Shooting a handgun with one hand

[kraigwy]

If one has read many of my post they would know I'm a big fan of one hand shooting of handguns for SD purposes.

This time I'm talking one hand shooting when you only have one hand.

I was contacted by an individual who wanted me to help him load, shoot, and carry a handgun.

He assumed it would have to be a revolver as he can't work the slide on a semi since he has one arm.

I asked WHY, WHO TOLD YOU THAT? I added if you want a pistol for carry then carry one.

I'm a firm believer in there is no hopeless shooters. Since I've been involved in firearms training (since the mid 70s) I've prided myself in the ability to work with handicaps in my firearm instruction.

I'm also a firm believer in revolvers for SD, but there are exceptions to every rule (even mine). I think that if you have only one arm/hand, its easier to load and use a semi then a revolver.

I'm taking him to the range tomorrow to work with him, showing him that one hand is not a handicap.

In case you (fellow firearms instructors) don't know, semis are fairly easy to use with one hand.

Simply keep a empty magazine handy for loading your pistol. Insert the empty mag into the pistol and run it down your leg. The sights will drag on your pant leg pulling the slide back locking it open. Now hit the mag release and drop the mag (only carry pistols/mags that will fall free of the gun when you hit the mag release).

Stick the pistol with the mag out in you waste band, take your loaded magazine, insert it, draw the pistol out and hit the slide release.

Stick the gun in your pocket/holster or how ever you carry it. Now you're ready to go about your daily business while carrying.

When I say semis are better, in my opinion, they are easier to load one handed, plus normally have more ammo, meaning less chance of having to reload if you need the gun. Plus if you do have to load, drop the mag, insert in your belt, replace the mag, hit the slide release.

I also teach loading revolvers with one hand, not easy, the cylinder is flopping around while you're trying to get the speed loader lined up.

I tried to make a video of getting a pistol in action but I really suck making movies.

A bit of practice and you'll see the above method is quite easy.

PRACTICE WITH TWO EMPTY MAGAZINES. Don't close the slide on the pistol while its in your belt. Point at a safe direction and close the slide.

It's a lot easier then it sounds.
__________________

 

[arjay]

That's pretty slick.How do you load the magazine with one hand?

 

[Old cop]

He's absolutly right, we learned to do this during our transition (revolver to semi auto) training.

 

[tompehret]

Sounds like a good technique. I'm missing several fingers on my left hand (I'm right-handed) and have no problem with a 2-hand grip, loading mags and re-loading an auto or revolver. But I also make it a practice to practice (sorry) shooting one-handed with my right AND left. Carefully, of course. Whatever technique is best for you, it's a good idea to make the effort to get used to doing this in a contolled situation. You never know when you may need those skills.

 

[elm_creek_smith]

If you carry a revolver and can only use one hand, it helps to carry a 4 inch barrel or longer so the dang thing won't fall out of your waistband when you're reloading. Also, no Patridge sights! If they catch on something, it'll hurt when you yank it out of your pants!

ECS

 

[Poodle Soup]

Look for a semi with a (weak?) return spring. Something not as hard to pull back. My girl friends bersa thunder I might be able to rack it with my thumb if I really had to. My fnx9? Im worried about breaking the sites off the thing trying it one handed!

 

[USAF385]

I have a buddy who lost his right arm in Iraq. He was right handed, so it was a big change for him.

He was able to load his magazines by placing the mag in between his legs while seated. He would grip the magazine between his thighs with the font of the mag facing away. It took a while, but he could slowly load the rounds. He had an M&P 9mm and was only able to load 13 rounds in his 17 round magazine. Not too shabby. He racked the slide using his boot heel against the front of the slide. He'd then holster the gun to load a mag.

He decided to stop carrying a semi auto when he had a dud round. The second round of a magazine was a dud and he was unable to clear it. It's a lot easier to pull the slide back on an empty magazine than it is to pull it back far enough to clear the round, get the slide back all the way, and let it release properly to chamber the next round. It's challenging enough during practice and he didn't want to worry about a similar occurrence during a defense situation.

He opted to go with a 4" 627 and a 642. He is very happy and feels more comfortable knowing he doesn't need to worry about dud rounds.

 

[66snub]

You could use one of those gizmos that come with the glocks to help you compress the follower down so that you could insert the bullets Just stand the mag upright on a flat surface and press the gizmo down with your chin while inserting bullets in with your hand.

I would think that this method would be way easier than trying to use a revolver. Hell, I can't imagine the special techniques and ways that you would have to use to load a speed loader...

 

[photoman]

I'm taking him to the range tomorrow to work with him, showing him that one hand is not a handicap.

It is a handicap when compared to a person with two hands.

With that being said, it's certainly not an impossible proposition. Personally, I would be more comfortable with two revolvers.

 

[sipowicz]

I don't know...seems to me a revolver would be easier for a one handed person....thumb on cylinder release. push through with index finger....lay it down and load it.

 

[elm_creek_smith]

You don't have to lay it down to reload a revolver one-handed. You open it and eject the empties, then stick the barrel in your waistband with the open cylinder away from you. (This is why you need a longer barrel.) Then you can reload with a speedloader or loose ammo, close the cylinder, and go back to work.

ECS

Sent from my XT907 using Tapatalk 2

 

[WR Moore]

I recall being taught that 'stick the piece down the front of your pants' when we were issued the 681 with full house Federal Magnums. You learned real quick that isn't always a real smart idea: that barrel was HOT!. I expect it did improve the speed of the reload some, but I also saw some some interesting variations of the hot brass dance.

Many folks are much better off putting the pistol back in the holster to reload one handed. It probably works better with a duty holster, but it does work with a concealed holster.

A really substantial belt helps working the slide. Beside hooking the sight to rack the slide, ejection ports and front sights are also cantidates for the procedure.

 

[Dikinalaska]

I recall being taught that 'stick the piece down the front of your pants' when we were issued the 681 with full house Federal Magnums. You learned real quick that isn't always a real smart idea: that barrel was HOT!. I expect it did improve the speed of the reload some, but I also saw some some interesting variations of the hot brass dance.

Many folks are much better off putting the pistol back in the holster to reload one handed. It probably works better with a duty holster, but it does work with a concealed holster.

A really substantial belt helps working the slide. Beside hooking the sight to rack the slide, ejection ports and front sights are also cantidates for the procedure.

I sure would like to see the hot brass dance and it's many variations. I can only imagine..

 

[PHPistols]

I saw a video of a 1 armed man working an AK. Guys can do any firearm (practically), they just have to work a little harder and come up with ways for them to fire the weapon.

 

[walkin' trails]

I recall from an NRA Patrol Rifle Instuctors Course that it was encouraged that we be imaginative and not get locked into any one technique when facing the possiblity of having to manipulate a firearm (carbine in that case) one handed. I've been thru training with both revolvers and self-loading pistols and would generally tend to agree that the edge might go to the self-loader, however, I wouldn't bet against a guy with a revolver who's been training intensively with the tools and equipment he has at hand.