So you are shooting one handed.

[Glenn E. Meyer]

That's me for awhile. As I mentioned elsewhere, I've been shooting a Buckmark like that in IDPA. However, I want to move up a bit. When I was previously one handed, I shot a Glock 19 reasonably well (took a couple of classes that way).

But my question is considering all - what would you shoot from these available:

G26, G19, G17?

The standard answer is the bigger gun. Talking to LEO competitor friend who is an order of magnitude better than me - he said the 17. My hands are reasonably strong so the weight isn't a real problem. I was thinking of the physics of length and grip, and whatever.

Thoughts appreciated.

I did shoot a Desert Eagle 44 mag one handed - that was interesting. It jammed on me.

[BN]

The G17. You're not trying to prove anything, you just want to shoot. Use the one that is going to be the easiest on you.

[spinmove_]

One handed in a competition? Definitely the G17 as it should have the easiest recoil characteristics for you to manage. Heck, if the option were available to me, I’d pick a full sized all metal gun that was either TDA or SAO.


Sent from mah smertfone using tapathingy

[Peally]

Whatever you normally shoot?

[hufnagel]

I'd go with @Peally to start with, but you've got me thinking... since I have a range "date" tomorrow I think I'll take a P30, P30L, and P2000SK, and see which one is more one-handed friendly.

Initial suppositions:
P30L because bigger, heavier, longer, should manage recoil better. However, it's heavier, so quicker fatigue?
P2000SK since it's smaller, lighter might be in the air longer.

I guess I could do some hold-em-up drills in the basement and time them. Question is how long to wait between tests so that previous fatigue isn't a factor, and what would I make the cut off point? Onset of shaking?

[hufnagel]

Damnit! just fell outside the edit window when I tried to save it!

So the following is super unscientific totally seat of the pants personal observation, because I was near the safe and felt like sexually harassing some firearms.

I balanced the firearm on my straight index finger, with all fingers tight together, and at an angle away from the grip (think hitler, but straight out and turned to 45 degrees), and used my thumb and pointer finger calipering the beaver tail and sights, but attempting to not make contact with either.
Ammo in magazines is P9HST1.

UNLOADED...
P30L is distinctly nose heavy.
P30 is nose heavy.
P2000SK is slightly nose heavy.

EMPTY MAG...
P30L is distinctly nose heavy.
P30 is (slightly?) nose heavy.
P2000SK is *slightly* tail heavy.

LOADED...
P30L is *almost* perfectly balanced. (15rnd mag)
P30 is slightly tail heavy. (15rnd mag)
P2000SK is slightly tail heavy. (10rnd flat plate mag)
(note, P30 and P2000SK appear to be slightly tail heavy to about the same degree.)

[YVK]

With theoretical considerations of shorter slide variants being slightly less reliable than full sized ones, and one handed shooting being slightly less forgiving from reliability sense as well, I'd go with the 17. I dunno if I know what IDPA's position on one handed malfunction clearance is .

[Glenn E. Meyer]

Thanks, I can clear the gun using both hands. The issue is raising the bad arm to standard position and sending a bunch of impulses through it for the moment. I do think IDPA would be excited by standard one handed clearance, which I do know how to do. As far as reliability, all the guns have been rock solid for quite a long time. Of course, those are famous last words.

I think I will give the 17 a whirl. I was just thinking out loud.

[MistWolf]

Glenn, the answer is obvious- whichever handgun you shoot best one handed. The pistol I shoot best one handed is the PPQ. I don't expect that answer to be the same for anyone else.

Another thing I've noted lately- I have better recoil control shooting my PPQ with gloves than I do bare-handed. My grip ain't what it used to be and pistols squirm more than they did when I was younger. I need to shoot more to tell, but gloves seem to help a lot. Gloves also help absorb some of the recoil and reduce hand fatigue.

[Rex G]

I definitely shoot better one-handed, all else being equal, if the handgun has a bit of heft at the muzzle end. In the case of G26, G19, and G17 being the only candidates, this, for me, means G17. (I own, or have owned, all of these models.) Longer sight radius was a help, when I could still see well enough for it to matter, but the balance being shifted toward the muzzle helps steady my one-hand hold, independent of the sights. Obviously, this could be over-done, with exotic accessories, to the degree that wrist fatigue becomes a factor, but this seems to be about normal-configuration, IDPA-eligible pistols.

I can empathize, as my ability to shoot right-handed is becoming seriously diminished, two-hand shooting is much compromised, and I am about to have to switch to left-side carry. (Fortunately, I am actually left-handed, and functionally ambidextrous with most pistols. I throw right, so drawing from the right hip felt more natural, back in the day, with big, heavy revolvers from the low-riding duty holster.) I just sold my G26, because it very much required me to have two hands firmly engaged.

Heal well, and quickly!