View Full Version : Handgun advice for one handed individual
On another forum I frequent there is a member who is interested in purchasing a hand gun. He has a physical deformity which keeps him from being able to use his right hand.
http://www.superhonda.com/photopost/data/519/medium/P1100047.jpg
We have tried to give him advice about it, but in reality, none of the guys over there, while knowledgeable about guns, have the best 1 handed weapon manipulation training or knowledge. I asked him if I could start a thread over here in hopes of getting him some advice from some great instructors on 1 handed manipulations as well as pistols that would be good for him. He wants an auto pistol, but he isnt sure he can manipulate the gun very well one handed. He isnt against a revolver either and thinks it will be easier. He is located in San Antonio and is willing to get proper training if there is anybody close by that could help him.
I've been shooting revolvers for over 40 years but if I were limited to one hand, it would be a high cap 9mm for certain.
I think in his situation, the ergonomics of the pistol become really critical. For this reason I'm thinking M&P. My experience with them is limited to the Pro 9 but that pistol is VERY easy to rack the slide - but will need different rear sights. Those slanted Novak style sights are awful for that application.
If racking the standard full size M&P slide is comparable it's easier than many. And for pete's sake stay away from the Gen 4 Glocks ;) A 3rd gen G19 isn't bad in that regard. The G19 RTF2 grip is SO secure, this could be helpful for a purely one handed shooter.
He should line up some tall sights to put on it. The .245 inch tall Warrens are working out great on one of my G17s and would give him better purchase if using the front for one handed slide manipulations.
Ameriglo makes even taller "suppressor sights" which might be worth it for someone that is totally dependent on one handed reloading etc.
I have limited personal exposure to trainers suited for this task however in that limited exposure - Tom Givens of Rangemaster in Memphis teaches one handed reloading etc superbly.
Or he could go with carrying two J frame revolvers or G26s. Other pistol options which I understand are lefty friendly are recent H&K models like the P2000 or P30. But lots more $$$.
Just off the top of my head . . .
Yea I was thinking M&P as well and what I recommended to him. I am just trying to give him some ideas on one handed weapon manipulation and possibly a source close to him for some good, physical training on it.
have you seen a reload like this:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzG3Dz7-Lis&feature=related
I think it would be more suited for him
A 1911 like this would be my pick but i must say i hate posting this one
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=168533745
It is just too expensive for most people out there. Too the point that he my not even consider it. I would have steel sights on it so he can utilize this technique
I really wish i could have found a second gen glock 19 for left handed shooters. I seen a picture of one years ago but i just cant find it any longer
Yea I was thinking M&P as well and what I recommended to him. I am just trying to give him some ideas on one handed weapon manipulation and possibly a source close to him for some good, physical training on it.
I can't do justice to describing the one hand drills but when you see them, it's pretty slick. It's not that tough to manage with a semiauto. Vs a wheelgun IMO.
Revolver or Semi - I don't think it matters so long as he stays with something that is highly reliable. He will have to learn to operate it one handed, regardless of the choice - including failure drills and reloads.
Even though I'm a big fan of 1911s, I don't think that would be the best choice *in this case*. Out of the box 1911s (especially the compacts) can be very problematic. Other brands as well for that matter, but mass produced 1911s can be worse.
A 9mm Sig P229 with decocker would be my first choice, along with a good holster or two. One handed reloads are very simple, provided the gun is holstered; and from what I've seen, the Sigs are less prone to fail than a Glock due to limp wristing.
Relatively low recoil, high bore axis and might be easier with reloads as long as it's a P7 M13 with the US mag release. I would think the ability to release the slide with the squeeze cocker would be a plus. I'm sure somebody with more experience with have some additional input. Only real drawback is the price.
Relatively low recoil, high bore axis and might be easier with reloads as long as it's a P7 M13 with the US mag release. I would think the ability to release the slide with the squeeze cocker would be a plus. I'm sure somebody with more experience with have some additional input. Only real drawback is the price.
I was thinking he needs a high capacity, and just damn the reloads, depend on the 19 rounds available, but as an owner of a P7M13, I agree with you, a one handed person could doreloads well with one...
I dont think this guy is a big gun guy so recommending something obscure like a P7 or something along those lines probably wont work with this guy.
I am thinking M&P because its fully ambi, can be had with good ledge sights for cocking if need be, and is an extremely reliable gun.
Really why I started this thread was to get ideas to show him how to manipulate the gun one handed. I told him what ever he gets he is going to have to get practice running the gun and either platform will have its share of difficulties.
He has said he would be using it mainly for home defense and range shooting. He isnt sure he can get a CHL in Texas due to his physical status.
I would say M&P full size with ledge rear sight and full length top slide serrations.
https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=53204&highlight=serrations
No manual safeties, the rear sight and serrations should be able to work wonderfully for one handed manipulation.
Now, IMO, the MOST important thing he can do if he plans on carrying this is to GET TRAINING. One handed manipulation is NOT easy, especially when you're REALLY only one handed. Things like reloading suddenly become a huge issue. I would get with a good trainer and take at least a few classes then practice a TON at home. Otherwise I just don't see the point in carrying the gun, as if something goes wrong and he doesn't know what to do bad things will start happening.
15-17 rounds on board like fighting with a J frame and two reloads. He could do a lot worse than to just fight with a reliable hicap 9mm.
I have a friend at work that lost his right hand many years ago and we have spoken many times about the right handgun for him. I am not an expert on the subject by any means, so I will follow this thread with interest.
When I had thought through this in the past, I kept coming back to "simple". Those of us who have been shooting for many years can easily envision one handed drills or emergency loading techniques, but some of them may not be the best thing to practice all of the time from a safety standpoint, especially for a novice, and I believe that for someone who is not necessarily a "gun guy", the manual of arms could be easily forgotten. Additionally, and for my friend in particular, the idea of self sufficiency is important. I have never tried to load a high cap magazine with one hand. I am thinking it might be a challenge and need to try it.
My thought is that the simple solution is a revolver, perhaps 7 or 8 shot depending on hand size and strength. I think Ruger just brought out a GP100 in .327 that is 7 or 8, and Smith makes the 686 in a 7 shot. A one handed person can load it, check it, and fire it with minimal training. If need be multiple revolvers can be carried or stored where they can be reached.
I too would suggest the M&P for the above reasons.
Business_Casual
05-09-10, 19:05
The P30 is well-engineered from an ambi perspective too.
B_C
I dont think this guy is a big gun guy so recommending something obscure like a P7 or something along those lines probably wont work with this guy.
I am thinking M&P because its fully ambi, can be had with good ledge sights for cocking if need be, and is an extremely reliable gun.
Really why I started this thread was to get ideas to show him how to manipulate the gun one handed. I told him what ever he gets he is going to have to get practice running the gun and either platform will have its share of difficulties.
He has said he would be using it mainly for home defense and range shooting. He isnt sure he can get a CHL in Texas due to his physical status.
does tx have a range test that requires rapid reloads?
i'd be quite surprised if texas wouldn't give a CHL to a disabled person, as long as their mind was all there.
that one handed reload technique is pretty slick. does anyone reholster, reload and rack on the belt? that might work too....
does this guy's other hand work at all? he might be able to hold a mag with it and set the pistol on the mag.
A high quality hicap is not likely to malfunction until it runs empty after 15-17 rounds. Any revolver is guaranteed to run empty within 5-6 rounds for any model he can easily carry concealed.
Reloading drills are a secondary issue in this circumstance.
buy a G17.
If he cant take care of business w/a G17, he was ****ed longed beforehand his purchase..
An Undocumented Worker
05-09-10, 20:42
A CZ-85 may also be another viable option to consider being that it is an ambidextrous version of the CZ-75b.
and the mag release on all of the 75's and like models are reversable, along with having an easy to rack slide with a squared off rear sight.
Hi everyone. I'm a lurker who reads and learns from the experts in this forum, but this post is one that I can relate to. While I have the use of my right arm, I also have a physical deformity to it, which puts my right hand at an ackward angle and I don't have the same strength as I do with my left. I am right hand oriented (I write right handed, play golf right handed, ect), however I've learned to use a left hand strong side with handguns, while shooting rifles right handed.
For me, functions on a weapon must be ambi or left hand oriented. The pistols that I've chosen are as follows (while there are plenty more suitable weapons out there, this is what I currently own and can proficiently use):
1) HK USP 9mm - with a left handed manual safety/decocker
2) 1911 with an ambi safety
3) Beretta 92fs - built in ambi
4) Glock 19 - with an extended slide release
The important attributes for me are of course ambi controls, but also if I am able to comfortably reach the magazine release and slide release. Only playing the the weap can you determine if this is the case.
Regarding using the weapon 1 handed only, for convenience at the range, I find that the USP and glock are preferable as they have a blocky slide and at a range, I'm able to set it upside down on a bench after I drop an empty mag and insert the fresh one (even with the sights, its easier to do this with a more square slide for some reason). In a HD situation, you can train to either 1) set the weap between your knees face down or 2) if you have a holster, set the weap in the holster and reload from there. In terms of loading the magazines, it would definitely take significantly more time (but can be done with the help of a flat surface and speed loader), so it would be prudent to load up the magazines ahead of time and have a sufficient amount of mags ready before going to practice/train/defend.
Hope this helps.
Thanks for all the very good information that I get from this website.
Am already late for work - so didn't read other posts. Sorry if a repeat...
1) Was in a class at Guniste years back (No, no one was shot then!) with a guy with a similar deformity/loss of function. His pistol of choice was a Glock. He did quite well!!!!!! Yes - slow reloads - but it really forces you to think about cover:)
2) If I were in his situation, I get a 9mm M&P with higher sights. The advantage of the Smith over a Glock is the "auto forward" function. Yes - a little harder to get to work one-handed, but I'm sure it could be done:)
Where there is a will - there is a way!
jm
I'd go glock 19 or similar stick to 9mm for recoil with 1 hand will be difficult to control. High cap due to limited need to reload is the way to go. Higher rear sight like 10-8 performance which can be used to help clear malfunctions if needed is the way to go. Most importantly some good training from someone who understands handicaps, like an occupational therapist. May want to contact walter reed or another facility which rehabs military amputees to get input
M&P 9mm, the new one's come with the ledge type sights.
BTW, I've found one of the best ways to one handed reload with the strong hand is to just holster the gun and use it as a platform to reload from.
A few years ago, I suffered an injury at work to my right/strong hand that required multiple sutures and resulted in my hand being encased in fiberglass—in short, I had no use of my right/strong hand for several weeks.
Like many, I had done a fair amount of training where we were required to practice weak hand shooting to simulate an injury to the strong hand. So no problems right? I thought I would just carry my 1911 on the left side and drive on. It turns out that while this sounds great in theory, things got a bit more interesting when having to do it for real. As soon as I was able, I went to the range to check out things…hmmm, not so good. Turned out the 1911 was a bit harder to use purely one handed--mag changes were really slow when one truly only has the use of one hand, also the 1911 torqued a bit when I shot it left handed. Since larger magazine capacity and less recoil suddenly seemed to be a good thing, I shifted over to a G19 for carry. Hits were much better, and while mag changes were still slow, they were not so frequent.
These days, for one handed shooting I would DEFINITELY recommend an M&P9 w/ambi-safety (makes one handed holstering much less problematic) and rear sight w/ledge (Heinie, Warren, 10-8, RDS, etc...) followed by a similarly set-up 3rd Gen 9 mm Glock. I'd also consider always running a weapon light with a grip switch (X300 w/DG switch).
My Glock 19 is not my favorite handgun but it is the simplist to work. No safeties, no decocker levers, easy to load a mag with ammo (especially with the plastic loader), easy to install a loaded mag in the gun. Fairly easy slide and your set. Evertime I shoot my Glock it amazes me how simple it is to manage.
I know a lot of people don't care for them, but I have always found the Beretta 92 to be the easiest gun to manipulate with my weak hand. It just seems like the slide stop and mag release require so much less effort than a 1911 or Glock.
It would be a little big for CCW, but they are soft shooting, high capacity, and pretty reliable in my experience.
But as others have said any well thought of (Glock, HK, M&P), high-cap 9mm with the right sight setup would probably work for him.
After further thought I believe that Doc nailed it with his last bit of advice.
A 9mm M&P with a safety and a light would be trick for one handed shooting.
If you check out the larger size pic you can see the new M&Ps come with the ledge rear sight, a big improvement from the Novaks.
http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=11101&storeId=10001&productId=88455&langId=-1&parent_category_rn=15711&isFirearm=Y
I finally signed up here because of this thread. I have a physical deformity limiting the use of my right hand, around 75% usage if I had to quantify. I can't get a good full support hand grip and fumble mag changes sometimes.
Fit is even more important than with a normal shooter. I chose a CZ-85, but I would say any hi-cap 9mm that fits well, with a low bore line and beavertail. Also, frame weight helps. I do not like rotating barrel locking mechanisms like Berettas.
I can't help with one handed mag changes as much as a good instructor could, but I have an observation when it comes to grip. I run my weapon hand thumb very high; high enough that ejected casings or something on the slide occasionally takes a chunk out of my knuckle. This seems to help mitigate torque to the right during recoil.
I hope this helps.
DOC and TPD223 are all over it. Amazing what happens when a serious topic is discussed and opined upon by BTDT guys
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