One-handing Six-Guns

greener · Post by **greener** » Sun Jun 28, 2009 12:15 am

It seems that if you shoot more than just a few rounds with one hand these days you draw some looks and a few comments. If you do it with single action revolvers, you get more than just a few. Looks like that's turned into an unusual shooting style.

I've got a touch of tennis elbow in my left arm that is aggravated by shooting with two-hand grips and I've been shooting with one hand lately. Today I took my Single Six, .357 Blackhawk and .45 Blackhawk to the range. Almost all rounds were fired with a one-hand grip. I spent quite a while explaining that I wasn't a cowboy shooter and discussing the differences in grips. I guess if you are going to do shoot an unusual style, SA revolvers is the way to go.

I fired in order the Single Six, .357 BH (.38 special) and the .45 BH in Colt and ACP. My accuracy results were .45 ACP, .45 Colt, .22 and .38 Special. Can't figure that one out. For all intents and purposes they are the same pistol. The .357 seems to have a heavier trigger, but only after firing the Single Six or the .45. You wouldn't notice the trigger if the .357 were the first gun you fired. I'm doing some head scratching on the difference.

Downeaster · Post by **Downeaster** » Sun Jun 28, 2009 6:46 am

Geeze, you never got the memo? ALL handguns must be carried in Mall Ninja Tactical Gear, be made out of plastic, and shot from a full Weaver Stance as fast as possible until the 99-round quadruple-stack extended magazine is empty!

(Except for the chrome-plated 9mm with the white plastic grips. That, you can fire from the Homey Stance, ejection port down...)

Seriously tho, on a related subject, I've noticed "heavy triggers" are relative. I have a Colt Ace conversion that has a trigger measured in metric tonnes. I shoot that first, everything else feels like it just came from the Custom Shoppe after a $1000 trigger job.

I've even started firing my S&W 27-3 in full double-action! Oh, what a SWEET trigger that thing has.

greener · Post by **greener** » Sun Jun 28, 2009 7:34 am

Geeze, you never got the memo? ALL handguns must be carried in Mall Ninja Tactical Gear, be made out of plastic, and shot from a full Weaver Stance as fast as possible until the 99-round quadruple-stack extended magazine is empty!

Nice thing about those guys is that they don't reload and keep the supply of fresh brass up. The down side is when there are several reloaders on the range. They all seem to be in a 3-point stance waiting for the high volume guys to leave.

I've even started firing my S&W 27-3 in full double-action! Oh, what a SWEET trigger that thing has.

Be careful. You will forget that you can shoot it in single action. I decided a while back that I was going to "learn" to shoot my GP100 in DA and have gotten to the point that I have to remind myself that I can cock the hammer.

Post by **Bullseye** » Sun Jun 28, 2009 9:26 am

"Once you learn to shoot a pistol one-handed it will be hard to shoot with two." I was once told this many, many, years ago by my shooting mentor. He had broken his right wrist in a motorcycle accident and had to learn how to shoot Bullseye competition all over again left handed. Of course being young and overconfident I didn't believe it. But a few years later I became a one-handed convert. To this day, shooting a pistol with two hands takes some effort. I can do it very effectively but it doesn't feel natural. I'll share this from another gent I knew many years ago, "If a pistol was meant for two hands, it would have two hand grips."

R,
Bullseye

blue68f100 · Post by **blue68f100** » Sun Jun 28, 2009 12:17 pm

I fell and broke my left hand and wrist last spring and had to learn to shoot 1 handed. At the time I was shooting my BHP. Got very good after 4000+ rounds. Then the locking bolt for the barrel failed just as I was about to take my CC course. I then bought a Sig 229R in 9mm. All ready had 2k rounds of brass and did not want to start over. By then the bone in my hand had healed and I had surgery on my wrist to repair a torn ligament. The DA on the 229 was > 12lbs and felt like there was gravel in it. I got to shoot it 2 time before the course and was able to qualify. But boy did it felt strange when compaired to my BHP. Since the I had a trigger job done on the 229 and now it's under 9# on DA.

Switch from singe handed to double handed and back in forth was a challenge as you said. I prefer double handed due to my small hands and short fingers.

Every now and then I get my 6" Ni Custom Colt Python out and take it to the range. A few of my friends have shot it and is astonished on how smooth and light the trigger is, DA or SA. One friend commented that this gun will give you a surprise break every time, which is true. Colt did the trigger work at the factory. I have yet to find another one that has had the custom work done like mine. Was trying to get a value on the gun. I bought it new in 1977?. This was the second pistol I ever bought, the first was a Ruger Blackhawk in 30 carbine. I mainly shoot 137gr SWC through it followed with a cyl of jacket to clean out any lead. I really enjoy shooting this gun, it does draw attention. It can be a hand full if your shooting Mag loads.

With most every one shooting autos these day, revolvers has taken second stage. Except for those buying hunting rounds for close up and personal encounters.

Downeaster · Post by **Downeaster** » Sun Jun 28, 2009 12:27 pm

I've even started firing my S&W 27-3 in full double-action! Oh, what a SWEET trigger that thing has.

Be careful. You will forget that you can shoot it in single action. I decided a while back that I was going to "learn" to shoot my GP100 in DA and have gotten to the point that I have to remind myself that I can cock the hammer.

I have a pair of SA's as well, a Single Six and a Blackhawk in .45 Colt, so there's not much danger of forgetting. In fact, I need to train myself to shoot my S&W 66 DA too. I carry it as my CWP sometimes, and taking time to thumb the hammer back and line up a perfect sight picture is a good way to get dead...

greener · Post by **greener** » Mon Jun 29, 2009 7:17 am

"Once you learn to shoot a pistol one-handed it will be hard to shoot with two."

Absolutely. That's the way I learned to shoot about 50 years ago and the way I shot up until about 4 years ago. Didn't do much shooting for a long time, when I decided to get back into shooting, I also decided to learn to shoot Weaver and isosceles. The only way I could do it was to shoot it exclusively and did so except for a very few rounds every now and then. Looks like the two-hand grip caused or at least aggravates the left elbow. Going back to one-hand is taking some rust removal but it's coming back fast. Besides, I'm sort of enjoying the strange looks I'm getting.

greener · Post by **greener** » Mon Jun 29, 2009 7:27 am

Downeaster wrote:
I've even started firing my S&W 27-3 in full double-action! Oh, what a SWEET trigger that thing has.

Be careful. You will forget that you can shoot it in single action. I decided a while back that I was going to "learn" to shoot my GP100 in DA and have gotten to the point that I have to remind myself that I can cock the hammer.
I have a pair of SA's as well, a Single Six and a Blackhawk in .45 Colt, so there's not much danger of forgetting. In fact, I need to train myself to shoot my S&W 66 DA too. I carry it as my CWP sometimes, and taking time to thumb the hammer back and line up a perfect sight picture is a good way to get dead...

A lot of practice cocking the hammer fast and the time difference isn't so bad. A revolver with a decent trigger is easy to shoot DA with practice getting accustomed to the longer pull. I've been carrying a 442 so there is no hammer I can get to to cock. That had a lot of influence on my learning to shoot my DA/SA revolvers in DA. One of my likely self-defense scenarios is at home at night and a flashlight in one hand. Hard to shoot with two hands and cock the hammer on a revolver in that situation.

Yleefox · Post by **Yleefox** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 11:03 pm

I nearly always shoot a handgun with two hands, however, from time to time, I will shoot with my strong side and then with my weak side, just to be a bit familar with what it feels like. When I do shoot with one hand, it sure feels strange and of course, with the weak hand it feels extremely odd.

Every now and then I entertain the thought that I would like to give Bullseye competition a try, but I seem to always find an excuse as to why I shouldn't. Maybe some day.

Y

arizona-hermit · Post by **arizona-hermit** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 12:12 am

I never used two hands when firing a pistol (or revolver) until I joined the Army. In fact, my first revolver did not even have a front sight, so I learned to point shoot. That was one habit hard to break for me (being a mule-headed red-necked down-home country boy).

Post by **Bullseye** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 8:31 am

Every now and then I entertain the thought that I would like to give Bullseye competition a try, but I seem to always find an excuse as to why I shouldn't. Maybe some day.

If you shoot bullseye style, and learn to do it fairly well, the techniques you learn will improve your marksmanship abilities in all other pistol shooting disciplines.

R,
Bullseye

Georgezilla · Post by **Georgezilla** » Fri Jul 03, 2009 2:34 am

I can attest to that, Bullseye. Not too long ago I won an IDPA matches without even practicing IDPA (aside from draw drills). It's funny to see all the other competitors are fretting over the one hand stage

Hakaman · Post by **Hakaman** » Fri Jul 03, 2009 9:19 am

Geeze, you never got the memo? ALL handguns must be carried in Mall Ninja Tactical Gear, be made out of plastic, and shot from a full Weaver Stance as fast as possible until the 99-round quadruple-stack extended magazine is empty!
(Except for the chrome-plated 9mm with the white plastic grips. That, you can fire from the Homey Stance, ejection port down...)

That's good humor! There is a lot of truth, although, in humor!
MrHaka

winshooter · Post by **winshooter** » Thu Sep 24, 2009 4:47 pm

I grew up shooting bulls eye matches even before I joined the Navy. One hand was the norm and I still pick up a 1911 and shove and rotate it up in the web of my hand even if I do shoot using a two handed grip. Old habits.

Mike

Pete D. · Post by **Pete D.** » Thu Dec 17, 2009 7:06 pm

I guess if you are going to do shoot an unusual style

You are correct. It sure is sad, though, that so many - not this bunch of posters - look at the one-handed shooting stance as unusual.
Until I started posting around on different fora, I always understood that "offhand" meant one-hand unsupported. Not so, I have been told repeatedly. I still think it to myself, though.
Pete

GunTalk-Online.com

One-handing Six-Guns

One-handing Six-Guns

Pistol Shooting

yep