One-handed shooting

[BaronW]

Are you able to shoot your guns one-handed? How about loading them?

I just broke my left wrist, and it made me realize how important it is to have a backup. I can't pull, twist, lift, or grab firmly with my left hand. I can't hold up a heavy long-gun, rack the slide of an auto, or cycle a pump shotgun.

Good thing I have a revolver, eh?

How much of your arsenal would be unusable if you lost a hand?

[Maddog5150]

I shoot one handed when I roll wit the homiez. Side ways from jokers sixty four homez!

On a serious note. All of my arsenal would be useful if I broke my left wrist. It would just take longer to load and less convenient and probably a little painful. Now try TIG welding and let me know how that goes one handed

[ETD1010]

I'll admit, my .45 is a !@#$ to shoot one handed.... but it's doable, and I still hit my target... just not as fast follow up shots as it takes longer to re-sight.

[hitman13]

id be able to use everything, esp when the adrenaline starts flowing if SHTF. wouldnt want to practice with a shotgun though

[savasyn]

I took a precursor to an ASLET class that my instructor was designing called "Officer Down, But Not Out." Quite a bit of it had to do with only using one hand, commonly the weak hand. This included shooting, reloading, shooting from cover etc. Good class. It's been many years and I haven't practiced that stuff, unfortunately. Might be a good time to pick it back up...

[Wyatt]

Are you able to shoot your guns one-handed? How about loading them?

I just broke my left wrist, and it made me realize how important it is to have a backup. I can't pull, twist, lift, or grab firmly with my left hand. I can't hold up a heavy long-gun, rack the slide of an auto, or cycle a pump shotgun.

Good thing I have a revolver, eh?

How much of your arsenal would be unusable if you lost a hand?

I can rack the shotgun one handed but loading any firearm one handed is going to take some practive.

[bobfried]

It really isn't too hard to use the disabled arm to cup the rifle and the functioning hand as the trigger squeezer. You'd loose almost no function, maybe won't be able to pull it tight into your shoulder but other than that it should be fine. In the old days we were taught to shoot in the sitting position and one of the way was to wrap one arm around the front of the magwell to create a rest for the rifle. This works alright if your on the move but far from optimal.

As far as a handgun, I can shoot pretty accurately with either hand with almost anything. The trick is to cant the pistol about 25 degrees or so inward to compensate for the recoil and getting the right muscles doing the right work.

HoMiEZ in the hood got it partially right, too bad they go too far and cant their pistols 90 degrees. Hold your hand is if you are about to punch someone and go through the motion. Now notice how much cant you have in your hand and where your elbow is facing. When shooting a sidearm one handed hold it the exact same way. Most of the range jockeys will smirk and call you a gangbanger, but go to any IPSC, USPSA and practical pistol course and you will see it in action. Canting the pistol will also allow you to shoot using either of your eyes comfortably without having to strain your neck to compensate. The ultimate goal of canting the pistol is recoil control and the side benefit is allowing you to shoot with either hand and eye comfortably.

[savasyn]

Homies in the hood got it partially right, too bad they go too far and cant their pistols 90 degrees.

Actually, I'm glad Homies hold it wrong! Give the good guys a better chance.

If I remember correctly, holding the gun somewhere between 25 and 45 degrees over is called the "McMillan Cant", or at least that's what my instructor called it. It's another one of those things that I was taught but haven't practiced.

How fun, I get to do different things the next time I go to the range!

[RideIcon]

link

[sloguy]

i can do everything but load my magazines one handed, because, my gun is a ruger 22 automatic. if it was a different gun and caliber then maybe reload mags too.

i can chamber a round by using my belt to hook the bolt and push down on the gun. when its mag change i stick the gun under my "useless" arm and am able to remove, and replace the mag. then chamber the round using my belt, or pocket edge.

[rorschach]

Good thing I have a revolver, eh?

Unless said revolver is a .500 S&W, then you're pretty much screwed.

Is it your strong hand or weak hand?? Either way, you should head out to a range and give it some practice.

[colossians323]

Try this. There was a better one that someone posted a year or so a go, but I cannot find it.

[ocabj]

Sarah Connor was able to use a pump action against the T1000 with an injured arm/shoulder in T2: Judgement Day.

[VeryCoolCat]

I've shot one handed before. I remember some old ww2 thing I was watching about how to shoot with one hand. It said that they used to shoot this style pre-weaver stance.

Where you stand a bit at an angle with your non-shooting hand facing away from the target and you extend your arm but don't keep it straight, you're supposed to bend your elbow and your arm flicks back so your wrist doesn't take all the recoil and you end up with a wrist pain.

As for loading one handed... I assume thats possible with a 45 but 9mm be a little bit of a pain


I've one handed my double barrel... I was too scared to do 2 at the same time though

[BaronW]

Unless said revolver is a .500 S&W, then you're pretty much screwed.

Is it your strong hand or weak hand?? Either way, you should head out to a range and give it some practice.

My weak hand, and my revolver is *only* a .357 magnum.