror your equipment and shoot the other hand. Also you can do this in IDPA, Steel Challenge, etc if you are comfortable and safe with it. I can shoot either hand and eye now semi decently. Though my left handedness is about 80% of my dominant right handedness.

That's kind of my plan, I'm going to pick up a G34 and shoot some IDPA or something like that.  I made the holsters and wow, huge difference in comfort.  I can easily carry comfortably all day now.  So yeah, this change is going to stick!

I never really tried AIWB, it seems quite comfortable standing up and walking around, but just screwing around mexican style at home to get a feel for it there, I can't see how it is anything but miserable when sitting, especially in a car.  Also, need to lose about 30lbs before I'd consider it feasible.  Then again, my dad who has a good 70lbs on me likes AIWB, so he's just crazy .

AIWB with the right holster is shockingly comfortable. I can carry my Glock 23 with a TLR-1 attached AIWB, and it is not an issue at all. One of my delivery drivers and I were talking CCW for the umpteenth time last week, and I was telling him how easy it is to carry a big gun. He was shocked when I pulled the holster out and showed him that I truly meant I carried that gun that way.

This was after about an hour of lots of lifting, bending, etc., basic pallet unload activities.