I am typing this with one hand, perhaps something more familiar to those who have not been typing since they were 10 years old.  The day before my birthday my left hand started hurting enough for me to stop using it. I could not extend my fingers or make a fist. My guess is that between work and blogging, I was spending too much time at the keyboard combined with an extensive shooting session.  I did my usual web research and came to the conclusion it was tendonitis, a condition that would require taking an over the counter inflammatory and using ice packs. Seems to be working but it got me started thinking about something I have written about; why all seniors should have at least one revolver.

 

In gun forums I have often spoken about having a revolver in your arsenal for those occasions when you do not have the use of both hands. For us older gunhands, those occasions seem to come suddenly and all too often. I normally have problems with my hands due to nerve damage and arthritis. Tendonitis is something new and a great birthday gift to remind me that each year is not making me stronger and better. However, I plan for such events and had my trusty J-Frame snub nose ready to go. I loaded it with some mild Hornady FTX 110 gr. .38 spl ammo and was good to go. I could even reload it. Using a semi auto was out of the question as there was no way I could rack a slide and press a magazine or slide release. Be prepared, and I was.

 

I just wanted to post this reminder for older shooters that if you can afford more than one carry gun and holster, one setup should be suitable for those times when medical problems prohibit carrying your primary gun. A snub nose and pocket holster is a great setup for those times and something everyone should consider. I have to keep this short as it is slow going for me to type like this and my left hand keeps wondering to the keyboard undoing all the healing it has undergone. Something to think about whether it is hand problems, bad back (I have both), etc.. A simple, lightweight easy to use gun that will not strain any part of your body that you carry it on, is always a good idea for seniors.  Even with one hand I was able to load it by laying it down and that reminded me of why I keep it handy. It even makes a good primary gun for seniors and is very popular with the retired LEO I know. I cannot imagine trying to clear a jam in a semi auto with the condition of my hands today so I am comforted by my revolver; well two actually since I bought the Alaskan to use as a backup home defense gun which it is now is doing. I planned ahead just in time. I have it stoked with .45 LC self defense rounds but if a bear tries a home invasion I am ready with a box of 20 .454 Casull. That reminds me, I have to cancel my range trip this week where I was going to shoot the .454 Casull for the first time. Best to wait until I can use both hands and then post the results on my blog.

Agreed.  As folks get older, racking that slide becomes much more difficult to do.  Beretta used to sell a handgun where you could load a bullet into a hinged barrel, and then it would operate as a normal semi-auto.  This got around needing to rack it.

 

IMO, a revolver is easier.

Thanks for sharing - although there are ways to rack the slide on a semi-auto one handed.

 

Ironic that your one handed "disabled" typing is far better than most do with both hands...

Thanks for sharing - although there are ways to rack the slide on a semi-auto one handed.

 

Ironic that your one handed "disabled" typing is far better than most do with both hands...

...perhaps the Gentleman used another appendage...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

...a foot perhaps...

Or you could rack the slide like Tom Cruise did in Valkyrie where he placed the top edge of the slide against the edge of a table and pushed down. Thought that was pretty clever when I saw the trailer. His character only had one arm or the use of one arm.

I teach my guys one handed drawing, loading, shooting, and malfunction clearing with an auto pistol. We do it both strong and weak handed. It is fairly easy and with practice pretty quick.

 

How do you reload a revolver with one hand?

I teach my guys one handed drawing, loading, shooting, and malfunction clearing with an auto pistol. We do it both strong and weak handed. It is fairly easy and with practice pretty quick.

 

How do you reload a revolver with one hand?

Gunforhire Urban Pistol teaches a pretty thorough way of loading a semi one-armed.

 

I am waiting for the one-armed revolver reload instruction, also.

 

How do you reload a revolver with one hand?

Throw the empty revolver and grab another revolver.

I have had a few students, female and those with medical issues, who like a revolver better for the same reasons.

Good luck with the hands.

Ahhhh, the "NY Reload".....

 

Two revolvers - that's what, 11 rounds on average with the "reload" (a 6 shot primary carry gun and a 5 shot backup) or maybe as many as 16 if you are carrying two 8 shot revolvers.

 

A Glock 19 shooting a relatively mild 9mm load will give you 16 rounds of easy shooting with no reload. After those 16, you can still skin a backup blaster if that is your plan and are so equipped.

 

If you don't have a backup to pull, Semi-Autos have a fairly straight forward manual of arms for one handed reloading:

 

1) Drop the empty mag

2) Holster

3) Grab fresh mag with shooting hand

4) Insert mag using the holster to push against when seating the mag

5) Draw and hit slide release or racket catching the rear sight on your belt/holster/nearby surface

 

And as a bonus the one reload will give you another 15 rounds (assuming aforememtioned G19). That would take 3 one hand reloads with a revolver.

 

This along with malfunction clearing, making ready, unloading, etc... (with either your strong or support hand) can be taught and reinforced to a competent level to most people in under an hour.

I teach my guys one handed drawing, loading, shooting, and malfunction clearing...

 

Malfunction?   You're going to have to explain that to the revolver shooters.   They've probably never encountered one.

I have actually seen a few revolvers malfunction.

 

Especially the lower tier guns like Taurus and guns owned by WECSOG armorers.