Shooting a pistol

[Thunderbolt]

One or two hands? It seems to me that all the older movies and TV shows that have a hand gun the character uses on hand. Sean Connery's James Bond never used two hands with his PPK and Roger Moore's Bond only did it later in his career. The 1980's seems to have started a style of two hand shooting. John Wayne always used one hand. Guys from the golden era were macho. One hand with a .45. I'm a wimp. I get better accuracy with two hands. What do you think?

 

[Vladimir Berkov]

I think using two hands is an objectively better method of shooting. That said, I like to practice using not only with both hands but also one-handed using either only my right or only my left.

In general, if I am shooting a vintage firearm which was designed at a time where one-handed shooting was the norm I shoot it one-handed as it is just sort of more fun that way.

 

[varga49]

If you want to hit what you're aiming at use two hands ALWAYS! Forget what you've seen in the movies. I laugh everytime I see some actor point his pistol sideways. Actually it's not that funny. All that being said, simply grasping a hand gun with two hands and pulling the trigger isn't much better unless you train/practice using the appropriate method. With regards to subject at hand, never confuse what you see in the movies with reality. Does anyone remember the old 7 or was it 9 shot revolver from the tv western days? ~chuckle

 

[green papaya]

two hands works better for quick follow up shots or combat handgunning.

Ive seen some old WWII training films that show GI's training with the M1911A1 pistol using one handed shooting on a moving target.

 

[The Wingnut]

Strangely enough, two-handed pistol shooting really wasn't common practice until the 1950s when pistol shooter Jack Weaver popularized the 'Weaver stance' among military and police organizations. It still didn't enjoy widespread popularity until, as was pointed out, the 1980s. Even then, the grip has evolved...it began with gripping the wrist of the shooting hand, to cupping underneath the shooting hand, to cupping / overlaying the fingers of the shooting hand.

If you want accuracy, TWO HANDS. If you want to be historically correct, one hand if you're portaying anything before the '50s.

 

[Jake]

I used to shoot in a bullseye league where you were only allowed to shoot with one hand. I depends what kind of shooting you do.

 

[Sin Khan]

There are a lot of reasons why in the old days you see people using pistols with one hand. The first reason is that they were designed that way. Pistols by design do not support true two handed operation. The reason that they were not designed to be used by two hands is because pistols are backup weapons. Learning to shoot with one hand (as they were designed) was considered necessary in the event that you only had one hand. Any other weapon that you had was a two handed, long weapon and not suitable for using when all else failed or in close quarters fighting when your injured. Shooting stances and such that use two hands are simply adaptations to gain greater control of the weapon.

But accuracy is not necessarily improved by using two hands; it depends on the weapon and what kind of accuracy your talking about. If you mean by accuracy that you hit your intended target with a bullet, then that?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s accurate isn?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t it. Getting your pistol out at close range and firing a bullet at your enemy was more important than overall accuracy. Cowboy action shooting events have this theme in mind. For fast draw, your target is about ten yards away and the winner is the first one who gets his bullet in the target, not the one who gets his bullet closest to the center ring of that target. It?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s all in how you train. I have read stories of old timers and cowboy action shooters who are just as good one handed as many other people are with two hands.

As far as movies go, those guns were generally small and only had a small smoke charge in them. This gave the weapons very little recoil and was mainly used to create a small flash bang for the camera. Also, as you mentioned, it looks more macho to use a weapon one handed. It is tough to show confidence with a two handed stance. On camera, it looks more like your hiding behind your gun than using it as a tool to get the job done. In the real world, holding a pistol with two hands increases accuracy; but on camera, it looks like you don?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t know what your doing and couldn?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t hit the broad side of a barn without having to use both hands on the weapon.

Thanks

 

[photobyalan]

One-handed shooting is always correct if you are shooting from a moving car or on top of a moving train. That leaves your other hand free to hang on to your hat! If you're not weraing a hat, then you're probably the bad guy...

 

[Biltmore Bob]

 

[MK]

.

Don Johnson as Sonny Crocket in Miami Vice was probably the reason for the popularity of the two-handed technique.....and shoulder holsters. He looked very competent and very credible....even on camera.

 

[airfrogusmc]

Two hands, breath and squeeze.

 

[green papaya]

one handed pistol shooting was the way people shot back in the days when they would often have to fire from horseback , you needed one hand to control your horse and one for the pistol

a US cavalryman used a revolver with a long barrel and the grip angle shape was designed for single handed shooting

an old west style pistol like a COLT single action army handles quite well shooting with one hand, the balance of the gun feels good with one hand, not only was one handed shooting the "style" back in the old days, but it also worked well with the type of pistols they used.

I shoot steel plates with old west style revolvers and they have good combat accuracy shooting one handed

 

[Michaelson]

Does anyone remember the old 7 or was it 9 shot revolver from the tv western days? ~chuckle

My personal favorite....John Waynes Colt .45 single action model 1873 revolver that he fired 14 times without reloading at the end of 'The Sons of Katie Elder'. Now THAT was one interesting revolver....considering it was a 6 gun.

Oh, down our way we call the 'palm supported hold' shown above the 'cup and saucer' stance.

Regards! Michaelson

 

[Bebop]

It depends on what you are shooting and at what distance. When shooting a Colt .45 peacemaker I feel much more comfortable one handed. When shooting my Ruger Redhawk I would rather use two hands. Of course it is always fun to try using one hand on the Ruger. Recovery from the shot is my enemy one handed. For faster engagment of a close target, one handed wins with me.

 

[farnham54]

We have to also consider some degree of ignorance (as far as TV/Movies go) on the part of the actors. It is, inherently, harder to hit things one handed then it is two handed. If someone who's never shot a pistol before shots one both one-handed and two-handed in the same sitting, the two handed shot will be more accurate.

However, most TV/Movie actors never shot a real gun in their life, and as such never had to worry about hitting anything--They pulled the trigger, bad guy dies, even though the bullet in reality may have ended up in Timbuktu.

I'd say the fact that so many of the guys who NEED to shoot DEADLY accuratley EVERY time use the two-handed weaver stance is pretty clear--for consistently accurate shots, use the Weaver.

Although, it was considered more "gentlmanly" in officers to stand up straight and fire with one hand in combat situations. They looked more...i don't know, regal? perhaps that is not the correct word, but it was part of the Officer Image.

One of my biggest qualms with U-571 is when Matthew McConoughey (sp?) clears the german sub using the weaver stance--not likely, i'm afraid!

Cheers
Craig

 

[Bebop]

One of the reasons movies and TV get away with insane ways of shooting is because they believe that most of the audience is not "into guns" and will not know the difference between proper or credible shooting and improper or incredible shooting. Most of the actors, directors and writers are the same that want guns banned. When an actor or director wants acurate use of guns, they are labled as "difficult" and "nitpickers". I think Tom Clancy is one of the few writers that has acurate portrayal of guns in his books and movies. Not having to reload is always funny to me. Dropping magazines as if they were disposable junk, spraying a room instead of aiming once in a while, being able to hear right after shooting 6 rounds without ear protection, not only handling the barrel of a hand gun immediatly after firing it for 10 minutes solid but putting it down their pants sounds painful to me. Or holding the shooting arms wrist to shoot two handed. None of that works for me.

 

[Vladimir Berkov]

Bebop if you want to see a movie with really good usage of guns, watch "Way of the Gun" or "Heat." Those two films are the most accurate that I know of.

 

[varga49]

Good Arguments...

for both sides, Ultimately if you don't practice either, and on a regular basis, you're probably going to need a paddle for that trip "up sh*t creek". If you don't or can't practice combat shooting with your hand gun get a Remington 870 with a slug barrel a magazine extension and 7 rounds of "00" buck. "the shotgun's main advantage: superior hit probability".

 

[Biltmore Bob]

I do practice on a regular basis.

I don't shoot competively anymore, but I practice Weaver, Strong Hand and Weak Hand.

 

[Harp]

Point a pistol-do not aim, squeeze trigger. Learn to shoot with both
hands as your natural paw may be wounded. Two-hand hold is impractical
for close-quarter defense in certain situations.