Moderator: carlson1
I shoot both unsupported strong and weak hand at every range session for exactly the reasons you bring up, as well as the possibility that my other hand may be engaged in holding onto something, pushing something away, or sweeping a family member or innocent person out of the line of fire.MoJo wrote:How many of you routinely train shooting weak handed and or one handed? What if you are wounded and one of your arms is disabled can you effectively use your handgun single handed?
I try to shoot a magazine or two both right hand only and left hand only each time I'm out at the range. Also, when I'm designing the courses for our IDPA matches I'll throw in a one hand or weak hand stage. The shooters cuss me but, I tell them it's for their own good.
Yes to all the above.Now for the next important question in this line of thought. How many of you can draw your weapon from its holster with just your weak hand? For that matter, can you draw one handed at all?
An excellent question and something few people have explored for themselves.srothstein wrote:Now for the next important question in this line of thought. How many of you can draw your weapon from its holster with just your weak hand? For that matter, can you draw one handed at all?
The odds of your getting hit before you draw are very good. If you practice shooting one handed because of this possibility, you really need to practice drawing too. And reloading, but most of us really don't need to worry that much about reloading.
I set up a stage at one of my Personal Protection matches where this was the object of the drill. I had 2 ROs verify NO AMMO in the firearm and is was placed in the holster ready to "dry-fire". On the beep, the shooter had to draw the firearm with their weak hand, then dry-fire it while pointed at a target. You should have seen the humorous contortions some of the shooters went through to get their firearm out of the holster. People tried to draw with their weak hand reaching around their back side, some drew it out backwards and reversed it holding it between their legs. Retention type holsters were the most difficult. The dancing and prancing around was hilarious to watch. The winner, by the way, was an inexperienced female shooter, her first time shooting any match. She just reached around in front, gripped the firearm with her weak hand properly, drew it and dry fired it in just over one second.srothstein wrote:Now for the next important question in this line of thought. How many of you can draw your weapon from its holster with just your weak hand? For that matter, can you draw one handed at all?
The odds of your getting hit before you draw are very good. If you practice shooting one handed because of this possibility, you really need to practice drawing too. And reloading, but most of us really don't need to worry that much about reloading.
I used to have trouble with the .40 S&W shooting with a 2 handed grip — even though I had been shooting .45 ACP and .44 Magnum for years — because I thought it was snappy. But the last time I went to the range, it occurred to me that it had been a while since .40 gave me any trouble, and the last few times I've been shooting, I've been able to shoot my .40 cal pistol (USP Compact) one handed without any trouble. And like I commented earlier, I actually get a better sight picture with a one handed grip because two handed puts the sights just inside of where they are blurry for my aging eyes, even with corrective glasses on.Ziran wrote:I practice one handed including offhand every time I go to range. Shooting one handed is significantly more difficult, particularly for snappy calibers like 40sw. That was one of the reasons I switched to 9mm. I just could not control 40sw one handed (particularly offhand). From what I have read a very significant number of SD (including police) shooting happen one handed even when the person could have used two hands so it is important to practice.
