Semi-auto for single handed operation- recommendations

[Guest Lefty 48]

I'm looking at options for a carry handgun. A semi auto seems the way to go- concealment profile and weight being obvious concerns.

For an individual who only has the permanent use of one hand are there any semi-auto pistols which can be safely operated one handed?

[TNWNGR]

With proper training any shooter should be able to safely use a defensive pistol with only one hand. All you’re sacrificing is how long a magazine change or re-chambering a round takes. Malfunction drills and such aren’t a huge issue either; I suggest you visit TN Gun Country on Ft. Campbell Blvd and speak with them. You’ll find that they will answer your questions and not pressure you to purchase anything. In fact you’ll probably be referred to a firearms trainer in order to make a more informed decision. It’s good to see that you’re interested in legal firearms carry and finding the right defensive carry pistol.

[Guest pfries]

I agree with TNWGR,

My only recommendation is one with changeable sights or sights that are designed with the use of catching on clothing or object to rack the slide in mind (they do make these).

Training will be key but many options are available to you.

[greyofk]

A bike incident left me with broken right shoulder and displaced bones. At first I could handle no more than .22 double action revolver (in my left hand). I worked with weights, rubber strips and wrist grip with my left hand. Now I can handle Makarov pistol and even operate its slide stop. The main challenge is rapid fire when the recoil kicks the pistol over your shuolder, I will try .40 S&W in couple weeks. It's all matter of your determination

[graycrait]

An injury left me learning to shoot left-handed one-handed while I was recovering. Although never fully recovered in my right hand, during the recovery period I started experimenting with various firearms and techniques. I also look at handguns in a whole new light and must personally insist that any defensive handgun must be shot quickly with defensive accuracy one-handed either hand. A friend of mine got seriously wounded in Iraq and he sponsors an annual Wounded Warriors shoot. I am working on one of his Glocks right now. He lost a leg and the ends of several fingers. Another friend of mine is 86+ yrs old, WWII Marine. He is arthritic in every joint in his body. We do a lot of experimenting with various defensive pistols. My wife has basal thumb arthritis, plus short fingers, but she likes to shoot handguns, so we have to compromise, modify, adapt, etc. This is a very handy aftermarket device, as are several aftermarket triggers. Slide Pull

Here is another Glock option: GLOCK SLIDE RACKER - Brownells

Also, my "Wounded Warrior" friend has worked through his own "handicaps" and has helped many others. I would suggest visiting the gunshop an earlier poster mentioned. Folks there will go out of their way in helping you find a solution and/or putting you in touch with people who can.

Edited January 3, 2012 by graycrait

[Guest CarmenT]

Folks, Lefty 48 is my husband. I suggested he ask here for specific recommendations for a carry pistol he could use with only the use of one hand. The reason for that is he's an amputee and the prosthetic hand he uses for "daily wear" is bionic and gets broken doing ridiculously routine things. His "hook" is far more durable but not daily wear (he works in an office and wears a shirt and tie) and frankly isn't kind to anything not made of titanium steel. (Just ask things like my microwave)

If there isn't a one off pistol that can be operated using only one hand then so be it. I figured if there was ya'll might know what it was. I understand the concept of "drag racking" it back but well, I love and want to keep my husband above ground. :-)

[Guest pfries]

I like that option graycrait... was going to go into a long post and deleted it...I can say it can be done and proficiently too, find your options and train.

[TN-popo]

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Edited January 5, 2012 by TN-popo

[Guest Lefty 48]

@ greyofk- I concur that it's all about determination. For over 7 1/2 years now I've been figuring it out with very few exceptions. I'll be interested to hear how the .40 S&W works out for you, and in any pointers you may have, and I hope your shoulder and bones heal well.

For the record, I'll shoot all day at the range with my .357 revolver, one handed, but it is not a practical carry gun. But this is while wearing the appropriate durable prosthetic. (And I enjoy rifles of whatever caliber I bring or someone offers to allow me to shoot.)

My big concern is arriving at a solution for a carry gun that relies on my prosthetic functioning predictably at that instant, as I know you've met Murphy...

Edited January 2, 2012 by Lefty 48

[graycrait]

I tried the H&K P7. That is a way cool pistol. I ended up trading mine when I found that without very good index finger control and separation from the rest of the hand it is a hard pistol to shoot. What I did was grind a Glock 19 frame to the point where it lays almost as low as a HKP7, to facilitate point shooting, but in a shorter reset trigger and then cut the access points to the trigger for shortened bent index finger or a straight off-hand trigger finger. The 360 degree stippling allows for a firm grip especially when "grabbing and go."

[Guest Lefty 48]

+1

As to a specific recommendation, the H&K P7M8 was the first thing to come to mind.

Ambi mag release and the "squeeze cocker" also releases the slide when it's at slidelock (I mention this as you and the Supreme Commander seem concerned about racking with the rear sight).

Regards

The Home CSM watches my clumsy workarounds all the time, but I don't run the risk of shooting myself during them. I'll definitely look at the H&K P7M8.

Thanks

[QuietDan]

This is probably the right place to turn to get hooked up with someone in the know. I'n thinking the soldiers up around Fort Campbell that hang out on this board are going to have a "friend of a friend who knows . . . " other soldiers who have transitioned through Wounded Warrior regiments that have had to face the same or similar issues. I hope they chime in.

Lefty, your particular issue is unique to you, but in a general sense affects a lot of folks. I'm thinking your prosthetics team might have valuable connections for you, if they don't they oughta. If shooting is important to you, and you want to be rehabilitated for shooting, then they should get right on it for you.

Here's the splash page for the Center for the Intrepid in San Antonio. They surely deal with issues such as this for Soldiers:

Center for the Intrepid

Lefty, if you are not a soldier, perhaps a soldier that posts here has a soldier comrade that's gone through Center for the Intrepid for rebabilitation, and can at least pass on tips. Again, your prosthetics team might want to hook up with Center for the Intrepid. I am almost positive they've addressed this issue. It is right in the Mission Statement for the Center for the Intrepid to ". . . promote research in the fields of Orthopaedics, prosthetics and physical/occupational rehabilitation."

God Bless You, your wonderful wife & family, and your medical team.

Edited January 2, 2012 by QuietDan

[c.a.willard]

It depends on which weapons your most comfortable with. Technically all pistols can be operated with one hand some are just easier than others. and each type of pistol has its own drawbacks. beig left handed i it would require you have either an ambi safety or a reversable safety. A quality weapon and good maintanance will cut down on the likelyhood of having to preform immediate action to correct a malfuntion. A decent capacity will reduce the number of times yo would haveto reload. If youd like i have a M&P 9 full size that id be glad to switch to a lefty and let you try out 17 round capacity, light recoil, and never a hicup. I have a decent amount of eperience with one handed operations, malfunctions and reload drills and would be happy to go over any of it with you. Just shoot me a PM.

[macville]

I would actually suggest a revolver over a semi-auto. I know that a semi auto might be nicer when considering amount of rounds, but a revolver can be loaded and shot entirely with one hand. I just see racking the slide on a semi auto difficult when a revolver requires very little effort. Just a thought. I would suggest the Ruger SR9c, but the slide is the heaviest slide I have ever felt. Too bad because it's a very nice, small 9mm.

[Will H]

I hate to do it, cause life is too short to have to own such an ugly gun, but i would have to recommend the Glock with the pull cocker on page one for shooting one handed due to the light recoil. I recently shot a single stack compact .45 glock (I don't know G numbers) and it seemed to recoil less than my 9mm Beretta 92fs.

The thing with Blocks though is to try them out just holding first, as they seem to have a love or hate grip to them.

[DaveTN]

Don’t rely on your prosthetic. My best friend has one arm; he lost the other when he was 3 years old. People are amazed that it doesn’t slow him down much. He had a prosthetic arm made when we were kids about 16 years old. He ended up pitching it; says he doesn’t need it.

I’ve not watched him use a semi-auto, but I’ll ask him about this.

You are not going to be able to make a fast magazine change…. Period. But everything else shouldn’t be a problem. Push the slide down on the edge of a table and lock the slide back, insert the magazine, use the slide release to chamber a round. Even with thumb break holsters I only use one hand to draw and re-holster.

Why is your .357 revolver not a practical carry gun?

[Guest Lefty 48]

Don’t rely on your prosthetic. My best friend has one arm; he lost the other when he was 3 years old. People are amazed that it doesn’t slow him down much. He had a prosthetic arm made when we were kids about 16 years old. He ended up pitching it; says he doesn’t need it.

I’ve not watched him use a semi-auto, but I’ll ask him about this.

You are not going to be able to make a fast magazine change…. Period. But everything else shouldn’t be a problem. Push the slide down on the edge of a table and lock the slide back, insert the magazine, use the slide release to chamber a round. Even with thumb break holsters I only use one hand to draw and re-holster.

Why is your .357 revolver not a practical carry gun?

Don’t rely on your prosthetic. My best friend has one arm; he lost the other when he was 3 years old. People are amazed that it doesn’t slow him down much. He had a prosthetic arm made when we were kids about 16 years old. He ended up pitching it; says he doesn’t need it.

I’ve not watched him use a semi-auto, but I’ll ask him about this.

You are not going to be able to make a fast magazine change…. Period. But everything else shouldn’t be a problem. Push the slide down on the edge of a table and lock the slide back, insert the magazine, use the slide release to chamber a round. Even with thumb break holsters I only use one hand to draw and re-holster.

Why is your .357 revolver not a practical carry gun?

I absolutely concur that an important criterion is to NOT rely on proper prothetic functioning. I've had it fail too often when I needed it- with the exception of the hook. A .357/38 revolver might well be a practical carry gun, just not the one I have now.

My much loved .357 revolver is a Taurus 608- 4 inch ported barrel, 8 shot cylinder, large grips- difficult to find a holster for. Big, heavy, and a joy to shoot one handed at the range- even with the Magnum rounds. I'm not a little guy, but a concealed carry rig for it might present challenges and I can't really wear a shoulder rig and a duster year round in TN.

Thanks for the suggestions. Shooting a semi-auto pistol can be done. What I'm trying to figure out is whether it is a safe option for a CCW application where it has to work- no tables, only one hand, and only a few seconds to get it all together.

Howard

[Guest Lefty 48]

macville, I like the simplicity of a revolver, and light, relatively low profile options are available in 38. Mostly trying to figure out if the are semi-auto options, with their admitted small profile that I need to consider. I'm a fairly good sized guy, so an LCR or the like could be made to disappear in the correct holster.

Thanks

[Guest Lefty 48]

@ QuietDan- I am a retired soldier, I work with a couple wounded warriors, and my prosthetist is a hunter. Now, he has identified what prosthetic to wear shooting- at the range- but it is not my daily wear prosthetic. (My Taurus 608 became my favorite after shooting a wounded warrior friend's.)

The only prosthetic I rely on is the hook. It has not ever failed me yet. But, not my daily wear prosthetic. Ever other configuration has failed, and the better the high-speed prosthetic the less useful for this specific application. In the last 7+ years I've been thru a few different configurations, used them all to failure.

I have not thought of contacting the Center for the Intrepid. It might be a good resource- either to see options or share my solution.

Thanks for the suggestions.

Howard

[DaveTN]

Shooting a semi-auto pistol can be done. What I'm trying to figure out is whether it is a safe option for a CCW application where it has to work- no tables, only one hand, and only a few seconds to get it all together.

It can be loaded safely and holstered before you go out. Most of us don’t carry a second magazine, so we couldn’t reload no matter how many hands we have.

If I’m going to Memphis I have a full size M&P 40. If I need more than 15 rounds of .40 caliber; I’m hosed. It would be easier to conceal than your large frame Taurus revolver.

I have a Smith & Wesson 2.5†K-frame (Model 66) modified to use moon-clips. I think I could reload it easily with one hand, but not fast.

I also sometimes carry a 5-shot model 36 J-frame appendix carry. I have 5 shots and that’s it.... if I need six its game over.

As a cop we had to do drills where we could only use one hand to shoot and reload.

[QuietDan]

The only prosthetic I rely on is the hook. It has not ever failed me yet.

Lefty, sounds like you've got good backup that's on the case.

I'm not in the biz, but I'm thinking if the hook is uber-reliable for you, perhaps there's a solution that involves a little gunsmithing, and work with some minor weapons mods that meet your prosthetic halfway. I could imagine a . . . M1911 maybe, with a little bit of metal bolted on the slide to let your hook get a grip to cock it, perhaps an enlarged mag-release with a dimple your hook tip won't skid off of, and maybe a little bit of metal bolted to the bottom of the mag so the hook can get it without sliding away. I THINK they make left-handed M1911s, and they're all metal so they've been carved on and bolted to for a hundred years. I have an image in my head of these suggestions, and in my mind they don't look too big and hulking, but kinda cool. If the hook works for you, work with the hook ???

Don't forget that some of the major weapons manufacturers also work with the Wounded Warrior folks, they might have tech teams already on the case, or be easily motivated to get involved. I could imagine Springfield Armory gunsmiths in the custom shop being HIGHLY motivated to develop (or share) a solution. They'd surely help because it's the right thing to do, but it would also give them a chance at bragging rights for coming up with cool solutions.

You've been tossed a lemon, that's for sure, but that's where lemonade comes from. And maybe not just for you but for others as well. God Bless.

***************

Update: I called Springfield Armory and their customer service said they do support the Wounded Warrior program and that their Custom Shop at 800-617-6751 or customshop@springfield-armory.com apparently can work to make a weapon function with prosthetics. I imagine some other manufacturers would also offer similar services.

Edited January 3, 2012 by QuietDan

[monkeylizard]

Nah, get the M1911 rigged directly to the arm. It may not be as practical as the hook in day to day life, but it would look super awesome at the range.

Seriously though, it depends on if you plan on carrying an extra mag or not. If not, then I don't see any reason why a rock-solid reliable semi is really any different than a wheel gun. Sure it could jam and need to be cleared, but the odds of it happening during a defensive shoot are super low if you know the gun is reliable (1000+ rounds at a range and no FTF/FTE issue) and well maintained. I know that may not be a popular opinion, but it's worth what was paid for it. For that kind of reliable, I'm thinking of makes/models that have withstood serious torture tests, like Glock, XD, and M&P, though I'm sure others exist.

Edited January 2, 2012 by monkeylizard

[Kevo]

Beretta makes a tip up barrel Model 86. It is a blowback 380. I haven't shot an 86, but have shot the non tip up barrel Model 85. Recoil feels about the same as my Glock 19 9mm. Ambidextrous safety. 8+1 capacity. Not ideal but seems one handed friendly.

[Jonnin]

My thoughts would be alongside the gunsmith idea but get the most simple gun you can. I would not fool with a hammer/SA gun, but a DA or DAO design or striker with no safety (or one you can leave off all the time without worry, like a DA gun would have). You want to reduce it to 2 controls: mag release and slide release. Add a loop for the hook to grab the slide to rack it. Or look into a push-rack design (add material to the front of the slide to push into a wall to rack it). Best of luck, its bad enough being a lefty with 2 hands, so you are starting with just a few guns that are left hand friendly, which is a poor starting point.

[JReedEsq]

My vote would be for a M&P FS in 9mm. Ambi slide release; low recoil; and plenty of rounds w/o a reload.