Over the years, my opinion on one-handed shooting has changed. As a cop, I figured the need was minimal. As a SWAT officer, I thought it was a waste of time. Age, coupled with training and teaching experience, along with a recognition of reality, has shifted my perspective.
Unfortunately, for most people, it remains one of the most critical skills they will never practice.
You Are Fighting Your Way Out, Not In
As a cop, whether I was running toward an active shooter or stacking up with 25 other SWAT officers, I was taking the fight to the threat. As an armed citizen, however, you are far more likely to fight your way out, not in.
Advertisement — Continue Reading Below
Whether you’re in a restaurant, mall, public event, or your own home, your goal is to avoid confrontation while protecting yourself and your loved ones. Trust me, hunting bad guys is problematic. Regardless of the outcome, you’ve likely bought yourself enormous legal expenses and years of unexpected complications.
It sounds like a simple mindset shift, but it’s proven harder for many people than you might think.
Advertisement — Continue Reading Below
The Real World Is Not a Square Range or Shoot House
People, chairs, tables, and countless other obstacles will be in your way. You must maneuver around, over, and through real-world debris.
Doors may need to be opened or closed. Objects may need to be pushed aside as you move toward an exit. Family members may need to be controlled, guided, or even carried.
You may need to clear clothing one-handed and possibly reholster the same way. Grabbing someone by the hand, pulling them by the shirt, or pushing them out of your way is entirely possible.
Advertisement — Continue Reading Below
Exits have to be opened or held open while maintaining coverage toward the threat. Most, if not all, of these tasks leave only one hand available.
You will be moving. Everyone else will be moving. The threat may even be hunting you.
Everything about the real world eliminates your favorite stance, your best two-handed grip, and your precise aim. Nothing will be perfect. Everything will be compromised.
Advertisement — Continue Reading Below
Use a Gun That Fits and Works for You
Whether it’s a revolver, semi-auto, rifle, or shotgun doesn’t matter. It must function under the least favorable conditions.
Can you use it with one hand? While off balance? With a poor stance? A less-than-perfect grip? While moving?
Advertisement — Continue Reading Below
Can you use it seated, on one knee, or on the ground behind cover? Can you walk backward while protecting your family?
Real fights are messy. Tiny handguns may not work well in those situations. Twelve-pound rifles loaded with unnecessary accessories are equally worthless if you can’t hold them up and shoot accurately with one hand.
Keep it light, accurate, and capable of single-handed operation. Handguns should be small enough to carry, yet large enough to use effectively from the least favorable position under the worst conditions.
Advertisement — Continue Reading Below
Practice, Practice, Practice
Practice these skills dry first, then on the range. Don’t pray for divine intervention and expect to “rise to the occasion.” Presentations from concealment, aiming, trigger manipulation, and movement can all be practiced dry. The same goes for single-handed malfunction clearances and reload drills.
Once you’ve mastered those skills standing still, start moving. Practice from a seated position, on one knee, and around, through, and over obstacles. Get as much of the manipulation work down as possible in a controlled environment before adding complexity.
Train With Your Off Hand
Working with your off hand takes practice. Are you using your non-dominant eye, or are you becoming cross-eye dominant? Red-dot optics are a huge advantage here. You simply need to get the dot where it belongs and press the trigger.
Ambidextrous controls are another advantage. Anything that makes the firearm easier to operate outside of a perfect shooting position, without compromising reliability, is worth considering.
Practice dry until it becomes comfortable. Anyone can stand on a firing line, slowly switch hands, and manipulate controls with their support hand. Unfortunately, fights don’t happen on a square range, and time is never your friend.
Practice dry and on the range from realistic positions.
If you don’t like how your firearm performs, get a different one. This should be about preparing for a fight, not maintaining a love affair with what you thought would work. Choose the best tool for the job. Pick what has proven to work for you, not what someone trying to sell you something says should work.
Create Realistic Training Scenarios
Load up a suitcase and drag it around to simulate holding a hand or moving an injured person. Kneel over a pillow or case as if holding someone down. Set up obstacles and push them with one hand as though you’re moving someone out of the way. While expensive, 3D punching bags are excellent because they push back.
Bring out a table and start behind it. Push it over while staying on target with your other hand. Learn how to work around it. Practice transitioning with one hand, then shooting with that same hand. Position spare magazines where they can be accessed with either hand. Get creative. Stay safe. Figure out how to realistically and safely simulate real-world situations whenever possible while practicing one-handed shooting with both your left and right hand.
Most importantly, do it accurately and safely.
At the end of the day, nobody gets to choose the circumstances of a fight. If it happens, chances are it won’t be at the perfect moment, from the perfect stance, with both hands free and plenty of time to think. That’s why it’s important to train for the situations you hope never happen, not just the ones you enjoy practicing. Find what works for you, put in the reps, and pressure-test your gear and skills until you’re confident in them. It may not be the most exciting part of training, but if that day ever comes, you’ll be glad you spent the time preparing for reality instead of perfection.
WHY OUR ARTICLES/REVIEWS DO NOT HAVE AFFILIATE LINKS
Affiliate links create a financial incentive for writers to promote certain products, which can lead to biased recommendations. This blurs the line between genuine advice and marketing, reducing trust in the content.