More accurate with one hand than two?

wpk · March 24th, 2009, 05:21 PM

I got my dirty mitts on some old ammo than a friend didn't want anymore (he had sold his 9mm pistol) so I decided to go burn it up today as I hadn't been to the range in awhile; ammo pricing and availability being what it is. After about 50 rounds of warmup shooting I started doing some drills which included one handed shooting with each hand and also some target aquisition/double-tap drills.

I noticed that my right-hand only groupings were MUCH tighter and more accurate that even my double-handed shooting. I'm very right-handed and right-eye dominant so it seems that things just line up more naturally when I use my dominant side to do everything. Left-handed shooting seemed equivalent to double-handed.

So, this brings me to an interesting dilemma: Should I just go with the right-hand-only as the main way I shoot and practice? I usually only did one-handed shooting as a drill but I really did shoot noticably better with the right hand only. I obviously want to improve my accuracy no matter which way I sling bullets downrange but after today I'm considering adjusting my main shooting style (for lack of better terminology). Anyone else do this?

jfl · March 24th, 2009, 05:32 PM

What stance are you using ?
Weaver ... bladed towards the target, left hand pulling, right hand pushing, or
isoceles ... body perpendicular to the line of fire, slightly crouched forward, both hands neutral

wpk · March 24th, 2009, 05:51 PM

I actually keep my upper body square to the target, I don't blade one way or the other. Feet about shoulder-width apart with the left slightly forward. Not sure if this stance has a name, it's what my ccw class instructor taught us to use, it's very stable and handles recoil very well since it pushes the recoil at your chest instead of your shoulder.

EDIT: Reading your post a bit more closely, I pretty much use isololes I guess. Didn't visualize what "perpendicular" meant properly, man...need to start doing the vocab puzzles in the reader's digests again I guess.

Trumpetchuck · March 24th, 2009, 06:09 PM

A problem with tactical shooting with one hand is that if you are sweeping or scanning for more threats, you move much faster with much more control using two hands.

Use the one hand shooting for target practice, survival shoot with two hands.

BTW, I shoot better with one hand also.

Tangle · March 24th, 2009, 06:33 PM

It is rather exceptional to shoot better with one hand than two. I've been to lots of shooting schools, and read lots of shooting school reports, two just this week, and they all indicate the exact same thing - most people need more work with one-hand shooting.

I suspect what you are experiencing is relaxed, no time constraint shooting. If you try to shoot as fast one handed as you do wth both hands you should see a big difference - or your two handed stance isn't correct.

If we could shoot better with one hand than two, all the competition shooters would be shooting with one hand.

That's not to say we shouldn't train with both hands AND single handed fire, it just means when time is a factor, we all will shoot better with two hands than one hand.

wpk · March 24th, 2009, 06:38 PM

You're correct about no time constraint. Anything more than a double-tap at my usual range wiill get you yelled at. No rapid fire allowed. I do know a range that allows it but it's a half-hour drive. I'm sure one-handed rapid fire would probably be all over the place, but I'm unable to really work on that.

jfl · March 24th, 2009, 07:04 PM

If you cannot get "live" training, invest a few bucks in books.

One I like is "Surgical Speed Shooting" by Andy Stanford.
I went to his one day course, my IDPA score improved substantially ... and I've only been shooting for 59 years, including Army.

The placement of the hand is very important, especially for follow-up shots.

matiki · March 24th, 2009, 07:29 PM

I have always shot better with one hand during slow-fire (bulls-eye) shooting.

Everything else requires two hands for me to stand a chance.

tinkerinWstuff · March 24th, 2009, 07:34 PM

are you sure you aren't talking about the 7-11 stance? You know, one handed with the gun sideways and angled to shoot over the counter? You get extra points for making the spent casing land within 12 inches of the bullets impact point on the ground.

The 7-11 is really tough to do two handed because it contorts your spine.

wpk · March 24th, 2009, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tinkerinWstuff

are you sure you aren't talking about the 7-11 stance? You know, one handed with the gun sideways and angled to shoot over the counter? You get extra points for making the spent casing land within 12 inches of the bullets impact point on the ground.

The 7-11 is really tough to do two handed because it contorts your spine.

No, but I'll have to give that a try.

March 24th, 2009, 05:21 PM	#1
wpk Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Ohio Posts: 274	More accurate with one hand than two? I got my dirty mitts on some old ammo than a friend didn't want anymore (he had sold his 9mm pistol) so I decided to go burn it up today as I hadn't been to the range in awhile; ammo pricing and availability being what it is. After about 50 rounds of warmup shooting I started doing some drills which included one handed shooting with each hand and also some target aquisition/double-tap drills. I noticed that my right-hand only groupings were MUCH tighter and more accurate that even my double-handed shooting. I'm very right-handed and right-eye dominant so it seems that things just line up more naturally when I use my dominant side to do everything. Left-handed shooting seemed equivalent to double-handed. So, this brings me to an interesting dilemma: Should I just go with the right-hand-only as the main way I shoot and practice? I usually only did one-handed shooting as a drill but I really did shoot noticably better with the right hand only. I obviously want to improve my accuracy no matter which way I sling bullets downrange but after today I'm considering adjusting my main shooting style (for lack of better terminology). Anyone else do this? __________________ "America is a nation of laws; poorly written and randomly enforced." -Frank Zappa

March 24th, 2009, 05:32 PM	#2
jfl Distinguished Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Palm Beach County, FL Posts: 1,350	What stance are you using ? Weaver ... bladed towards the target, left hand pulling, right hand pushing, or isoceles ... body perpendicular to the line of fire, slightly crouched forward, both hands neutral __________________ The first rule of a gunfight: "Don't be there !" jfl (NRA Life Member/Instructor - GOA - IDPA - GSSF - ex-IHMSA)

March 24th, 2009, 05:51 PM	#3
wpk Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Ohio Posts: 274	I actually keep my upper body square to the target, I don't blade one way or the other. Feet about shoulder-width apart with the left slightly forward. Not sure if this stance has a name, it's what my ccw class instructor taught us to use, it's very stable and handles recoil very well since it pushes the recoil at your chest instead of your shoulder. EDIT: Reading your post a bit more closely, I pretty much use isololes I guess. Didn't visualize what "perpendicular" meant properly, man...need to start doing the vocab puzzles in the reader's digests again I guess. __________________ "America is a nation of laws; poorly written and randomly enforced." -Frank Zappa

March 24th, 2009, 06:09 PM	#4
Trumpetchuck Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Suburban Detroit Posts: 220	A problem with tactical shooting with one hand is that if you are sweeping or scanning for more threats, you move much faster with much more control using two hands. Use the one hand shooting for target practice, survival shoot with two hands. BTW, I shoot better with one hand also. __________________ "Don't be afraid to see what you see. -Ronald Reagan-

March 24th, 2009, 06:33 PM	#5
Tangle Senior Moderator Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Chattanooga Posts: 6,611	It is rather exceptional to shoot better with one hand than two. I've been to lots of shooting schools, and read lots of shooting school reports, two just this week, and they all indicate the exact same thing - most people need more work with one-hand shooting. I suspect what you are experiencing is relaxed, no time constraint shooting. If you try to shoot as fast one handed as you do wth both hands you should see a big difference - or your two handed stance isn't correct. If we could shoot better with one hand than two, all the competition shooters would be shooting with one hand. That's not to say we shouldn't train with both hands AND single handed fire, it just means when time is a factor, we all will shoot better with two hands than one hand. __________________ My other car is a 1911.

March 24th, 2009, 06:38 PM	#6
wpk Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Ohio Posts: 274	You're correct about no time constraint. Anything more than a double-tap at my usual range wiill get you yelled at. No rapid fire allowed. I do know a range that allows it but it's a half-hour drive. I'm sure one-handed rapid fire would probably be all over the place, but I'm unable to really work on that. __________________ "America is a nation of laws; poorly written and randomly enforced." -Frank Zappa

March 24th, 2009, 07:04 PM	#7
jfl Distinguished Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Palm Beach County, FL Posts: 1,350	If you cannot get "live" training, invest a few bucks in books. One I like is "Surgical Speed Shooting" by Andy Stanford. I went to his one day course, my IDPA score improved substantially ... and I've only been shooting for 59 years, including Army. The placement of the hand is very important, especially for follow-up shots. __________________ The first rule of a gunfight: "Don't be there !" jfl (NRA Life Member/Instructor - GOA - IDPA - GSSF - ex-IHMSA)

March 24th, 2009, 07:29 PM	#8
matiki VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: N.W. Posts: 2,888	I have always shot better with one hand during slow-fire (bulls-eye) shooting. Everything else requires two hands for me to stand a chance. __________________ "Wise people learn when they can; fools learn when they must." - The Duke of Wellington

March 24th, 2009, 07:34 PM	#9
tinkerinWstuff Distinguished Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Colorado Front Range Posts: 1,206	are you sure you aren't talking about the 7-11 stance? You know, one handed with the gun sideways and angled to shoot over the counter? You get extra points for making the spent casing land within 12 inches of the bullets impact point on the ground. The 7-11 is really tough to do two handed because it contorts your spine. __________________ "Run for your life from the man who tells you that money is evil. That sentence is the leper's bell of an approaching looter. So long as men live together on earth and need means to deal with one another-their only substitute, if they abandon money, is the muzzle of a gun." Who is John Galt?

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