Real World Self Defense Shooting - Wouldn't one handed be more common?

[trimore]

When I think about real world scenarios that a handgun might need to be drawn and used, it seems to me that a one handed shot would be much more common than standing there with two hands on the gun waiting for the attacker.

Some examples.
- a mugging
- a carjacking
- any kind of struggle
- dog attack (???, I have been chased on my bike and in that scenario, it is one handed only)

Getting two hands on the gun as we normally see everyone practicing and boasting about their groups seems like it would not be nearly as common.

What brings this question up in my mind the ability to handle a small CCW 9mm for my wife and I in this kind of situation and be able to shoot it accurately enough and follow up if need be when only using one hand. I have seen how the small 9mm such as the PF-9 and PM9 can recoil even with 2 hands. One handed would be much worse I would think.

Is a larger gun better in these cases such as a G26 or other sub compact or compact.

Help me understand this and consider what I might not be thinking about. Still new to all of this so be easy on me. Contemplating 1st purchase of handgun to fullfill a CCW and home defense role onlong with my shotgun for HD.

Thanks.

 

[CJ]

Yes, one handed-ness would be very common, and is why any training I've ever seen includes it.

Getting two hands on the gun as we normally see everyone practicing and boasting about their groups seems like it would not be nearly as common.

Different uses and purposes. From most accounts I've heard, getting a 'group' in a defensive shooting is atypical. This is why hit rates are frequently abysmal in shooting incidents, even when just a few feet away from the target. Just remember this when armchair commandos talk about how they'd just shoot someone in a specific spot during a shooting...people who probably train more than they do are fortunate to HIT, much less call a shot: Shoot center-of-mass.

I believe a larger gun will always be better for shooting, but not for the reasons you mention. HOWEVER, if it's so large you don't have it with you, it doesn't help.

As for recoil and firearms size, search for the recent Guntalk podcast to listen to the interview with Greg Brush. If I'm recalling correctly: he describes practicing with a Casull using some heavy hardcasts...he made it to 4 rounds in practice before deciding that it hurt enough, and he was confident of his abilities. When a bear recently charged him, he felt no recoil and heard no muzzle blast while backpedaling and firing 5 shots into the bear. Note...this doesn't mean he never practiced, just not with the full-bore ammunition, and I think it's obvious his practice helped...just trying to put the size/recoil into perspective relative to the 'having it with you' effect.

 

[CoRoMo]

I carry the P11 and when I hit the range, I'll spend plenty of time shooting one handed, right and left. It is not at all hard to do. And like CJ said, most all pistol courses will have you shoot this way because it is imperative.

 

[mfcmb]

I have chosen to believe if I'm ever in a self-defense shooting that I'll most likely have to shoot one-handed, so that's the way I do most of my practice.

I wanted the smallest CCW I felt I could control and shoot well. I chose 9mm as my caliber. I shot a variety of rental guns. Found the Kahr PM9 too small to grip well and the recoil too sharp to control. Found the Kahr CW9 to be the smallest gun I could grip, control, shoot a lot in practice, etc. so that's the one I bought, and I've been happy with it.

After a year of lots of dry fire practice and a few thousand live rounds I find shooting the CW9 one-handed to be quite satisfactory.

 

[Destructo6]

Lots of agencies practice and use for qualification, "one-handed bent elbow shooting" from 1.5 yards. At 3 yards, you should try to get both hands on it.

 

[wilkersk]

I don't pretend to be an expert. But, I've read others talk about "contact" shooting, and "weapon retention" techniques that are taught in defensive handgun courses which deal with the situations you listed.

I would think that the biggest hurdle would be not panicking and shooting wild. I think in most cases if you could remain calm enough to not shoot yourself, any caliber you carry that puts a hole in a purposefull attacker would probably end the attack.

On the flip-side, I suspsect a freako high on PCP might keep coming, no matter what caliber you're carrying, right up until his central nervous system shuts down.