How many of you practise one handed shooting?

H

HighValleyRanch

New member
Okay, here's a serious question. Coming from a bullseys shooting background of over 18 years, I shoot pretty decently one handed. Probably at good as or better than two handed, given the better sight picture....
But since I have take a CCW course and plan to get really good with my Glock this year I am practicing more defensive style combat shooting.
But there are definite advantages to shooting one handed, i.e. having the other hand occupied, holding a horse (was told that was why military training taught one handed shooting in the first place), smaller target turned to side duel posture, and of course shooting around corners.
What I have found in the past that shooters that get good at one handed shooting first, have no problem switching over to two, after all, it's a piece of cake then... But some shooters who got really good two handed, had a hard time transferring to one handed, because they were so attached to their two handed accuracy.
Read on a google search that many NATO armed forces teach alot of one handed shooting techniques.
What's your opinions on one handed shooting versus two handed?

For me, I will be practicing one handed, two handed, weak hand and all!
 
For me, I will be practicing one handed, two handed, weak hand and all!
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As a wee pup learning to shoot, I was taught this way. I learned on Revolvers shooting DA only. Then Semis. Always some durn mentor loading a dummy round in there, making me do weak hand transiton, rolling on the ground ( or being pulled on the ground) and having to shoot while down or being scooted. Oh yeah, real fun to be down and told " switch to weak hand" and then he started dragging along the dirt by rope attached to foot.

"You can hit the target anytime you are ready" :D

An eight yr can cuss a mentor, gets bigger and slaps forehead " danged old coot- he knew somethings afterall. :p
 
My "formal advanced" handgun training was in the military and police academy.

The military emphasis was on 2 handed grip/stance (logic being more stable only one lung shot at a time by BG), but also included one hand, strong, weak unsupported, baricade,prone and combinations thereof.

Police training was more "tactical ninja" Present a smaller target (logic being advance EMS crew redily available). But included all of the military positions and grips.

I practice as I was taught and try to remain reasonably proficient with all possible grip stance configurations.

The only thing that I wasn't taught was one-handed reloads. One in the chabmer and/or a slide that locks when empty is a definate plus with one handed reloads. I cant do the ".45 Slide" on my pants leg to rack the slide nor the one handed squeezy thing.
 
I think any of us that have been shooting for a long time, started shooting NRA courses. The one hand grip , the other hand behind your back stuff.
Weaver stance had not been invented yet. lol

Today, as others mentioned, I practice a varity of grips, stances, and styles. All of these have their place.
 
Even though I am 50 y/o, back when I was a pup I was taught to shoot with two hands.

One handed for when one had to shoot one handed- ( getting hit, dragging a child or person to safety, etc).

I started learning Revolvers how to load and unload one handed strong hand, then weak - handed.

-Aside- I was taught with S&W, a few years later I was informed the reason Colt's thumb latch was designed as is - was to allow officers to catch the latch on heels, open cylinder, if injured whilst shooting to allow better on handed manipulation of the Colt wheelgun. I just thought the Colt Revolvers were backwards...I mean the cyl rotated the wrong way... :p

1911s, well I was taught that too. Actually easier for me to do one handed drills with a bone stock Gov't 1911. I have never owned - nor will I own ambi on a 1911. I was taught to use a 1911 as designed. Even Weak-handed.


"Way of the Gun" is a good movie to see the 1911 being used one handed, weak handed and all.

Oh...never ever jump into a fountain full of glass...that is the other lesson one learns...."ouch!"
 
At 25 yds I can do OK with one hand. At 50yds, you'd think I'd do half as well, right? Nope! My success rate drops off exponentially at 50yds.
 
My NRA teacher taught me to use both hands. I tried single hand at a public range and the range master stopped me and told me to use two. :confused: I try and sneak it in every now and then but I still shoot better with a supporting hand.
 
I practice strong hand, weak hand, both hands.
Never know which hand I'll be able to reach my gun with should I need it when the fecal matter hits the spinning blades.
 
Good guys shot one handed, didn't they?

Just musing on the fact that I grew up with all the old westerns, and never once as a kid did I ever see a good guy use two hands to shoot a gun!
When the new genre of westerns and cowboy action shooting came about, I laughed at all the two handed shooting.
Did cowboys shoot one handed or two?

Back to the serious question, are there tactical advantages to shooting one handed over two. Just watched a movie last night, Sniper (one) with tom berringer, and in one scene he has to run with his sniper rifle while covering fire with his 1911, one handed. Just one example of the necessity to be able to be as comfortable one handed as two.
Secondly, we were shown in a recent CCW class how to use the flashlight as the support arm, shooting hand over the flashlight arm. But I was wondering this:
Doesn't that give you away as a perfect target to a BG in the dark?
Wouldn't it be better to hold the flashlight are arms length away from you while handling your weapon with one hand. Let him shoot towards the light in the this case!

Many are responding as to the presumption that two handed shooting is more accurate and stable than one. Not necessarily so, when you consider that the ten ring for NRA bullseye competition is 3 inches at 50 yards and most high masters are shooting in the 97% range.
Most people couldn't even get in the black two handed. It's just a matter of practice.

One hand shooting might even be faster on the presentation in some cases?
 
I am a bit fuzzy on the specifics, so members with the knowledge correct my errors.

IIRC Col. Cooper and folks were shooting one handed in IDPA, to practice/ train for combat with the handgun. I believe it was Chip McCormick or Michael Plaxco that showed up and using two hands out shot in time and accuracy.

I believe this in when the good Col. and others went to using two hands, and changed "doctrines" in using two hands in fighting.

One handed was still used, taught, and training incorporated transitons from two hands - to one hand, to transitons to weak hand. Using a BUG from Weak side and shooting one handed was also added.

I know Plaxco was the one that brought the compensator to the US. Plaxco is one helluva of a shooter, with anything. A real nice person, and great teacher.

Bill Wilson got into the mix with the two handed shooting, and naturally got into the Comp deal too.

I feel one should learn the correct basic fundamentals. Continue to practice these and the other tools in the toolbox.

--


"There are no advanced techniques, only advanced applications." -

Shooting from Within, Michael Plaxco
 
When I go to the range I practice all sorts of shooting. One handed, Two handed, Strong hand, Off hand, I would practice with my feet if I thought it could save my life someday.
 
I would venture to say that two handed shooting is better than one, but I guess that can be argued. One thing is for sure, you should always plan for the unexpected and practice like you would fight. By that I mean you should prepare for the possibility in a gun fight that your strong hand will get hit and you will have to shoot weak hand unsupported. This is more than likely the hardest thing for any shooter to do, unless you are ambidextrous or you practice considerably.

My NRA teacher taught me to use both hands. I tried single hand at a public range and the range master stopped me and told me to use two. I try and sneak it in every now and then but I still shoot better with a supporting hand.
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I would venture to say that the range master was not particularly comfortable with your technique, not the fact that you were shooting one handed. He being a range master should have shown you what to do, not stop the event all together.

Doesn't that give you away as a perfect target to a BG in the dark?
Wouldn't it be better to hold the flashlight are arms length away from you while handling your weapon with one hand. Let him shoot towards the light in the this case!
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This has happened in some shootings where a bad guy shoots at officers and hits the officer, but there a extenuating circumstances here. The main idea here is that the light was on constant giving the BG’s eyes time to adjust and not be blinded. If you for instance are investigating a sound in your house at night and you are “clearing” your house, your light should not be on constantly. A light used correctly is a weapon in itself blinding a BG long enough you to get off a safe shot. With that being said use the light correctly and there is no need to hold the light at arms distance, use the leverage of the flashlight hand for a steadier shot.
 
Another one handed shooter practioner

Train for the worst. Always gets you out of the situation in the best shape.

Since in most real life scenarios one can never tell what variable is going to affect a simple situation - it is best to train for every contigency.

One handed shooting, weak hand shooting, draw from strong hand, switching over to weak hand. I tend to practice @ the range. Although I must admit majority of my practice is the traditional strong side draw, 2 handed shooting.

One never knows what could happen if you are walking your dog, carrying your groceries and a BG pops up.....
 
HVR, I agree with you. I started out shooting Olympic, tried out for the Olympics, and got summarily beat down. When I went to combat shooting, all the basics that I has learned as a competitive one-handed shooter really paid off. The support hand only made me faster.
Everything you are doing, one-handed, 2-handed, etc. are excellent training tools. Take care.
 
believe it or not ,I have a hard time using the two handed stance, i shoot with one hand most all the time and it feels much more natural to me then two handed.
 
like learning to drive a stick

Got to thinking that a comparison might be like:
Those that learned how to drive a stick shift first, (one handed shooting) have an easy time when it comes to driving an auto.
Those that learned on an auto have a harder time transitioning to a stick.

Also, when you get used to shooting one handed at those tiny targets 50 yards away, the combat sillouettes at 15 yards seem gigantic, whereas those that practice combat shooting distances at 7 yards seem to fall apart at the 15 yard line!
Happened in the CCW class!
 
I agree with HighValleyRanch. Learning to, and shooting with, two hands only is a potentially serious handicap.
 
I shoot every possible scenario. Both hands togerther, individual, and two shot quick draw from the hip. I also practice reloading strong , and weak hand. For me the best chance to get in a bad situation will occur at 7 yards or much less. Thus the need to draw, and shoot 2 quick rounds to body mass. It takes some training to get people to draw, lock the elbow to the side, and fire 2 succesful rounds, but I think this is a must.
 
As others have stated, it is good to practice with both strong and weak hands as well as two hands

I believe the major benefit of using both hands is in making rapid, accurate follow up shots as well as adding control to counter stress.

Bullseye shooters do not have to contend with incoming fire :D
 
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