1911 and Revolvers: one hand or two hand shooting
- Thread starter greyson97
- Start date
Frank Ettin
Administrator
And what is your point? That looks like a good illustration of stance for Bullseye competition.greyson97 said:
Must be a new edition, my old manual shows one hand in pocket or grabbing a belt never hanging loose. I shoot left and right handed and only rarely practice 2 hands but I use 2 hands when required in competition or if I am hunting. Its never a conscious decision and lack of 2 hand practice doesn't seem to hinder my shooting any. After practicing one handed for 40 years its sort of become a habit.
Frank Ettin
Administrator
Beats me. Exactly what are you looking at, when was it published and what is the context of the illustrations.greyson97 said:
I do know that the U. S. Army does in fact publish a "marksmanship guide" that is geared to competition shooting.
http://www.saveourguns.com/Ar_Marks_Un_Pistol_Train_Guide.pdf
http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/Sideline/4987/Pistol/AMUmanual/Amu-pmtg.htm
I can't answer your question. However, I do know that I've seen photos of police on the firing from the 1960s and earlier and they were shooting one handed, bullseye style. Now, of course, the preferred method is to shoot using a two handed hold. I suspect the same transition has occurred in the military, to the extent pistol shooting is taught at all.
Maybe someone with real experience or knowledge on this will chime in.
As Jeff Cooper stated, it's the most superior technique for shooting accurately and quickly.
I practice and teach all methods which includes one-handed with both strong and support hand as a qualification requirement and because I want my guys to function and survive if their bacon drops into the fire. We even practice retention shooting from the rock and lock position.
Frank Ettin
Administrator
Yes, that Marksmanship Guide is about Bullseye competition shooting. It is not about combat shooting.greyson97 said:
Frank Ettin
Administrator
To expand on that statement, if you go to the navigation panel in the upper left of the page the link you supplied lands on, and if you then go to "forward", the second paragraph reads:fiddletown said:
"This guide is dedicated to the individual marksman who is seriously interested in improving his performance in the art of pistol competition."
USAMU
Yes, the marksmanship guide is about bullseye shooting/precision shooting.
Here's a pic of Sgt. Brian Zins, USAMU, eight time national pistol champion - for comparison to the illustration above.
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Zins holds the current Centerfire outdoor record for 90 shots (30 of which are at 50 yards) at 898/900.
Yes, the marksmanship guide is about bullseye shooting/precision shooting.
Here's a pic of Sgt. Brian Zins, USAMU, eight time national pistol champion - for comparison to the illustration above.
Zins holds the current Centerfire outdoor record for 90 shots (30 of which are at 50 yards) at 898/900.
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The foundations principles of marksmanship are a worthwhile study for anyone who intends to use a handgun with precision, regardless of the target. Once those principles are ingrained and committed to the subconscious, the mind is freed for problem solving and the rest takes care of itself.
Precision is, if anything, more important to the defensive shooter for a host of reasons- not the least of which is that peripheral hits with service handguns do not stop anybody in time frames that matter to your survival. They may induce a 'surrender' but a determined adversary will keep on coming until you break their motor mechanisms or punch their CNS. It takes good centerline hits to do both.
I've seen some excellent target shooters make the transition to defensive shooting and I'd damn sure rather have one of those guys backing me, than someone who shoots fast around the edges of an adversary. I for one don't care how many hands they use, as long as they're landing the right kind of hits.
Precision is, if anything, more important to the defensive shooter for a host of reasons- not the least of which is that peripheral hits with service handguns do not stop anybody in time frames that matter to your survival. They may induce a 'surrender' but a determined adversary will keep on coming until you break their motor mechanisms or punch their CNS. It takes good centerline hits to do both.
I've seen some excellent target shooters make the transition to defensive shooting and I'd damn sure rather have one of those guys backing me, than someone who shoots fast around the edges of an adversary. I for one don't care how many hands they use, as long as they're landing the right kind of hits.
Tactical?
Without question, shooting two handed gives better accuracy.
However, after having carried a gun daily as a flatfootus federalus for some twenty eight years, I find one or the other hand is sometimes unavailable. Sometimes one is handling a suspect or even bystander, one is carrying something that cannot be left behind, or one must open a door. Life is always surprising like that.
The essence of 'tactical' is putting a round right where it is needed, no matter the circumstance. One must make do with what one has.
Without question, shooting two handed gives better accuracy.
However, after having carried a gun daily as a flatfootus federalus for some twenty eight years, I find one or the other hand is sometimes unavailable. Sometimes one is handling a suspect or even bystander, one is carrying something that cannot be left behind, or one must open a door. Life is always surprising like that.
The essence of 'tactical' is putting a round right where it is needed, no matter the circumstance. One must make do with what one has.
bluetopper
New member
I was taught as a youth and still believe to a large degree today that if pistols were meant to be shot with two hands they would have been made with two handles.
a modified question on my original question
are some guns more easier/ergonomic/comfortable to shoot one handed over 2 handed? I find it hard to put 2 hands on a revolver
and for bullseye competition, where they shoot one handed, is that the rule you have to shoot with one hand, cant use 2?
are some guns more easier/ergonomic/comfortable to shoot one handed over 2 handed? I find it hard to put 2 hands on a revolver
and for bullseye competition, where they shoot one handed, is that the rule you have to shoot with one hand, cant use 2?
Two hands for me. But for the heck of it I reverse from right to left handed positions just in case. I practice at times single hand positions just in case again. But for the life of me the bullets go all over the place when I use my weaker hand in practice. I can hit the mass of a silloette target ok, but just not with accurcey.
Mark Milton
Moderator
The modern technique of the pistol was developed with revolvers and 1911s as even toy guns were made out of metal back then.....
Jack Weaver, founder of the Weaver stance, was a wheelgunner.
Jack Weaver, founder of the Weaver stance, was a wheelgunner.
Like Sarge said above, it can be an advantage learning to shoot handguns with one hand. Same can be said for tennis, starting out with a one handed backhand. Even if you switch to two hands later you still can fall back to one hand when necessary and do well. People who start out two handed will struggle to do well one handed. This applies to racquets and handguns.
Right now I'm struggling with a rotator cuff injury so have switched to left handed shooting and I've got to admit it's fun. It doesn't take a lot of training to do almost as well with a weak hand bullseye stance. And from this side I'm no longer dealing with a cross dominant eye.
Right now I'm struggling with a rotator cuff injury so have switched to left handed shooting and I've got to admit it's fun. It doesn't take a lot of training to do almost as well with a weak hand bullseye stance. And from this side I'm no longer dealing with a cross dominant eye.